Bolthole Index

Tioga County, New York

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

The Village of Waverly in Tioga County, New York has its own zoning law, Chapter 153 of the village code1. A building permit is required for construction, and the village's Building / Code Enforcement office handles it23. Septic permits in Tioga County come from Tioga County Public Health4. We could not confirm village rules on RV living or tiny homes.

At a glance

Building permit
Required; applied for in writing with the village Code Enforcement Officer2
Zoning
Yes, village zoning law (Chapter 153) with residential, manufactured home, commercial and industrial districts15
Septic
Tioga County Public Health permits new and repaired septic systems; village-specific septic rules unconfirmed4
Manufactured homes
Only in the Manufactured Home District6
Certificate of occupancy
Required for a structure erected or altered under Chapter 1537
Residential building height
35 feet or three stories, whichever is less8

Who to call

Building permits

Village of Waverly Building / Code Enforcement

Building permits, inspections and certificates of occupancy inside the village

(607) 565-8106 ext 2255

32 Ithaca Street, Waverly, NY 14892

Septic permits

Tioga County Public Health

Septic-system permits and environmental-health administration in Tioga County

607-687-8600

1062 State Route 38, PO Box 120, Owego, NY 13827

Online permits →

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

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Does Waverly, NY have zoning, and what does it mean for RVs, tiny homes and setbacks?

Yes. The Village of Waverly zones its own land through Chapter 153 of the village code, and residential uses are controlled by those district regulations1. The chapter names a Residential District (R), a Manufactured Home District (MH), a Commercial District (C), an Industrial District (I), a Planned Unit Development District and an Open Space Zone5.

In the Residential District the permitted uses include one- and two-family dwellings, excluding manufactured homes1. Residential buildings are capped at 35 feet or three stories, whichever is less8. Manufactured homes belong in the mobile home district, subject to Planning Board site-plan review, and all other village locations are prohibited6.

An elderly apartment inside a single-family house is possible in the Residential District only as a special-permit use with site-plan review, and only for a close blood relation of the resident family9.

We could not confirm a village rule on living in an RV, camping on a lot, or tiny homes. Ask the Code Enforcement office before you buy or park anything.

Do you need a building permit in Waverly, NY, and who issues it?

Yes. Inside the Village of Waverly, a building permit application is made in writing on a form provided by or acceptable to the Code Enforcement Officer, and the owner or an authorized agent must sign it2. Work may not start until the permit is issued2.

The village's Building / Code Enforcement office is the place to start3. New York applies the State Uniform Code in every part of the state outside New York City, so the permit requirement follows the state code10.

Permit work must stay accessible and exposed until the Code Enforcement Officer or an authorized inspector inspects and accepts it11. A certificate of occupancy has to be applied for along with the building permit, and the structure must actually comply with Chapter 1537.

Fees: the village code leaves the zoning permit fee amount to the Village Board12. Ask the office for the current amount.

How do septic permits work in Waverly, NY?

Septic permits in Tioga County come from Tioga County Public Health, not the village building office. The county states that a permit for new construction and repair of existing septic systems is required and must meet NYSDOH Residential Wastewater standards4. Apply through the county's online septic application13.

The county's published fee schedule lists $400 for a new install or replacement system, plus an engineer fee14.

We could not confirm whether the village has septic or private-well rules of its own, or how many village addresses are on public sewer. If a village sewer main serves the lot, ask the Village Clerk's office and Code Enforcement before planning a septic field. Countywide, USDA rates 0% of soils as not limited for a conventional drain field, so expect a site evaluation and possibly an engineered system on any lot that needs septic15.

Building a home in Waverly, NY: the steps, in order

  1. Call the village Building / Code Enforcement office and confirm the lot's zoning district under Chapter 15313.
  2. If the lot is not on public sewer, apply to Tioga County Public Health for septic approval before construction413.
  3. File the written building permit application, signed by the owner or authorized agent2.
  4. Start work only after the permit is issued2.
  5. Keep work exposed for inspection at each stage11.
  6. Obtain the certificate of occupancy before moving in7.

What stays with Tioga County, and what to check before you buy in Waverly?

Land outside the village is a different case. Tioga County has no general zoning power, because New York gives zoning authority to cities, towns and villages and not to counties16. For land outside village limits, see the Tioga County page.

Tioga County Public Works requires a permit for all new driveways and any driveway work on a County road17. A driveway onto a state highway needs a permit from the New York State Department of Transportation18. We could not confirm a separate village driveway rule.

Tioga County's effective property tax rate is 2.4%19, and the median property tax bill is $3,750 a year20. Floodplain development in a mapped flood area needs a local floodplain permit, usually through the building inspector or code enforcement official21.

Watch-outs

  • Manufactured homes are prohibited everywhere in the Village of Waverly outside the Manufactured Home District6.
  • We could not confirm village rules on RV occupancy, camping, tiny homes, minimum dwelling size or short-term rentals; ask Village of Waverly Building / Code Enforcement before you commit3.
  • Do not assume the county handles village building permits: Tioga County has no general zoning authority, and the village's own Code Enforcement Officer takes applications inside the village162.

