Bolthole Index

Nassau County, New York

Building permits, zoning and septic in the Village of Valley Stream, New York

The Village of Valley Stream, in Nassau County, New York, requires a building permit for any work that must conform to the state Uniform Code or Energy Code, and the village code enforcement officer issues it1. The village also adopts and enforces its own zoning2. Septic systems and cesspools in Nassau County fall under the county Department of Health3.

At a glance

Building permit
Required for work that must conform to the Uniform Code or Energy Code; issued by the village1
Zoning
Village zoning (Chapter 99) with its own use districts24
Septic
Nassau County Department of Health3
Minimum house size (R-2)
1,200 sq ft habitable floor area5
Minimum lot (R-2)
6,000 sq ft for a dwelling6
Floodplain
Floodplain development permit needed in mapped flood hazard areas7

Who to call

Building permits

Village of Valley Stream Building Department

Building permits, plan examination and inspections inside the Village of Valley Stream; village licensing of plumbers and electricians

(516) 825-4200

123 S. Central Avenue

Septic permits

Nassau County Department of Health, Bureau of Environmental Engineering

On-site sewage disposal system plan approvals and SPDES permits; requires abandonment of septic systems 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 Valley Stream means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

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Does Valley Stream, NY have zoning, and what does it mean for lot size and setbacks?

Yes. The Village of Valley Stream, Nassau County, adopts its own zoning in Chapter 99 of the village code and divides the village into use districts2. The districts are PK, P, SC, R-2, R-1, R-A, CX, C-1, C-2, C-3 and C-A4. Rules differ by district, so look up the parcel's district on the village zoning map before planning anything.

In the R-2 single-family district, a dwelling needs at least 6,000 square feet of lot area6 and at least 1,200 square feet of habitable floor area5. The front setback in R-2 is 25 feet, and a corner lot needs that setback on each street8. Buildings may cover at most 40% of an R-2 lot in the aggregate9, and R-2 buildings are limited to 30 feet in height10. We did not confirm the figures for the other residential districts.

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

Yes. Inside the Village of Valley Stream, a building permit is required for any work that must conform to the New York State Uniform Code or the Energy Code1. The village administers and enforces both codes itself, under its own Chapter 211. The village Building Department oversees the examination and permit issuance for residential and commercial construction inside the village12.

The code lists some exemptions, and we did not confirm which ones, so ask the Building Department whether a small project is covered before you skip a permit. Village code enforcement personnel also conduct construction inspections and inspections before certificates of occupancy are issued13. Fees follow a schedule set by the village board of trustees that we could not confirm; the Building Department publishes a fees page. The Town of Hempstead's building department does not issue permits inside this village; call the village.

How do septic permits work inside Valley Stream?

Septic permits are not a village matter. Nassau County's Department of Health administers on-site sewage disposal systems and SPDES permits for the county3, and that office is the one to call14. Most of Nassau County is on public sewer, and where public sewer serves an area, residential and commercial facilities there must connect to it14. Existing septic systems and cesspools in those areas must be properly abandoned14.

We could not confirm whether any part of Valley Stream is outside the sewer system, or how the village handles sewer connections for new homes. Ask the village Building Department and the county health bureau before assuming a septic system is an option. Private well rules for the village were also not confirmed.

Can you live in an RV or tiny home in Valley Stream, NY?

We could not confirm it. The village's rules on RV occupancy, temporary camping and tiny homes sit in supplementary articles of the zoning chapter that we did not read in full. Because Valley Stream has its own zoning2, the answer is set by the village, not by Nassau County. Call the village Building Department at (516) 825-4200 before parking or placing any dwelling on a lot12. A secondary unit has one confirmed route: in the R-2 district, a mother-daughter residence needs special permit approval from the Board of Appeals15.

Building a home in Valley Stream: the steps, in order

  1. Find the parcel's zoning district on the village zoning map and check lot size, setbacks and height for it4.
  2. If the lot is in a mapped flood hazard area, a floodplain development permit is required before any development; the Village Clerk is the local administrator7.
  3. Apply to the village Building Department for a building permit112.
  4. Confirm sewer connection or any on-site system with the Nassau County Department of Health14.
  5. Schedule village inspections as work proceeds13.

