Bolthole Index

Fayette County, Illinois

Building permits, zoning and land rules in Village of Brownstown, Illinois

Village of Brownstown, Illinois requires a village permit for manufactured homes outside a manufactured-home park; we could not confirm a general building-permit requirement, so ask the Village Clerk about your project.1 Brownstown’s comprehensive zoning status is unconfirmed, but manufactured-home lot and setback rules apply.2 In Fayette County, private sewage systems need Health Department approval plus Brownstown’s village process.34

At a glance

Building permits
Manufactured homes outside parks need a village permit; general building permits unconfirmed1
Zoning and setbacks
Comprehensive zoning unconfirmed; manufactured-home lots must meet village setbacks2
Septic permits
Health Department written permit plus village application and fee5
RV living
Independent travel-trailer residences only in state-licensed travel trailer parks6
Tiny homes
Tiny-home-specific occupancy rules unconfirmed; ask the Village Clerk4
Manufactured-home size
Minimum living area: 700 square feet1
Private wells
IDPH application, $100 fee and county installation notice7

Who to call

Building permits

Village of Brownstown — Village Clerk

Contact for manufactured-home applications and routing questions about general building permits, zoning and village sewer requirements

(618) 427-3345

114 E. Main Street P.O. Box 336 Brownstown, IL 62418

Septic permits

Fayette County Health Department — Division of Environmental Health

Plan review, permits and final installation inspections for new and renovated private sewage systems

618.283.1044

416 W. Edwards Vandalia, IL 62471

Also useful

Fayette County Health Department — Division of Environmental Health

Plan review, permitting and final installation inspections for new and modified private water wells

618.283.1044

416 W. Edwards Vandalia, IL 62471

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 12, 2026.

Off-grid gear

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

These are affiliate links — we may earn a commission, at no cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, Bolthole Index earns from qualifying purchases.

Do you need a building permit in Village of Brownstown, IL?

Brownstown requires a permit from the Village Clerk or Building Inspector for a manufactured home outside a manufactured-home park, and utility services cannot be connected until the village issues the appropriate permits.1 The published fee for locating or replacing a manufactured or immobilized manufactured home outside a park is $100.8

We could not confirm Brownstown’s general building-permit, building-inspection or certificate-of-occupancy requirements; ask the Village Clerk about the proposed structure before ordering materials.9 Illinois has statewide baseline building-code requirements effective in 2025, with residential requirements depending on local code adoption and, in some circumstances, the purchaser-builder agreement.10

Who handles building-permit questions in Village of Brownstown?

Start with the Brownstown Village Clerk at (618) 427-3345, at City Hall, 114 E. Main Street, P.O. Box 336, Brownstown, IL 62418.9 Brownstown’s manufactured-home process names the Village Clerk or Building Inspector, while sewer applications use a special village form and may require plans, specifications or information requested by the Superintendent.4

Ask the Clerk to identify the approvals needed for your specific house, addition or outbuilding and to confirm the current village fees.9 Private sewage review remains a separate responsibility of Fayette County Health Department Environmental Health, alongside the village’s private-sewage requirements.113

Does Village of Brownstown have zoning, lot-size and setback rules?

We could not confirm whether Brownstown has a comprehensive zoning ordinance or published zoning districts; ask the Village Clerk for the rules applying to the address.9 Brownstown does impose specific requirements on immobilized manufactured homes: the minimum lot size is 7,100 square feet, village setback requirements apply, and the unit must satisfy the other Code restrictions.2 Manufactured-home units may cover no more than 40% of the lot, or must meet a stricter applicable zoning requirement.12

A manufactured-home lot meeting those dimensions is not automatically suitable for septic: Brownstown requires at least 40,000 square feet for a subsurface soil-absorption system.5 Ask the Clerk for the setback measurements and Environmental Health for sewage approval before committing to a site plan.911

How do sewer connections and septic permits work in Village of Brownstown?

Brownstown requires qualifying occupied properties abutting a street, alley or right-of-way with a village public sewer to connect at the owner’s expense within 60 days after official notice, when the sewer is adequate and within 200 feet of the nearest property line.13 Where public sewer is unavailable under the village code, a permitted private sewage system may be used.14

Fayette County Environmental Health requires a plan-review application and $75 application fee before septic installation, followed by 48-hour notice before installation.15 Brownstown also requires a village application and a village permit-and-inspection fee set by the Village Board.5 Notify the Village Superintendent for final inspection before covering underground work; the village inspection must occur within 48 hours of written notice.16 Keep the county installation notice and village final-inspection notice separate when scheduling the contractor.1516

Can you live in an RV or tiny home in Village of Brownstown?

