Bolthole Index

Greene County, Illinois

Building permits, zoning and septic rules in Carrollton, Illinois

Carrollton, Illinois publishes a building-permit application, but we could not confirm the general building-permit requirement; ask City Hall before starting work.1 Carrollton has city zoning, including a prohibition on using an RV as a dwelling.23 Septic installation inside Carrollton requires approval from Greene County Health Department before installation.45

At a glance

Building permits
Application available; confirm project requirements at City Hall1
Zoning
City zoning with district-specific requirements2
Septic permits
Greene County Health Department approval before installation45
RV living
Travel trailers and RVs cannot be used as dwellings3
Residential lot area
SR-1: 9,500 square feet; SR-2: 6,000 square feet67
Owner-built septic
Homeowner exception limited to an owned and occupied personal single-family residence8

Who to call

Building permits

Carrollton City Hall

City contact for building-permit applications and questions about municipal zoning requirements.

217-942-5517

621 South Main Street

Septic permits

Greene County Health Department, Division of Environmental Health

Private sewage disposal system permits and installation inspections inside Carrollton.

(217) 942-6961

310 Fifth St. Carrollton, IL 62016

Zoning

Carrollton City Hall — current ordinances

Current municipal ordinances and forms.

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

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Do you need a building permit in Carrollton, IL?

Carrollton publishes a building-permit application and directs applicants to return completed forms to City Hall with any fees due.1 We could not confirm the operative general building-permit requirement, adopted building code, inspection schedule or occupancy approval for Carrollton; ask City Hall which approvals your proposed home requires.9 Illinois does not provide state-issued building permits, plan review, inspections or occupancy permits for privately funded construction; any such requirement is addressed by the local government.10

Who handles building applications and zoning questions in Carrollton?

Start with Carrollton City Hall at 621 South Main Street, reachable at 217-942-5517, for the city building application and referral on zoning questions.9 The city applications page provides downloadable PDF forms and says completed forms must be returned to City Hall with any fees due.1 Ask for the current ordinance and applicable fee before submitting: the city says its official, current ordinances and forms are maintained at City Hall.11 Septic approval comes from Greene County Health Department rather than the city application counter.4

Does Carrollton have zoning, lot-size rules and setbacks?

Carrollton has municipal zoning with district-specific regulations and zoning compliance certificates.2 For principal buildings, the SR-1 large-lot residence district requires at least 9,500 square feet of lot area, while SR-2 requires 6,000 square feet; confirm the parcel’s district before choosing a house plan.67 SR-1 principal-building setbacks are 25 feet from the front lot line and street-abutting side yard, and 10 feet from the rear and either side lot line.12 SR-2 lists a 25-foot front and rear setback, a 5-foot minimum from either side lot line, and 15 feet for both side yards.13 Both districts limit lot coverage to 25%.1415

How do septic permits work inside Carrollton?

Greene County Health Department handles private sewage systems inside Carrollton, and the permit application must be approved before installation.45 A subsurface seepage system requires a soil investigation; the health department packet states there is no permit fee at the time of the packet, so confirm the current charge when applying.5 Installation must be inspected before covering, with at least 48 hours’ notice to the department.16 A homeowner exception is limited to someone who owns and occupies a personal single-family residence; work by someone else must be performed by a licensed contractor.8

Can you live in an RV or tiny home in Carrollton?

Carrollton prohibits using a travel trailer or recreational vehicle as a dwelling; parking an RV on your lot does not authorize living in it while building.3 The city allows no more than 2 travel trailers or RVs on a lot, prohibits street and front-yard parking, and applies accessory-building setbacks, subject to the specified exceptions for permitted travel-trailer parks and RV sales lots.3 We could not confirm a tiny-home-specific occupancy rule, minimum dwelling floor area or accessory dwelling approval; ask City Hall to evaluate the proposed dwelling and parcel under the current zoning ordinance.11

Building a home in Carrollton: what should you check first?

