Bolthole Index

Hancock County, West Virginia

Building permits, zoning and septic rules in New Cumberland, West Virginia

New Cumberland, West Virginia (Hancock County) issues its own building permits through a Building Permit Officer1, and its city code includes a Planning and Zoning Code2. Septic permits come from the Hancock County Health Department, not City Hall3. Inside city limits, the city also requires sewer and water hookups where they are available4.

At a glance

Building permit
Issued by the city's Building Permit Officer1
Zoning
City code has a Planning and Zoning Code; district map and dimensions not confirmed2
Septic
Permit to Install from the Hancock County Health Department, but city code bars septic tanks where the sewer rule applies35
Sewer and water
Connection required when adequate public service is available4
Floodplain
City permit required for construction in flood-hazard areas6
Wells
Health department permit statewide; city code ends well use for drinking water once city water is available74
Owner-builder
Exempt from contractor licensing, not from permits8

Who to call

Building permits

City of New Cumberland, Building Permit Officer

Building permit applications inside New Cumberland city limits, plus inspections during construction

Septic permits

Hancock County Health Department

Septic permits (Permit to Install or Modify an Individual Sewer System) and well permits for addresses in Hancock County, including inside New Cumberland

(304) 564-3343

P.O. Box 578, 850 N. Chester Street, New Cumberland, WV 26047

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 15, 2026.

Off-grid gear

Going off-grid in New Cumberland means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

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Do you need a building permit in New Cumberland, WV?

Yes, for construction inside New Cumberland city limits you apply to the city. New Cumberland's code has the Building Permit Officer issue a building permit only after the proposed construction is found to conform to all applicable requirements1. The application is made in writing, on forms supplied by the city1. The Building Permit Officer or another authorized official may also inspect during construction, and noncompliance or misrepresentation can lead to revocation of the permit9.

We could not confirm whether the city requires a certificate of occupancy, so ask the city before you close on a building. Owner-builders in West Virginia are exempt from contractor licensing, but that exemption does not exempt the work from building permits, zoning or septic rules8.

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

The City of New Cumberland's Building Permit Officer handles building permits inside the city1. We could not load a city page showing a direct phone number or counter address, so call New Cumberland City Hall to reach the Building Permit Officer and confirm current forms and fees.

The Hancock County Assessor's published fee schedule lists a $3.00 general building permit line, but the page does not say which office issues that permit10. Ask the city what it charges for its own building permit. Hancock County has no countywide building department, so outside city limits you need the county's own answer: see the Hancock County page.

Does New Cumberland have zoning?

New Cumberland's city code contains a Part Thirteen Planning and Zoning Code, including an article on mobile homes2. The published code we reviewed did not include a general zoning district map or a table of dimensions2.

Because of that, we could not confirm minimum lot size, setbacks, building height, minimum dwelling size, accessory dwellings or short-term rental rules inside New Cumberland. We also could not confirm whether the city allows living in an RV or a tiny home. Before you buy a lot, ask the city which zoning district it falls in and what that district allows.

How do septic permits work in New Cumberland?

The Hancock County Health Department is the local contact for onsite sewage permits, including for property inside New Cumberland city limits3. West Virginia requires a written permit before any septic or other sewage system is installed11. Call the Hancock County Health Department at (304) 564-334312.

The city adds its own limit. Where adequate public sewer is in an abutting right-of-way or easement, city code requires connection and an individual sewage disposal system must be abandoned4. The code also makes it unlawful to construct or maintain a septic tank or cesspool where the municipal sewer rule applies5. In practice, a lot with sewer available is unlikely to get a new septic system; ask the city whether sewer reaches the lot before you pay for a perc test.

Water, wells and floodplain in New Cumberland

Where an accepted municipal water facility is available, New Cumberland's code requires connection, and a well may no longer be used for human consumption4. The city must be told when the building is occupied, and the connection must be made within 7 days after notice of occupancy4. Elsewhere, drilling, modifying or abandoning a well takes a permit from the local health department7.

Construction or substantial improvement in an identified floodplain or flood-hazard area inside the city needs a city permit that also checks for County Health Department approval of well and septic permits6. Check flood maps before you buy near the Ohio River or a creek.

Building a home in New Cumberland: the steps, in order

  1. Ask New Cumberland City Hall which zoning district the lot is in and what it allows, since we could not confirm the dimensional rules2.
  2. Ask the city whether public sewer and water reach the lot; if so, connection is required4.
  3. If you are in a flood-hazard area, plan for the city's floodplain review6.
  4. Apply in writing to the Building Permit Officer on the city's forms1.
  5. If sewer is not available, apply to the Hancock County Health Department for a septic permit3.
  6. Expect inspections during construction9.
  7. For a driveway onto a state highway, get a Division of Highways permit13.

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

Septic and well permits stay with the Hancock County Health Department even inside the city3. For land outside New Cumberland's limits, the city's rules do not apply; see the Hancock County page.

