Bolthole Index

Wayne County, New York

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

The Town of Walworth, in Wayne County, New York, has its own zoning law (Chapter 180 of the town code) and requires a building permit from the town before you erect or structurally alter a building12. The town's building department issues those permits and a certificate of occupancy3. We could not confirm who approves septic systems inside the town, so call Wayne County Public Health first4.

At a glance

Building permit
Required in the Town of Walworth before erecting, adding to or structurally altering a building2
Zoning
Town zoning law, Chapter 180 of the town code, enforced by the town's designated officers1
Certificate of occupancy
Required before a new or altered building is occupied3
Building code
Plans must show compliance with the New York State Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code5
Permit fees
Set by Town Board resolution; the schedule is kept with the Town Clerk6
Septic
Approval comes from a county or state health official; we could not confirm which for Walworth7

Who to call

Building permits

Town of Walworth Building Department and Code Enforcement

Building permits, certificates of occupancy and zoning enforcement inside the Town of Walworth

(315) 986-1400

3600 Lorraine Drive, Walworth, NY 14568

Health department

Wayne County Public Health

County public health; the first call to confirm which health office reviews a septic system for a Walworth address

315-946-5749

wcph@waynecountyny.gov

1519 Nye Road, Suite 200, Lyons, NY 14489

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

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Does the Town of Walworth have zoning?

Yes. The Town of Walworth enforces its own zoning law, Chapter 180 of the town code, through officers the Town Board designates1. Wayne County does not zone land itself; zoning in New York is set by each town and village8.

The district tables that set lot size, setbacks and whether an RV, tiny home or accessory dwelling is allowed were not available to us, so we cannot state those rules. Ask the town's Building Department which district your parcel is in and what it allows before you make an offer9.

Do you need a building permit in the Town of Walworth, and who issues it?

Yes. The Town of Walworth's code says no building or structure may be erected, added to or structurally altered until the building inspector or designee issues a permit2. The permit application must include structural drawings or specifications showing compliance with the New York State Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code5.

A permit is not issued unless site plan or subdivision approval has been obtained under Chapter 151, and an escrow is required for new homes2. Fees are set by Town Board resolution and kept in a schedule with the Town Clerk6. Call the town's Building Department at (315) 986-1400 for the current amounts9.

What is a certificate of occupancy in the Town of Walworth?

The Town of Walworth requires a certificate of occupancy or certificate of compliance before new, altered or changed-use buildings are occupied or used3. You apply for it with the building permit, and it is issued within 10 days after approval3.

The town asks for a builder's letter of compliance with state codes and the owner's written acknowledgment3. State rules separately require inspections of permitted work, so keep construction accessible until it is inspected10. We could not find the town's inspection schedule; ask the Building Department.

How do septic permits work inside the Town of Walworth?

We could not confirm which office approves septic systems inside the Town of Walworth. New York requires new residential systems to meet the statewide Appendix 75-A standards, and an alternative system needs plan approval from the State or county health department official with jurisdiction7.

Because septic is not a building-permit item, the town's Building Department is not the place to start. Call Wayne County Public Health at 315-946-5749 to learn which health office reviews a septic system for your address4.

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

  1. Ask the town's Building Department which zoning district the parcel is in and whether your use is allowed19.
  2. Get site plan or subdivision approval under Chapter 151 if the lot needs it, because no building permit is issued without it11.
  3. Confirm septic approval with Wayne County Public Health4.
  4. Apply for the building permit with structural drawings showing compliance with the state code5.
  5. Build, and keep work exposed for inspection10.
  6. Obtain the certificate of occupancy before moving in3.

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

Septic review and public health stay with county or state health officials, not the town7. A driveway onto a Wayne County road needs a permit from the Wayne County Highway Department12, and a driveway onto a state highway needs a New York State Department of Transportation permit13.

For land outside the town, see the Wayne County page. Property taxes are high: Wayne County's effective rate is about 2.6%14. Typical home insurance runs about $957 a year15.

Watch-outs

  • Fees, inspection schedules, RV and tiny-home rules, setbacks and minimum lot sizes were not confirmed; ask the Town of Walworth Building Department at (315) 986-14009.
  • No building permit is issued until site plan or subdivision approval is in place under Chapter 151, so start there for an unbuilt lot11.
  • Septic and well approvals are not confirmed for the town; call Wayne County Public Health before you buy4.

