Rensselaer County
Town of Nassau, NY: zoning for new construction
Residential lots in the Town of Nassau run from a 1-acre minimum in Hamlet District up to 2 acres in Rural Residential District, across 4 zoning districts in all. No local short-term-rental law on record - which is not the same as permission. Power here is National Grid territory. The district table below has the setbacks, height limits and coverage - confirm the specifics with the building department at (518) 766-3044 before you rely on a figure.
Looking specifically at an accessory dwelling unit? See ADU rules for Nassau →
Zoning districts
| District | Min lot | Setbacks F / S / R | Max height | ADU |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rural Residential District | 2 ac | 75 / 50 / 75 ft | 35 ft | No |
| General Business District | 2 ac | 75 / 50 / 75 ft | 35 ft | No |
| Hamlet District | 1 ac | 25 / 25 / 25 ft | 35 ft | No |
| Waterfront Residential District | 1 ac | 50 / 50 / 50 ft | 35 ft | No |
Short-term rentals
No local short-term-rental law on record - which is not the same as permission. The Town of Nassau has no local short-term rental law, and that is not the same as permission. A whole-house rental that is not owner-occupied has no listed use in its closed use table, so confirm with the building department before listing.
Conditions the code attaches:
- A use not listed specifically, or through similar use, is prohibited, so a whole-house rental depends on the town's discretionary reading, not a right.
- A bed and breakfast needs site plan approval in every district and must be an owner-occupied dwelling serving guests no more than breakfast.
- New York State's 2025 short-term rental registry requires every host to register the unit through the Rensselaer County registry, regardless of local law.
- Call the building department at (518) 766-3044 before listing.
Good to know
- UtilityNational Grid territory.
- Zoning codeTown of Nassau Zoning Law, adopted September 8, 2011, Schedule C, Schedule of Area/Dimensional Requirements
- Building dept(518) 766-3044
- Last reviewed2026-09-16
Working out a budget? A standard-finish build here runs $200–$262/sq ft , and a conforming lot adds about $6,858 on top - see the full cost to build a house in Nassau, or what an ADU costs here.
Sizing up a specific parcel in Nassau?
Aldo pulls the exact zoning district, setbacks, and build feasibility for any parcel — before you buy. Enter your email to open Aldo and run your free report.
Other Rensselaer County towns
All Rensselaer County zoning: Rensselaer (City) · Troy (City) · Berlin · Brunswick · East Greenbush · Hoosick · North Greenbush · Poestenkill · Sand Lake · Schaghticoke · Schodack · Stephentown · Castleton-on-Hudson (Village) · East Nassau (Village) · Hoosick Falls (Village) · Nassau (Village)
Zoning figures for Town of Nassau are compiled from the municipal code (last reviewed 2026-09-16) and provided for decision-support only - not legal, engineering, or architectural advice. Setback and dimensional standards often carry conditions and exceptions; verify with the building department at (518) 766-3044 before relying on any number. Source: the Offsite / Aldo zoning dataset.