Bolthole Index

Jo Daviess County, Illinois

Building permits, zoning and septic in the Village of Scales Mound, Illinois

The Village of Scales Mound, Illinois requires a village-board building permit before construction begins, with approved water supply and sewage treatment shown in the application.1 Scales Mound has its own zoning regulations; private septic systems are reviewed, permitted and inspected by the Jo Daviess County Health Department.23

At a glance

Building permits
Village-board approval required before construction begins.1
Zoning
Village zoning regulations and residential districts apply inside village limits.24
Septic permits
Jo Daviess County Health Department reviews plans and issues private-septic permits.3
Septic inspections
New and replacement private septic systems require inspection after installation.5
Building-permit fees
Filing, permit and inspection fees accompany the village application; request the current amounts.6
Starting work
Village building permits become void if work has not started within 360 days.7

Who to call

Building permits

Village of Scales Mound Board and Zoning Administrators

Village building-permit and zoning questions; applications require village-board approval.

[email protected]

Septic permits

Jo Daviess County Health Department

Private-septic plan review, permits and inspections, including systems inside Scales Mound.

(815) 777-0283

9483 Route 20 West, Galena, IL 61036

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 Scales Mound 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 Village of Scales Mound, IL?

Scales Mound requires a written application and formal village-board permit before construction, additions, relocation, alteration, removal or demolition of buildings, structures, amenities and septic systems.1 The village application requires plans, sanitary-system drawings, a site plan, construction drawings and fees, together with evidence of approved water supply and sewage treatment.1 The village form also calls for verification of a separate county residence-construction permit number; ask the village board which county approval your project needs before submitting the packet.1

Who issues building permits in the Village of Scales Mound?

The Scales Mound village board provides the building-permit application and grants the formal permit; begin with the village rather than assuming the county application replaces village approval.1 Contact the village zoning administrators at [email protected] for zoning and application questions.8 The village forms page publishes the building-permit application and compliance form.4 Filing, building-permit and inspection fees accompany the application, so request the current fee schedule from the village before preparing payment.6 Private-septic approval remains with the county health department.3

Does the Village of Scales Mound have zoning and minimum lot sizes?

Scales Mound has village zoning regulations, including residential districts and a single-family residential district, and publishes a zoning map and compliance form.24 In the district governed by section 8-10B-3, a principal building needs a lot of at least 30,000 square feet; that section also incorporates the single-family district’s height and minimum-yard rules.9 Do not apply that lot minimum to every village parcel: ask the village zoning administrators to identify the parcel’s district and the applicable yard table before sizing a house or purchasing a small lot.98

How do septic permits work inside the Village of Scales Mound?

For private sewage systems in Scales Mound subject to the county program, Jo Daviess County Health Department reviews plans, issues septic permits and inspects new and replacement systems.3 The village separately requires county health approval and a valid county permit number for sanitary-system designs.3 After installation, the septic inspection checks location, sizing and compliance with state code and county ordinance.5 A homeowner may install a private septic system in Jo Daviess County, but permitting, inspection and code compliance still apply.10 Call the health department at (815) 777-0283 to discuss the proposed system.11

Can you live in an RV or tiny home in the Village of Scales Mound?

We could not confirm Scales Mound’s rules for residential RV occupancy, temporary camping, tiny homes or accessory dwellings; ask the village zoning administrators about the proposed use before buying a vehicle or ordering a home.8 Scales Mound’s construction-permit requirement and local zoning are confirmed, so include the home design and intended use in your village inquiry.12 Illinois allows specified human-waste disposal options, including compost and incinerator toilets, subject to state requirements, but other domestic wastes must go through a conventional private sewage disposal system.12 Ask county health to review the entire wastewater plan alongside village approval.3

Building a home in the Village of Scales Mound: what comes first?

  1. Ask the village zoning administrators to confirm the zoning district and intended residential use.48
  2. Resolve the water supply and sewage treatment design; obtain county health approval and the county permit number for a private sanitary system.13
  3. Submit the completed village application, site and construction plans, sanitary drawings and fees; clarify the separate county residence-construction permit number requested on the village form.17
  4. Wait for the formal village permit before starting work; the village review period is no more than 30 days after the following scheduled meeting, except for a water facility permit.71
  5. Start within 360 days or obtain a new permit and pay the new fee; arrange the required private-septic inspection after installation.75

What should you check before buying land in the Village of Scales Mound?

For land outside village limits, consult the Jo Daviess County guide: county zoning applies outside incorporated municipalities.13 Subdividing land raises a separate village approval question: Scales Mound requires preliminary and final plat approval within village limits and in contiguous territory up to 1.5 miles beyond the boundary, subject to the title’s requirements and exemptions.14 We could not confirm mandatory public-water or sewer connection rules, village residential setbacks, floodplain requirements or driveway approval for a particular village parcel; ask the village board to resolve those questions before closing.8 Illinois requires a permit from IDPH or an approved local health department before constructing, modifying or sealing a private well.15

Watch-outs

  • The separate county residence-construction permit number on the village form needs clarification; village-board approval is still required before construction.1
  • We could not confirm the village’s adopted technical code edition, building-inspection schedule or certificate-of-occupancy requirement; request these from the village board before construction.8
  • The county homeowner septic-installation allowance does not establish a village building-permit exemption for owner-builders.101

