Off-Grid Laws › Maine › Hancock County

Off-Grid Living in Surry, Maine

Surry, Maine is a fully zoned town where building, septic, and shoreland rules all run through the local Code Enforcement Officer, so off-grid living is possible but only within the permit process, not outside it. Several specifics, like RV/tiny-home rules and rainwater harvesting, aren't clearly addressed in town code and need a direct call to confirm.</summary> <parameter name="framework">{"zoning":{"status":"restricted","note":"Surry has a town-wide Code of Ordinances with shoreland zoning and a Land Use Table administered by a Planning Board and Code Enforcement Officer; raw-land occupancy without going through this process isn't supported.","cite":"https://www.townofsurrymaine.com/Conservation%20Commission/Surry%20Code%20of%20Ordinances%20v7.0%204-16-2026.pdf"},"dwelling":{"status":"unclear","note":"Mobile homes are separately regulated under a town Mobile Home Park Ordinance, but RV/tiny-home-on-wheels rules for year-round living aren't spelled out in the excerpts found; confirm with the Code Enforcement Officer.","cite":"https://www.townofsurrymaine.com/Conservation%20Commission/Surry%20Code%20of%20Ordinances%20v7.0%204-16-2026.pdf"},"building":{"status":"restricted","note":"Surry requires a local building permit from its Code Enforcement Officer for activities listed in the town's Land Use Table; whether the town has locally adopted MUBEC or another code isn't confirmed since MUBEC is optional for towns under 4,000 people.","cite":"https://www.townofsurrymaine.com/departments/code_enforcement/index.php"},"septic":{"status":"permitted","note":"Septic (SSWW) permitting is handled locally by the Code Enforcement Officer acting as Local Plumbing Inspector, following state Maine CDC subsurface wastewater rules; composting toilets are generally allowed under those same state rules.","cite":"https://www.townofsurrymaine.com/departments/code_enforcement/index.php"},"greywater":{"status":"permitted","note":"No Surry-specific greywater ordinance exists; greywater is handled under state Subsurface Wastewater rules administered locally by the town's Plumbing Inspector.","cite":"https://www.townofsurrymaine.com/departments/code_enforcement/index.php"},"rainwater":{"status":"unclear","note":"No Surry ordinance on rainwater harvesting was found; it may fall under general plumbing/building review if tied to a structure, but this isn't confirmed, so ask the Code Enforcement Office directly.","cite":""},"well":{"status":"varies","note":"No Surry-specific well ordinance was found; wells follow the statewide Water Well Commission rules, and shoreland zone setbacks (adopted under state law) could affect siting near water.","cite":"https://www.townofsurrymaine.com/Conservation%20Commission/Surry%20Code%20of%20Ordinances%20v7.0%204-16-2026.pdf"},"utility":{"status":"varies","note":"Surry has no explicit ban on utility-disconnected living, but any dwelling still must clear the town's building permit, septic/plumbing, and shoreland zoning requirements administered by the Code Enforcement Officer.","cite":"https://www.townofsurrymaine.com/departments/code_enforcement/index.php"}}

Is it legal to live off-grid in Surry, Maine?

There is no outright ban on living off-grid in Surry, Maine - it is legal but regulated. Zoning and land use are restricted, putting a cabin, tiny home, or RV on raw land is not clearly documented online, so confirm it locally, and building permits are restricted. Plan around septic/wastewater (restricted) and disconnecting from utilities (set locally and vary by area). Because these rules are set locally, confirm the specifics with Surry before you buy land or build.

Read this before you act on anything below. This is my researched starting point for Surry, not legal advice and not a guarantee. Rules change, and the deciding facts on any specific parcel (setbacks, perc results, overlay districts, deed restrictions, road frontage) live at the county or town office, not in any database. Before you buy land or build, confirm the current rules directly with the local zoning and health offices - the sources on this page tell you exactly who to call.
Primary-source verified ยท reviewed Aug 20266 government, statute, or municipal sources are linked below; the verdict card cites them where a match exists.

The verdict for Surry

  • Zoning: Restricted
  • Dwellings, tiny homes: Unclear - verify
  • Building permits: Restricted
  • Septic: Restricted
  • Greywater reuse: Generally allowed
  • Rainwater harvesting: Unclear - verify
  • Private wells: Varies locally
  • Living disconnected from utilities: Varies locally

Surry at a glance

Zoning & raw-land occupancy
RestrictedSurry is a zoned town with a full Code of Ordinances, an Official Zoning Map, shoreland zoning, and a Planning Board/Board of Appeals that administer permits through a Land Use Table. Raw-land occupancy without going through the Code Enforcement Officer/Planning Board process isn't supported by the ordinance. source
Dwellings, tiny homes & RVs
Unclear - verifyThe town separately regulates mobile home parks through their own ordinance chapter, which suggests manufactured housing is treated distinctly, but I couldn't confirm specific rules for RVs or tiny homes on wheels as year-round dwellings. Ask the Surry Code Enforcement Officer how these fit into the Land Use Table. source
Building permits & codes
RestrictedSurry requires a local building permit from its Code Enforcement Officer for regulated activities under the Land Use Table, and that same officer serves as Local Plumbing Inspector. Whether Surry has locally adopted MUBEC or another building code isn't confirmed, so check directly with the CEO's office. source
Septic & composting toilets
RestrictedSeptic systems in Surry go through the Local Plumbing Inspector (the same person serving as CEO), who handles Subsurface Wastewater permitting with an online permit portal, though the town office finalizes payment. Composting or primitive toilets are generally allowed under statewide Maine CDC rules as administered by this local inspector. source
Greywater reuse
Generally allowedNo Surry-specific greywater ordinance was found; it appears to fall under the state's Subsurface Wastewater rules as administered locally by the CEO/Plumbing Inspector. source
Rainwater harvesting
Unclear - verifyI found no Surry ordinance addressing rainwater harvesting specifically. If it ties into a structure it would likely fall under general building/plumbing review, but this isn't confirmed, so ask the Code Enforcement Officer directly.
Private wells & water rights
Varies locallyNo Surry-specific well ordinance turned up; private wells fall under the statewide Water Well Commission rules, though Surry's shoreland zoning setbacks (adopted under state law) could affect siting if the property is near water. source
Living disconnected from utilities
Varies locallySurry has no explicit ban on living disconnected from utilities, but any dwelling still has to clear the town's building permit, Land Use Table, plumbing/septic, and shoreland zoning requirements through the CEO. Off-grid living is achievable there if you get through those permits, not because it's separately blessed by name. source

