Cumberland County, Illinois has no zoning ordinance in place, and the county's official department list shows no building or code-enforcement office to issue a residential building permit12. Illinois itself issues no state building permits for private construction; any such requirement is set locally, and Cumberland County's own materials show none for ordinary homes3. Septic systems are handled differently: the Cumberland County Health Department issues construction permits and inspects installations as an agent of the Illinois Department of Public Health4.
At a glance
- Building permit
- No county building department found; no county building permit required for ordinary construction2
- Zoning
- None; Cumberland County has no zoning ordinance in place15
- Septic
- County-permitted through the Health Department, as an agent of the Illinois Department of Public Health46
- Owner-builder
- No framework applies, since the county has no building-permit program to be exempt from7
- Minimum lot size / dwelling size / setbacks
- None set by county zoning, since Cumberland County has no zoning ordinance8910
- Wells
- Health Department construction permit and inspection required for privately owned water wells11
- Off-grid sanitation
- Privies, portable, recirculating, incinerator and compost toilets are approved statewide for human waste, with construction and capacity rules12
- Floodway construction
- State IDNR permit required for construction in regulated floodways (urban streams 1+ sq mi, rural streams 10+ sq mi drainage)13
Who to call
Septic permits
Cumberland County Health Department, Environmental Health
Private sewage disposal system construction permits and installation inspections, as an agent of the Illinois Department of Public Health, plus private water well construction permits and inspections for Cumberland County
200 S Indiana St, Toledo, IL 62468
Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on September 23, 2026.
Do you need a building permit in Cumberland County, Illinois?
No county building department was found, and no county building permit applies to ordinary construction here2. Illinois itself doesn't issue building permits for privately funded construction either: the state's Capital Development Board says that if a permit is required at all, it's addressed by the local unit of government, not the state3. A statewide baseline building-code law took effect January 1, 2025, but it mainly sets a structural-design floor for jurisdictions that already have adopted codes, and separately covers commercial buildings and state-funded buildings in jurisdictions without a code; it doesn't create a residential permit requirement where none existed14. In a non-code jurisdiction like Cumberland County, the residential building code (IRC) only attaches if the home purchaser and builder agree to it by contract, not automatically14. If you're building a non-state commercial building, that project does need inspection by a qualified inspector confirming code compliance, even without a formal local building department15.
Who handles septic and environmental health matters in Cumberland County, and how do you reach them?
There's no building department to call, since Cumberland County doesn't run a residential building-permit program2. The office that matters most for a rural land purchase here is the Cumberland County Health Department, Environmental Health division, which issues septic and well permits16. Reach the Health Department at (217) 849-3211, at 200 S Indiana St, Toledo, IL 62468, or by email at [email protected]16. If your project touches a regulated floodway, that's a separate state process through the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, Division of Water Resource Management, not the county13.
Does Cumberland County have zoning?
No. The county's own comprehensive plan draft states plainly that Cumberland County does not have a zoning ordinance in place, which it describes as producing a unique and diverse situation across the county5. Because there's no county zoning ordinance, the county sets no minimum dwelling size, no minimum lot size, no setback distances, no lot-coverage limit, and no building-height limit in unincorporated areas98101718. Illinois law does authorize counties to establish building or setback lines and height limits by district through their own zoning ordinance if they choose to adopt one; Cumberland County hasn't1920. This absence of zoning applies only to the county's own authority over unincorporated land; any incorporated municipality within the county may have its own separate zoning rules.
How do septic permits work in Cumberland County?
Every private sewage disposal system installed in Cumberland County needs a construction permit from the Health Department before work begins, and the applicant must notify the department at least 48 hours before installation starts21. The Health Department also inspects the installation of new or renovated systems and investigates complaints, acting as a local agent of the Illinois Department of Public Health, which regulates systems statewide, including those with no surface discharge and those discharging up to 1,500 gallons per day of treated effluent to the ground surface2223. Soils here are a serious constraint: only 3.2% of Cumberland County's land is free of severe limitations for a conventional drain field, among the more difficult counties for a standard system, so expect to need a site evaluation and likely an engineered or alternative system24. If your system discharges to the surface, you must also complete the Not Discharging to the Waters of the United States Attestation as part of your application21. Off-grid options for human waste specifically are approved statewide, including privies, portable toilets, recirculating toilets, incinerator toilets and compost toilets, each with its own construction, capacity and maintenance rules, such as a 50-cubic-foot minimum privy pit capacity per seat12. Wells are handled by the same office: the Health Department issues construction permits and performs inspections for privately owned water wells and collects samples for lab testing11.
Can you live in an RV or tiny home on your land in Cumberland County?
