Bolthole Index

Suffolk County, New York

Zoning, building permits and septic rules in the Village of Head of the Harbor, New York

The Village of Head of the Harbor, in Suffolk County, New York, requires a village building permit for new construction1. The village adopts and enforces its own zoning, with residential districts A, A-1, B and B-1 plus a parkland district2. Septic permits for new homes come from the Suffolk County Department of Health Services, not the village3. Suffolk County itself has no zoning of its own4.

At a glance

Building permit
Required from the Village Building Department for work that must meet the state Uniform Code1
Zoning
Village zoning with residential districts A, A-1, B and B-1 and a parkland district D5
Minimum lot size
2 acres in A and A-1, 1 acre in B, 20,000 square feet in B-16
Minimum home size
2,250 square feet for a one-story main building in all four residential districts7
Septic
Suffolk County Department of Health Services, Office of Wastewater Management8
Certificate of occupancy
Required for work covered by a village building permit9

Who to call

Building permits

Village of Head of the Harbor Building Department

Village building permits, inspections and certificates of occupancy or compliance; the starting point for village board applications

631-584-5602

500 N. Country Road, Saint James, NY 11780

Septic permits

Suffolk County Department of Health Services, Office of Wastewater Management

Septic and water-supply approvals for new homes in Suffolk County, including inside villages

(631) 852-5700

360 Yaphank Avenue Suite 2C Yaphank, New York 11980

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 Village of Head of the Harbor means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

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Do you need a building permit in Head of the Harbor, NY?

Yes. The Village of Head of the Harbor requires a building permit for any work that must conform to the New York State Uniform Code or Energy Code, which covers residential construction1. The Village Building Department says permits are required for structures such as additions, garages, decks, pools, fences, walls and driveways10. One-story detached sheds and playhouses of 144 square feet or less tied to a one-family home can be exempt1.

After the permit, the work must stay exposed until the Village inspects it11. A certificate of occupancy is required for any work covered by a building permit9. A permit is valid for one year, and it must be renewed if no certificate of occupancy has been issued10.

Who issues building permits in Head of the Harbor, and how do you reach them?

The Village Building Department issues building permits inside the Village; Suffolk County does not12. Reach the Building Department at 631-584-5602, or at Village Hall, 500 N. Country Road, Saint James10. The department says its applications are not accepted electronically, so plan to deliver paper forms10.

A building permit application is also the starting point for the Village's board reviews, and complete applications are due to the department by the second Monday of each month to make the next board agenda10. Applications must show proposed well and septic locations where applicable13.

Does Head of the Harbor have zoning, and what does it mean for lot size, home size and setbacks?

Yes. The Village is divided into residential Districts A, A-1, B and B-1 and an undeveloped parkland District D5. Suffolk County has no direct zoning power, so the Village decides4.

Minimum lot area is 2 acres in Districts A and A-1, 1 acre in District B and 20,000 square feet in District B-16. A one-story main building must have at least 2,250 square feet in all four residential districts, and a main building of more than one story needs 2,750 square feet in total with 1,750 on the ground floor7. Main buildings may be up to 34 feet tall14.

Front yards for a main building run 100 feet in District A, 75 in A-1, 100 in B and 40 in B-1; lots on Stony Brook Harbor face extra 100-foot setbacks from the high-water line and bluff edge15. Subdivision of land has its own village procedure16.

How do septic permits work in Head of the Harbor?

Septic approval for a new home comes from the Suffolk County Department of Health Services' Office of Wastewater Management, and the permit is required before building317. Sewage-disposal construction must be inspected before use18. New or expanded single-family homes may need an innovative or alternative septic system under Article 6 of the county sanitary code19.

Where an individual system is allowed, the county's lot-size rule generally calls for parcels of at least 20,000 square feet, with listed exceptions20. The Village's own minimum lot areas in Districts A, A-1 and B are larger, so the zoning minimum will usually control6.

We could not confirm any Village-specific septic or well rule; ask the Building Department what it needs from the county before it will issue a certificate of occupancy.

Can you live in an RV or tiny home in Head of the Harbor?

We could not confirm a Village rule on RV living, temporary camping or tiny homes. Suffolk County's RV occupancy limits apply to county campgrounds and do not set rules for private land21. Because every building in the Village must have a certificate of occupancy where it is subject to a building permit9, and main buildings must meet the minimum floor areas for the district7, a tiny home as a main residence looks unlikely to fit. Confirm with the Village Building Department before buying10.

Building a home in Head of the Harbor: the steps, in order

  1. Confirm your lot's zoning district and that it meets the minimum lot area and setbacks615.
  2. Ask the Suffolk County Office of Wastewater Management about septic approval for the lot317.
  3. Submit a complete building permit application to the Village Building Department, which also starts any board review10.
  4. Hold the work open for the stage inspections the Village requires11.
  5. Obtain a certificate of occupancy before using the building9.

If the lot fronts a county road, a County Highway Work Permit is required for driveway work in the county right-of-way22.

