Bolthole Index

Nassau County, New York

Building permits, zoning and septic in the Village of Upper Brookville, New York

The Village of Upper Brookville, in Nassau County, New York, requires a village building permit for construction, driveways and sanitary systems1. The village also has its own zoning code2. Septic work inside the village is tied to that same village building permit3; the Nassau County Department of Health handles larger subdivisions4.

At a glance

Building permit
Required from the village building department, with exceptions in the village code1
Zoning
Village zoning code, Chapter 2052
Building code
Village administers the NYS Uniform Code and Energy Code5
Septic
Sanitary systems need a village building permit; the county health department reviews subdivisions of 5 or more lots34
Driveways
Driveways and courts need a village building permit6
Certificate of occupancy
Required for permitted work and changes of use7
Subdivision
Regulated by village code, Chapter 1808

Who to call

Building permits

Village of Upper Brookville Building Department

Building permits, inspections and certificates of occupancy inside Upper Brookville village

516-624-7715

buildingdept@upperbrookville.gov

24 Wolver Hollow Rd Glen Head, NY 11545

Septic permits

Nassau County Department of Health, Bureau of Environmental Engineering

Review of on-site sewage disposal plans, SPDES permits and realty-subdivision engineering plans for 5 or more lots

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 Upper Brookville means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

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Do you need a building permit in Upper Brookville, NY?

Yes. Inside the Village of Upper Brookville, no person may start work that needs a building permit without first obtaining one1. The village code lists driveways and courts and sanitary systems among the work covered6. The permit requirement is subject to exceptions in the village code, so confirm a small project such as a shed with the village building department before you skip the permit1.

Permitted work must stay accessible and exposed until the building inspector accepts it9. A certificate of occupancy is required for any permitted work and for a change of use or occupancy7.

Who issues building permits in Upper Brookville, and how do you reach them?

The village itself, not Nassau County, issues building permits inside Upper Brookville. Chapter 92 of the village code provides for the administration and enforcement of the village code and the New York State Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code within the village5.

Contact the Village of Upper Brookville Building Department at 516-624-7715 ext. 3, or at buildingdept@upperbrookville.gov10. The department is at 24 Wolver Hollow Rd Glen Head, NY 1154510. Do not send applications to the Nassau County planning counter: the county directs applicants to the local city, town or village for building permits11.

Does Upper Brookville have zoning?

Yes. The Village of Upper Brookville adopts its own zoning, found in Chapter 205 of the village code2. Zoning in Nassau County is set by individual cities, towns and villages, not by the county12.

We could not confirm the village's lot sizes, setbacks, minimum dwelling size or rules on RVs, tiny homes and accessory dwellings. Those are set district by district, so ask the village building department which district a parcel is in and what the zoning code requires there before you make an offer102. Subdividing land is separately regulated by Chapter 180 of the village code8.

How do septic permits work in Upper Brookville?

A sanitary system installed inside Upper Brookville needs a village building permit3. Beyond that, the Nassau County Department of Health has jurisdiction over septic systems for developments of 5 or more lots, and sends owners of a single home or a renovation to the local building department for septic approval requirements4.

So a single new house in the village starts with the village building department, while a subdivision of 5 or more lots goes to the county health department13. Where public sewers serve an area, the county requires connection and abandonment of old septic systems14. We could not confirm village-specific septic inspection or well rules; ask the Nassau County Department of Health at 516-227-969214.

Can you live in an RV or tiny home in Upper Brookville?

We could not confirm whether the village allows living in an RV, camping on a lot or occupying a tiny home. That depends on the village's zoning in Chapter 2052, and any home you occupy must also receive a certificate of occupancy7. Ask the village building department before you buy or place anything on a lot10.

Building a home in Upper Brookville: the steps, in order

  1. Ask the village building department which zoning district the lot is in and what Chapter 205 allows there2.
  2. If you plan to split the lot, review the village's subdivision rules in Chapter 1808.
  3. Apply for the village building permit, which also covers the driveway and any sanitary system1.
  4. Keep work exposed until the building inspector accepts it9.
  5. Obtain the certificate of occupancy once the work is complete7.
  6. Confirm septic approvals with the Nassau County Department of Health if the project is part of a subdivision of 5 or more lots4.

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

Nassau County reviews subdivisions of 5 or more residential lots for water supply, sewage disposal and drainage13. The county Planning Commission also reviews subdivisions on property within 300 feet of a municipal boundary, which can matter for a lot near the village line15. Construction on county-owned roads needs contact with both the village and the Nassau County Department of Public Works11.

For land outside the village, see the Nassau County page. Nassau County's effective property tax rate is 1.5%16.

Watch-outs

  • Exceptions to the village building permit requirement exist in the village code, so confirm even small projects with the building department before starting1.
  • We could not confirm village rules on lot size, setbacks, floodplain development, permit fees or short-term rentals; ask the village building department at 516-624-7715 ext. 310.
  • Septic oversight inside the village is split between the village building permit and the county health department, so confirm both before you design a system3.

