Building permits, zoning and septic rules in Steuben County, New York

At a glance

Building permit

Required for work governed by the statewide Uniform Code or Energy Code¹

Permit office

The county serves Addison, Campbell and Tuscarora; other municipalities use their own code enforcement office²³

Zoning

Varies by town or village; confirm current maps and laws with the municipality⁶

Septic authority

NYS Department of Health Hornell District Office (not a county health department)⁵

County-served permit process

Apply, receive the fee amount, then pay by check or cash⁷

Certificate of occupancy

Required for permitted work and changes in occupancy classification⁸

Who to call

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 9, 2026.

Do you need a building permit in Steuben County, New York?

Yes. In Steuben County, a building permit is required for work that must comply with New York's Uniform Code or Energy Code, though a local code enforcement program may exclude minor items such as certain small detached structures and non-life-safety repairs¹. The Uniform Code applies statewide outside New York City without each local government having to adopt it separately⁹. Steuben County administers permits for the Towns of Addison, Campbell, and Tuscarora; owners elsewhere must use their municipality's code enforcement office²³. Do not begin permit-required work before the code enforcement officer issues the permit¹⁰. Permitted work is subject to construction inspections, and a certificate of occupancy or compliance is required for permitted work and changes in occupancy classification¹¹⁸.

Who issues building permits in Steuben County, New York, and how do you reach them?

For Addison, Campbell, and Tuscarora, use Steuben County Code Enforcement at 3 E Pulteney Square in Bath or call 607-664-2470¹². The published process is to complete the applicable application, receive the fee amount, and pay by check or cash; the code enforcement officer may take up to 30 days to review the application before work can start⁷². Fees depend on the project¹³. Campbell's application publishes a schedule, including $200 for new construction up to 1,500 square feet and $100 for each additional 1,000 square feet or fraction, but do not apply those amounts to another town without confirmation¹⁴. For land outside the three county-served towns, contact the municipality's code enforcement office³.

Does Steuben County, New York have zoning?

Steuben County does not exercise countywide zoning power; zoning is adopted and administered by towns and villages⁴¹⁵. Local zoning varies, and the county publishes reference maps showing which municipalities have adopted zoning¹⁶. Those county-posted maps and laws may not be current, so obtain the official version from the municipality before committing money¹⁷. The applicable local law—not a countywide schedule—controls uses, setbacks, lot size, and dimensional rules⁶. Subdivision review also varies: the county shows municipalities with subdivision regulations, while New York law allows a town board to authorize its planning board to approve plats outside incorporated villages¹⁸¹⁹. The Steuben County Planning Department provides technical assistance and reviews certain local actions in an advisory role²⁰. Zoning approval, like building permits, comes from the town or village, while septic review stays with the New York State Department of Health's Hornell District Office wherever the parcel sits⁵²¹.

How do septic permits work in Steuben County, New York?

Steuben County does not operate a county health department for environmental health; the New York State Department of Health's Hornell District Office serves Steuben County⁵²¹. A system discharging less than 1,000 gallons per day of ordinary sewage may be exempt from a state SPDES permit, but that exemption does not eliminate other health-department review²². Campbell's building application specifically requires a new or modified onsite wastewater system to be designed by a New York registered engineer or architect, who must inspect the installation and certify that it matches the design²³. Ask the Hornell District Office and the parcel's municipality which approvals apply before designing the house. County soil data rates 0% of mapped soils as free of severe limitations for a conventional drain field, making early site evaluation especially important²⁴.

Can you live in an RV or tiny home on your land in Steuben County, New York?

We could not confirm a countywide rule allowing residential RV use or tiny-home occupancy in Steuben County. Zoning varies by town or village, so ask the parcel's municipality whether the proposed use is allowed and what setbacks, lot standards, or time limits apply²⁵. A tiny home that involves work governed by the Uniform Code or Energy Code requires a building permit from the authority serving that municipality¹. A manufactured home likewise requires a permit, inspections, and a certificate of occupancy or compliance²⁶. A homeowner who plans to install a manufactured home personally must obtain the applicable installer certification; otherwise, homeowner-completed installation components must be supervised and certified by a certified installer²⁷. Contact the Hornell District Office about wastewater review before relying on either housing option²¹.

