Bolthole Index

Cook County, Illinois

Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Ford Heights, Illinois

The Village of Ford Heights, Illinois (Cook County) has its own zoning map and zoning chapter1, and building permits come from the village's building department, not Cook County's2. Septic tanks need a permit from the village clerk3, and the Cook County Department of Public Health reviews private sewage systems throughout the county4.

At a glance

Building permit
Required from the village for a new home, deck, shed or driveway apron5
Zoning
Village zoning ordinance and zoning map1
Septic
Village clerk permit, plus Cook County Department of Public Health approval34
RV living
Trailer camps are prohibited; living in a single RV on a private lot is not directly addressed6
Minimum home size (R-1)
1,000 sq ft ground floor for one story7
Minimum lot (R-1)
6,000 sq ft8

Who to call

Building permits

Village of Ford Heights Village Hall

Village hall contact for the building department, permits and the village clerk

( 708 )- 758 - 3131

1343 Ellis Ave Ford Heights, IL 60426

Building permits

Village of Ford Heights Building Department

Building permits, permit applications, contractor licensing and inspections inside Ford Heights village limits

Septic permits

Cook County Department of Public Health - Environmental Health

Review and approval of private sewage disposal systems and well evaluations in Cook County

708-836-8600

7556 Jackson Boulevard, Forest Park, IL 60130

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 16, 2026.

Off-grid gear

Going off-grid in Village of Ford Heights means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

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Does Ford Heights, Illinois have zoning, and what does it mean for RVs and lot size?

Yes. The Village of Ford Heights adopts its own zoning chapter and zoning map for land inside the village1. Residential districts include R-1 and R-2 one-family districts and an R-3 general residence district, alongside business and manufacturing districts9.

In the R-1 district, a one-family house needs a lot of at least 6,000 square feet8 and a ground floor of at least 1,000 square feet for one story7. In R-2, the minimum lot is 5,500 square feet10 and the one-story minimum is 720 square feet11. Front yards in R-1 must be at least 25 feet12, and height is capped at 25 feet or 2½ stories13. In R-3, the front setback is 20 feet14.

Ford Heights prohibits trailer camps for human habitation6. Whether one person may live in a single RV on a private lot is not directly addressed in the code we reviewed, so ask the village building department before planning on it. Cook County's RV-living ban applies only to unincorporated land15.

Do you need a building permit in Ford Heights, and who issues it?

Yes. The Village of Ford Heights building department requires a permit for building a new structure or improvement such as a home, deck or shed, and for work in the right-of-way such as a driveway apron2. The village also requires every contractor working in Ford Heights to hold a village license2. The village has adopted the International Building Code and International Residential Code, as amended, as its technical codes16.

Cook County's Department of Building and Zoning handles building and zoning matters in unincorporated areas only, and tells people with properties in incorporated municipalities to contact the local building and zoning authority17. A Ford Heights address is not sent to the county permit counter.

A driveway that crosses a sidewalk needs its own permit, applied for through the village building commissioner18. If the site is in a mapped flood hazard area, new buildings must be protected from flood damage and a certificate of occupancy is held until a FEMA elevation or floodproofing certificate is filed with the village clerk1920.

How do septic permits work inside Ford Heights?

Two offices are involved. The village code makes it unlawful to build, enlarge, alter or repair a septic tank within village limits without a permit from the village clerk3. The Cook County Department of Public Health separately reviews and approves private sewage disposal systems throughout Cook County, and Ford Heights is not among the four municipalities with their own septic ordinances421.

Septic is the exception, not the rule, inside village limits. Ford Heights code makes it unlawful to maintain a septic tank or cesspool except as the code provides22, and an occupied property that abuts a street with public sewer within 300 feet of the property line must connect within 90 days of official notice23. A lot near a sewer main should plan on the sewer, not a septic field.

The county also notes that a buyer or seller of a home with a well or septic system typically needs an evaluation21.