Sources

  1. Town of Walworth Code, Ch. 180 Zoning, Article VIII Powers and Duties of Designated Town Officer (Town of Walworth), quoted and re-checked
  2. Town of Walworth Code, Ch. 180 Zoning, Article VIII Powers and Duties of Designated Town Officer (Town of Walworth), quoted and re-checked
  3. Town of Walworth Code, Ch. 180 Zoning, Article VIII Powers and Duties of Designated Town Officer (Town of Walworth), quoted and re-checked
  4. Wayne County Public Health (waynecountyny.gov)
  5. Town of Walworth Code, Ch. 180 Zoning, Article VIII Powers and Duties of Designated Town Officer (Town of Walworth), quoted and re-checked
  6. Town of Walworth Code, Ch. 180 Zoning, Article VIII Powers and Duties of Designated Town Officer (Town of Walworth), quoted and re-checked
  7. NYS Register March 18, 2015 Rule Making Activities — Part 75 authority and scope (New York statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  8. waynecountyny.gov, quoted and re-checked
  9. Town of Walworth Building Department and Code Enforcement (townofwalworthny.gov)
  10. Legal Memorandum LG03: NYS Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code, quoted and re-checked
  11. Town of Walworth Code, Ch. 180 Zoning, Article VIII Powers and Duties of Designated Town Officer (Town of Walworth), quoted and re-checked
  12. Driveway Installation and Replacement Policy, quoted and re-checked
  13. Residential Driveway Permits (New York statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  14. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  15. Typical home insurance premium: 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 Town of Walworth

Town of Walworth’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    Erecting, adding to or structurally altering buildings inside Walworth town

    • Permit void if not exercised within one calendar year
    • No permit unless site plan and/or subdivision approval obtained under Chapter 151
    • Escrow required for new homes, commercial/industrial building, residential pools, and mobile homes in licensed parks
    • Fee set by Town Board resolution
    “no building or structure shall be erected, added to or structurally altered until a permit therefor has been issued by the building inspector or designee.”
  • Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

    Building permit applications inside Walworth town

    • Plans must show compliance with the latest revision of the NYS Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code
    “there shall be submitted with each building permit application a set of structural drawings and/or specifications for the proposed building indicating compliance with the latest revision of the new york state uniform fire prevention and building code.”
  • Certificate of occupancyRequired

    Occupancy or use of land and new, altered, extended or changed-use buildings inside Walworth town

    • Applied for with the building permit; issued within 10 days after approval
    • Requires a builder's letter of compliance with NYS codes and owner's written acknowledgment
    “no land shall be occupied or used and no building hereafter erected, altered or extended or changed in use shall be occupied or used until a certificate of occupancy or certificate of compliance shall have been issued by the building inspector”
  • Local zoningPresent

    Land inside Walworth town; Chapter 180 Zoning of the town code

    • Chapter 180 is administered by the code enforcement officer(s) designated by the Town Board
    “this chapter shall be enforced by the town officer(s) and designees designated by the town board to enforce such zoning laws and/or land development regulations”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Building lots inside Walworth town

    • Chapter 151 Subdivision of Land; Site Plan Review governs; building permits require prior site plan and/or subdivision approval
    “unless site plan approval and/or subdivision approval has been obtained in compliance with chapter 151, subdivision of land; site plan review.”
  • Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

    Building permits inside Walworth town

    • Fee amounts are set by Town Board resolution and kept in a fee schedule on file with the Town Clerk; the amounts were not seen
    • Fee may be waived by the Town Board
    • Escrow also required for certain permits
    “the building permit shall be issued only after payment of the applicable fee or fees set forth from time to time by town board resolution and on file in the office of the town clerk, except when waived by the town board.”
  • Permit processPartial

    Building permit process inside Walworth town

    • Application must include structural drawings/specifications; CO applied for with the permit
    “there shall be submitted with each building permit application a set of structural drawings and/or specifications for the proposed building”

Still unanswered

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

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builders inside Walworth town
  • Inspections — Construction inspections inside Walworth town
  • Zoning districts — Zoning districts inside Walworth town
  • Minimum dwelling size — Dwellings inside Walworth town
  • Minimum lot size — Lots inside Walworth town
18 more unanswered
  • Setbacks
  • Lot coverage
  • Building height
  • Living in an RV
  • Camping on your land
  • Tiny homes
  • Manufactured homes
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Who permits septic
  • Septic permit
  • Septic inspection
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • 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 Walworth publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Wayne County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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