Brownstown prohibits residing in an independent travel trailer unless the trailer is in a state-licensed travel trailer park.6 That restriction makes a travel trailer on a private building lot an unsuitable assumption for housing while a home is built.6 We could not confirm a separate Brownstown temporary-camping or tiny-home occupancy rule; ask the Village Clerk about the exact unit and proposed use.9

Brownstown’s manufactured-home rules are a separate path: manufactured and mobile homes are limited to single-family residential use, and manufactured homes have a minimum living area of 700 square feet.1 Those requirements do not establish a general minimum size for every dwelling; confirm how the village classifies a proposed small home before purchasing it.19

Building a home in Village of Brownstown: what are the steps?

  1. Take the address, proposed home type and site plan to the Village Clerk; confirm general building-permit requirements, local code adoption and setbacks, which we could not confirm.9
  2. Resolve sewage disposal with the village before choosing septic: Brownstown requires public sewer connection when its availability conditions are met.13
  3. Obtain the applicable manufactured-home permit or village sewer application, with supporting plans requested by the Superintendent.4
  4. If septic is allowed, complete county plan review and the village private-sewage process before construction, then arrange both offices’ inspection notices.516
  5. For a private well, submit the IDPH application and $100 fee, and notify Fayette County Environmental Health 48 hours before installation.7

For an address outside village limits, use the Fayette County guide for the unincorporated-land answer; the county’s cited solar zoning provisions expressly concern unincorporated areas.17

Watch-outs

  • A manufactured-home lot can meet Brownstown’s 7,100-square-foot minimum yet fall short of the 40,000 square feet required for subsurface sewage absorption.25
  • We could not confirm Brownstown floodplain-development, driveway-access or subdivision approval requirements; ask the Village Clerk to identify the responsible office before buying.9
  • Illinois’s owner-occupant plumbing exemption is conditional, requires code compliance and inspection, and does not establish a general building-permit exemption.18

Sources

  1. Chapter 23 Manufactured Housing Code, Article I (Village of Brownstown), quoted and re-checked
  2. Chapter 23 Manufactured Housing Code, Article II (Village of Brownstown), quoted and re-checked
  3. Division III Private Sewage Disposal (Village of Brownstown), quoted and re-checked
  4. Chapter 23 Manufactured Housing Code, Article II (Village of Brownstown), quoted and re-checked
  5. Division III Private Sewage Disposal (Village of Brownstown), quoted and re-checked
  6. ecode360.com (Village of Brownstown), quoted and re-checked
  7. Well Permits & Inspections (Village of Brownstown), quoted and re-checked
  8. Chapter 23 Manufactured Housing Code, Article II (Village of Brownstown), quoted and re-checked
  9. Village of Brownstown — Village Clerk (villageofbrownstown.com)
  10. Illinois Codes (Illinois statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  11. Septic Permits & Inspections, quoted and re-checked
  12. Chapter 23 Manufactured Housing Code, Article II (Village of Brownstown), quoted and re-checked
  13. Division II Use of Public Sewers Required (Village of Brownstown), quoted and re-checked
  14. Division III Private Sewage Disposal (Village of Brownstown), quoted and re-checked
  15. Septic Permits & Inspections, quoted and re-checked
  16. Division III Private Sewage Disposal (Village of Brownstown), quoted and re-checked
  17. Special Use Committee Public Hearing – Proposed Amendment to Solar Ordinance, quoted and re-checked
  18. HB5913 Enrolled — Illinois Plumbing License Law amendment (Illinois statewide rule), quoted and re-checked

Written October 12, 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 Brownstown

Village of Brownstown’s own rules

  • Minimum lot sizeSpecified

    Lots containing an immobilized manufactured home unit inside Brownstown village limits.