County-level figures: Hancock County's effective property tax rate is 0.6% and the median property tax bill is $752 a year1415. The nearest city of 100,000 or more is about 31 miles from the county center16. Construction that disturbs one acre or more also needs a West Virginia DEP stormwater permit17.

Watch-outs

  • We could not confirm New Cumberland's zoning districts, setbacks or lot sizes, so ask the city before you buy2.
  • A septic permit from the Hancock County Health Department does not override the city's sewer connection rule where public sewer is available4.
  • We could not confirm the city's driveway permit rules, RV rules or tiny-home rules, so ask the city's Building Permit Officer1.

Sources

  1. City of New Cumberland, Building Permit Officer (codelibrary.amlegal.com)
  2. Part Thirteen - Planning and Zoning Code (New Cumberland), quoted and re-checked
  3. Hancock County Health Department Septic Information (New Cumberland), quoted and re-checked
  4. 939.02 Water/Sewer (New Cumberland), quoted and re-checked
  5. 939.02 Water/Sewer (New Cumberland), quoted and re-checked
  6. 1721.05 Criteria for Building and Site Plan Approval (New Cumberland), quoted and re-checked
  7. Individual Water Supplies, quoted and re-checked
  8. West Virginia Code §30-42-6 — Necessity for license; exemptions, quoted and re-checked
  9. codelibrary.amlegal.com (New Cumberland), quoted and re-checked
  10. Assessor's Office Fees, quoted and re-checked
  11. West Virginia Code §16-1-9, quoted and re-checked
  12. Hancock County Health Department (hancockcountyhealthdepartment.com)
  13. Encroachment Permits, quoted and re-checked
  14. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  15. Median property tax bill: Bolthole Index county data
  16. Straight-line distance from the county center to the nearest city of 100,000+ people: Bolthole Index county data
  17. Construction Stormwater General Permit, quoted and re-checked

Written October 15, 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 New Cumberland

New Cumberland’s own rules

  • InspectionsLimited

    Permitted construction inside New Cumberland city limits.

    • During construction, the Building Permit Officer or another authorized official may inspect; noncompliance or misrepresentation may result in permit revocation.
    “During the construction period, the Building Permit Officer or other authorized official may inspect the premises”
  • Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

    Land inside New Cumberland city limits; the city code contains a Part Thirteen Planning and Zoning Code, including Article 1319 Mobile Homes.

    • The published code contains identified planning and zoning provisions, but no general zoning district map or dimensional schedule was located in the reviewed material.
    “PART THIRTEEN - PLANNING AND ZONING CODE”
  • Off-grid sanitationProhibited

    Privies, septic tanks, cesspools, and other wastewater-disposal facilities inside the city jurisdiction where the municipal sewer rule applies.

    • The ordinance separately addresses connection where public sewer is available.
    “It shall be unlawful to construct or maintain any privy, privy vault, septic tank, cesspool or other facility intended or used for the disposal of wastewater.”
  • Mandatory utility hookupWater and sewer (with conditions)

    Residential dwellings and commercial establishments inside New Cumberland city limits when adequate municipal water or sewer is available in an abutting public right-of-way or easement.

    • Sewer connection is required when an adequate sanitary sewer is available; an individual sewage disposal system must be abandoned.
    • Municipal water connection is required when an accepted municipal water facility is available; a well may no longer be used for human consumption.
    • Connection must be made within 7 days after notice that the residence or building is occupied.
    • Separate sewer connection application, permit, and tapping or maintenance charges may apply.

    connection deadline: 7 days (From the date of notice the residence or building is occupied.)

    “connection to the available system shall be made within 7 days from the date of notice the residence or building is occupied.”
  • Building in a floodplainRequired

    New construction or substantial improvements in identified floodplains, floodways, or other flood-hazard areas inside New Cumberland city limits.

    • Permits determine flood-hazard location, anchoring, flood-resistant materials, flood-damage-minimizing construction, utility placement, state-code compliance, and County Health Department approval for well, septic, and other permits.
    • Floodplain applications may require site plans, fees, inspection access, and contractor documentation.
    “Permits are required in order to determine whether all new construction or substantial improvements are:”

Rules another office applies inside New Cumberland

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

  • Who permits septicCounty

    Onsite sewage systems serving property inside New Cumberland city limits; Hancock County Health Department is the identified local permitting contact.

    • The city code separately requires connection to public sewer where adequate sewer is available.
    “Permit to Install or Modify an Individual Sewer System (PDF)”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask New Cumberland or Hancock County directly.

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builders undertaking construction inside New Cumberland city limits.
  • Certificate of occupancy — Buildings inside New Cumberland city limits.
  • Minimum dwelling size — Dwellings inside New Cumberland city limits.
  • Minimum lot size — Residential lots inside New Cumberland city limits.
  • Setbacks — Structures and lots inside New Cumberland city limits.
12 more unanswered
  • Lot coverage
  • Building height
  • Living in an RV
  • Camping on your land
  • Tiny homes
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Septic inspection
  • 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 New Cumberland publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Hancock County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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