Bolthole Index

Pittsylvania County, Virginia

Zoning, building permits and septic in the Town of Chatham, Virginia

Inside the Town of Chatham, Virginia, a new building of 100 square feet or more needs a formal zoning permit from the zoning administrator and a building permit from the building inspector1. The town administers its own zoning ordinance, separate from Pittsylvania County's zoning of unincorporated land23. Septic systems and private wells are permitted by the Virginia Department of Health, not the town45.

At a glance

Zoning
Town of Chatham zoning ordinance: three residence districts, two business districts and a flood plain district2
Building permit
Zoning permit plus building permit for new buildings of 100 sq ft or more, additions and wiring or plumbing changes1
Building code
Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code6
Septic
Virginia Department of Health permits onsite systems; the town requires a sewer hookup where public sewer is available47
Minimum lot (subdivision)
7,500 sq ft with public sewer and water; 12,000 sq ft without89
RV living
Not confirmed for town limits; ask the town manager10
Owner-builder
Virginia exempts one owner-occupied primary residence per 24 months from contractor licensing, not from the building code11

Who to call

Zoning

Town of Chatham (Town Manager, zoning questions)

In-town zoning and compliance questions, and the town zoning and land use map

(434) 432-9515

16 Court Place

Building permits

Pittsylvania County Building Inspections (Community Development)

County building permits and inspections for unincorporated Pittsylvania County; whether it also serves addresses inside Chatham is not confirmed

434-432-7755

permits@pittgov.org

53 Main Street, Chatham, VA 24531

Septic permits

Pittsylvania-Danville Health District, Environmental Health Services (Virginia Department of Health)

Onsite sewage system (septic) and private well permits

434-766-9828

326 Taylor Drive, Danville, VA 24541

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

These are affiliate links — we may earn a commission, at no cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, Bolthole Index earns from qualifying purchases.

Does the Town of Chatham, VA have zoning?

Yes. The Town of Chatham administers its own zoning ordinance inside town limits, with three residence districts (A-1, A-2 and A-3), two business districts (B-1 and B-2) and a flood plain district2. The town publishes an interactive zoning and land use map online, and the ordinance refers to it as the building zone map of Chatham12. Pittsylvania County's zoning ordinance covers only the unincorporated parts of the county, so county rules on land outside town limits do not decide a lot inside Chatham3.

Rules vary by district. In the A-1 residence district, the front setback is the average setback of the buildings on the same side of the street, not a fixed distance13. In the B-1 business district, a permitted use next to a residential district needs a side yard of at least 10 feet with no parking in it, and buildings may rise up to 35 feet from street grade1415. We could not confirm fixed side and rear setbacks for A-1, lot coverage or minimum dwelling size; ask the town manager before you design13.

Do you need a building permit in the Town of Chatham?

Yes, for most real construction. The town's zoning ordinance requires a formal zoning permit from the zoning administrator and a building permit from the building inspector for changes to wiring or plumbing, entrance or exit changes, removal of a weight-bearing wall, additions, and any new building of 100 square feet or more1. Demolishing a building of 100 square feet or more needs both permits as well1.

All construction and alteration must comply with the Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code, which is the statewide code rather than a separate town code6. Virginia exempts some small work from a building permit, such as a one-story detached storage shed of 256 square feet or less, but Chatham's zoning permit rule is listed separately, so ask before assuming a shed is free of both16.

Who issues building permits in Chatham, and how do you reach them?

Zoning questions inside town limits go to the Town of Chatham; its zoning page tells residents to direct in-town zoning or compliance questions to the town manager10. The ordinance names a zoning administrator and a building inspector, but we could not confirm whether the building inspector works for the town or for Pittsylvania County. Virginia law lets a small town choose to run its own building code enforcement and otherwise leaves it to the county17.

Call Town Hall at (434) 432-9515 first and ask who takes building permit applications for an address inside town limits10. If the answer is the county, Pittsylvania County Building Inspections sits at 53 Main Street in Chatham and takes applications by email at permits@pittgov.org18.

How do septic permits work inside the Town of Chatham?

Septic permits come from the Virginia Department of Health, not from the town. Property that is not served by public sewer or a public water system requires permitting by VDH, through the Pittsylvania-Danville Health District419. Virginia requires a written permit before anyone builds, expands or modifies a sewage disposal system20, and VDH permits all private wells except monitoring wells5.

Many lots in town will not need a septic system at all. In any residential district where public sewer is available, residents must hook up unless they already had a properly maintained septic system when the ordinance passed, and the same hookup duty applies to public water7. We could not confirm a distance rule for when sewer counts as available, so ask Town Hall before buying a lot you plan to septic. Across Pittsylvania County, about 23.2% of soils rate as not limited for a conventional drain field, so a site evaluation and sometimes an engineered system are common21.

Can you live in an RV or tiny home in the Town of Chatham?

We could not confirm Chatham's rule on living in an RV, camping, or a tiny home inside town limits. Call the town manager before you park or build anything you plan to sleep in10.

