Bolthole Index

Cook County, Illinois

Zoning, building permits and septic rules in the Village of McCook, Illinois

The Village of McCook, in Cook County, Illinois, requires a building permit before construction starts, and the village's own code sets zoning12. Septic is different: the village's residential code amendment states that private sewage disposal systems are not permitted3. Land outside the village in unincorporated Cook County follows Cook County's rules.

At a glance

Building permit
Required for construction inside the village; issued by the village1
Zoning
The village has its own zoning code with R, RA and other districts24
Septic
Private sewage disposal systems are not permitted in the village's residential code3
RV living
Parking recreational vehicles in R, RA and C zones is prohibited except temporarily for trip preparation and unloading5
Minimum lot (R zone)
10,000 sq ft and 75 ft wide6
Minimum home size (R zone)
1,350 sq ft ground floor for a one-story dwelling7
Building code
2024 International Residential Code with local amendments8

Who to call

Building permits

Village of McCook Building Department

Building permit applications, permit procedures and building codes inside the village

(708)447-9030

Zoning

Village of McCook Clerk's Office (zoning questions)

Questions about the zoning of a property, plus the zoning application for variances and special uses

(708)447-9030

Also useful

Village of McCook Village Hall

Main village office; walk-in address for permit and zoning questions

(708) 447-9030

5000 Glencoe Avenue, McCook, IL 60525

Septic permits

Cook County Department of Public Health - Environmental Health

County review of private sewage disposal systems and well/septic evaluations; the first office to ask about any well or septic question at a McCook address

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 McCook means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

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Do you need a building permit in the Village of McCook, Illinois?

Yes. The Village of McCook requires a building permit for construction inside the village, and its building department issues it91. The village adopted the 2024 International Residential Code for one- and two-family dwellings, with local amendments that include poured concrete foundations and the Building Commissioner as building official8.

The local amendment also deletes several of the code's standard permit exemptions, so small jobs that need no permit elsewhere may need one here1. Work started without a permit draws an additional fee of $50 per day until the permit is obtained1. Occupying a building without an occupancy permit carries a $150 fine if paid by the hearing date10.

The county's permit counter does not cover the village: Cook County's Building and Zoning department handles unincorporated areas only, so a McCook address goes to the village instead. We could not confirm the village's permit fee schedule.

Who issues building permits in McCook, and how do you reach them?

The Village of McCook Building Department issues building permits and publishes the permit application, procedures, procedures for new construction and the current building codes on its page9. Call the village at (708)447-90309. Village Hall is at 5000 Glencoe Avenue, McCook, IL 60525, open Monday to Friday from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM11.

Contractors and subcontractors must also be licensed with the village; the license department has the details9. For land outside the village, use Cook County's page instead.

Does McCook have zoning, and what does it mean for RVs, lot size and setbacks?

Yes. The Village of McCook has its own zoning code, Chapter 98 of the village code, with R Residence, RA Residence and Multiple Dwelling, and C Commercial zones among its districts24. Zoning questions go to the village clerk's office, and the village also posts a zoning application for variances and special uses12.

R zone: a dwelling needs a lot of at least 10,000 sq ft and 75 ft wide6. A one-story dwelling needs a ground floor of at least 1,350 sq ft7. Rear yards average at least 50 ft, front yards run up to 25 ft, and buildings may cover no more than 35 percent of the lot1314.

RA zone: a one-family dwelling needs a lot of at least 5,000 sq ft and 50 ft wide, and a floor area of at least 850 sq ft1516. The rear yard is 15 ft and lot coverage is capped at 45 percent1718.

Because these minimum dwelling sizes apply, a tiny home does not fit the R or RA zones as written; we found no village provision that addresses tiny homes specifically, so ask the clerk's office before planning one7.

How do septic permits work in McCook?

Private septic systems are not an option for homes in the Village of McCook. The village's amendment to the 2024 International Residential Code deletes the private sewage disposal section, with the stated reason that private sewage disposal systems are not permitted3. A new home would connect to the village sewer, and the village publishes water and sewer line connection guidelines on its building page9.

We could not confirm a septic permit process, a well permit rule or a mandatory-connection rule inside the village. For any well or septic question tied to a McCook address, ask the Cook County Department of Public Health, which reviews private sewage disposal systems across the county19.

Can you live in an RV or tiny home on your land in McCook?

Living in an RV on a lot in the Village of McCook is not realistic. Parking recreational vehicles in the R, RA and C zones, including on any street in those zones, is prohibited, except that an RV may be parked temporarily for trip preparation and unloading5. The fine is $1505.