Building a home in Ford Heights: the steps, in order

  1. Confirm the lot's zoning district with the village building department, since lot size, setbacks and minimum home size differ by district12.
  2. Check whether the lot is in a flood hazard area, which adds elevation requirements19.
  3. Find out whether public sewer is available at the lot; if not, a septic permit from the village clerk and Cook County Department of Public Health approval are needed34.
  4. Hire a contractor licensed by the village, because permits are not issued until the contractor is licensed2.
  5. Apply for the building permit with the village building department2.
  6. Schedule inspections with the building department yourself or through your contractor; new homes must pass at least 23 inspections before final approval2.
  7. Apply for a driveway permit if the driveway crosses a sidewalk18.

What stays with Cook County, and what to check before you buy in Ford Heights

Septic and well approvals involving the Cook County Department of Public Health stay with the county health office4. Cook County's own building permit, zoning and RV rules apply to unincorporated land, not to lots inside Ford Heights17. For land outside village limits, see the Cook County page.

Before you buy, ask the village building department about the zoning district, flood hazard mapping and sewer availability. Cook County's effective property tax rate is about 2%24, and the county's median property tax bill is $6,053 a year25. Those figures are county-wide, not specific to Ford Heights.

Watch-outs

  • We could not confirm Ford Heights rules on tiny homes, accessory dwellings, wells or short-term rentals; ask the village hall5.
  • The village code is inconsistent on the sewer connection distance, citing 300 feet in one section and 100 feet in another, so confirm with the village which applies to your lot23.
  • Subdivision review in the village code we reviewed appears only in the flood-hazard article, so ask the village building department whether a lot split needs separate approval26.

Sources

  1. Ford Heights Code Sec. 56-24 Zoning map (Village of Ford Heights), quoted and re-checked
  2. Village of Ford Heights Building Department (villageoffordheights.org)
  3. Ford Heights Code Sec. 50-290 Septic permit required (Village of Ford Heights), quoted and re-checked
  4. Septic, quoted and re-checked
  5. Village of Ford Heights Village Hall (villageoffordheights.org)
  6. Ford Heights Code Sec. 28-4 Trailer camp prohibited (Village of Ford Heights), quoted and re-checked
  7. Ford Heights Code Sec. 56-91 R-1 one-family dwelling district (Village of Ford Heights), quoted and re-checked
  8. Ford Heights Code Sec. 56-91 R-1 one-family dwelling district (Village of Ford Heights), quoted and re-checked
  9. Ford Heights Code Sec. 56-24 Zoning map (Village of Ford Heights), quoted and re-checked
  10. Ford Heights Code Sec. 56-92 R-2 one-family dwelling district (Village of Ford Heights), quoted and re-checked
  11. Ford Heights Code Sec. 56-92 R-2 one-family dwelling district (Village of Ford Heights), quoted and re-checked
  12. Ford Heights Code Sec. 56-91 R-1 one-family dwelling district (Village of Ford Heights), quoted and re-checked
  13. Ford Heights Code Sec. 56-91 R-1 one-family dwelling district (Village of Ford Heights), quoted and re-checked
  14. Ford Heights Code Sec. 56-93 R-3 general residence district (Village of Ford Heights), quoted and re-checked
  15. 25-0036 Full Text PDF, quoted and re-checked
  16. Ford Heights Code Sec. 10-9 Adoption of technical codes (Village of Ford Heights), quoted and re-checked
  17. Building and Zoning, quoted and re-checked
  18. Ford Heights Code Sec. 10-446 Driveway permit required (Village of Ford Heights), quoted and re-checked
  19. Ford Heights Code Sec. 18-409 Protecting buildings (Village of Ford Heights), quoted and re-checked
  20. Ford Heights Code Sec. 18-409 Protecting buildings (Village of Ford Heights), quoted and re-checked
  21. Cook County Department of Public Health - Environmental Health (cookcountypublichealth.org)
  22. Ford Heights Code Sec. 50-160 Use of public sewers required (Village of Ford Heights), quoted and re-checked
  23. Ford Heights Code Sec. 50-160 Use of public sewers required (Village of Ford Heights), quoted and re-checked
  24. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  25. Median property tax bill: Bolthole Index county data
  26. Ford Heights Code Sec. 18-417 Major developments (Village of Ford Heights), quoted and re-checked

Written October 16, 2026 from the rules quoted below, each taken from an official source and re-checked by an independent reviewer. This is research, not legal advice: rules change, so confirm with the office before you buy or build.

