Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Schaumburg Township, Illinois

Rules another office applies inside Schaumburg Township

Schaumburg Township does not set these itself; the county, a health district or the state does, and they apply to every address inside its limits.

• Building permitRequired

  Work on unincorporated parcels inside Schaumburg Township.

  • Ordinary repairs subject to Cook County Building Code Amendments-Adopting Ordinance section 102-105.3 are excepted.
  • A septic-served new-construction application requires Cook County Department of Public Health septic approval at submission.
  • Cook County may request additional items or documents during review.

  “all work in unincorporated cook county, other than ordinary repairs subject to provisions of section 102-105.3 of the cook county building code, amendments-adopting ordinance, requires the submittal of a permit application.”

• Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

  Unincorporated parcels inside Schaumburg Township.

  • The adoption applies to all unincorporated Cook County and Forest Preserve properties, not incorporated municipal parcels.
  • The notice identifies 2021 International Building, Residential, Mechanical, Fire, and Existing Building Codes; the 2018 International Energy Conservation Code with Illinois amendments; the 2014 Illinois Plumbing Code; and the 2014 Cook County Electrical Code.
  • Except as provided in Cook County Code section 102-1(c), drawings submitted after December 1, 2021 must conform.

  “on july 29, 2021 the cook county board of commissioners approved an ordinance adopting the following regulatory codes with local amendments for all of unincorporated cook county and all of the cook county forest preserve district properties –”

• InspectionsRequired

  Cook County certificate-of-occupancy or business-license buildings and uses on unincorporated parcels inside Schaumburg Township.

  • Single-family dwellings are excepted from the stated annual-inspection requirement.
  • The owner, agent, lessee, occupant, or person in control must allow the inspection at a reasonable time upon demand.

  inspection frequency: per annual (Except single-family dwellings.)

  “the building commissioner and his assistants shall make an annual inspection of all buildings, structures, and uses for which a certificate of compliance (occupancy) or business license has been issued; except single-family dwellings.”

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

  Construction, occupancy, or land-use establishment/change on unincorporated parcels inside Schaumburg Township.

  • The County business-occupancy process states that construction, occupation, expansion, alteration, new land use, or a changed land use cannot proceed until the Department issues the certificate.

  business occupancy application fee: 250 USD

  “every certificate of occupancy shall state that the land use and occupancy of buildings or structures comply with all provisions of the cook county zoning ordinance and that buildings or structures are habitable and in conformance with all applicable building regulations.”

• Who permits septicLocal (with conditions)

  Private sewage disposal systems inside Schaumburg Township.

  • CCDPH excludes incorporated Barrington Hills, Inverness, Palos Park, and South Barrington because each has an IDPH-approved ordinance; none is Schaumburg Township itself.
  • County Building and Zoning requires CCDPH approval before home construction involving wells or septic.

  “ccdph reviews and approves all private sewage disposal systems throughout cook county; except in incorporated barrington hills, inverness, palos park, and south barrington, which have their own idph-approved septic ordinances.”

• Septic permitRequired

  New private sewage disposal systems inside Schaumburg Township.

  • Submission requires a completed application, seven scaled plan sets, a soil report, other applicable documents, and payment by check or money order.
  • The stated review exception is incorporated Barrington Hills, Inverness, Palos Park, and South Barrington.

  “cook county building and zoning requires homeowners and contractors to get ccdph approval before moving forward with home construction projects involving wells and septic.”

• Septic inspectionLimited

  Private sewage systems inside Schaumburg Township.

  • The page establishes regulatory oversight, plan reviews, and inspections, but does not state an inspection frequency or that every existing system must be inspected.
  • CCDPH offers evaluation/impact-review services for sales, remodels, and improvements; it says an evaluation is typically needed for a sale or purchase involving a well and/or septic system.

  “ccdph’s environmental health services (ehs) unit assists residents and businesses throughout suburban cook county by providing regulatory oversight, plan reviews and inspections for private sewage disposal systems (septics), water wells, closed loop (geothermal) wells, and non-community public water supplies.”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  Private on-site sewage disposal systems on parcels inside Schaumburg Township without sewer service.

  • The system is subject to CCDPH review and approval.
  • The stated exception is incorporated Barrington Hills, Inverness, Palos Park, and South Barrington.

  “ccdph reviews and approves all private sewage disposal systems throughout cook county; except in incorporated barrington hills, inverness, palos park, and south barrington, which have their own idph-approved septic ordinances.”

• Well permitRequired

  Private, non-community water wells inside Schaumburg Township.

  • The approval applies to construction, modification, or sealing.

  “reviews and approves all private, non-community water wells, closed loop wells, and related wells for construction, modification, or sealing.”

• Driveway accessRequired

  Driveways on unincorporated parcels inside Schaumburg Township.

  • A new curb cut or replacement of an apron in the public right-of-way requires the township Highway Commissioner’s approval or waiver letter.

  “a "driveway" is a pathway for motor vehicles from a street to a structure used for service purposes or for access to the structure. all driveways require a permit. if a new curb cut is requested or replacement of an apron area in public right-of-way, the township highway commissioner’s letter of approval/waiver is required.”

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  Electronic building-permit applications for unincorporated parcels inside Schaumburg Township.

  • The deposit is deducted from the final permit fee amount.
  • The amount is a submission deposit, not necessarily the final permit fee.

  residential electronic-submission deposit: 100 USD (Deducted from final permit fee.) · non-residential electronic-submission deposit: 500 USD (Deducted from final permit fee.)

  “all electronic submissions require a deposit of $100 for residential projects or $500 for non-residential projects that are payable online. applications delivered in person shall be accompanied by a check made payable to cook county collector for the same deposit fee. the deposit will be deducted from the final permit fee amount.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential work inside Schaumburg Township.
• Local zoning — All land inside Schaumburg Township, including incorporated and unincorporated parcels.
• Lot coverage — Residential parcels in unincorporated Schaumburg Township.
• Living in an RV — Long-term RV occupancy on private land inside Schaumburg Township.
• Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land inside Schaumburg Township.

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.