How do you build a home in Steuben County, New York, step by step?

1. Identify the town or village and obtain its current zoning map and law before committing funds¹⁷.
2. Determine the permit authority: Steuben County serves Addison, Campbell, and Tuscarora; other municipalities use their own code enforcement office²³.
3. Contact the Hornell District Office about onsite wastewater review and arrange the required design work before fixing the house location²¹.
4. Complete the applicable building-permit application, obtain the fee amount, and pay the issuing office²⁸.
5. Do not start permit-required work until the permit is issued, and leave work exposed until required inspections are accepted¹⁰²⁹.
6. Obtain a certificate of occupancy or compliance before using permitted work³⁰.

What should you check before buying land in Steuben County, New York?

Confirm the municipality, its current zoning rules, and its permit office before closing, because both land-use controls and administration vary within Steuben County⁶³. Order a septic site evaluation early: 0% of mapped county soils are rated free of severe limitations for a conventional drain field²⁴. Check flood mapping and ask the municipality about its floodplain permit; private development in mapped floodplains is subject to local permitting, and Campbell publishes a $25 floodplain-development permit for development in a floodplain³¹³². A new or modified residential driveway on a state highway needs a New York State Department of Transportation permit³³. Finally, verify any subdivision review with the municipality, because only some municipalities have adopted subdivision regulations¹⁸.

Watch-outs

• Do not confuse the permit requirement with the issuing office: covered work requires a permit statewide, but Steuben County administers permits only for Addison, Campbell, and Tuscarora¹².
• County-posted zoning maps and laws are reference copies that may not be current; obtain the official version from the town or village before committing funds¹⁷.
• Campbell's published fee, inspection, septic, and floodplain requirements should not be assumed to apply unchanged in another Steuben County municipality^34292332.

Sources

1. Administration and Enforcement of the Uniform Code, quoted and re-checked
2. Building Permit Applications, quoted and re-checked
3. Steuben County Building Permit Applications (2026 county census)
4. Steuben County Planning & Zoning Assistance (2026 county census)
5. Steuben County Environmental Services (2026 county census)
6. Planning & Zoning Assistance, quoted and re-checked
7. Building Permit Applications, quoted and re-checked
8. Legal Memorandum LG03: NYS Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code, quoted and re-checked
9. Administration and Enforcement of the Uniform Code, quoted and re-checked
10. Building Permit Applications, quoted and re-checked
11. Part 1203 Uniform Code and the Energy Code: Minimum Standards for Administration and Enforcement (New York statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
12. Steuben County Code Enforcement (Towns of Addison, Campbell and Tuscarora only) (steubencountyny.gov)
13. Building Permit Applications, quoted and re-checked
14. Town of Campbell Building Permit Application, quoted and re-checked
15. documents.dps.ny.gov (New York statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
16. Planning & Zoning Assistance, quoted and re-checked
17. Status of Local Planning, quoted and re-checked
18. steubencountyny.gov, quoted and re-checked
19. Town Law § 276: Subdivision review; approval of plats; development of filed plats (New York statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
20. Steuben County Planning Department (steubencountyny.gov)
21. New York State Department of Health, Hornell District Office (steubencountyny.gov)
22. State Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (SPDES) Permit Program (New York statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
23. Town of Campbell Building Permit Application, quoted and re-checked
24. Share of soils USDA rates "not limited" for a conventional septic drain field (SSURGO). A strict rating: the median county is about 6% and a tenth of counties are 0%, so a low figure means most lots need a site evaluation or an engineered system, not that septic is impossible. Cite it only with that caveat: Bolthole Index county data
25. Status of Local Planning, quoted and re-checked
26. Division of Building Standards and Codes Frequently Asked Questions, quoted and re-checked
27. dos.ny.gov, quoted and re-checked
28. Building Permit Applications, quoted and re-checked
29. Town of Campbell Building Permit Application, quoted and re-checked
30. Administration and Enforcement of the Uniform Code, quoted and re-checked
31. Floodplain Management - NYSDEC (New York statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
32. Town of Campbell Building Permit Application, quoted and re-checked
33. Residential Driveway Permits (New York statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
34. Town of Campbell Building Permit Application, quoted and re-checked

Written October 9, 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.