Bolthole Index

Onondaga County, New York

Zoning, building permits and septic rules in the Town of Clay, New York

The Town of Clay, New York requires a building permit before construction starts, and the town's Department of Codes handles building permits and zoning compliance12. Clay has its own zoning districts3. Septic systems need a permit under the town code, and Onondaga County's health department reviews septic plans45.

At a glance

Building permit
Required before work starts; issued by the Town of Clay1
Zoning
Town of Clay zoning districts apply to all land in the town36
Septic
Town permit under the town code; county health department reviews septic plans45
Certificate of occupancy
Required for permitted work7
Minimum lot (RA-100, residential)
100,000 sq ft and 250 ft wide8
Subdivision
County Health Department reviews and stamps every filed subdivision map9

Who to call

Building permits

Town of Clay Department of Codes (Code Enforcement)

Building permits, building inspections, zoning compliance and fire/life safety inspections inside the Town of Clay

(315) 652-3800

codes@townofclayny.gov

4401 Route 31, Clay, NY 13041

Zoning

Town of Clay Department of Planning & Development

Subdivisions and site plans (planning board), use and area variances and special permits (zoning board of appeals), and permitting for land disturbances and floodplains

(315) 652-3800

4401 Route 31, Clay, NY 13041

Septic permits

Onondaga County Health Department, Bureau of Public Health Engineering

County plan review for individual sewage disposal systems, public sewers and realty subdivisions, coordinated with local code enforcement officials

(315) 435-6600

pheseptic@ongov.net

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 24, 2026.

Off-grid gear

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

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Do you need a building permit in the Town of Clay, NY?

Yes. The Town of Clay requires a building permit for any work that must conform to the state Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code, the Energy Code or the Town Code, including construction, enlargement, alteration, removal, relocation and demolition1. Work may not begin until the town issues the permit, and the application must be written and signed by the owner or an authorized agent10.

A permit lapses if work does not begin within six months, and it expires 12 months after issuance1. Permitted work must stay accessible and exposed until the Code Enforcement Officer or an authorized inspector accepts it11. A certificate of occupancy or certificate of compliance is required for any permitted work and for buildings converted to a different use7.

New York State allows a town to exempt small categories of work from permits, such as a one-story detached shed of 144 square feet or less12. We could not confirm which exemptions Clay adopted, so ask the Department of Codes before skipping a permit2.

Who issues building permits in the Town of Clay, and how do you reach them?

The Town of Clay's own Department of Codes handles building permits, building inspections, zoning compliance and fire/life safety inspections2. The office is at 4401 Route 31, Clay, NY 13041, and the main town phone is (315) 652-38002. Email codes@townofclayny.gov2.

The Department of Planning & Development is a separate office. It handles subdivisions and site plans (planning board), use and area variances and special permits (zoning board of appeals), and permitting for land disturbances and floodplains13. Call it before you submit anything, since the town asks applicants for a pre-application meeting or call13.

These are town offices. Onondaga County does not issue building permits for land inside Clay; the county's role here is septic review and subdivision map review, covered below. For land outside the town, see the Onondaga County page.

Does the Town of Clay have zoning, and what does it mean for lot size and setbacks?

Yes. The Town of Clay divides its land into conventional zoning districts, with specialized and overlay districts on top3. The certified Town of Clay Zoning Map is on file in Town Hall, and a lot with no map designation is treated as RA-1006.

In the RA-100 Residential Agricultural District, a residential lot needs at least 100,000 square feet and 250 feet of width8. Residential structures there need front yards of at least 75 feet and side and rear yards of at least 25 feet, with a maximum height of 35 feet1415. Nonresidential and agricultural uses have different columns in the same table, and other districts have their own numbers.

We could not confirm Clay's rules on minimum dwelling size, accessory dwellings, tiny homes or short-term rentals. Ask the Department of Codes which district your parcel is in and what it allows2.

How do septic permits work in the Town of Clay?

