Off-Grid Living in Mason, New Hampshire

Mason, New Hampshire is a small, rural town in Hillsborough County, and it's genuinely zoned, so anyone picturing wide-open unregulated land here should reset expectations. I dug through what's actually on the town's and state's official pages, and here's where things stand.

Zoning. Mason adopted its Planning (Zoning) Ordinance back in 1967, authorized under NH RSA 673:3 and 674:3, with the most recent amendment I could confirm from June 2016. The town is divided into zoning districts with specific permitted uses, and the Zoning Board of Adjustment handles variances and special exceptions. You can't just occupy raw land without regard to district rules, this is a "check with the town first" situation, not a legal void.

Dwellings, tiny homes, RVs. The zoning ordinance treats RVs (travel trailers, motor homes, campers, vans) as a distinct, regulated category, not as permanent housing. As of my research, Mason's zoning currently allows attached accessory dwelling units, but detached ADUs (the kind people often use for tiny-home living) are not yet broadly allowed. The Planning Board has reportedly been working on a proposed amendment to permit detached ADUs, but that would need a Town Meeting vote, so confirm current status with the Planning Board before you plan around it.

Building permits. The town's Building Code goes back to 1957 and has been updated to track the International Building Code and NFPA standards. Building permits are required in Mason; if you're unsure whether your project needs one, the town directs residents to Article VII of the Planning Ordinance and to call the Building Inspector directly.

Septic and composting toilets. This is a state matter. NH DES's Subsurface Systems Bureau regulates all individual sewage disposal systems statewide, including septic tanks, privies, and incinerating/composting toilets, all of which fall under the "ISDS" definition. I didn't find a Mason-specific septic ordinance beyond that. Note that DES has revised its administrative rules and forms, so double-check you're using current paperwork before submitting anything.

Greywater and rainwater. I found no Mason-specific ordinance on either. That means you're relying on the state baseline, which is thin on dedicated greywater rules and generally permissive on rainwater collection for non-potable indoor use under the state's adopted plumbing code. Not confirmed at the town level either way.

Wells. Private wells fall under the statewide NH Water Well Board program (RSA 482-B). No Mason-specific well ordinance turned up in my search.

Utility disconnection. No ordinance mandating hookup to municipal water or sewer was found, and frankly Mason doesn't have municipal water/sewer infrastructure to speak of, so going off-grid on utilities isn't really a flashpoint here the way it might be in a denser town.

Bottom line: Mason isn't a lawless off-grid frontier, it's a small zoned town with real permitting requirements for building and structures, layered under New Hampshire's state septic and well rules. Call ahead before you buy land or build.