    • The lot must satisfy all other Code requirements.
    • Chapter 34 setback requirements apply.
    • The unit may not exceed 40% lot coverage or any stricter zoning requirement, if any.

    minimum lot size: >= 7100 square feet

    “The minimum lot size for the location of an immobilized manufactured home unit shall be 7,100 square feet. All units shall be located in the Village according to the requirements and restrictions of this Code. They shall not exceed 40% coverage of the lot or the requirements of the Zoning Code, if any. The setback requirements of Chapter 34 shall apply to all manufactured home lots.”
  • Lot coverageSpecified

    Immobilized manufactured home units inside Brownstown village limits.

    • The 40% limit applies to manufactured home units.
    • The Zoning Code, if applicable, may impose a stricter requirement.

    maximum lot coverage: <= 40 percent (or the requirements of the Zoning Code, if any)

    “They shall not exceed 40% coverage of the lot or the requirements of the Zoning Code, if any.”
  • Living in an RVLimited

    Residential occupancy of independent travel trailers and similar recreational units inside Brownstown village.

    • Independent travel trailers may not be used as residences unless located in a state-licensed travel trailer park.
    • A travel trailer is defined as a trailer designed to provide living quarters for recreational, camping, or travel use.
    “It shall be unlawful to reside in an independent travel trailer in the municipality unless it is located in a state-licensed travel trailer park.”
  • Manufactured homesLimited

    Manufactured and mobile homes inside Brownstown village limits.

    • Manufactured or mobile homes may be used only for single-family residential purposes.
    • They may not be used for commercial, industrial, social, or business purposes.
    • Occupancy is limited to specified family members or renters who rented from an individual owning both the home and lot.
    • Manufactured homes outside a manufactured-home park require a Village Clerk or Building Inspector permit.
    • No utility services may be connected until the Village issues the appropriate permits.

    minimum living area for manufactured home: >= 700 square feet

    “The manufactured home or mobile home shall be occupied only by: Family members of the mobile home owner; Family members of the owner of the lot upon which the mobile home is situated; or Renters who have rented the mobile home from an individual who owns both the mobile home and the lot upon which it is situated.”
  • Who permits septicMixed (with conditions)

    Private sewage disposal inside Brownstown village limits is governed by the Village code, the appropriate Health Department, and Illinois requirements.

    • The Village code requires a written permit from the appropriate Health Department.
    • The system must comply with the Illinois Private Sewage Disposal Licensing Act and Code and Illinois EPA requirements.
    • The local Health Officer may impose additional requirements.
    “Before commencement of construction of a private sewage disposal system the owner shall first obtain a written permit from the appropriate Health Department. The application for such permit shall be made on a form furnished by the Village which the applicant shall supplement by any plans, specifications and other information as deemed necessary by the Superintendent.”
  • Septic permitRequired

    Private sewage disposal systems inside Brownstown village where a public sanitary sewer is unavailable under § 38-5-7.

    • A written permit from the appropriate Health Department is required before construction.
    • A Village permit and inspection fee is required; the fee is set from time to time by the Village Board.
    • Fayette County Health Department publishes a $75 application fee and requires a plan-review application.
    • Subsurface soil-absorption systems require a lot area of at least 40,000 square feet.
    • No septic tank or cesspool may discharge to a natural outlet.

    minimum lot area for subsurface soil absorption: >= 40000 square feet · Fayette County application fee: 75 USD (published by the Fayette County Health Department)

    “Before commencement of construction of a private sewage disposal system the owner shall first obtain a written permit from the appropriate Health Department.”
  • Septic inspectionRequired

    Private sewage disposal systems inside Brownstown village.

    • The Village Superintendent may inspect at any construction stage.
    • The applicant must notify the Superintendent for final inspection before underground portions are covered.
    • The Village inspection must occur within 48 hours after written notice.
    • Fayette County Health Department conducts final installation inspections and requires 48-hour notification before installation.

    inspection deadline after written notice: 48 hours · Fayette County notification before installation: 48 hours

    “He shall be allowed to inspect the work at any stage of construction and, in any event, the applicant for the permit shall notify the Superintendent when the work is ready for final inspection, and before any underground portions are covered. The inspection shall be made within 48 hours of the receipt of written notice by the Superintendent.”
  • Off-grid sanitationLimited

    Private or off-grid sewage disposal inside Brownstown village where public sewer is unavailable under § 38-5-7.