Septic permits in Clay run through the town code and Onondaga County. The town code says an individual sewage disposal system may not be located or constructed until the town's Inspector issues a permit, which also requires satisfactory percolation test results and a compliant design4. No building permit issues until that septic permit is issued, unless the Inspector decides the rule does not apply or an existing public sewer will serve the building before use and occupancy16.

The town Inspector also inspects during construction, and a system may not be covered until inspected or placed in service until a certificate of compliance is issued17. Onondaga County's Bureau of Public Health Engineering reviews individual sewage disposal systems and works with local code enforcement518.

For newly proposed subdivision lots under 5 acres that cannot reach a public sewer, the county must approve the private sewage system plans before subdivision approval19. Confirm with the Department of Codes whether public sewer reaches your lot2.

Can you live in an RV or tiny home on your land in the Town of Clay?

We could not confirm an answer. We found no published Clay rule on living in an RV, camping on private land or occupying a tiny home. Statewide camping rules for state-run campgrounds do not answer the question for your own lot.

Because Clay zones its land by district, the answer depends on your parcel's district and on how the Department of Codes classifies the structure3. Any dwelling built or placed on a lot needs a building permit and a certificate of occupancy17. Call the Department of Codes at (315) 652-3800 and get the answer in writing before you buy a lot for this purpose2.

Building a home in the Town of Clay: the steps, in order

  1. Ask the Department of Codes which zoning district your parcel is in, and check lot width and setbacks against that district's table62.
  2. If you are dividing land, contact the town first; the Onondaga County Health Department must also review and stamp every filed subdivision map9.
  3. Get the septic permit from the town, with percolation testing and a compliant design, before the building permit can issue16.
  4. Apply in writing for a building permit, signed by the owner or an authorized agent10.
  5. Keep work exposed and call for inspections as each stage is ready11.
  6. Obtain the certificate of occupancy before anyone moves in7.

What stays with Onondaga County, and what should you check before buying land in Clay?

Septic plan review stays with the Onondaga County Health Department, and county subdivision map review applies to any lot you plan to split59. Connecting to an existing public sewer requires a Capacity Assurance review before the county issues a plumbing permit20. If your driveway will join a state highway, a New York State Department of Transportation permit is required21.

Outside the town's limits, the county page covers unincorporated land: Onondaga County. County figures there are county-level, not Clay-only. Onondaga County's effective property tax rate is 2.6%22, and the nearest city of 100,000 or more is about 3 miles from the county center23.

We could not confirm Clay's rules on private wells, driveway permits on town roads or flood-hazard development; ask the Department of Planning & Development, which lists floodplain permitting among its services13.

Watch-outs

  • Clay's septic rules sit in the town code while Onondaga County also reviews septic systems, so ask both the Department of Codes and the county Bureau of Public Health Engineering who signs off on your lot45.
  • A building permit will not issue until the septic permit is issued or the town decides the septic rule does not apply16.
  • We could not confirm Clay's rules on owner-builders, RV occupancy, accessory dwellings or minimum dwelling size; get answers from the Department of Codes before you buy2.
  • Lot size and setbacks differ by zoning district, and the RA-100 numbers apply only to residential uses in that district8.

