Bolthole Index

Henry County, Illinois

Building permits, zoning and septic in the Town of Annawan, Illinois

The Town of Annawan, Illinois requires building permits for home alterations, including additions, decks, siding, roofs and other structures; contact Annawan’s Zoning Chairman before work begins.1 Annawan has its own zoning, separate from the rules for unincorporated Henry County.23 Public water and sewer connections are required under Annawan’s housing rules, with a septic exception when sewer connections are unavailable; the Henry & Stark County Health Department permits septic installations and repairs.45

At a glance

Building permits
Required for listed home alterations; contact Annawan’s Zoning Chairman before work16
Zoning
Annawan has local zoning and agricultural, residential and other districts27
Building code
International Building Code, 2021 Edition, with local amendments8
Residential building-permit fees
Improvement-cost schedule starts at $25 for work costing $0–$5,0009
Sewer and septic
Public sewer connection required when available; qualifying septic systems must meet Health Department standards4
Septic permits
Henry & Stark County Health Department permits new installations and repairs5
Private wells
Henry & Stark County Health Department issues new-well permits; Annawan’s public-water connection rule also needs review104

Who to call

Building permits

Annawan Zoning Chairman / Village Hall

Contact the Zoning Chairman through Village Hall for Annawan building permits, zoning and the pre-work inspection requirement.

(309) 935-6226

[email protected]

200 N Meadow Ln, Annawan, IL 61234

Septic permits

Henry & Stark County Health Department — Private Sewage Disposal Program

Septic installations and repairs for Henry County properties without public sewer access.

309-852-0197

Well permits

Henry & Stark County Health Department — Water Program

New-well permits, well inspections and abandoned-well sealing oversight.

309-852-0197

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

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Do you need a building permit in the Town of Annawan, IL?

Annawan requires homeowners to obtain a building permit for home alterations, including room additions, decks, siding, roofs and other structures.1 Annawan has adopted the International Building Code, 2021 Edition, with local amendments.8 For a new house, ask the Zoning Chairman to confirm the application requirements and applicable residential code before commissioning final plans; the published residential instructions describe alterations but do not spell out a complete new-home process.6

Annawan’s residential building-permit fee is based on improvement cost: $25 for $0–$5,000, $75 for $5,001–$15,000, and $250 for $30,001–$100,000.9 Ask the Zoning Chairman which cost bracket applies to the full proposed project.9

Who issues building permits in the Town of Annawan?

Start with Annawan’s Zoning Chairman, using the Village Hall contact on the municipal zoning page: (309) 935-6226 or [email protected].11 The municipal page requires contact before work begins and says an inspection must be made 24 hours in advance of beginning work.12 Ask the chairman to clarify how to arrange that inspection and which later inspections the project needs; the published instructions do not give the full inspection schedule.6

Annawan’s municipal building-permit contact handles the local construction questions, while septic installation and repair approval comes from the Henry & Stark County Health Department’s Private Sewage Disposal Program.115

Does the Town of Annawan have zoning, lot-size and setback rules?

Annawan has its own zoning code and Zoning Board, so a parcel inside Annawan should be checked against municipal zoning.2 Annawan’s code identifies agricultural, Old Town residential, residential, business, industrial, floodplain-overlay and planned-unit-development districts.7 Ask the Zoning Chairman to identify the parcel’s district and provide the applicable use and dimensional standards before choosing a house footprint.117

We could not confirm Annawan’s residential minimum lot size, minimum dwelling area, setbacks, lot coverage or height limits; request those standards for the specific district from the Zoning Chairman.7 Henry County’s zoning ordinance governs unincorporated land, so its residential dimensions should not be substituted for Annawan’s municipal requirements.32

How do septic permits and water connections work in the Town of Annawan?

Annawan’s housing rules require fixtures to connect to public water and public sewer; when sewer connections are unavailable, properly functioning septic tanks meeting Health Department standards qualify for an exception.4 Sewer availability therefore comes before planning an off-grid wastewater system: ask Annawan to confirm whether the parcel can use the septic exception.4

The Henry & Stark County Health Department permits septic installations and repairs for properties without public sewer access.5 Illinois requires private-sewage plan approval before construction and notice to the Department or local authority at least 48 hours before work begins.13 The health department also issues new-well permits, but a well permit alone does not resolve Annawan’s public-water connection requirement.104

Can you live in an RV or tiny home in the Town of Annawan?