No official Cumberland County source reviewed for this guide addresses RV occupancy, temporary camping, tiny-home occupancy, or accessory dwelling units on private land; the absence of a zoning ordinance means there's no county zoning code restricting these uses, but it also means no official source confirms they're allowed outright, so ask the county directly before you count on it1. Manufactured homes have clearer statewide rules, though only for community settings: a manufactured home community with 5 or more sites must be licensed by the Illinois Department of Public Health, which inspects water, sewage disposal, electrical systems, road spacing and garbage disposal, and any manufactured home moved since 1980 must be secured to state tiedown standards25. On an individual private parcel outside such a community, no official source located establishes a specific occupancy rule beyond the general absence of county zoning. Illinois-licensed campgrounds are a separate, defined category under state law, generally covering sites with 10 or more people camping at least 6 days a year, and are not the same as occupying your own private land26.
Building a home in Cumberland County: the steps, in order
First, confirm with the Health Department whether your project needs anything beyond septic and well permits, since there's no county building department or zoning ordinance to check with separately161. Second, get a soil evaluation early, since only 3.2% of Cumberland County's soils are free of severe limitations for a conventional drain field24. Third, apply for your septic construction permit from the Health Department, notifying them at least 48 hours before installation, and complete the surface-discharge attestation if applicable21. Fourth, if you need a well, apply for your well construction permit through the same office11. Fifth, if your land touches a regulated floodway, apply for an IDNR Division of Water Resource Management permit before construction, since fees can run up to $5,000 depending on the project1327. Sixth, if your driveway connects to a state highway, apply for an IDOT permit before starting work, since requirements vary by IDOT district28. Finally, build: there is no county building-permit review or inspection to schedule for an ordinary single-family home outside a floodway2.
What to check before you buy land in Cumberland County
Soils are the biggest wildcard here: only 3.2% of the county's land is free of severe limitations for a conventional septic drain field, so budget for a site evaluation and likely an alternative system before you commit24. Water is generally reliable, with about 43.3 inches of precipitation a year and severe drought in just 1.8% of years2930. Terrain is gentle and buildable, with 93.7% of the county at 15% slope or less31. Check FEMA and IDNR floodway maps before you buy, since floodway construction is the clearest state-level permit trigger here13. Confirm whether the parcel falls inside any incorporated municipality's limits, since a town's own zoning or building rules would apply there even though the county itself has none5. Typical carrying costs run moderate: an effective property tax rate near 1.8%, a median annual bill around $2,068, and a typical home value around $167,393323334.
Watch-outs
- No official Cumberland County source confirms rules for RV living, temporary camping, tiny-home occupancy, or accessory dwelling units on private land; ask the county directly rather than assuming the absence of zoning means anything goes1.
- The absence of a county building department does not mean every project is unregulated: septic, well, floodway, and state-highway driveway permits still apply, and non-state commercial buildings still require a qualified inspector's compliance sign-off15.
Sources
- Cumberland County Comprehensive Plan Draft (2026 county census)
- Cumberland County, Illinois Official Website (2026 county census)
- Illinois Codes FAQ (Illinois statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
- Environmental Health – Cumberland County Illinois Health Department (2026 county census)
- Cumberland County Comprehensive Plan Draft, quoted and re-checked
- Environmental Health – Cumberland County Illinois Health Department, quoted and re-checked
- (2026 county census)
- Cumberland County Comprehensive Plan Draft, quoted and re-checked
- Cumberland County Comprehensive Plan Draft, quoted and re-checked
- Cumberland County Comprehensive Plan Draft, quoted and re-checked
- Environmental Health – Cumberland County Illinois Health Department, quoted and re-checked
- 77 Ill. Adm. Code 905.130 Human Waste Disposal (Illinois statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
- F.A.Q.'s - Water Resources, quoted and re-checked
- Illinois Codes (Illinois statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
- Building Codes and Regulations, quoted and re-checked
- Cumberland County Health Department, Environmental Health (cumberlandhealth.org)
- Cumberland County Comprehensive Plan Draft, quoted and re-checked
- Cumberland County Comprehensive Plan Draft, quoted and re-checked
- 55 ILCS 5/5-12001 — Authority to regulate and restrict location and use of structures (Illinois statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
- 55 ILCS 5/5-12001 — Authority to regulate and restrict location and use of structures (Illinois statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
- Septic System Safety & Inspection – Cumberland County Illinois Health Department, quoted and re-checked
- Septic System Safety & Inspection – Cumberland County Illinois Health Department, quoted and re-checked
- Private Sewage Disposal, quoted and re-checked
- Share of soils without severe limits for a conventional septic drain field (USDA SSURGO): Bolthole Index county data
- Manufactured & Modular Homes/Mobile Structures (Illinois statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
- Youth Camps and Campgrounds (Illinois statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
- F.A.Q.'s - Water Resources, quoted and re-checked
- Highway Permits (Illinois statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
- Annual precipitation: Bolthole Index county data
- Share of years in severe drought: Bolthole Index county data
- Share of land at 15% slope or less: Bolthole Index county data
- Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
- Median property tax bill: Bolthole Index county data
- Typical home value (Zillow): Bolthole Index county data
Written September 23, 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.