Sources

  1. Chapter 92 Building Code Administration and Enforcement, Village of Upper Brookville (Village of Upper Brookville), quoted and re-checked
  2. Village of Upper Brookville, NY code table of contents (eCode360) (Village of Upper Brookville), quoted and re-checked
  3. Chapter 92 Building Code Administration and Enforcement, Village of Upper Brookville (Village of Upper Brookville), quoted and re-checked
  4. On Site Sewage Disposal, quoted and re-checked
  5. Chapter 92 Building Code Administration and Enforcement, Village of Upper Brookville (Village of Upper Brookville), quoted and re-checked
  6. Chapter 92 Building Code Administration and Enforcement, Village of Upper Brookville (Village of Upper Brookville), quoted and re-checked
  7. Chapter 92 Building Code Administration and Enforcement, Village of Upper Brookville (Village of Upper Brookville), quoted and re-checked
  8. Village of Upper Brookville, NY code table of contents (eCode360) (Village of Upper Brookville), quoted and re-checked
  9. Chapter 92 Building Code Administration and Enforcement, Village of Upper Brookville (Village of Upper Brookville), quoted and re-checked
  10. Village of Upper Brookville Building Department (upperbrookville.gov)
  11. Building and Zoning Permits, quoted and re-checked
  12. Zoning Review, quoted and re-checked
  13. On Site Sewage Disposal | Nassau County, NY, quoted and re-checked
  14. Nassau County Department of Health, Bureau of Environmental Engineering (nassaucountyny.gov)
  15. Environmental Review, quoted and re-checked
  16. 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 Upper Brookville

Village of Upper Brookville’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    Construction, alteration, demolition and listed installations inside Upper Brookville village

    • Subject to exceptions in § 92-4 subsection b, not reviewed here
    “no person shall commence any work for which a building permit is required without first having obtained a building permit”
  • Building code adoptedAdopted

    Buildings and structures inside Upper Brookville village; village administers the NYS Uniform Code and Energy Code

    • Chapter adopted 5-15-2007 by L.L. No. 7-2007 (per history note)
    • Subject to exceptions in the village code, the uniform code or other state law
    “this chapter provides for the administration and enforcement of the code of the village of upper brookville (village code), the new york state uniform fire prevention and building code (the uniform code) and the state energy conservation construction code (the energy code) within the village of upper brookville.”
  • InspectionsRequired

    Permitted work inside Upper Brookville village

    • Work must remain accessible and exposed until inspected and accepted
    • Permit holder must notify the building inspector when elements are ready for inspection
    “work shall remain accessible and exposed until inspected and accepted by the building inspector or by a deputy building inspector authorized by the building inspector.”
  • Certificate of occupancyRequired

    Work under a building permit and change of use/occupancy inside Upper Brookville village

    • Issued by building inspector once work is completed in accordance with applicable provisions
    • Temporary certificates and certificates of continued use also provided in § 92-8
    “a certificate of occupancy shall be required for any work which is the subject of a building permit and for all structures, buildings, or portions thereof which are converted from one use or occupancy classification or subclassification to another.”
  • Local zoningPresent

    Land inside Upper Brookville village

    • Village code lists Chapter 205 Zoning; dimensional standards and use rules were not opened from the official code in this job
    “chapter 205 zoning (§ 205-1 – § 205-44)”
  • Septic permitRequired

    Sanitary systems installed inside Upper Brookville village require a village building permit; county health department approval not verified

    • Nassau County Department of Health role not confirmed in this job
    “driveways and courts; and sanitary systems. no person shall commence any work for which a building permit is required without first having obtained a building permit”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Subdivision of land inside Upper Brookville village (Chapter 180)

    • Chapter 180 text not opened; details not reviewed
    “chapter 180 subdivision of land (§ 180-1 – § 180-41)”
  • Driveway accessRequired

    Driveways and courts inside Upper Brookville village require a building permit

    • Subject to exceptions in § 92-4 subsection b, not reviewed
    “driveways and courts; and sanitary systems. no person shall commence any work for which a building permit is required without first having obtained a building permit”

Still unanswered

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

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builders inside Upper Brookville village
  • Zoning districts — Zoning districts inside Upper Brookville village
  • Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size inside Upper Brookville village
  • Minimum lot size — R1 and OP1 districts inside Upper Brookville village
  • Setbacks — Setbacks inside Upper Brookville village
16 more unanswered
  • Lot coverage
  • Building height
  • Living in an RV
  • Camping on your land
  • Tiny homes
  • Manufactured homes
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Who permits septic
  • Septic inspection
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • Mandatory utility hookup
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Building in a floodplain
  • Short-term rentals
  • Permit fees

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 Upper Brookville publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Nassau County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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