We could not confirm permission for RV living, temporary camping, tiny-home occupancy, manufactured-home occupancy or an accessory dwelling inside Annawan; ask the Zoning Chairman about the proposed use in the parcel’s zoning district before buying a unit.117 Annawan’s local zoning and adopted building code are separate checks from its public-water and sewer requirements.284

Illinois allows qualifying owners or occupants to perform plumbing work on a single-family residence under stated conditions, including code compliance and inspection; that provision does not establish a general construction or building-permit exemption.14 Local plumbing permits may still be required, so ask Annawan which approvals apply to an owner-built project.15

What should you check before building a home in the Town of Annawan?

  1. Ask Annawan’s Zoning Chairman to identify the zoning district, confirm the proposed residential use and supply the district’s dimensional standards.117
  2. Confirm public-water and sewer connections with Annawan; if sewer is unavailable, discuss the septic exception and obtain the health department’s system approval before construction.4513
  3. Confirm the building-permit application, improvement-cost fee and pre-work inspection arrangements with Annawan’s Zoning Chairman.69
  4. Ask Annawan about floodplain-overlay requirements and the road authority about driveway access; work involving access to an Illinois state highway requires an IDOT permit before work begins.716

For a parcel outside Annawan’s limits, use the Henry County guide: county zoning applies to unincorporated Henry County.3

Watch-outs

  • Annawan’s instruction calls for an inspection 24 hours before work begins; ask the Zoning Chairman to clarify the scheduling requirement before starting.12
  • We could not confirm Annawan’s certificate-of-occupancy requirement or an agricultural building exemption; ask the Zoning Chairman before relying on either assumption.11
  • Annawan’s septic exception applies when sewer connections are unavailable, so septic approval does not by itself establish permission to avoid a public sewer connection.4

Sources

  1. Annawan Illinois - Community Information (Town of Annawan), quoted and re-checked
  2. Annawan Illinois - Community Information (Town of Annawan), quoted and re-checked
  3. Zoning Ordinance For The Unincorporated Areas of Henry County, Illinois, quoted and re-checked
  4. Village of Annawan Housing Regulations (Town of Annawan), quoted and re-checked
  5. Henry & Stark County Health Department — Private Sewage Disposal Program (henrystarkhealth.com)
  6. Annawan Illinois - Community Information (Town of Annawan), quoted and re-checked
  7. Chapter 5 Zoning Districts; Use of Premises (Town of Annawan), quoted and re-checked
  8. 9-1-1: Building Code Adopted (Town of Annawan), quoted and re-checked
  9. Annawan Illinois - Community Information (Town of Annawan), quoted and re-checked
  10. Henry & Stark County Health Department — Water Program (henrystarkhealth.com)
  11. Annawan Zoning Chairman / Village Hall (annawanil.org)
  12. Annawan Illinois - Community Information (Town of Annawan), quoted and re-checked
  13. 77 Ill. Adm. Code 905.190 Installation Approval (Illinois statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  14. HB5913 Enrolled — Illinois Plumbing License Law amendment (Illinois statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  15. 225 ILCS 320/18 — Local regulation; Department standards (Illinois statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  16. Highway Permits (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 Town of Annawan

Town of Annawan’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    Home alterations and other structures inside Annawan town limits, including room additions, decks, siding, roofs, and other structures.

    • The town page says the Zoning Chairman must be contacted before work begins.
    • The page does not separately state whether every new residential construction project is covered by the same sentence.
    “The Village of Annawan requires homeowners to obtain a building permit for any alternations to their homes. This includes room additions, decks, siding, roofs, or other structures.”
  • Building code adoptedAdopted

    Buildings and structures inside Annawan town limits.

    • The adopted code is the International Building Code, 2021 Edition, with listed Village amendments.
    • The Village code states that references to the Illinois Plumbing Code apply instead of the referenced private sewage and plumbing codes.
    • The Village code lists Ord. 410, passed 3-16-2023, as the amendment source.

    building code edition: International Building Code, 2021 Edition (Village amendments apply)

    “There is hereby adopted as the building code of the Village, for purposes of regulating and governing the conditions and maintenance of all property, buildings and structures [...] that certain document entitled "International Building Code, 2021 Edition" (referred to herein as the "2021 IBC") as published by the International Code Council.”
  • InspectionsRequired

    Home alteration work inside Annawan town limits.