The village code also prohibits trailer camps and courts, and we found no manufactured-home provision. For tiny homes see the minimum dwelling sizes above716.

Building a home in McCook: the steps, in order

  1. Confirm the lot's zoning district with the clerk's office, which handles zoning questions, and check the lot against the district's minimum lot size and setbacks126.
  2. Read the village's building permit procedures for new construction and the current building codes, posted by the Building Department9.
  3. Apply for the building permit before any work begins9.
  4. Plan for a sewer connection, since private sewage systems are not permitted3.
  5. Use village-licensed contractors and subcontractors9.
  6. Get an occupancy permit before moving in10.

What stays with Cook County, and what to check before you buy in McCook?

Inside the Village of McCook, the village handles building permits and zoning. Cook County's Department of Building and Zoning covers unincorporated areas only and directs questions about properties in incorporated municipalities to the local authority20. Cook County Public Health remains the office to ask about wells and septic evaluations19. For land outside village limits, see the Cook County page.

Before buying, confirm the lot's district, ask the village about any unpaid permits or violations, and ask the clerk's office about height limits, accessory dwellings and floodplain rules, which we could not confirm12. Cook County's effective property tax rate is about 2 percent21.

Watch-outs

  • Tiny homes and RV living do not fit McCook's zoning: minimum dwelling sizes apply in the R and RA zones, and recreational vehicles may be parked only temporarily for trip preparation and unloading75.
  • Starting work without a permit costs an extra $50 per day until the permit is issued, and the village's local amendment removes several standard permit exemptions1.
  • Septic is not available as a fallback: the village's code states private sewage disposal systems are not permitted, so sewer service availability for a specific lot should be confirmed with the Building Department before you buy39.
  • We could not confirm the village's permit fee schedule, inspection requirements, owner-builder rules or building height limits; ask the Building Department at (708)447-90309.

Sources

  1. McCook Code Sec. 18-121 2024 International Residential Code adopted (Village of McCook), quoted and re-checked
  2. McCook Code Sec. 98-26 Cannabis organizations (Village of McCook), quoted and re-checked
  3. McCook Code Sec. 18-121 2024 International Residential Code adopted (Village of McCook), quoted and re-checked
  4. McCook Code Sec. 98-26 Cannabis organizations (Village of McCook), quoted and re-checked
  5. McCook Code Sec. 98-337 Parking of recreational vehicles (Village of McCook), quoted and re-checked
  6. McCook Code Sec. 98-73 Areas (R Zone) (Village of McCook), quoted and re-checked
  7. McCook Code Sec. 98-74 Dwelling standards (R Zone) (Village of McCook), quoted and re-checked
  8. McCook Code Sec. 18-121 2024 International Residential Code adopted (Village of McCook), quoted and re-checked
  9. Village of McCook Building Department (villageofmccook.org)
  10. McCook Code Sec. 54-198 Schedule of fines (Village of McCook), quoted and re-checked
  11. Village of McCook Village Hall (villageofmccook.org)
  12. Village of McCook Clerk's Office (zoning questions) (villageofmccook.org)
  13. McCook Code Sec. 98-73 Areas (R Zone) (Village of McCook), quoted and re-checked
  14. McCook Code Sec. 98-73 Areas (R Zone) (Village of McCook), quoted and re-checked
  15. McCook Code Sec. 98-93 Areas (RA Zone) (Village of McCook), quoted and re-checked
  16. McCook Code Sec. 98-94 Dwelling standards (RA Zone) (Village of McCook), quoted and re-checked
  17. McCook Code Sec. 98-93 Areas (RA Zone) (Village of McCook), quoted and re-checked
  18. McCook Code Sec. 98-93 Areas (RA Zone) (Village of McCook), quoted and re-checked
  19. Cook County Department of Public Health - Environmental Health (cookcountypublichealth.org)
  20. Building and Zoning Building Permits, quoted and re-checked
  21. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data

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 McCook

Village of McCook’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    Construction inside McCook village

    • Local IRC amendment deletes some exemptions in R105.2 (paragraphs 1, 2, 3, 5, 9, 10 under Building)

    fee for work without permit: 50 USD per day (paid when permits are issued)

    “The additional fee for commencing work without obtaining the necessary permits shall be $50 per day measured from the time that work began until the required permits are obtained.”
  • Building code adoptedAdopted