Sources

  1. Village of Waverly Code, Chapter 153, Article III: Zoning District Regulations (Village of Waverly), quoted and re-checked
  2. Village of Waverly Code, § 52-4, Building permits (Village of Waverly), quoted and re-checked
  3. Village of Waverly Building / Code Enforcement (villageofwaverly.gov)
  4. Tioga County Public Health, quoted and re-checked
  5. Village of Waverly Code, Chapter 153, Article III: Zoning District Regulations (Village of Waverly), quoted and re-checked
  6. Village of Waverly Code, § 153-7, Manufactured Home District (Village of Waverly), quoted and re-checked
  7. Village of Waverly Code, Chapter 153, Article IX: Administration and Enforcement (Village of Waverly), quoted and re-checked
  8. Village of Waverly Code, Chapter 153, Article XI: Area Regulations (Village of Waverly), quoted and re-checked
  9. Village of Waverly Code, Chapter 153, Article III: Zoning District Regulations (Village of Waverly), quoted and re-checked
  10. Legal Memorandum LG03: NYS Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code, quoted and re-checked
  11. Village of Waverly Code, § 52-5, Construction inspections (Village of Waverly), quoted and re-checked
  12. Village of Waverly Code, Chapter 153, Article IX: Administration and Enforcement (Village of Waverly), quoted and re-checked
  13. Tioga County Public Health (tiogacountyny.com)
  14. Tioga County Environmental Health Fee Schedule, quoted and re-checked
  15. 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
  16. documents.dps.ny.gov (New York statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  17. Tioga County Public Works, quoted and re-checked
  18. Residential Driveway Permits (New York statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  19. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  20. Median property tax bill: Bolthole Index county data
  21. Floodplain Management - NYSDEC (New York statewide rule), 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 Waverly

Village of Waverly’s own rules

  • InspectionsRequired

    Permitted construction work inside Waverly village.

    • Work must remain accessible and exposed until inspected and accepted.
    • Applicable elements include footing and 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

    A structure erected or altered inside Waverly village under Chapter 153.

    • The certificate must be applied for coincident with the building-permit application.
    • The structure and premises must actually comply with Chapter 153.
    “A certificate of occupancy shall be applied for”
  • Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

    Land inside Waverly village limits.

    • Residential uses are controlled by Chapter 153 district regulations.
    “Permitted uses: one- and two-family dwelling units, excluding manufactured homes.”
  • Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

    Zoning districts inside Waverly village.

    • Residential District (R), Manufactured Home District (MH), Commercial District (C), Industrial District (I), Planned Unit Development District (PUD), and Open Space Zone are identified in Chapter 153.
    “Article III Zoning District Regulations [...] § 153-6 Residential District (R). [...] § 153-7 Manufactured Home District (MH). [...] § 153-8 Commercial District (C).”
  • Manufactured homesLimited

    Manufactured homes inside Waverly village.

    • Must be located in a mobile home district.
    • Subject to Part 7 of the New York State Health Law and Planning Board site-plan review.
    • All other Village locations are prohibited.
    “All other locations in the Village are hereby prohibited.”
  • Accessory dwellingsLimited

    An elderly apartment within a single-family structure in the Residential District inside Waverly village.

    • It is a special-permit use requiring site-plan review.
    • It is limited to a bona fide blood relation to the resident family.
    “Elderly apartment (within single-family structure for bona fide blood relation to resident family)”
  • Mandatory utility hookupConditional

    Manufactured-home parks inside Waverly village.

    • Connection is required only if Village public water and sewage systems are available.
    • Fire hydrants must be located per Village Fire Chief recommendations.
    “Manufactured home parks shall be connected to the public water and sewage systems of the Village, if available, and shall have fire hydrants located per recommendations of the Village Fire Chief.”
  • Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

    Zoning permits issued inside Waverly village.

    • The amount is determined by the Village Board.
    “The amount of such a fee shall be determined by the Village Board.”
  • Permit processPublished (with conditions)

    Building-permit applications inside Waverly village.

    • Application is written on a form provided by or acceptable to the Code Enforcement Officer.
    • Owner or authorized agent must sign.
    • Work may not commence until 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 owner, or an authorized agent, of the property where the work is to be performed, shall sign the application.”

Rules another office applies inside Village of Waverly

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

Still unanswered

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

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential work inside Waverly village.
  • Minimum dwelling size — Residential District (R) inside Waverly village.
  • Living in an RV — RV occupancy on private land inside Waverly village.
  • Camping on your land — Temporary camping inside Waverly village.
  • Tiny homes — Tiny-home occupancy inside Waverly village.
9 more unanswered
  • Who permits septic
  • Septic permit
  • Septic inspection
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Subdividing land
  • Driveway access
  • 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 Waverly publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Tioga County’s page lists the county offices to call.

← All of Tioga County: county rules, score and offices