    • Inspection must be made 24 hours in advance of beginning work.
    • The source does not specify the full inspection schedule or all covered construction types.

    advance inspection notice: 24 hours

    “The Zoning Chairman must be contacted before you begin and an inspection must be made 24 hours in advance of beginning work.”
  • Local zoningPresent

    Land inside Annawan town limits; the Village maintains a Title 10 Zoning code and a Zoning Board.

    • The official town zoning page identifies Annawan zoning ordinances in Chapter 10, Sections 1-14.
    “Village of Annawan Annawan Zoning Ordinances – See Chapter 10, Sections 1-14 of the above Annawan Ordinances (PDF)”
  • Zoning districtsPublished

    Land inside Annawan town limits.

    • The official code lists agricultural, residential, business, industrial, floodplain-overlay, and planned-unit-development districts.
    • Specific dimensional standards were not fully extracted.
    “10-5-2 : A Agricultural District 10-5-3 : OTR-1 Old Town Residential District 10-5-4 : R-1 Residential District 10-5-5 : R-2 Residential District 10-5-6 : R-3 Residential/Multi-Family District”
  • Mandatory utility hookupWater and sewer (with conditions)

    Dwelling fixtures inside Annawan town limits.

    • Fixtures must be connected to public water and public sewer.
    • If sewer connections are unavailable, properly functioning septic tanks meeting Health Department standards are not a violation.
    • The source does not state a distance threshold for availability.
    “All fixtures shall be in good repair and in working condition, properly connected to the public water system and to a public sewer system; provided, however, that until such sewer connections are available, septic tanks constructed to the standards required by the Health Department and properly functioning, shall not be constructed as being in violation of this Section.”
  • Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

    Residential building permits for improvements inside Annawan town limits.

    • The fee schedule is based on improvement cost.
    • Projects above $200,001 are charged one-half percent of project total.

    fee for improvement cost $0-$5,000: 25 USD · fee for improvement cost $5,001-$15,000: 75 USD · fee for improvement cost $15,001-$30,000: 175 USD · fee for improvement cost $30,001-$100,000: 250 USD · fee for improvement cost $100,001-$125,000: 300 USD · fee for improvement cost $125,001-$200,000: 350 USD · fee for improvement cost above $200,001: 1/2% of project total text

    “Building Permit Fees Residential Properties: Improvement Cost Permit Fee $0.00 to $5,000 $25.00 $5,001 to $15,000 $75.00 $15,001 to $30,000 $175.00 $30,001 to $100,000 $250.00 $100,001 to $125,000 $300.00 $125,001 to $200,000 $350.00 Above $200,001 ½ % of the project total”
  • Permit processPartial

    Residential building-permit process inside Annawan town limits.

    • Homeowners must obtain a permit for listed alterations.
    • The Zoning Chairman must be contacted before work begins.
    • An inspection must be made 24 hours in advance of beginning work.
    • The official page does not provide a complete application form, submission method, review timeline, or appeal process.

    inspection notice: 24 hours

    “The Village of Annawan requires homeowners to obtain a building permit for any alternations to their homes. This includes room additions, decks, siding, roofs, or other structures. The Zoning Chairman must be contacted before you begin and an inspection must be made 24 hours in advance of beginning work.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Town of Annawan or Henry County directly.

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builders constructing or altering property inside Annawan town limits.
  • Certificate of occupancy — Certificates of occupancy for buildings inside Annawan town limits.
  • Minimum dwelling size — Single-family dwellings inside Annawan town limits, including R-1 and A districts.
  • Minimum lot size — Single-family dwellings inside Annawan town limits, including R-1 and A districts.
  • Setbacks — Single-family dwellings inside Annawan town limits, including R-1 and A districts.
16 more unanswered
  • Lot coverage
  • Building height
  • Living in an RV
  • Camping on your land
  • Tiny homes
  • Manufactured homes
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Septic permit
  • Septic inspection
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • 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 Town of Annawan publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Henry County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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