Off-Grid Living in Hanover, New Hampshire

I've been digging into Hanover, New Hampshire for anyone dreaming of a quieter, more self-sufficient setup near the Upper Valley, and I want to be upfront: Hanover is not one of those unzoned rural towns where you can just buy land and do what you want. It's a fully zoned municipality with an active Planning Board and a Planning, Zoning & Codes Department that enforces the rules.

Zoning. The big thing I found is that much of Hanover's outlying, steep, or remote land falls in the Forestry and Recreation ("F") district, and that district limits residential use to seasonal dwellings, and only by Special Exception from the Zoning Board of Adjustment. So if your off-grid dream involves a remote parcel in Hanover, you're likely looking at a zoning hurdle before anything else. I'd confirm the current ordinance text with the Town rather than relying on an older PDF copy I found.

Tiny homes, RVs, alternative dwellings. Honestly, I couldn't find a Hanover-specific page addressing RVs or tiny houses on wheels as permanent dwellings. The Town's recent zoning work is focused on "middle housing" (duplexes, cottage courts, etc.), which is a different question. If this is your plan, call the Planning, Zoning & Codes office directly and get it in writing.

Building permits. Hanover's Building Inspector requires a permit before you build or alter any structure, and reviews plans against the Town's adopted building code, including state energy code and life-safety egress requirements. This is a real, enforced local process, not just a formality.

Septic and wastewater. This one's state-driven: New Hampshire's Department of Environmental Services (NHDES) regulates septic systems under its Subsurface Systems Bureau. Any structure hooked to a water supply in Hanover must also have an approved wastewater system, so a well without a permitted septic system isn't going to fly. Composting toilets aren't addressed in anything Hanover-specific I found, so treat state guidance as your baseline and ask NHDES and the Town how it applies to your situation.

Greywater and rainwater. I couldn't confirm any Hanover-specific ordinance for either. Rainwater harvesting likely falls under whatever plumbing/residential code provisions the state has adopted, since Hanover's Building Code Adopting Ordinance incorporates state codes, but I'd get the Building Inspector's take before you build a system.

Wells. Private wells are licensed at the state level under the NH Water Well Board; I didn't find any additional Hanover well ordinance, though the Building Inspector may want water documentation with a permit application.

Utilities. Between the Forestry district's seasonal-only rule and the requirement that any water-connected structure has a permitted wastewater system, full off-grid disconnection is genuinely restricted in Hanover, especially outside the village center.

Bottom line: Hanover rewards homework. Call before you buy.