Off-Grid Living in Nelson, New Hampshire

I've been digging into Nelson, New Hampshire's rules for anyone thinking about going off-grid here, and the short version is: Nelson is a small, zoned town, and its zoning ordinance (adopted 2004, revised March 11, 2025) puts real constraints on how you can settle raw land, even though the town itself has no municipal water or sewer to hook into.

Zoning and lot size. Nelson's Zoning Ordinance, administered by the town's Zoning Board of Adjustment and Planning Board, sets a two-acre minimum lot size for any new lot, and building permits for new dwelling units are only issued on lots that meet that two-acre minimum. There's also a lot-coverage cap of 25% for all properties. This is a town-level rule, not a state mandate, so it's specific to Nelson.

Dwellings, tiny homes, and RVs. I didn't find a Nelson-specific provision addressing tiny homes or RVs as full-time residences in the ordinance text I reviewed. The ordinance does regulate Accessory Dwelling Units, including a requirement that discontinuance of an ADU (including an owner no longer living on the property as their principal residence) be reported to the Board of Selectmen. But for RVs and tiny homes specifically, this is unconfirmed, so call the town before assuming anything.

Building permits. Required locally, tied to that two-acre minimum. The Zoning Board of Adjustment handles variances and appeals of zoning enforcement decisions.

Septic. This is where state law does the heavy lifting. New Hampshire's Department of Environmental Services (DES) requires that any structure connected to a water supply also be connected to an approved wastewater system, sewer or individual sewage disposal system (ISDS), under DES's Env-Wq 1000 rules. Nelson's ordinance cross-references this state septic law directly for rental properties. I found no town-specific allowance for composting toilets as a septic substitute, so that would need direct confirmation from Nelson's Building Inspector or Health Officer contact through the Town Office.

Greywater and rainwater. Neither has a Nelson-specific ordinance that I could find, and I also couldn't confirm a dedicated statewide DES rule for residential greywater reuse. Rainwater harvesting appears to just fall under the general state building/plumbing code baseline rather than any distinct local rule. Treat both as unclear until you ask.

Wells. Regulated at the state level, not separately by Nelson. Septic application paperwork does ask about well location and well radius relative to the lot.

Off-grid utilities generally. Nelson doesn't have town-wide utilities to mandate hookup to, but state septic law effectively requires an approved wastewater system before you can occupy any structure with running water. Combined with the two-acre zoning minimum, that limits how minimal an off-grid setup in Nelson can be.

Bottom line: start with the Town Office for zoning and building permit questions, and NH DES for anything septic or well related.