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

Nassau County has no countywide zoning; local governments set zoning16. The county Department of Health keeps septic and wastewater approvals3. For land outside village limits, see the Nassau County page.

Before buying, check the flood map and floodplain permit rules7. Cost context is county-level: the typical home value in Nassau County is about $859,54417, and the median property tax bill is about $10,001 a year18.

Watch-outs

  • The village's exemption list for building permits and its certificate-of-occupancy rules were not confirmed; ask the Valley Stream Building Department before starting small projects1.
  • Zoning figures above are for the R-2 district only; other districts differ6.
  • RV, tiny home, manufactured home, short-term rental and driveway rules for the village were not confirmed; call the Building Department at (516) 825-420012.

Sources

  1. Chapter 2: Administration and Enforcement of New York State Fire Prevention and Building Code - Village of Valley Stream, NY (Village of Valley Stream), quoted and re-checked
  2. Article III: Use Districts and Zoning Map - Village of Valley Stream, NY (Village of Valley Stream), quoted and re-checked
  3. On-Site Sewage Disposal System and SPDES Permit, quoted and re-checked
  4. Article III: Use Districts and Zoning Map - Village of Valley Stream, NY (Village of Valley Stream), quoted and re-checked
  5. Article VIII: R-2 District - Village of Valley Stream, NY (Village of Valley Stream), quoted and re-checked
  6. Article VIII: R-2 District - Village of Valley Stream, NY (Village of Valley Stream), quoted and re-checked
  7. Chapter 34: Flood Damage Prevention - Village of Valley Stream, NY (Village of Valley Stream), quoted and re-checked
  8. Article VIII: R-2 District - Village of Valley Stream, NY (Village of Valley Stream), quoted and re-checked
  9. Article VIII: R-2 District - Village of Valley Stream, NY (Village of Valley Stream), quoted and re-checked
  10. Article VIII: R-2 District - Village of Valley Stream, NY (Village of Valley Stream), quoted and re-checked
  11. Chapter 2: Administration and Enforcement of New York State Fire Prevention and Building Code - Village of Valley Stream, NY (Village of Valley Stream), quoted and re-checked
  12. Village of Valley Stream Building Department (valleystreamny.gov)
  13. Chapter 2: Administration and Enforcement of New York State Fire Prevention and Building Code - Village of Valley Stream, NY (Village of Valley Stream), quoted and re-checked
  14. Nassau County Department of Health, Bureau of Environmental Engineering (nassaucountyny.gov)
  15. Article VIII: R-2 District - Village of Valley Stream, NY (Village of Valley Stream), quoted and re-checked
  16. Zoning Review, quoted and re-checked
  17. Typical home value (Zillow): Bolthole Index county data
  18. Median property tax bill: 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 Valley Stream

Village of Valley Stream’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    Construction work in Valley Stream village that must conform to the Uniform Code or Energy Code

    • Subsection b lists exemptions; the exemption list was not read in full
    • Permit issued by the village code enforcement officer
    “a building permit shall be required for any work which must conform to the uniform code and/or the energy code”
  • Building code adoptedAdopted

    All buildings inside Valley Stream village; village administers the NYS Uniform Code and Energy Code

    • Adopted by L.L. No. 3-2007 (12-17-2007); amended 12-19-2022 by L.L. No. 6-2022
    • Defined terms reference the 2020 Residential Code of New York State
    “this chapter provides for the administration and enforcement of the new york state uniform fire prevention and building code (the uniform code) and the state energy conservation construction code (the energy code) in the incorporated village of valley stream.”
  • InspectionsRequired

    Construction in Valley Stream village; code enforcement personnel conduct construction inspections

    • Inspection stages in § 2-5 were not read in full
    “to conduct construction inspections, inspections to be made prior to the issuance of certificates of occupancy, certificates of compliance, temporary certificates and operating permits”
  • Local zoningPresent