Answers from the rulebook for Village of Ford Heights

Village of Ford Heights’s own rules

  • Building code adoptedAdopted

    Inside Ford Heights village

    • Subject to exceptions in Sec. 10-9
    • Includes International Building Code, International Residential Code, Cook County Plumbing Code, Chicago Electrical Code, others, as amended
    • Fire code separately adopted as 2006 International Fire Code in Sec. 20-123
    “The village hereby adopts, as if fully set forth herein, subject to the exceptions in this section, the following technical codes, as they now exist or may be hereafter amended:”
  • Certificate of occupancyLimited

    Building projects in special flood hazard areas inside Ford Heights village

    • Quote is from the floodplain article; general CO rule not located
    • Fee schedule lists certificate of occupancy inspection and issuance fees
    “A certificate of occupancy shall not be issued for a building project until the permit applicant provides the village clerk with a properly completed, signed and sealed as-built FEMA elevation or floodproofing certificate.”
  • Local zoningPresent

    Land inside Ford Heights village; Chapter 56 Zoning with zoning map

    “The locations and boundaries of the districts established herein are shown on the zoning map which is hereby incorporated into this chapter.”
  • Zoning districtsPartial

    Zoning districts inside Ford Heights village

    • Residential districts R-1, R-2, R-3 found; business and manufacturing districts referenced but not opened
    “districts for the village are established as follows: residential districts r-1 one-family dwelling district r-2 one-family dwelling district r-3 general residence district business districts b-1 business district, limited retail b-2 business district, general retail b-3 service and wholesale district manufacturing districts m-1 manufacturing district, limited”
  • Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

    R-1 one-family dwelling district, inside Ford Heights village

    • Measured from outside of exterior walls; excludes cellars, basements, open porches, breezeways, garages

    one-story minimum ground floor area: >= 1000 sq ft · multi-story minimum total floor area: >= 1200 sq ft

    “every one-story dwelling hereafter erected in any r-1 one-family dwelling district shall have a total ground floor area of not less than 1,000 square feet, measured from the outside of the exterior walls”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
  • Minimum lot sizeSpecified

    R-1 one-family dwelling district, inside Ford Heights village

    • Minimum width 50 feet at building line
    • Nonresidential principal uses need 15,000 sq ft and sewer/water

    minimum lot area: >= 6000 sq ft

    “Every one-family detached dwelling hereafter erected shall be located on a lot having an area of not less than 6,000 square feet”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
  • SetbacksSpecified

    R-1 one-family dwelling district, inside Ford Heights village (R-2 applies same yards)

    • Side yard 10% of lot width, need not exceed 10 feet; combined interior side yards at least 10 ft, corner lots 15 ft
    • Corner lot street-side yard at least 10 ft; reversed corner lot rules apply

    front yard: >= 25 feet · rear yard: >= 30 feet

    “(1) front yard. a front yard of not less than 25 feet.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
  • Lot coverageSpecified

    R-2 one-family dwelling district, inside Ford Heights village (R-1 also 35 percent)

    • Includes accessory buildings

    maximum lot coverage: <= 35 percent

    “Not more than 35 percent of the lot area may be occupied by buildings and structures, including accessory buildings.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
  • Building heightSpecified

    R-1 one-family dwelling district, inside Ford Heights village (R-2 follows R-1)

    • Except as provided in the section

    maximum height: <= 25 feet (also limited to 2½ stories)

    “No building or structure shall be erected or structurally altered to exceed a height of 2½ stories, nor shall it exceed 25 feet, except as provided herein.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • Specified — R-3 general residence district, inside Ford Heights village
      “No building or structure shall be erected or structurally altered to exceed a height of three stories nor shall it exceed 35 feet, except as provided herein.”
  • Living in an RVLimited