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

Septic and private-well matters stay with Suffolk County Department of Health Services rather than the Village8. New-construction well testing there costs $35023. Only about 1.2% of soils in Suffolk County rate as not limited for a conventional drain field, so expect a site evaluation and likely an engineered system24.

Suffolk County's effective property tax rate is 1.9%25, and the median property tax bill is about $10,001 a year26. The county's own page covers land outside village limits: Suffolk County.

Watch-outs

  • The Village's minimum home sizes are large: 2,250 square feet for one story7.
  • A village building permit is only one step; the Building Department says you may also need Suffolk County Board of Health and DEC approval10.
  • We could not confirm Village rules on owner-performed construction, accessory dwellings, short-term rentals or flood-zone development; ask the Building Department before you commit10.
  • Homeowner-as-contractor filing on the statewide BP-1 form is not available when you build your own new primary or secondary residence27.

Sources

  1. Village of Head-of-the-Harbor, NY, Chapter 65, Article I: Administration and Enforcement of Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code (Village of Head of the Harbor), quoted and re-checked
  2. Village of Head-of-the-Harbor, NY, Chapter 165, Article III: Establishment of Districts (Village of Head of the Harbor), quoted and re-checked
  3. Wastewater Management, quoted and re-checked
  4. Suffolk County Planning Commission Minutes: November 5, 2003, quoted and re-checked
  5. Village of Head-of-the-Harbor, NY, Chapter 165, Article III: Establishment of Districts (Village of Head of the Harbor), quoted and re-checked
  6. ecode360.com (Village of Head of the Harbor), quoted and re-checked
  7. Village of Head-of-the-Harbor, NY, Chapter 165, Article VII: Permitted Uses and Bulk Regulations (Village of Head of the Harbor), quoted and re-checked
  8. Wastewater Management, quoted and re-checked
  9. Village of Head-of-the-Harbor, NY, Chapter 65, Article I: Administration and Enforcement of Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code (Village of Head of the Harbor), quoted and re-checked
  10. Village of Head of the Harbor Building Department (headoftheharborny.gov)
  11. Village of Head-of-the-Harbor, NY, Chapter 65, Article I: Administration and Enforcement of Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code (Village of Head of the Harbor), quoted and re-checked
  12. Village of Head-of-the-Harbor, NY, Chapter 65, Article I: Administration and Enforcement of Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code (Village of Head of the Harbor), quoted and re-checked
  13. Village of Head-of-the-Harbor, NY, Chapter 65, Article I: Administration and Enforcement of Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code (Village of Head of the Harbor), quoted and re-checked
  14. Village of Head-of-the-Harbor, NY, Chapter 165, Article VII: Permitted Uses and Bulk Regulations (Village of Head of the Harbor), quoted and re-checked
  15. Village of Head-of-the-Harbor, NY, Chapter 165, Article VII: Permitted Uses and Bulk Regulations (Village of Head of the Harbor), quoted and re-checked
  16. Village of Head-of-the-Harbor, NY, Chapter 143: Subdivision of Land (Village of Head of the Harbor), quoted and re-checked
  17. Suffolk County Department of Health Services, Office of Wastewater Management (suffolkcountyny.gov)
  18. Wastewater Management, quoted and re-checked
  19. Suffolk County Sanitary Code Article 6, quoted and re-checked
  20. Suffolk County Sanitary Code – Article 6, quoted and re-checked
  21. Campground Rules and Regulations, quoted and re-checked
  22. Non-Utility Highway Work Permit, quoted and re-checked
  23. Private Well Water Testing Program, 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. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  26. Median property tax bill: Bolthole Index county data
  27. STATE & MUNICIPAL, quoted and re-checked

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 Village of Head of the Harbor

Village of Head of the Harbor’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    Work inside the Village that must conform to the Uniform Code or Energy Code, including residential construction.

    • Exemptions include certain one-story detached one-family accessory structures not exceeding 144 square feet and other enumerated work.
    • parameters include application, Code Enforcement Officer review, and compliance with the Uniform Code and Energy Code.

    shed-floor-area exemption threshold: <= 144 square feet (One-story detached structure associated with a one-family dwelling and used for tool/storage sheds, playhouses, or similar uses.)

    “Except as otherwise provided in Subsection B of this section, a building permit shall be required for any work which must conform to the Uniform Code and/or the Energy Code”
  • Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

    Buildings, structures, and premises inside the Village of Head-of-the-Harbor.

    • Except as otherwise provided in the Uniform Code, other state law, or Chapter 65, all buildings, structures, and premises regardless of use or occupancy are subject to the article.
    “This article 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).”
  • InspectionsRequired

    Permitted construction inside the Village of Head-of-the-Harbor.

    • Work must remain accessible and exposed until inspected and accepted.
    • Listed inspections apply where applicable, including footing/foundation, framing, building systems, Energy Code compliance, and final inspection.
    “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.”
  • Certificate of occupancyRequired

    Work subject to a Village building permit and buildings or portions converted to another use or occupancy classification inside the Village.

