Building permits, zoning and land rules in Clinton County, Illinois

Yes. On county-administered land, Clinton County requires a Certificate of Zoning Compliance to erect, move, alter or use a building or premises¹. Re-roofing, window replacement and similar maintenance generally do not require a permit¹. A new-home application requires a site plan, floor plan and sewage permit¹. The published residential fee is $0.135 per square foot with a $50 minimum, and fees are non-refundable¹. Qualifying agricultural land and buildings are exempt from most zoning permits and regulations, but the structures must meet setbacks and receive an initial zoning certificate⁹. The commercial inspection-and-certification rule does not apply to new residential construction². Ask the Zoning Department which residential plan reviews and inspections apply³.

The Clinton County Zoning Department is the building-permit contact for a home on county-administered land³. The department regulates land and structures and administers the subdivision and floodplain ordinances³. Call (618) 594-6655 or email zoning@clintonco.illinois.gov before designing around an assumed use, setback or permit path³. The office is at 850 Fairfax Street Rm 124, Carlyle, IL 62231³. County Zoning serves unincorporated land plus Bartelso, Boulder, Ferrin, Jamestown, New Memphis, Shattuc and St Rose; Albers, Aviston, Beckemeyer, Breese, Carlyle, Centralia, Damiansville, Germantown, Hoffman, Huey, Keyesport and Trenton administer their own zoning². The Clinton County Health Department remains the countywide contact for private sewage systems⁴.

Yes. County zoning applies to unincorporated Clinton County and villages without their own zoning ordinance³. The ordinance divides the unincorporated area into districts and identifies permitted and special uses in each². Lot area, setbacks and maximum height depend on the district^9,10. Outside incorporated limits, the minimum setback is 100 feet from a county-road centerline and 75 feet from a township-road centerline¹⁰. An accessory structure cannot be used as a dwelling in any county zoning district⁹. Clinton County regulates subdivisions, and the Health Department reviews subdivision plats proposing private sewage^3,4. Floodplain development such as filling, grading, paving and building requires a county permit⁹.

The Clinton County Health Department controls the county private sewage program⁴. A permit is required before constructing, altering or extending a private sewage system, and it is valid for 12 months¹¹. The department must receive at least 48 hours' notice and inspect the installation before it is covered⁵. A homeowner may install a system for the homeowner's own residence, but the permit and inspection requirements still apply⁵. The Health Department may refuse a private-system permit when a practical public or community sewer connection is available, including a permitted connection within 600 feet for a single-family home¹¹. Household sinks, showers and laundry drains must connect to the sewage system; gray-water discharge is prohibited⁵. Only 6.2% of Clinton County soils avoid severe limits for a conventional drain field, so test feasibility early⁸.

In unincorporated Clinton County, an RV cannot be occupied as a dwelling outside a lawful commercial campground unless the Board of Appeals approves a temporary use and the Zoning Administrator signs it; the parcel must be zoned Agricultural⁷. A site-built tiny home treated as a residence must be on a full-perimeter permanent foundation and contain at least 900 square feet of living area⁷. A modular home must contain at least 980 square feet, while a manufactured residence must contain at least 900 square feet⁷. An accessory structure cannot be used as a dwelling in any county zoning district⁹. Any dwelling must also satisfy the district's lot, setback and height standards^9,10.

1. Ask Zoning to identify the parcel's jurisdiction and district, then confirm its allowed use, lot size, setbacks, height and floodplain requirements^2,3,9,10.

1. Have the Health Department review sewage feasibility early because only 6.2% of county soils avoid severe limits for a conventional drain field⁸.

1. Obtain the sewage permit before seeking the county building permit for a home or other building with a bathroom¹.

1. Submit the site plan, floor plan and sewage permit to Zoning for the Certificate of Zoning Compliance¹.

1. Contact the County Highway Department about a new entrance or mailbox along a county highway¹.

1. If using a private well, obtain the Health Department permit before construction or modification⁶.

1. Ask Zoning which residential inspections and final clearance apply because we could not confirm a general residential building-inspection rule or separate certificate of occupancy³.

Confirm whether county or municipal zoning governs the parcel and get the applicable district rules in writing². County minimum lot size, setbacks and height limits are district-specific^9,10. Ask Zoning about floodplain approval before planning a house pad, grading or paving in a floodplain district^3,9. Test septic feasibility early because only 6.2% of county soils avoid severe limits for a conventional drain field⁸. A residential lot using private sewage generally needs at least 10,000 square feet, while a lot using both a private well and private sewage generally needs at least one acre, subject to Health Department review and possible variance¹². A subdivision plat using private sewage also requires Health Department review⁴. The effective property-tax rate is about 1.9%, with a median annual bill of $3,356⁸.