Bolthole Index county-legal census · checked 2026-08-08
29 of Ohio's 88 counties — 33% — have no county-wide zoning. That is the 10th-largest count of any state. The strongest of them on the Bolthole Index is Adams County (71/100). Every entry below cites the county’s own official source.
Rules change, and cities inside these counties set their own — treat this as a verified starting point, not legal advice. All 969 counties nationwide → Ohio: no building codes → Ohio: no codes, no zoning → Full Ohio profile →
29 of 88 Ohio counties · sorted by Index score
Adams County has no countywide zoning office in its official department listing; land-use zoning in unincorporated areas is handled at the township level rather than by a county…
Adams County Government - County Offices ↗The county states zoning only applies in municipalities or subdivisions that adopted their own rules; no formal county-level zoning applies in unincorporated areas.
Morgan County Engineer — Development ↗There is no countywide zoning; only Buffalo Township, Wayne Township, and the Noble Airpark have adopted zoning, and the balance of unincorporated Noble County is unzoned.
Noble County (OSU Extension) — Zoning and Building Permit Process ↗There is no countywide zoning; land-use zoning in Perry County is handled at the township level under Ohio Revised Code Chapter 519, and only some townships (e.g., Jackson Towns…
Perry County - Jackson Township Zoning Resolution ↗The county explicitly states there is no zoning in the unincorporated area other than floodplain and subdivision regulations; incorporated villages/cities set their own.
Gallia County Planning Department - Site Zoning Verification ↗Ohio county zoning exists only where commissioners adopt a zoning resolution under ORC Chapter 303; no countywide zoning resolution is identified for Vinton County, and land-use…
Ohio Revised Code 303.11 - County Zoning ↗The county does not administer countywide residential zoning; the building authority directs owners to check with their local city, village or township for any zoning permit. Th…
Holmes County Planning Commission - Overview ↗The county Regional Planning FAQ states there is no countywide zoning; zoning exists only in the city of Logan and can only be enacted at the township or municipal level.
Hocking County Regional Planning - Frequently Asked Questions ↗Washington County has no countywide zoning resolution; the county Planning Commission administers only subdivision regulations, and zoning where it exists is adopted at the town…
Washington County - Planning Commission ↗There are no zoning regulations adopted by the County of Belmont; zoning is left to individual townships and municipalities.
Belmont County CIC - Zoning & Planning ↗Guernsey County has no countywide zoning; zoning is handled at the township level under Ohio Revised Code Ch. 519, while the county only administers subdivision regulations via …
Guernsey County Map Department / Planning Commission ↗There is no countywide zoning; zoning is administered at the township level (a zoning permit from the township is typically needed in unincorporated areas).
Zanesville-Muskingum County Health Department ↗There is no countywide zoning; the county FAQ lists zoning only in specific jurisdictions (Airport, City of Chillicothe, certain townships/municipalities and flood zones), typic…
Ross County Building Department - FAQ ↗No county zoning department is listed; the Highland County Planning Commission administers subdivision/lot-split regulations rather than a countywide zoning ordinance (zoning in…
Highland County Planning Commission ↗The county planner states Athens County does not have adopted Zoning Regulations; it has only Subdivision and Floodplain regulations.
Athens County OH — Regional County Planner ↗The county has a Regional Planning Commission that provides subdivision regulations and township maps but no countywide zoning office; zoning, where present, is administered at …
Carroll County Ohio - Agencies and Departments ↗There is no countywide zoning; zoning exists only where individual townships (e.g., Clay, Valley) have adopted their own township zoning resolutions.
Scioto County Engineer - Zoning Standards ↗There is no countywide zoning; only certain townships/villages (Archer, Cadiz, Freeport, Moorefield, North) have their own zoning.
Harrison County Zoning ↗Zoning is administered locally by township/municipal zoning offices rather than the county; the county Building Department directs applicants to their local zoning office for ap…
Ashtabula County - Building Department ↗Williams County as an entity has no county-wide zoning; only certain townships (Center, Springfield, Pulaski) and municipalities are zoned.
Williams County Zoning ↗There is no county-wide zoning in Trumbull County; the county Planning Commission is advisory only, and zoning is adopted and administered by individual townships.
Trumbull County Planning Commission - Subdivision & Zoning ↗The county has no county-wide zoning; the Ashland County Planning Department states almost all townships have their own zoning resolution and map, and residents must contact the…
Ashland County Planning Department - Zoning ↗Crawford County has no county-wide zoning; zoning is administered at the local level - cities, most incorporated villages, and some townships have zoning, but not all unincorpor…
Crawford County Engineer - Townships/Zoning ↗There is no countywide zoning; the county guide notes zoning is 'only required in townships and villages where zoning laws are currently enforced,' so zoning depends on the spec…
Hancock County, OH - Preparing to Build in Hancock County ↗Darke County has no county-wide zoning; zoning authority rests with individual cities, villages, and townships, and un-zoned areas fall under Township Trustees.
Darke County Services (Zoning) ↗Land use zoning is administered at the township level in Fairfield County rather than by a countywide zoning ordinance; county Regional Planning handles subdivision and floodpla…
Fairfield County Building Department / Regional Planning ↗Shelby County directs zoning matters to individual Township Trustees / Zoning Enforcement Officers rather than a countywide zoning ordinance, consistent with Ohio's township-bas…
Shelby County, OH Checklist for Various Developments ↗Zoning in Ohio is administered by townships and municipalities, not the county; townships require a CAP and cities/villages require zoning permits, with no countywide county zon…
Wayne County - Zoning Permit or CAP ↗The county directs residents with zoning questions to their local municipality; zoning is administered by cities and villages, not the county.
Cuyahoga County - Permits and Licenses ↗Every county here has a full profile — water, land prices, hazard safety, seclusion, and the rest of its building rules. See the Ohio state page for all 88 counties ranked, or go back to the national list.
General guidance, not legal advice. Off-grid, building, and land-use rules are often set at the county level and change often. Verify with your county and state before acting. Data reviewed 2026-06-26.