    • Use or occupancy after a building permit may be granted only by certificate.
    • The Code Enforcement Officer or authorized inspector must inspect before issuance.
    • A temporary certificate may be issued only under the safety conditions in § 65-8D.
    “A certificate of occupancy/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 Village of Head-of-the-Harbor.

    • The Village zoning map is adopted as part of Chapter 165, Part 1.
    “The Village is divided into the following districts: A, A-1, B and B-1, as residential districts, and D as an undeveloped parkland district.”
  • Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

    Village zoning districts and adopted zoning map.

    • The zoning map is on file in Village offices.

    districts: A; A-1; B; B-1; D (A through B-1 are residential; D is undeveloped parkland.)

    “The Village is divided into the following districts: A, A-1, B and B-1, as residential districts, and D as an undeveloped parkland district.”
  • Agricultural exemptionConditional

    Agricultural pursuits in Village residential Districts A, A-1, B, and B-1.

    • Manure and odor- or dust-producing substances have stated setbacks.
    • A fence is required to prevent livestock or poultry from straying.
    • Operations must remain confined to the farm under cultivation and not harm or annoy neighbors.
    • The statutory agriculture-district exception described in the ordinance applies only as stated.
    “Except as otherwise allowed under New York Agriculture and Markets Law § 305-a(1) on premises within a county-adopted state-certified agriculture district”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Subdivision of land inside the Village.

    • The Chapter 143 procedure includes preapplication, preliminary-layout, subdivision-plat, endorsement, and county filing steps.
    “Article II Required Procedures § 143-3 Steps required for approval. § 143-4 Preapplication procedure. § 143-5 Preliminary layout procedure. § 143-6 Subdivision plat procedure.”
  • Permit processPublished (with conditions)

    Building-permit applications inside the Village.

    • Application must be in writing on a form provided by or acceptable to the Code Enforcement Officer and signed by the owner or authorized agent.
    • It must include specified site and construction documentation, including proposed well/septic locations where applicable.
    • Work may not start unless a permit is issued.
    “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 Village of Head of the Harbor

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

  • Minimum dwelling sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Main buildings in Village residential Districts A, A-1, B, and B-1.

    • For one-story main buildings the stated minimum applies in all four districts.
    • For main buildings of more than one story, both total and ground-floor minimums apply.

    one-story main-building minimum floor area: 2250 square feet (Districts A, A-1, B, and B-1.) · more-than-one-story main-building total floor area: 2750 square feet (Districts A, A-1, B, and B-1.) · more-than-one-story main-building ground-floor area: 1750 square feet (Districts A, A-1, B, and B-1.)

    “Main building, 1 story | 2,250 | 2,250 | 2,250 | 2,250”
  • Minimum lot sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Residential Districts A, A-1, B, and B-1 inside the Village.

    minimum lot area: 2 acres (District A and A-1.) · minimum lot area: 1 acres (District B.) · minimum lot area: 20000 square feet (District B-1.)

    “Minimum lot area (acres): | 2 | 2 | 1 | 20,000 square feet”
  • SetbacksDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Main buildings, guesthouses, and accessory structures in Village residential Districts A, A-1, B, and B-1.

    • For lots fronting Stony Brook Harbor, main-building/guesthouse side and rear requirements include 100 feet from mean high-water line and 100 feet from the relevant bluff edge.
    • Special B-1 swimming-pool side and rear setbacks apply.
    • A/A-1 modified setback provision applies to two-acre-plus lots.

    main-building front yard: 100/75/100/40 feet (Districts A/A-1/B/B-1, respectively.) · main-building side yard: 55/40/40/27 feet (Districts A/A-1/B/B-1, respectively.) · main-building rear yard: 75/75/75/50 feet (Districts A/A-1/B/B-1, respectively.)

    “Main building, guesthouse or accessory structure | 100 | 75 | 100 | 40”
  • Building heightSpecified

    Main buildings, guesthouses, and accessory buildings in Village residential Districts A, A-1, B, and B-1.

    • District A accessory-building height is 18 feet for lots of two acres or less and 28 feet for lots greater than two acres.

    maximum main-building or guesthouse height: <= 34 feet (Districts A, A-1, B, and B-1.) · maximum accessory-building height: 28/18/18/18 feet (Districts A/A-1/B/B-1, respectively; District A has the stated lot-size exception.)

    “Main building or guesthouse | 34 | 34 | 34 | 34”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Village of Head of the Harbor or Suffolk County directly.

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-performed residential construction inside the Village.
  • Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land inside the Village.
  • Tiny homes — Tiny-home occupancy inside the Village.
  • Accessory dwellings — Accessory dwelling units inside the Village.
  • Who permits septic — On-site sewage disposal systems inside the Village.
8 more unanswered
  • Septic permit
  • Septic inspection
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • Mandatory utility hookup
  • 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 Village of Head of the Harbor publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Suffolk County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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