    RVs and trailers for habitation inside Ford Heights village

    • Trailer camps (plots operated for human habitation) are prohibited
    • In flood hazard areas RVs on site 180+ days must meet elevation and anchoring rules
    • Individual RV occupancy on a private lot not directly addressed in provided text
    “No person shall maintain or operate any plot of ground as a trailer camp for human habitation within the village.”
  • Who permits septicLocal (with conditions)

    Septic tanks inside Ford Heights village

    • Construction must also follow board of health regulations
    • Septic systems are generally unlawful where public sewer is required (Sec. 50-160)
    “unlawful to proceed with the construction, enlargement, alteration or repair of any septic tanks or privy vaults within the limits of the village unless a permit therefor shall have first been obtained from the village clerk.”
  • Septic permitRequired

    Septic tank or privy vault construction inside Ford Heights village

    • Permit issued by the village clerk
    • Must comply with board of health regulations
    “unlawful to proceed with the construction, enlargement, alteration or repair of any septic tanks or privy vaults within the limits of the village unless a permit therefor shall have first been obtained from the village clerk.”
  • Off-grid sanitationLimited

    Privies, septic tanks and cesspools inside Ford Heights village

    • Unlawful 'except as hereinafter provided'; private sewage disposal division and septic permit exist
    • Must connect to public sewer when available
    “Except as hereinafter provided, it shall be unlawful to construct or maintain any privy, privy vault, septic tank, cesspool, or other facility intended or used for the disposal of sewage.”
  • Mandatory utility hookupConditional

    Occupied properties abutting a street, alley or right-of-way with public sanitary sewer inside Ford Heights village

    • Connection within 90 days after official notice
    • Sec. 50-160 says sewer within 300 feet of the property line; Sec. 50-159 says 100 feet (code is inconsistent)
    • Properties on private sewage disposal must connect within 60 days of public sewer availability and abandon septic (Sec. 50-230)
    • Public water connection rule not found

    sewer distance trigger (Sec. 50-160): <= 300 feet (Sec. 50-159 states 100 feet)

    “within 90 days after date of official notice to do so, provided that the public sewer is within 300 feet (91.4 meters) of the property line.”
  • Subdividing landLimited

    Subdivisions and major developments inside Ford Heights village

    • Evidence is from the floodplain article only; a general subdivision ordinance was not located
    “Subdivisions, annexation agreements, planned unit developments (PUDs), manufactured home parks and other major developments shall be reviewed to ensure that the proposed developments are consistent with the provisions of this article”
  • Driveway accessRequired

    Driveways crossing a sidewalk inside Ford Heights village

    • Application to the building commissioner with fee
    • Commercial or non-owner habitual use permits only on order of the board of trustees
    “No person shall construct a driveway for vehicles or animals across any sidewalk in the village without having obtained a permit therefor.”
  • Building in a floodplainRequired

    Development in special flood hazard areas (SFHA) inside Ford Heights village

    • Applies to new buildings, substantial improvements, manufactured homes, RVs over 180 days, and 500-year floodplain construction

    RV exemption duration: < 180 days (must be licensed and highway-ready)

    “All new buildings and improvements and repairs to buildings located within the SFHA shall be protected from flood damage below the flood protection elevation (FPE).”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Village of Ford Heights or Cook County directly.

  • Building permit — Building permits inside Ford Heights village
  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption inside Ford Heights village
  • Inspections — Building inspections inside Ford Heights village
  • Camping on your land — Temporary camping inside Ford Heights village
  • Tiny homes — Tiny homes inside Ford Heights village
6 more unanswered
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Septic inspection
  • Well permit
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Short-term rentals
  • Permit process

Each answer was extracted from an official source and independently re-checked against that source by a second reviewer. That is an evidence check, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with the authority before you buy or build.

Unanswered questions are usually a sign that Village of Ford Heights publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Cook County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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