Sources

  1. Town of Clay Code, Chapter 80, Building Code Administration (Town of Clay), quoted and re-checked
  2. Town of Clay Department of Codes (Code Enforcement) (townofclayny.gov)
  3. Town of Clay Code, Chapter 230, Article III, Zone Districts (Town of Clay), quoted and re-checked
  4. Town of Clay Code, Chapter 182, Individual Sewage Disposal Systems (Town of Clay), quoted and re-checked
  5. Septic Systems, quoted and re-checked
  6. Town of Clay Code, Chapter 230, Article III, Zone Districts (Town of Clay), quoted and re-checked
  7. Town of Clay Code, Chapter 80, Building Code Administration (Town of Clay), quoted and re-checked
  8. Town of Clay Code, Chapter 230, Article III, Zone Districts (Town of Clay), quoted and re-checked
  9. Subdivision Process, quoted and re-checked
  10. Town of Clay Code, Chapter 80, Building Code Administration (Town of Clay), quoted and re-checked
  11. Town of Clay Code, Chapter 80, Building Code Administration (Town of Clay), quoted and re-checked
  12. Part 1203 Uniform Code and the Energy Code: Minimum Standards for Administration and Enforcement (New York statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  13. Town of Clay Department of Planning & Development (townofclayny.gov)
  14. Town of Clay Code, Chapter 230, Article III, Zone Districts (Town of Clay), quoted and re-checked
  15. Town of Clay Code, Chapter 230, Article III, Zone Districts (Town of Clay), quoted and re-checked
  16. Town of Clay Code, Chapter 182, Individual Sewage Disposal Systems (Town of Clay), quoted and re-checked
  17. Town of Clay Code, Chapter 182, Individual Sewage Disposal Systems (Town of Clay), quoted and re-checked
  18. Onondaga County Health Department, Bureau of Public Health Engineering (onondaga.gov)
  19. Septic Systems – Environmental Health, quoted and re-checked
  20. New Sewer Connections, quoted and re-checked
  21. Residential Driveway Permits (New York statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  22. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  23. Straight-line distance from the county center to the nearest city of 100,000+ people: Bolthole Index county data

Written October 24, 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 Town of Clay

Town of Clay’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    Work inside Clay that must conform to the Uniform Code, Energy Code, or Town Code, including construction, enlargement, alteration, improvement, removal, relocation, demolition, and specified solid-fuel installations.

    • The work may not commence until the Town issues a permit.
    • Application must be written and signed by the owner or authorized agent.
    • A permit becomes invalid if work does not begin within six months and expires 12 months after issuance.
    “Building permits required. A building permit shall be required for any work which must conform to the Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code, Energy Code and the Code of the Town of Clay, including, but not limited to, the construction, enlargement, alteration, improvement, removal, relocation, or demolition of any building or structure or any portion thereof, and the installation of a solid fuel burning heating appliance, chimney, or flue in any dwelling unit.”
  • InspectionsRequired

    Permitted construction inside Clay.

    • Work must remain accessible and exposed until inspected and accepted.
    • Listed inspections apply where applicable.
    • Remote inspection may replace in-person inspection at the enforcement officer's or authorized inspector's discretion.
    “Work shall remain accessible and exposed until inspected and accepted by the Code Enforcement Officer or by an inspector authorized by the Code Enforcement Officer. The Permit Holder shall notify the Code Enforcement Officer when any element of work described in Subsection B of this section is ready for inspection.”
  • Certificate of occupancyRequired

    Work subject to a building permit and structures converted to another use or occupancy classification inside Clay.

    • The Code Enforcement Officer or authorized inspector must inspect before issuance.
    • Temporary occupancy requires a temporary certificate and the safety findings stated in § 80-10D.
    “A certificate of occupancy or certificate of compliance 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 (with conditions)

    Land inside the Town of Clay.

    • Land is regulated by the applicable conventional, specialized, and overlay zoning district.
    “Conventional zone districts. For the purposes of this code, the Town of Clay is divided into the following conventional zoning districts (an area where lots, structures and uses are uniformly regulated to fulfill a common purpose):”
  • Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

    All land inside Clay.

    • The certified Town of Clay Zoning Map is on file in Town Hall.
    • If a lot lacks a map designation, it is considered RA-100.
    “For the purposes of this code, the Town of Clay is divided into the following conventional zoning districts (an area where lots, structures and uses are uniformly regulated to fulfill a common purpose):”
  • Septic permitRequired

    Location or construction of an individual sewage disposal system inside Clay.

