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

Rules another office applies inside Naperville Township

Naperville 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

  Building projects on unincorporated land inside Naperville township, including the residential accessory structures listed

  • The county page lists residential accessory projects that require a permit; it states that for some projects you should contact the county to learn whether a permit is required.
  • If total construction is 50% or more, the application is treated as a new house.
  • Projects inside city limits follow the city's rules.

  “if total construction is 50% or more the application will be considered as a new house”

• Building code adoptedAdopted

  Building construction on unincorporated land inside Naperville township

  • Applies to unincorporated areas of DuPage County; municipal building codes apply inside city limits.
  • Page states the building code change is effective January 1, 2024; the code's adoption date itself is not stated on the page.

  “the dupage county building code has been approved, changes effective january 1, 2024.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Unincorporated land inside Naperville township (outside the City of Naperville limits), where the county zoning ordinance applies because no township zoning ordinance was found

  • This is the county's zoning ordinance, not a Naperville township ordinance. Township adoption of its own zoning was not confirmed by an official statement; verify before relying on it.
  • Land inside the City of Naperville limits is governed by the city's zoning code, not this claim.
  • The county page states the ordinance is Chapter 37 and that recent amendments are in a pending-codification section; the most recent amendment listed on that page is ZP #T-3-05 passed 10/25/2005, so the current text should be checked.
  • Zoning relief (variation, conditional use, rezoning) is handled through the county's Accela Citizen Access system.

  “the r-1 single-family residence district is established to preserve and maintain existing single-family areas of the county”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Residence zoning districts (including R-1 single-family residence) for unincorporated land inside Naperville township

  • The published district requirements are in Article VII of Chapter 37; other district classes (business, industrial, agricultural) were not opened.
  • Districts and zoning map are in Article VI of Chapter 37 (not opened).

  “part 2. - district requirements 37-701: - r-1 single-family residence district.”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  Single-family detached dwelling on a zoning lot in the R-1 single-family residence district, unincorporated Naperville township

  • Lot requirements apply except as otherwise provided in the section.
  • Table row for historic lot of record containing a single-family detached dwelling: lot width 50 ft; no minimum lot area stated.
  • Reserve lot: 100,000 sq. ft., 165 ft width, 200 ft depth; reserve strip 20 ft.
  • Agricultural or rural-residential district minimum not located in this search (see followups).

  minimum lot area (R-1, single-family detached): >= 100000 sq ft (historic lot of record containing a single-family detached dwelling; reserve lot) · minimum lot width (R-1, single-family detached): >= 165 ft (historic lot of record containing a single-family detached dwelling (50 ft)) · minimum lot depth (R-1, single-family detached): >= 200 ft

  “single-family detached dwellings 100,000 sq. ft. 165′ 200′”

• Accessory dwellingsLimited

  Accessory housing on a residential lot in the county's R-1 single-family residence district, unincorporated Naperville township

  • Accessory housing is a conditional use requiring prior approval after a public hearing under Section 37-1413.
  • Section 37-1413 and the accessory housing standards were not opened.

  “the following conditional uses require prior approval after public hearing in accordance with the requirements of section 37-1413 of this chapter: accessory housing.”

• Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

  Private sewage disposal (septic) systems installed inside Naperville township, administered by the DuPage County Health Department

  • The quoted page directs questions on septic permits to the Health Department's plan review; it does not state its service area, so apply to Naperville township's land after confirming the health department's jurisdiction.
  • Municipal sewer connection, where available, overrides septic (see utility_connection).

  “the goal of dupage county health department’s private sewage disposal system program is to protect public health”

• Agricultural exemptionAvailable (with conditions)

  Agricultural exemption certification for land in unincorporated Naperville township

  • Certification is processed through the county's Accela Citizen Access system under complaint/registration/certificates.
  • Eligibility criteria and the exemption's scope were not opened.

  “4-h certification agricultural exemption certification group home certification”

• Driveway accessRequired

  Driveway or sidewalk construction on unincorporated land inside Naperville township

  • Listed as a residential accessory permit by the county; road-access (curb cut) approval by the township road district was not opened.

  “permits under residential accessory: (coop, deck, detached garage, driveway/sidewalk, fence, gazebo, generator, lawn irrigation system, patio, retaining wall/seat wall, screen porch, shed, swimming pool/hot tub)”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Building permit process for unincorporated land inside Naperville township

  • Online permit process through the county's Accela system; in-person appointments are by phone.
  • Per the county page, plans should not be drawn in red ink.

  “please do not use red ink/lettering for construction plans”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder permit exemption on unincorporated land inside Naperville township
• Inspections — Building inspections for new homes on unincorporated land inside Naperville township
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy for a new home on unincorporated land inside Naperville township
• Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size in the R-1 district, unincorporated Naperville township
• Setbacks — Yard setbacks for dwellings in the R-1 district, unincorporated Naperville 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.