Begin at City Hall: confirm the parcel’s zoning district and the lot dimensions and setbacks that apply to the proposed principal building.2671213 Next, ask which building approvals are required and return the city application with any fees due.1 Before choosing septic, ask City Hall about public-sewer availability and connection obligations; private sewage construction requires a written health-department permit.17 Arrange septic approval before installation and the required inspection before covering.516 For land outside Carrollton city limits, use the Greene County guide for the unincorporated-area building and zoning answers.1819

Watch-outs

  • Carrollton’s prohibition on RV dwelling use prevents treating a parked RV as temporary housing while building.3
  • We could not confirm Carrollton’s private-well, driveway or local floodplain-development requirements; ask City Hall which offices must review the parcel before buying.9
  • Use the current ordinance at Carrollton City Hall when confirming a project; the city identifies that office as the keeper of the official current version.11

Sources

  1. City of Carrollton Applications and Permits (Carrollton), quoted and re-checked
  2. codelibrary.amlegal.com (Carrollton), quoted and re-checked
  3. § 159.245 Recreational Vehicles (Carrollton), quoted and re-checked
  4. greenecountyhd.org (Carrollton), quoted and re-checked
  5. Private Sewage Disposal System Permit Application / Information Packet (Carrollton), quoted and re-checked
  6. § 159.092 Lot and Building Requirements (Carrollton), quoted and re-checked
  7. § 159.107 Lot and Building Requirements (Carrollton), quoted and re-checked
  8. Private Sewage Disposal System Permit Application / Information Packet, quoted and re-checked
  9. Carrollton City Hall (carrolltonil.net)
  10. Illinois Codes FAQ (Illinois statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  11. Carrollton City Hall — current ordinances (carrolltonil.net)
  12. § 159.092 Lot and Building Requirements (Carrollton), quoted and re-checked
  13. § 159.107 Lot and Building Requirements (Carrollton), quoted and re-checked
  14. § 159.092 Lot and Building Requirements (Carrollton), quoted and re-checked
  15. § 159.107 Lot and Building Requirements (Carrollton), quoted and re-checked
  16. Private Sewage Disposal System Permit Application / Information Packet (Carrollton), quoted and re-checked
  17. codelibrary.amlegal.com (Carrollton), quoted and re-checked
  18. Greene County IL Government (2026 county census)
  19. Greene County IL Government (2026 county census)

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 Carrollton

Carrollton’s own rules

  • Local zoningPresent

    Land inside Carrollton city limits.

    • The city zoning code applies through district-specific regulations and zoning compliance certificates.
    “This chapter shall be known as and cited as the “Zoning Code of the City of Carrollton, Illinois”.”
  • Minimum lot sizeSpecified

    Principal buildings in the SR-1 Single-Family Residence District (Large Lot).

    • Every principal building erected in SR-1 must conform to the listed requirements.

    minimum lot area: >= 9500 square feet · minimum lot depth: >= 100 feet · minimum lot width at established building line: >= 80 feet

    “Minimum lot area 9,500 square feet Minimum lot depth 100 feet Minimum lot width at the established building line 80 feet”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • Specified — Principal buildings in the SR-2 Single-Family Residence District (Small Lot).
      “Minimum lot area 6,000 square feet Minimum lot depth 100 feet Minimum lot width at the established building line 50 feet”
  • SetbacksSpecified

    Principal buildings in SR-1.

    • Side-lot-line, front-lot-line, rear-lot-line, and side-yard-abutting-street setbacks are listed in § 159.092.
    • Lots with multiple frontages must meet front setbacks on every frontage.

    side lot line setback: >= 10 feet · front lot line setback: >= 25 feet · rear lot line setback: >= 10 feet · side yard abutting street setback: >= 25 feet

    “From either side lot line 10 feet From front lot line 25 feet From rear lot line 10 feet From side yard abutting street 25 feet”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • Specified — Principal buildings in SR-2.
      “Minimum setbacks For both side yards 15 feet From abutting street 25 feet From either side lot line 5 feet From front lot line 25 feet From rear lot line 25 feet”
  • Lot coverageSpecified

    Principal buildings in SR-1.

