Off-Grid Living in Troy, New Hampshire

I've been digging into what off-grid living actually looks like in Troy, New Hampshire, and the short version is: Troy is a zoned town, so nothing here is a legal gray zone by default, it's a permitted-with-paperwork situation.

Zoning. Troy voters adopted a zoning ordinance under the state's enabling law, RSA Chapter 674, back in 1974, and it's been amended since (the version I found is dated 2025). The town is divided into districts, including a Rural District, and a Zoning Board of Adjustment handles variance requests under RSA 674:33. If you're eyeing raw land, the district it sits in will shape what you can do with it, so that's step one before you buy anything.

Occupancy and building permits. Troy's ordinance is blunt about this: no land or building can be occupied until the Board of Selectmen issues a Certificate of Occupancy confirming compliance with zoning rules. Separately, you generally need a building permit from the Selectmen or their agent to erect, alter, or move a structure, though the ordinance carves out an exemption for small accessory structures under 200 square feet tied to an existing residence. New construction, additions, garages, and barns go through a contracted building inspector, and Troy's rule calls for multiple inspections paid for by the applicant. I did not find a Troy-specific rule addressing tiny homes or RVs as dwellings, so I'd treat them under this general building-permit framework until the Code Enforcement Officer tells you otherwise.

Septic. This one's mostly a state matter. New Hampshire's Department of Environmental Services (NHDES) reviews and approves septic system designs statewide under Env-Wq 1000, tied to RSA 485-A, to prevent water pollution. Troy's own ordinance points back to this, referencing the Town's Water Resources Protection Ordinance alongside state Water Supply and Pollution Control Division rules. I found nothing suggesting Troy restricts composting toilets specifically, but confirm that with the Code Enforcement Officer since it interacts with septic and occupancy rules.

Greywater, rainwater, and wells. Honestly, I couldn't find Troy-specific ordinances on any of these three. That likely means state baseline plumbing and well-construction standards (New Hampshire's Water Well Board framework, RSA 482-B, for wells) are what apply, but I'd call the town directly to make sure there isn't an unpublished local wrinkle, especially on septic-adjacent well siting.

Utilities. There's no explicit "you must hook up to the grid" clause in what I reviewed. But because occupancy is gated by that Certificate of Occupancy and general compliance requirement, a fully off-grid setup (solar, well, septic) still needs to pass through that same compliance check, it's just not a utility-specific mandate.

Bottom line: Troy will let you go off-grid, but every major system, dwelling, septic, and land use, runs through either the Selectmen's office or NHDES. Nothing here is prohibited outright; it's a matter of permits and inspections layered from town and state authorities.