Off-Grid Living in Hebron, New Hampshire

Hebron, New Hampshire is a small Grafton County town (about 632 people as of the 2020 census) with a long, rural feel, but don't let that fool you into thinking it's unzoned. I dug into the town's records and found Hebron has had a zoning ordinance since 1973, adopted under the state's zoning enabling law, RSA Chapter 674, and amended as recently as May 2024. So any off-grid plans here have to work within a real, enforced local ordinance layered on top of New Hampshire state law.

Zoning and land use. Raw land in Hebron isn't a blank slate. The Select Board and Planning Board administer district use rules, setbacks, and permitting under the zoning ordinance, and there's a Wetlands Protection Overlay District to be aware of if your parcel has wet ground. I did not find Hebron-specific language calling out tiny homes or RVs as dwellings by name; the ordinance discusses non-conforming uses and setbacks generally. If your project doesn't fit neatly, the path forward would be a Special Exception or Variance request to the Zoning Board of Adjustment.

Building permits. Hebron requires a building permit, issued through the Select Board's office, and the town has cited its own zoning regulations plus state law (RSA 676:17) as authority to fine unpermitted construction. New Hampshire's statewide Energy Code (RSA 155-D) also applies to new construction here, so plan for that layer of review regardless of how off-grid the finished home will be.

Septic and composting toilets. Septic systems are a state matter. NH DES (Department of Environmental Services) requires plans from a state-permitted septic designer, and you'll need both a Construction Approval and, before use, an Operation Approval from DES, with the town coordinating on local sign-off. I didn't find a Hebron ordinance specifically addressing composting toilets, so the state DHHS/DES framework is what governs by default; confirm your specific setup with DES.

Greywater and rainwater. Neither is directly addressed in what I found at the town level, and New Hampshire doesn't have one clean statewide greywater rule either. Indoor rainwater use would run through the same building/plumbing code process as any other plumbing. Treat both as unsettled locally and call the town office before you build a system, rather than assume it's fine.

Wells. Private wells are regulated by the state Water Well Board under RSA 482-B. I did not find a Hebron-specific well ordinance; the town's building permit process does ask about your water source but doesn't appear to add extra siting rules beyond the state's.

Living off-utilities. I found no explicit Hebron rule forcing a hookup to water or sewer, which fits a small unsewered rural town like this. But that's an absence of evidence, not a guarantee, so ask the Select Board directly if your plan is to live fully disconnected.

Bottom line: Hebron is zoned and does enforce building permits, with state law (septic, wells, energy code) doing a lot of the heavy lifting underneath. The gray areas, tiny homes, RVs, greywater, rainwater, and utility disconnection, are exactly where you want a direct conversation with the Select Board before you commit money to a plan.