    • Every principal building erected in SR-1 must conform to the listed requirements.

    maximum percent coverage per lot: <= 25 percent

    “Maximum percent coverage per lot 25% Minimum lot area 9,500 square feet”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
  • Building heightSpecified

    Principal buildings in SR-1.

    • Height exceptions are separately addressed by § 159.032.

    maximum building height: <= 35 feet (Subject to § 159.032 exceptions to height limits.)

    “Maximum building height 35 feet Maximum percent coverage per lot 25% Minimum lot area 9,500 square feet”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
  • Living in an RVLimited

    Travel trailers and recreational vehicles on lots inside Carrollton city limits.

    • No more than two may be parked on any lot.
    • They may not be parked on a street.
    • They may not be used as a dwelling, office, or other commercial purpose.
    • Accessory-building setbacks apply.
    • They may not be parked in a front yard.
    • Exceptions apply to permitted travel-trailer parks and permitted recreational-vehicle sales lots as specified in § 159.245.

    maximum vehicles per lot: <= 2 vehicles (The section's travel-trailer-park and recreational-vehicle-sales-lot exceptions apply.)

    “No travel trailer or other recreational vehicle shall be used as a dwelling.”
  • Off-grid sanitationLimited

    Private or off-grid sewage disposal inside Carrollton city limits.

    • Private sewage disposal requires a written permit from the appropriate Health Department before construction.
    • In subdivision areas where public sewer is not reasonably accessible, an approved private central system or individual sewage systems may be used temporarily until public connection becomes practicable.
    “Before commencement of construction of a private sewage disposal system, the owner shall first obtain a written permit from the appropriate Health Department.”
  • Permit processPartial

    City applications and permits inside Carrollton city limits.

    • Forms are downloadable as PDFs.
    • Completed forms must be returned to city hall with any fees due.
    “All forms can be downloaded as a PDF file. Please complete the form and return to city hall along with any fees due.”

Rules another office applies inside Carrollton

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

  • Who permits septicCounty

    Private sewage systems inside Carrollton city limits are handled by the Greene County Health Department under the city code's requirement to obtain a permit from the appropriate Health Department.

    • The city code uses the phrase appropriate Health Department; the Greene County Health Department is the county health authority identified on the county's official page and its private-sewage packet.
    “GREENE COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT – DIVISION OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PRIVATE SEWAGE DISPOSAL SYSTEM”
  • Septic permitRequired

    Private sewage disposal system installation inside Carrollton city limits.

    • The permit application must be completed, submitted, and approved before installation.
    • A soil investigation is required for a subsurface seepage system.
    • The permit packet states there is no permit fee at the time of the packet.

    permit fee: 0 USD (The packet states, “At this time there is no permit fee.”)

    “At this time there is no permit fee but the permit application is required to be completed, submitted and approved prior to any installation.”
  • Septic inspectionRequired

    Private sewage disposal system installation inside Carrollton city limits.

    • Inspection must occur before covering.
    • The Department requires a minimum of 48 hours' notice for timely inspection.

    inspection notice: >= 48 hours (Minimum notice stated by the Health Department packet.)

    “An inspection of the installation by this Department prior to covering is required including a minimum of a 48-hour notice to allow a timely inspection.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Carrollton or Greene County directly.

  • Building permit — Building permits for structures inside Carrollton city limits.
  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemptions from building-permit or contractor requirements inside Carrollton city limits.
  • Building code adopted — Building-code adoption for construction inside Carrollton city limits.
  • Inspections — Building inspections inside Carrollton city limits.
  • Certificate of occupancy — Certificates of occupancy for buildings inside Carrollton city limits.
11 more unanswered
  • Minimum dwelling size
  • Camping on your land
  • Tiny homes
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Well permit
  • Mandatory utility hookup
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Driveway access
  • Building in a floodplain
  • Short-term rentals
  • Permit fees

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

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