Bolthole Index

Nassau County, New York

Building permits, zoning and septic rules in the Village of Malverne, New York

The Village of Malverne, New York requires a building permit for new homes and major residential work, issued by the village Building Department1. The village sets its own zoning under Chapter 600 of its code2. Septic and sewage-disposal approvals for Nassau County sit with the Nassau County Department of Health, not the village3.

At a glance

Building permit
Required for new homes and major residential work; issued by the village Building Department1
Zoning
Village zoning, Chapter 600: Residence A, B, C, D, Business and Commercial districts24
Minimum lot
6,000 sq ft in Residence A through D; 60 ft wide in A, B and C5
Filing fee
$125 at submission for a major residential permit, plus fees due on approval6
Certificate of occupancy
Required for new homes and additions; final survey first7
Septic
Nassau County Department of Health approves on-site sewage systems and SPDES permits3

Who to call

Building permits

Incorporated Village of Malverne Building Department

Building permit applications, zoning review referrals and certificates of occupancy inside the village

516-599-1200

99 Church Street, Malverne, New York 11565

Septic permits

Nassau County Department of Health, Bureau of Environmental Engineering

On-site sewage disposal plan approvals and SPDES permits in Nassau County; septic abandonment where public sewer is available

516-227-9692

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 14, 2026.

Off-grid gear

Going off-grid in Village of Malverne means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

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Does Malverne have zoning, and what does it mean for lots and setbacks?

Yes. The Village of Malverne adopts its own zoning in Chapter 600 of the village code, with a Schedule of Regulations covering Residence A, B, C and D districts plus Business and Commercial districts24.

In the Residence A, B, C and D districts, the minimum lot area is 6,000 square feet, and Residence A, B and C lots must be at least 60 feet wide5. Accessory buildings in residence districts must sit at least 4 feet from the rear or side lot line, and garages at least 2 feet8. Principal-building yard requirements vary by district, so ask the Building Department for the figure that applies to a specific lot8.

We could not confirm Malverne's rules on RVs, tiny homes, accessory dwellings or minimum home size. The Building Department is the office to ask.

Do you need a building permit in Malverne, and who issues it?

Malverne requires a building permit for new homes and major residential construction, and the Village of Malverne Building Department handles it1. New homes need architectural review board approval, and zoning board of appeals approval may be needed first1.

Sheds under 100 square feet and low decks or patios need no permit, but they must still meet zoning and New York State codes1. Work such as fences, tree removal, decks, detached garages, accessory structures over 100 square feet, driveways and swimming pools is filed under a separate permit9.

All contractors must be licensed with the village1. Statewide, building permits apply to work that must meet the New York State Uniform Code, enforced by the local authority10.

What does a Malverne building permit cost?

A major residential building permit in Malverne carries a $125 filing fee due at submission, and additional fees are due once the permit is approved6. Part of those additional fees is based on the cost of construction, and all fees are non-refundable6.

We did not open the village's newer fee schedule, so confirm the current total with the Building Department before budgeting.

How do septic permits work inside Malverne?

Septic permits do not come from the village Building Department. In Nassau County, the Nassau County Department of Health must approve plans for on-site sewage disposal systems, and a SPDES permit is needed before sanitary waste is discharged into the ground3.

We could not confirm whether any individual Malverne address still uses a septic system or cesspool. Where public sewer serves the area, the county requires connection and proper abandonment of existing septic systems3. Call the Nassau County Department of Health, Bureau of Environmental Engineering, to find out how a specific address is served. We also could not confirm private well rules inside the village.

Building a home in Malverne: the steps, in order

  1. Get zoning review from the village; zoning approval must be completed before architectural review board review11.
  2. Allow for zoning board of appeals approval where the design does not meet zoning, which may be needed first1.
  3. Submit the building permit application with the $125 filing fee6.
  4. Obtain architectural review board approval for a new home1.
  5. File separate permits for driveways, aprons, fences and similar work9.
  6. Provide a final survey before the certificate of occupancy is issued7.

If you are subdividing, both Nassau County and the village planning board must approve before building permit approval12.

What stays with Nassau County, and what to check before you buy

Inside Malverne, the village handles building permits and zoning, while Nassau County Department of Health handles on-site sewage plan approvals and SPDES permits23. Outside village limits the rules differ: see the Nassau County page for unincorporated land.

Before you buy, ask the Building Department whether the lot meets the district's minimum area and width, and whether a variance would be needed5. Nassau County's typical home value is $859,544 and its effective property tax rate is 1.5%1314.

Watch-outs

  • The village zoning schedule we reviewed is dated 2017, and a newer revision exists, so confirm current district rules with the Building Department5.
  • Driveways, aprons, fences, tree removal and swimming pools each need their own permit apart from the main building permit9.
  • Rules for RVs, tiny homes, accessory dwellings, wells and floodplain development inside Malverne are unconfirmed; zoning is set in Chapter 600 of the village code, so ask the Building Department2.