    Land inside Valley Stream village; Chapter 99 Zoning of the village code

    “a. the zoning districts listed below are hereby established, and the village is divided into the following districts:”
  • Zoning districtsPublished

    Valley Stream village zoning districts: PK, P, SC, R-2, R-1, R-A, CX, C-1, C-2, C-3, C-A

    • Zoning map referenced in § 99-302
    “a. the zoning districts listed below are hereby established, and the village is divided into the following districts:”
  • Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

    R-2 single-family residential district in Valley Stream village

    • 1,450 sq ft if the detached single-family dwelling includes a mother-daughter residence
    • Other districts (R-1, R-A) not read

    minimum habitable floor area: >= 1200 sq ft (1,450 sq ft with mother-daughter residence)

    “every single-family dwelling shall have a total minimum habitable floor area of 1,200 square feet”
  • Minimum lot sizeSpecified

    R-2 single-family residential district in Valley Stream village

    • Minimum frontage for dwellings 60 feet
    • Places of worship and schools: 10,000 sq ft and 100 feet frontage

    minimum lot area, dwellings: >= 6000 sq ft

    “c. minimum area. (1) dwellings: 6,000 square feet.”
  • SetbacksSpecified

    R-2 single-family residential district in Valley Stream village, dwellings

    • Side setbacks for dwellings: 5 ft each, 15 ft aggregate; corner lot one 5 ft side
    • Rear setback 25 ft (may be reduced to 25% of depth, minimum 15 ft, on lots under 100 ft deep; 10 ft on corner lots)
    • Accessory building setbacks differ

    front setback: >= 25 ft (corner lot: 25 ft on each street)

    “a. front setback: 25 feet except that, in the case of a corner lot, a front setback shall be required on each street and each such setback shall be at least 25 feet.”
  • Lot coverageSpecified

    R-2 single-family residential district in Valley Stream village

    • All buildings and structures: max 60%
    • Floor area ratio 0.5
    • Rear yard accessory buildings: max 40%

    maximum lot coverage by buildings: <= 40 percent

    “(1) maximum coverage of lot by aggregate building area of all buildings thereon: 40%.”
  • Building heightSpecified

    R-2 single-family residential district in Valley Stream village

    • Garages 15 ft; other accessory buildings and structures 10 ft

    maximum building height: <= 30 ft · maximum stories: <= 2.5 stories

    “a. maximum for all buildings. (1) stories: 2 1/2. (2) height: 30 feet.”
  • Accessory dwellingsLimited

    R-2 single-family residential district in Valley Stream village: mother-daughter residences

    • Requires special permit approval from the Board of Appeals
    • Detached single-family dwelling with mother-daughter residence needs 1,450 sq ft minimum habitable floor area; the mother-daughter unit needs at least 250 sq ft
    • See Article XXI for mother-daughter residence rules

    minimum mother-daughter unit habitable floor area: >= 250 sq ft

    “(1) mother-daughter residences, upon obtaining special permit approval from the board of appeals.”
  • Building in a floodplainRequired

    Development in areas of special flood hazard inside Valley Stream village

    • Village Clerk is local administrator (§ 34-12)
    • Application fee $250; applicant reimburses additional review costs; deposit up to $500 may be required
    • Construction standards in §§ 34-16 through 34-20 apply

    floodplain development permit application fee: 250 USD (plus reimbursement of review costs, deposit up to $500)

    “it shall be unlawful to undertake any development in an area of special flood hazard, as shown on the flood insurance rate map enumerated in § 34-6, without a valid floodplain development permit.”

Still unanswered

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

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder permit exemption in Valley Stream village
  • Certificate of occupancy — Certificates of occupancy in Valley Stream village
  • Living in an RV — RV occupancy in Valley Stream village
  • Camping on your land — Temporary camping in Valley Stream village
  • Tiny homes — Tiny homes in Valley Stream village
13 more unanswered
  • Manufactured homes
  • Who permits septic
  • Septic permit
  • Septic inspection
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • Mandatory utility hookup
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Subdividing land
  • Driveway access
  • Short-term rentals
  • Permit fees
  • Permit process

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

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