Off-Grid Living in Surry, New Hampshire

I've been digging through Surry, New Hampshire's town documents and the relevant state statutes, and here's the honest picture for anyone thinking about going off-grid there.

Surry is a zoned town, with a Zoning Ordinance most recently updated effective March 15, 2023, administered by the Planning Board and Zoning Board of Adjustment under the state's enabling law, RSA 674. That means raw land isn't a free-for-all: the ordinance sets permitted uses by district (residential, agricultural, commercial, etc.), and if you're eyeing a lot on one of the town's Class VI roads (Joslin Road, Webster Road, Merriam Road, and others), access is specifically restricted under the ordinance. Boundary disputes get resolved by the Planning Board, with the burden of proof on the applicant.

On dwellings: I couldn't find a specific Surry provision addressing tiny houses on wheels or RVs as full-time residences. What I did find is a narrow exemption from building permits for small non-residential structures (100 square feet or less, not on a permanent foundation), which by implication means anything used as actual living space isn't exempt, no matter the size. If you're planning a tiny home or RV as a dwelling, I'd call the Building Inspector before you commit to anything.

Building permits are required for essentially all construction in town, per the local ordinance and RSA 676:11, and the state building code applies by reference under RSA 155-A:10. You'll need a Certificate of Occupancy before use, and permits become void if work doesn't start within a set window (the ordinance doesn't spell out a fee schedule I could confirm, so ask the Building Inspector directly).

Septic is where it gets interesting locally. New Hampshire's Department of Environmental Services (DES) permits septic system design and construction statewide, and installers are licensed under RSA 485-A. But Surry has apparently adopted a stricter local setback than the state's standard 75-foot septic setback, based on a 2025 Zoning Board of Adjustment case I found. I don't have the exact Surry number, so confirm it with the Building Inspector or Planning Board before you design anything.

Greywater reuse and rainwater harvesting: I found no Surry-specific ordinance on either, and no dedicated statewide DES rule for residential greywater either, so this is genuinely unclear terrain, confirm locally.

Private wells fall under the state Water Well Board (RSA 482-B), with no additional Surry-specific well ordinance found, though well-to-septic proximity does come up in local permit review.

Living fully off municipal utilities isn't explicitly banned, but the ordinance gives the town discretion to deny permits if water, sewage, or other services are judged "inadequate," so full off-grid setups could face scrutiny at permit time.

Bottom line: state rules set the floor, but Surry's Planning Board, ZBA, and Building Inspector have real say over the details, especially septic setbacks and permit adequacy.