    One- and two-family dwellings inside McCook village

    • Adopted with local amendments (e.g., poured concrete foundations, Building Commissioner as building official, mandatory appendices)
    • Amended by Ord. No. 26-6, 4-6-2026
    “The "2024 International Residential Code", as published by the International Code Council, Inc. is hereby adopted as the International Residential Code (for One- and Two-Family Dwellings) of the Village”
  • Certificate of occupancyRequired

    Occupancy inside McCook village

    • Violation of Sec. 18-388 is fined $150 if paid on or before first hearing

    fine for no occupancy permit: 150 USD (if paid prior to or on hearing date)

    “18-387 No Construction Permit $150.00 18-388 No Occupancy Permit $150.00”
  • Local zoningPresent

    Land inside McCook village

    • Chapter 98 of the McCook Code (Zoning) with R, RA and other zones
    “No cannabis organization shall be sited, opened, or operated unless specifically authorized under and pursuant to the Acts, the Zoning Law of McCook after public hearing”
  • Zoning districtsPartial

    Zoning districts inside McCook village

    • Residence R, Residence and Multiple Dwelling RA, and Commercial C zones confirmed; full district list not reviewed
    “R Residence Zone RA Residence and Multiple Dwelling Zone”
  • Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

    Residence "R" Zone, one-story dwellings, inside McCook village

    • Dwellings of more than one story require 1,680 sq ft total floor area (Sec. 98-74(b))
    • Measured from outside of exterior walls; excludes cellars, basements, open porches, garages

    minimum ground floor area, one-story: >= 1350 sq ft

    “every one-story dwelling erected in any residence "r" zone shall have a total ground floor area of not less than 1,350 square feet measured from the outside of the exterior walls”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • Specified — Residence "RA" Zone, one-family dwellings, inside McCook village
      “Every one-family dwelling erected, converted or reconstructed in any Residence "RA" Zone shall have a total floor area, measured from the outside of the exterior walls, of not less than 850 square feet”
  • Minimum lot sizeSpecified

    Residence "RA" Zone, one-family dwellings, inside McCook village

    • Two-family: 60 ft width and 3,750 sq ft per dwelling unit
    • Multiple dwellings: 1,500 sq ft per unit, minimum 6,000 sq ft lot and 60 ft width

    minimum lot area, one-family: >= 5000 sq ft · minimum lot width, one-family: >= 50 ft

    “one-family dwellings may be erected or structurally altered on lots having an area of not less than 5,000 square feet and a width at the established building line of not less than 50 feet.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • Specified — Residence "R" Zone inside McCook village
      “every dwelling erected or structurally altered shall be on a lot having an area of not less than 10,000 square feet and a width at the established building line of not less than 75 feet”
  • SetbacksSpecified

    Residence "R" Zone inside McCook village

    • Front yard averaging rule; never more than 25 ft required
    • Side yard 10 percent of street frontage, minimum 3 ft; corner lots at least 10 ft on street side
    • Accessory buildings no closer than 3 ft to lot lines and not in front yard

    front yard: >= 25 ft (averaging rule) · rear yard (average depth): >= 50 ft

    “there shall be a rear yard having an average depth of not less than 50 feet.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • Specified — Residence "RA" Zone inside McCook village
      “(b) side yard: not less than five feet nor more than 20 feet. (c) rear yard: 15 feet.”
  • Lot coverageSpecified

    Residence "R" Zone inside McCook village

    maximum lot coverage: <= 35 percent

    “not more than 35 percent of the area of a lot may be covered by main buildings, structures or accessory buildings.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
  • Living in an RVLimited

    Parking and storage of recreational vehicles in R, RA and C zones inside McCook village

    • Parking on any street in those zones is included
    • Temporary parking allowed only for trip preparation and unloading
    • Fine $150 under Sec. 54-198
    “is prohibited, except that recreational vehicles may be temporarily parked for trip preparation and unloading purposes.”
  • Off-grid sanitationProhibited

    Private sewage disposal systems for one- and two-family dwellings inside McCook village

    • Stated in local amendment to the 2024 IRC
    “Section P2603.5.1 , delete in full as private sewage disposal systems are not permitted.”

Still unanswered

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

  • Owner-builder exemption — Inside McCook village
  • Inspections — Inside McCook village
  • Building height — Main buildings in R and RA zones inside McCook village
  • Tiny homes — Inside McCook village
  • Manufactured homes — Inside McCook village
12 more unanswered
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Who permits septic
  • Septic permit
  • Septic inspection
  • Well permit
  • Mandatory utility hookup
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Subdividing land
  • Building in a floodplain
  • Short-term rentals
  • Permit fees
  • 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 McCook publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Cook County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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