Do not rely on the county's answer. Pittsylvania County's zoning page says campers cannot be used for living or sleeping on a residential lot or in any location not approved for that use, but that is the county's rule for its zoning jurisdiction, which covers unincorporated land only223. Virginia's statewide campground rules cover permitted campgrounds and do not decide whether you may live in an RV on your own lot23.

Building a home in Chatham: the steps, in order

  1. Ask the town manager which zoning district the parcel is in and what setbacks apply, using the town's online zoning and land use map as a starting point1210.
  2. Find out whether public sewer and water reach the lot, since the town requires hookups where service is available7.
  3. If there is no public sewer or water, apply to the Pittsylvania-Danville Health District for septic and well permits195.
  4. File for the zoning permit with the zoning administrator and the building permit with the building inspector before work starts1.
  5. Build to the Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code and schedule the required inspections; Virginia requires a certificate of occupancy before anyone occupies a new building624.

What stays with Pittsylvania County, and what should you check before you buy?

Septic and well permits stay with the Virginia Department of Health district office rather than the town4. For land outside town limits, the rules differ: Pittsylvania County's page covers unincorporated land, where the county zones and issues building permits25.

Before you buy a lot in Chatham, confirm the zoning district, whether sewer and water are available, and whether the lot sits in the town's flood plain district2. If you plan to divide a lot, subdivision lots served by public sewer and water must be at least 7,500 square feet and 60 feet wide, and lots without them at least 12,000 square feet and 75 feet wide89.

Watch-outs

  • We could not confirm whether a Chatham building permit is issued by the town or by Pittsylvania County Building Inspections, so ask Town Hall before you file anywhere10.
  • The town and the county each have their own zoning, so a county answer about RVs, accessory dwellings or setbacks does not automatically apply inside town limits3.
  • We could not confirm town rules on RVs, tiny homes, accessory dwellings, short-term rentals, driveways or permit fees; the town manager is the contact10.

Sources

  1. Chatham, VA Code of Ordinances - Appendix A Zoning (Municode) (Town of Chatham), quoted and re-checked
  2. Chatham, VA Code of Ordinances - Appendix A Zoning (Municode) (Town of Chatham), quoted and re-checked
  3. Pittsylvania County Code Chapter 35 Zoning, quoted and re-checked
  4. Onsite Septic and Well Program, quoted and re-checked
  5. Onsite Septic and Well Program, quoted and re-checked
  6. Chatham, VA Code of Ordinances - Appendix A Zoning (Municode) (Town of Chatham), quoted and re-checked
  7. Chatham, VA Code of Ordinances - Appendix A Zoning (Municode) (Town of Chatham), quoted and re-checked
  8. Chatham, VA Code of Ordinances - Title 16 Subdivisions (Municode) (Town of Chatham), quoted and re-checked
  9. Chatham, VA Code of Ordinances - Title 16 Subdivisions (Municode) (Town of Chatham), quoted and re-checked
  10. Town of Chatham (Town Manager, zoning questions) (chatham-va.gov)
  11. § 54.1-1101. Exemptions; failure to obtain certificate of occupancy; penalties (Virginia statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  12. Chatham, VA Code of Ordinances - Appendix A Zoning (Municode) (Town of Chatham), quoted and re-checked
  13. Chatham, VA Code of Ordinances - Appendix A Zoning (Municode) (Town of Chatham), quoted and re-checked
  14. Chatham, VA Code of Ordinances - Appendix A Zoning (Municode) (Town of Chatham), quoted and re-checked
  15. Chatham, VA Code of Ordinances - Appendix A Zoning (Municode) (Town of Chatham), quoted and re-checked
  16. 13VAC5-63-80. Section 108 Application for permit (Virginia statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  17. § 36-98. Board to promulgate Statewide Code; other codes and regulations superseded; exceptions (Virginia statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  18. Pittsylvania County Building Inspections (Community Development) (pittsylvaniacountyva.gov)
  19. Pittsylvania-Danville Health District, Environmental Health Services (Virginia Department of Health) (vdh.virginia.gov)
  20. 12VAC5-610-240. Permits; general (Virginia statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  21. 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
  22. pittsylvaniacountyva.gov, quoted and re-checked
  23. Code of Virginia, Title 35.1 — Hotels, Restaurants, Summer Camps, and Campgrounds (Virginia statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  24. 13VAC5-63-160. Section 116 Certificates of occupancy (Virginia statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  25. Pittsylvania County Code Chapter 35 Zoning, 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 Town of Chatham

Town of Chatham’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    Work inside Chatham town limits listed in the zoning permit section: changes to wiring or plumbing, entrance or exit changes, removal of a weight-bearing wall, additions, new buildings 100 sq ft or larger, and alterations needing plumbing or wiring changes.