    • Application, satisfactory percolation test results, site findings, and compliant design are required before permit issuance.
    “Permits. Individual sewage disposal systems shall not be located or constructed until the Inspector has issued a permit for such location or construction of each individual sewage disposal system. Permits shall not be issued until:”
  • Septic inspectionRequired

    Construction of individual sewage disposal systems inside Clay.

    • No system or part may be covered until inspected and backfill permission is granted.
    • A system may not be placed in service until a certificate of compliance is issued.
    “Construction inspections. The Inspector shall make sufficient inspections during the course of construction of any individual sewage disposal system to determine if the soil beneath the septic tank, distribution box or seepage pit is adequate to support such structure; if excavation for the disposal area or seepage pits discloses a type of soil that will confirm the results of percolation tests and that the system has been constructed in accordance with the provisions of this chapter.”
  • Off-grid sanitationLimited

    Private individual sewage disposal inside Clay where the Chapter 182 system is applicable.

    • An Inspector-issued permit, satisfactory percolation testing, site inspection, and compliant system design are required.
    • No building permit may issue until the Chapter 182 permit issues or the Inspector determines Chapter 182 is inapplicable or an existing public sewer will be connected before use and occupancy.
    “No building permit required in any other provision of this Municipal Code shall be issued until the permit required under this chapter has been duly issued or until it has been determined by the Inspector that the provisions of this chapter are inapplicable pursuant to the provisions of § 182-4 or by reason of existing public sewer facilities to which the building or structure will be connected before use and occupancy.”
  • Permit processPublished (with conditions)

    Building permit applications inside Clay.

    • Written application must be on an acceptable form and signed by the owner or authorized agent.
    • The application must contain enough information for compliance determination and specified construction documents.
    “Applications for a building permit shall be made, in writing, on a form provided by or otherwise acceptable to the Code Enforcement Officer. The application shall be signed by the owner of the property where the work is to be performed or an authorized agent of the owner.”

Rules another office applies inside Town of Clay

Town of Clay does not set these itself; the county, a health district or the state does, and they apply to every address inside its limits.

  • Minimum lot sizeSpecified

    Residential uses in Clay's RA-100 Residential Agricultural District.

    • The stated area is for the residential column; separate nonresidential and agricultural standards apply.

    minimum lot area: 100000 sq ft (Residential uses in RA-100) · minimum lot width: 250 ft (Residential uses in RA-100)

    “RA-100 lot and structure dimensional requirements. Residential Nonresidential Agricultural Lot Area, minimum 100,000 sq. ft. 5 acres 10 acres Width, minimum 250 ft. 125 ft. 500 ft.”
  • SetbacksSpecified

    Residential principal and attached accessory structures in Clay's RA-100 District.

    • Separate nonresidential and agricultural columns apply to those uses.

    front yard minimum: 75 ft (RA-100 residential) · side yard minimum: 25 ft (RA-100 residential) · rear yard minimum: 25 ft (RA-100 residential)

    “Principal structure and attached accessory structures Front yard minimum 75 ft. 100 ft. 75 ft. Side yard minimum 25 ft. 50 ft. Greater of 25 ft. or 1.5 times the height Rear yard minimum 25 ft. 50 ft. Greater of 25 ft. or 1.5 times the height”
  • Building heightSpecified

    Residential principal and attached accessory structures in Clay's RA-100 District.

    • Separate nonresidential and agricultural maxima apply to those uses.

    maximum height: 35 ft (RA-100 residential)

    “Maximum height 35 ft. 50 ft. 60 ft. Maximum gross floor area n/a (sq. ft.) n/a (sq. ft.) n/a (sq. ft.)”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Town of Clay or Onondaga County directly.

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-performed residential construction inside Clay.
  • Minimum dwelling size — Dwellings inside Clay.
  • Lot coverage — Residential lots inside Clay.
  • Living in an RV — RV occupancy on private land inside Clay.
  • Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land inside Clay.
8 more unanswered
  • Tiny homes
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Well permit
  • Mandatory utility hookup
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Driveway access
  • 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 Town of Clay publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Onondaga County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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