Who to call in Surry

Offices named on official pages during research. Phone numbers appear only when the official page showed one; confirm hours and jurisdiction before you drive out.

I'll be upfront: Surry, Maine is a genuinely zoned town, not one of those unzoned Maine townships people romanticize when they think "off-grid." The town adopted a comprehensive local land use code back in 1992 (amended since by town vote), and it covers shoreland zoning, a mobile home park ordinance, floodplain management, and a general Land Use Table that a Code Enforcement Officer (CEO) uses to decide what needs a permit. A Planning Board and Board of Appeals (the latter set up under the state's Title 30-A framework) administer all this. So raw-land occupancy without going through the CEO isn't something the ordinance supports.

For dwellings, the town clearly regulates manufactured/mobile housing through its own Mobile Home Park Ordinance, but I could not confirm specific rules for RVs or tiny homes on wheels used as year-round residences. My honest read: any structure you live in is going to trigger the general building permit and Land Use Table review, so don't assume an RV is exempt just because it's not a "house." Confirm directly with the CEO.

Building permits are required locally, issued by the Surry CEO, who also serves as the town's Local Plumbing Inspector (LPI). Maine's statewide building code (MUBEC) is optional for towns under 4,000 people, and Surry is well under that threshold, so I can't tell you for certain whether Surry has locally adopted MUBEC or something else. Call the Code Enforcement Office and ask directly, since staff listings I found don't fully agree on who currently holds the CEO title.

Septic is squarely regulated: the CEO/LPI handles Subsurface Wastewater System (SSWW) permitting, and the town even runs an online septic system search and permit portal, though final payment goes through the Town Office. Composting or primitive toilets are generally allowed under Maine CDC's statewide subsurface wastewater rules, administered locally by the same LPI.

Greywater reuse isn't separately addressed by Surry, it flows through the same state SSWW rules the local Plumbing Inspector applies. Rainwater harvesting has no dedicated town rule I could find; it would likely only come up if it ties into plumbing or building work reviewed by the CEO, but that's not confirmed.

Wells: no Surry-specific well ordinance turned up. Well siting and construction fall under Maine's statewide Water Well Commission rules, though if your well sits in the shoreland zone, Surry's shoreland setbacks (adopted under state law, M.R.S.A. 38 ยง435) could affect placement.

Living off-grid, unhooked from municipal utilities, isn't banned outright, but it isn't separately blessed either. It's achievable in Surry as long as your building permit, septic/plumbing permit, and shoreland zoning compliance all clear the CEO's desk. In short: off-grid here means "permitted off-grid," not "unregulated off-grid."

Surry in numbers

Worst-month sun
3.0 peak hours/day (4.6 annual average)
Heating degree days
7,451
Precipitation / snow
46.22 in / ? in a year
Frost-free season
05-05 to 10-11
Elevation
66 ft

Open the full site report for this spot →

30-year climate normals for the nearest ZIP and distances from the town center; a specific parcel will differ. Run the site report on an address for its own numbers.

Sources

Primary sources (statutes, agencies, municipal documents)

Secondary sources (universities, regional bodies)

Only government, statute, municipal, university, and regional-planning sources are listed. Pages used to find an issue but not to substantiate it are not cited. See how this database is researched.

Explore

Live here? Help keep Surry accurate.

Residents, landowners, builders, and town officials: confirm what is right or tell me what is wrong. Every note is checked before it appears. Two minutes, no account.

This page is

FAQ

Common questions about off-grid living in Surry

Is it legal to live off-grid in Surry, Maine?

There is no outright ban on living off-grid in Surry, Maine - it is legal but regulated. Zoning and land use are restricted, putting a cabin, tiny home, or RV on raw land is not clearly documented online, so confirm it locally, and building permits are restricted. Plan around septic/wastewater (restricted) and disconnecting from utilities (set locally and vary by area). Because these rules are set locally, confirm the specifics with Surry before you buy land or build.

Is Surry, Maine an unzoned town where I can just build off-grid without permits?

No. Surry has a comprehensive town-wide land use code with shoreland zoning and a Planning Board, so any building or septic work goes through the Code Enforcement Officer's permit process.

Can I live in an RV or tiny house on wheels year-round in Surry?

That's not clearly spelled out in the ordinance excerpts I found. Mobile homes have their own local ordinance, but RV/THOW rules for permanent living aren't confirmed, so call the Code Enforcement Office before you commit to that plan.

Are composting toilets legal in Surry?

Generally yes, they're allowed under Maine CDC's statewide subsurface wastewater rules, which the town's Local Plumbing Inspector administers.

Do I need a permit to dig a well?

There's no Surry-specific well ordinance; well construction follows the statewide Water Well Commission rules, though shoreland setbacks could apply if you're near water.

Keep exploring

Off-grid rules in nearby Hancock County towns

In Maine, every town sets its own rules - here are the neighbors.