    • Requires a formal zoning permit from the zoning administrator plus a building permit from the building inspector.
    • Applies to a new building that is 100 square feet or more in size, per listed item (6).
    • Demolition of any building or structure 100 sq ft or larger also requires a zoning permit and a building permit.
    • Construction must comply with the Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code.
    • Identity of the building inspector's office (town or county) was not confirmed on the page read.

    minimum new building size requiring zoning and building permit: >= 100 sq ft (items (1)-(5) and (7) apply regardless of building size)

    “without first filing in writing an application and obtaining a formal zoning permit from the zoning administrator and a building permit from the building inspector if such construction or alteration involves any of the following:”
  • Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

    Land inside Chatham town limits: the town administers its own zoning ordinance (Appendix A, Zoning) with three residence districts (A-1, A-2, A-3) and two business districts (B-1, B-2) plus a flood plain district.

    • Zoning rules vary by district; see district-specific claims.
    • Municode text reports ordinance amendments dated 2023 (ord. no. 2023.03.14) and 2025 (ord. of 6-9-2025).
    “for the purpose of this ordinance, the town is hereby divided into three residential districts and two business districts as follows:”
  • Zoning districtsPublished

    Land inside Chatham town limits

    • The ordinance refers to a 'building zone map of chatham, virginia'; the town publishes an interactive zoning and land use map (ArcGIS) on its site, last noted as published May 2015 by the town site.
    “the town of chatham zoning and land use map is powered by arcgis.com.”
  • Minimum lot sizeSpecified

    Residential lots created by subdivision in Chatham town that are not served by a public sewerage system or public water supply system

    • Subdivision standard (Title 16), not the zoning district minimum.

    minimum lot area: >= 12000 sq ft (applies where not served by public sewer or public water) · minimum lot width at building setback line: >= 75 ft (applies where not served by public sewer or public water)

    “residential lots not served by a public sewerage system or public water supply system shall not be less than 75 feet wide at the building setback line, nor less than 12,000 square feet in area.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • Specified — Residential lots created by subdivision in Chatham town that are served by both a public sewerage system and a public water supply
      “residential lots served by a public sewerage utility system and public water supply shall be not less than 60 feet wide at the building setback line nor less than 7,500 square feet in area.”
  • SetbacksDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Buildings in the A-1 residence district of Chatham town (main single-family district)

    • Front setback is the average setback of buildings on the same side of the street, not a fixed distance.
    • The side of a corner lot is not a factor in front setback.
    • Fixed side and rear setback numbers for A-1 were not reached within budget.
    • Accessory buildings on corner lots: rear setback is six percent of the corner lot depth where the rear abuts a side street (Appendix A, A-1 accessory building section).
    “in any a-1 residence district, no building shall be erected, reconstructed, or altered nearer to the street line on which it faces than the average setback observed by the buildings on the same side of the street and fronting thereon.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • District specific (with conditions) — Permitted uses in the B-1 business district of Chatham town where the side yard adjoins or is adjacent to a residential district
      “for permitted uses, the minimum required side yard adjoining or adjacent to a residential district shall be ten feet with no parking in same.”
  • Building heightDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Buildings in the B-1 business district of Chatham town

    • Public or semi-public buildings (school, church, library, general hospital) may reach 60 feet with added yards.
    • Church spires, cupolas, water towers, antennae and similar features are exempt.
    • Parapet walls and roof-mounted solar panels may be up to three feet above the building height.

    maximum building height from street grade: <= 35 ft (public or semi-public buildings up to 60 ft with added yard setbacks)

    “buildings may be erected up to 35 feet in height from street grade except that:”
  • Mandatory utility hookupWater and sewer (with conditions)

    New or existing residences in Chatham town's residential districts where public water or public sewer service is available

    • Water: residents must hook up where public water service is available in a residential district.
    • Sewer: residents must hook up where public sewer service is available, unless a resident had a properly maintained septic system when the ordinance was passed; that exception continues while the system is properly maintained.
    • No distance threshold was stated in the sections read.
    “in any residential district where public sewer service is available, residents are required to hook up to the service unless at the time of the passage of this ordinance a resident has a properly maintained septic system.”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Land divided into lots inside Chatham town limits

    • Lots must conform to zoning area and dimension minimums for their zone and to health department minimums for water supply and sewage disposal (Sec. 16.12.080(b)).
    “all lots shown on the subdivision plat must conform to the minimum requirements of the zoning ordinance as to area and dimensions, for the zone in which the subdivision is located, or to the minimum requirements of the health department for water supply and sewage disposal.”

Rules another office applies inside Town of Chatham

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

  • Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

    Construction and alteration inside Chatham town limits: the Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code applies, as the town's zoning code requires compliance with it.

    • This is the statewide code, not a separate town building code; the town zoning code points to it for all construction and alteration.
    “all construction and alteration must comply with the virginia uniform statewide building code.”

Still unanswered

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

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption from licensing or permit requirements in Chatham town
  • Inspections — Inspections for construction inside Chatham town limits
  • Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy for new construction inside Chatham town limits
  • Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size in Chatham town residential districts
  • Lot coverage — Maximum lot coverage in Chatham town residential districts
15 more unanswered
  • 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
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Driveway access
  • Building in a floodplain
  • Short-term rentals
  • Permit fees

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 Chatham publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Pittsylvania County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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