Sources

  1. Village of Malverne Building Department, Major Residential Building Permit Instructions (Village of Malverne), quoted and re-checked
  2. Malverne Code Chapter 600 Attachment 1, Schedule of Regulations (07-01-2017) (Village of Malverne), quoted and re-checked
  3. On-Site Sewage Disposal System and SPDES Permit, quoted and re-checked
  4. Malverne Code Chapter 600 Attachment 1, Schedule of Regulations (07-01-2017) (Village of Malverne), quoted and re-checked
  5. Malverne Code Chapter 600 Attachment 1, Schedule of Regulations (07-01-2017) (Village of Malverne), quoted and re-checked
  6. Village of Malverne Building Department, Major Residential Building Permit Instructions (Village of Malverne), quoted and re-checked
  7. Village of Malverne Building Department, Major Residential Building Permit Instructions (Village of Malverne), quoted and re-checked
  8. Malverne Code Chapter 600 Attachment 1, Schedule of Regulations (07-01-2017) (Village of Malverne), quoted and re-checked
  9. Village of Malverne Building Department, Major Residential Building Permit Instructions (Village of Malverne), quoted and re-checked
  10. Part 1203 Uniform Code and the Energy Code: Minimum Standards for Administration and Enforcement (New York statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  11. Village of Malverne Building Department, Commercial Building Permit Instructions (Village of Malverne), quoted and re-checked
  12. Village of Malverne Building Department, Commercial Building Permit Instructions (Village of Malverne), quoted and re-checked
  13. Typical home value (Zillow): Bolthole Index county data
  14. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data

Written October 14, 2026 from the rules quoted below, each taken from an official source and re-checked by an independent reviewer. This is research, not legal advice: rules change, so confirm with the office before you buy or build.

Answers from the rulebook for Village of Malverne

Village of Malverne’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    New homes and major residential construction inside Malverne village

    • Architectural review board approval is required for new homes and zoning board of appeals approval may be needed first.
    • Sheds under 100 square feet and low decks/patios are stated to need no permit but must meet zoning and NYS codes.
    • HVAC, fences, tree removal, decks, detached garages, accessory structures over 100 sq. ft., driveways, pools and similar work need separate permits.
    • All contractors must be licensed with the village.
    “sheds under 100 square feet and decks/patios lower than 10” above average grade do not require a permit but are required to adhere to all zoning requirements and all applicable nys codes.”
  • Certificate of occupancyRequired

    New homes and additions inside Malverne village

    • A final survey is required before the certificate of occupancy is issued.
    “a final survey is required prior to issuance of certificate of occupancy.”
  • Local zoningPresent

    All land inside Malverne village

    • Village zoning is Chapter 600 of the village code with a Schedule of Regulations (Attachment 1), districts A, B, C, D, Business and Commercial.
    “zoning 600 attachment 1 village of malverne schedule of regulations district a b c permitted uses see § 600-2.2a see § 600-2.3a see § 600-2.4a”
  • Zoning districtsPublished

    Zoning districts inside Malverne village

    • Districts named in the schedule: Residence A, B, C, D, Business and Commercial.
    “zoning 600 attachment 1 village of malverne schedule of regulations district a b c permitted uses see § 600-2.2a see § 600-2.3a see § 600-2.4a d see § 600-2.5a business see § 600-2.6a commercial see § 600-2.7a”
  • Minimum lot sizeSpecified

    Residence A, B, C and D districts inside Malverne village

    • Schedule dated 07-01-2017; a 2026 revision of the schedule was seen in search results but not opened.
    • Residence D multiple dwellings need not less than 1,980 square feet per dwelling unit.

    minimum lot area, Residence A/B/C/D: >= 6000 sq ft (Residence D multiple dwellings: 1,980 sq ft per unit) · minimum lot width, Residence A/B/C: >= 60 ft

    “minimum lot area (square feet) 6,000 6,000 minimum lot width (feet) 60 60 6,000 6,000 (singlefamily), but not less than 1,980 per dwelling unit for multiple dwellings”
  • SetbacksDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Accessory buildings in residence districts inside Malverne village; principal-building yards vary by district

    • Principal-building front, side and rear yard figures are in the schedule table but the extracted table text is garbled; not recorded here.
    • Corner lots require a front yard on each street the lot abuts.

    accessory building minimum distance from rear or side lot line: >= 4 ft (garages not less than 2 feet)

    “accessory buildings or structures shall not be less than four feet from the rear or side lot line, except garages which shall not be less than two feet from the rear or side lot line”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Subdivisions inside Malverne village

    • Both Nassau County and village planning board approval are needed before building permit approval.
    “applicable subdivisions are to gain nassau county and village planning board approval prior to building permit approval.”
  • Driveway accessRequired

    Driveways and aprons inside Malverne village

    • Filed under a separate permit from the main building permit.
    “the following shall be filed under a separate permit including but not limited to hvac ducted or ductless split heating / cooling systems, forced air furnaces, fences, tree removal, decks, detached garages, accessory structures over 100 sq. ft., driveways and aprons, curbs, sidewalks”
  • Permit feesPublished

    Major residential building permits inside Malverne village

    • Additional fees are due upon approval and are partly based on cost of construction.
    • All fees are non-refundable.
    • A June 1, 2026 fee schedule was seen in search results but not opened.

    filing fee at submission: 125 USD (additional fees due upon approval)

    “a $125 filing fee due at the time of submission. additional fees are due upon approval of the permit.”
  • Permit processPublished

    Commercial building permits inside Malverne village

    • Zoning and architectural review board preliminary review come first for new buildings.
    • Zoning approval must be completed before ARB review (residential).
    “step 1: zoning and arb preliminary review required - submit two sets of nys r.a. or p.e. signed and sealed drawings of the proposed structure”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Village of Malverne or Nassau County directly.

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption inside Malverne village
  • Building code adopted — Building code adoption inside Malverne village
  • Inspections — Construction inspections inside Malverne village
  • Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size inside Malverne village
  • Lot coverage — Lot coverage inside Malverne village
15 more unanswered
  • Building height
  • Living in an RV
  • Camping on your land
  • Tiny homes
  • Manufactured homes
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Who permits septic
  • Septic permit
  • Septic inspection
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • Mandatory utility hookup
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Building in a floodplain
  • Short-term rentals

Each answer was extracted from an official source and independently re-checked against that source by a second reviewer. That is an evidence check, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with the authority before you buy or build.

Unanswered questions are usually a sign that Village of Malverne publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Nassau County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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