Off-Grid Living in Lisbon, New Hampshire

Lisbon, New Hampshire is a zoned town, not open unzoned land, so if you're eyeing a piece of property here for an off-grid setup, the local zoning ordinance and the state building and health codes both come into play. Here's what I found digging through the town's and state's official pages.

Zoning. The Town of Lisbon adopted its zoning ordinance back in 1972, under authority granted by NH RSA Title LXIV, and it's been amended since, most recently in March 2023, with more amendments proposed for late 2025. The Planning Board handles the master plan and site review, while the Zoning Board of Adjustment hears appeals and special exceptions. So how and where you can build depends on which zoning district your land sits in. Check with the Planning & Zoning office before you buy or build.

Dwellings, tiny homes, RVs. Lisbon has been actively revising its rules on accessory dwelling units, manufactured homes, and campgrounds. Proposed 2025 amendments would drop the owner-occupancy requirement for ADUs, cap ADU size at 1,200 square feet, and allow a special exception for a second ADU on a lot. I did not find specific language on RVs or tiny homes on wheels as permanent residences in what I reviewed, so confirm directly with the town.

Building permits. The town requires a building permit for new structures, any change to a structure's footprint, or a change of use. The Building Inspector/Code & Health Enforcement office administers this, working off the town zoning ordinance and the state building code.

Septic. This is a state matter first. NH DES requires that any structure hooked to a water supply also be connected to an approved wastewater system, whether that's municipal sewer or an individual sewage disposal system (ISDS). DES's Subsurface Systems Bureau approves septic designs, and Lisbon coordinates locally where required. I found no town-specific composting toilet ordinance, so ask the Building Inspector's office how DES's composting toilet allowances apply here.

Greywater. Not confirmed at either the state or town level. I could not find a dedicated NH DES residential greywater rule or a Lisbon-specific one. Treat this as unclear territory and ask DES and the town directly before setting up a greywater system.

Rainwater harvesting. No Lisbon-specific restriction turned up in my research. Any cistern or plumbing tied into a structure would fall under the state building code as enforced through Lisbon's building permit process.

Wells. Well siting is handled at the state level by the NH Water Well Board, and septic permit applications require disclosure of well location and radius, so DES's Subsurface Systems Bureau effectively reviews the well-septic relationship. No separate Lisbon well ordinance exists as far as I found.

Utility disconnection. There's no blanket rule I found requiring hookup to the electric grid or municipal water. But the wastewater rule stands regardless: any structure with running water needs an approved wastewater system, so you can't skip that piece even while going off-grid on power.

Bottom line: Lisbon's zoning and building rules are real and enforced locally, while septic and well matters run through NH DES. Call ahead before you commit to a plan.