    • A private sewage disposal system is allowed only where public sanitary sewer is unavailable under § 38-5-7.
    • The system requires Health Department approval and a permit.
    • State and Illinois EPA requirements apply.
    • A public sewer connection becomes mandatory when the code's availability conditions are met.
    “Where a public sanitary sewer is not available under the provisions of § 38-5-7, the building sewer shall be connected to a private sewage disposal system complying with the provisions of this division.”
  • Well permitRequired

    New private water wells inside Brownstown village, administered through Illinois Department of Public Health requirements and Fayette County Health Department environmental-health processes.

    • An IDPH application and $100 fee must be submitted before installation.
    • The proposed well must meet the Illinois Water Well Construction Code.
    • The applicant must notify the Fayette County Division of Environmental Health 48 hours before installation.

    application fee: 100 USD (payable to Illinois Department of Public Health) · pre-installation notification: 48 hours

    “Before a private water well can be installed, Illinois Department of Public Health, Application for Permit to Construct, Modify or Abandon a Water Well and the $100.00 application fee payable to the Illinois Department of Public Health must be submitted. If the proposed water well meets the requirements of the Illinois Water Well Construction Code, the applicant will be granted a permit.”
  • Mandatory utility hookupSewer (with conditions)

    Properties inside Brownstown village abutting a street, alley, or right-of-way containing a Village public sanitary or combined sewer.

    • Connection is required at the owner's expense after official notice.
    • The public sewer must be within 200 feet of the nearest property line.
    • The sewer must be adequate to handle the additional connection.
    • Connection must occur within 60 days after official notice.
    • If public sewer is unavailable under § 38-5-7, a private sewage disposal system may be used subject to the private-sewage provisions.

    maximum distance from nearest property line: <= 200 feet (public sewer must also be adequate) · connection deadline after official notice: 60 days

    “The owner of all the houses, buildings, or properties used for human occupancy, employment, recreation, or other purposes situated within the Village and abutting on any street, alley, or right-of-way in which there is now located or may in the future be located any public sanitary (or combined) sewer of the Village is hereby required at his expense to install suitable toilet facilities therein, and to connect such facilities directly with the proper public sewer in accordance with the provisions of this Code, within 60 days after date of official notice to do so, provided that said public sewer is within 200 feet of the nearest property line and adequate to handle the additional connection, where determined to be required.”
  • Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

    Permit fees expressly located in the Brownstown code.

    • Locating or replacing a manufactured or immobilized manufactured home outside a manufactured home park costs $100.
    • Private sewage permit and inspection fees are established from time to time by the Village Board.
    • Sewer connection fees are paid under the utility-rate provisions.
    • Fayette County publishes a $75 private-sewage application fee and IDPH well applications require a $100 fee.

    manufactured home location permit fee: 100 USD · manufactured home relocation fee: 100 USD · Fayette County private sewage application fee: 75 USD · IDPH well application fee: 100 USD

    “A permit and inspection fee in an amount as established from time to time by the Village Board shall be paid to the Village at the time the application is filed.”
  • Permit processPartial

    Manufactured-home, private-sewage, sewer-connection, and private-well processes inside Brownstown village limits.

    • Manufactured-home permits are obtained from the Village Clerk or Building Inspector.
    • Private-sewage applications use a Village form and require Health Department approval.
    • Sewer permits use a special Village form and may require plans, specifications, or other information requested by the Superintendent.
    • Private-well applicants must submit the IDPH application and notify Fayette County Environmental Health 48 hours before installation.
    “In either case, the owner or his agent shall make applications on a special form furnished by the Village. The fee per connection shall be paid to the Village at the time the application is filed pursuant to Article IV, Utility Rates, Division III, Wastewater Service Charges, of this chapter.”

Still unanswered

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

  • Building permit — General building permits for construction inside Brownstown village limits.
  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemptions for construction inside Brownstown village limits.
  • Building code adopted — Building construction inside Brownstown village limits.
  • Inspections — General building inspections inside Brownstown village limits.
  • Certificate of occupancy — Certificates of occupancy for buildings inside Brownstown village limits.
12 more unanswered
  • Local zoning
  • Zoning districts
  • Minimum dwelling size
  • Building height
  • Camping on your land
  • Tiny homes
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Subdividing land
  • Driveway access
  • Building in a floodplain
  • Short-term rentals

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 Brownstown publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Fayette County’s page lists the county offices to call.

← All of Fayette County: county rules, score and offices