Sources

  1. 8-6-2: Permit Requirements (Village of Scales Mound), quoted and re-checked
  2. Scales Mound, IL Code of Ordinances (Village of Scales Mound), quoted and re-checked
  3. Private Sewage Disposal (Village of Scales Mound), quoted and re-checked
  4. Scales Mound, IL Code of Ordinances (Village of Scales Mound), quoted and re-checked
  5. Private Sewage Disposal (Village of Scales Mound), quoted and re-checked
  6. 8-6-2: Permit Requirements (Village of Scales Mound), quoted and re-checked
  7. 8-6-2: Permit Requirements (Village of Scales Mound), quoted and re-checked
  8. Village of Scales Mound Board and Zoning Administrators (scalesmound.com)
  9. codelibrary.amlegal.com (Village of Scales Mound), quoted and re-checked
  10. Private Sewage Disposal, quoted and re-checked
  11. Jo Daviess County Health Department (jodaviesscountyil.gov)
  12. 77 Ill. Adm. Code 905.130 Human Waste Disposal (Illinois statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  13. Zoning FAQs, quoted and re-checked
  14. 9-1-1: Jurisdiction; Subdivision Approval Required (Village of Scales Mound), quoted and re-checked
  15. 77 Ill. Admin. Code 920.130, Water Well Permit Requirements (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 Scales Mound

Village of Scales Mound’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    Construction, additions, relocation, alteration, removal, or demolition of buildings, structures, amenities, and septic systems inside Scales Mound village limits.

    • A written application and formal permit from the village board are required before work commences.
    • Approved water supply and sewage treatment facilities must be shown before permit issuance.
    • Applications require plans, sanitary-system drawings, site plans, construction drawings, a completed application, and filing, permit, and inspection fees.
    • A separate county residence-construction permit number must be verified on the village permit form.
    “A permit application available from the village board is required for any and all construction.”
  • Local zoningPresent

    Land inside Scales Mound village limits; the village code contains Title 8 Zoning Regulations and residential district regulations.

    “TITLE 8 ZONING REGULATIONS TITLE 9 SUBDIVISION REGULATIONS”
  • Zoning districtsPublished

    Zoning districts and uses inside Scales Mound village limits.

    • The code publishes Title 8 zoning regulations, including residential district regulations and a single-family residential district.
    • The village website separately publishes a zoning map and zoning compliance form.
    “TITLE 8 ZONING REGULATIONS TITLE 9 SUBDIVISION REGULATIONS”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Subdivision of land within the incorporated limits of Scales Mound village and contiguous territory not more than one and one-half miles beyond the village boundary.

    • Both preliminary and final subdivision plats must be submitted to the village president and board of trustees for approval.
    • Until approval, land may not be subdivided, streets laid out, improvements made, or lots offered for sale.
    • The title contains additional subdivision requirements and exemptions in other sections.

    extraterritorial distance: <= 1.5 miles

    “shall submit both a preliminary and a final subdivision plat to the president and board of trustees for its approval.”
  • Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

    Village building permits inside Scales Mound village limits.

    • The application must include a check covering filing, permit, and inspection fees.
    • The code refers to a fee schedule in section 8-3C-1 for new or transferred permits, but the reviewed page did not provide the fee amounts.
    “Accessory building permit | $ 75.00 (plus cost 1)”
  • Permit processPublished (with conditions)

    Village building-permit applications inside Scales Mound village limits.

    • Applications require applicant and owner information, work description, plans, sanitary-system drawings, site plans, construction drawings, a completed application, and fees.
    • The village reviews applications within a reasonable time not exceeding 30 days after the following scheduled meeting, except for a water facility permit.
    • Permits become void if work has not started within 360 days; a new permit and fee are then required.
    • A permit transfer requires written village-board approval and a fee.

    review period: <= 30 days after following scheduled village meeting (water facility permit) · permit commencement deadline: 360 days (permit becomes void if work has not started)

    “The village shall examine applications of permits”

Rules another office applies inside Village of Scales Mound

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

  • Minimum lot sizeSpecified

    Principal buildings in the district governed by section 8-10B-3 inside Scales Mound village limits.

    • No principal building may be constructed or located on a lot smaller than 30,000 square feet.
    • The section states that building height and minimum yards are the same as for the single-family residential district.
    • The cited ordinance states it was amended by Ordinance 2-15-1993, effective 2-26-1993.

    minimum lot area: >= 30000 square feet

    “No principal building shall be constructed or located upon a lot or parcel of land smaller than thirty thousand (30,000) square feet in area.”
  • Building heightSpecified

    Buildings and structures in the Title 8 Chapter 11A business district inside Scales Mound village limits.

    • Parapet walls, chimneys, cooling towers, elevator bulkheads, stacks, and necessary mechanical appurtenances may exceed the maximum height if constructed in accordance with other pertinent village ordinances.

    maximum height: <= 36 feet (maximum of three stories; listed appurtenances may exceed the maximum)

    “exceed a height of three (3) stories or thirty six feet (36').”
  • Who permits septicCounty

    Private sewage systems serving land inside Scales Mound village limits where the system is subject to the county private-sewage program.

    • The county reviews plans, issues permits, and inspects new and replacement private septic systems.
    • The village code separately requires county health approval and a valid county permit number for sanitary-system designs.
    “The department staff reviews plans, issues permits”
  • Septic inspectionRequired

    Construction of new and replacement private septic systems inside Scales Mound village limits.

    • Inspection occurs after installation.
    • Inspection checks location, sizing, state code, and county ordinance compliance.
    “once the septic installation contractor has completed the septic installation, an inspection takes place to check if the system was installed in the correct location, is sized properly, and meets applicable state code and county ordinance.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Village of Scales Mound or Jo Daviess County directly.

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemptions from building-permit or contractor requirements inside Scales Mound village limits.
  • Building code adopted — Building-code adoption inside Scales Mound village limits.
  • Inspections — Building inspections inside Scales Mound village limits.
  • Certificate of occupancy — Certificates of occupancy inside Scales Mound village limits.
  • Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size in Scales Mound village residential districts.
14 more unanswered
  • Setbacks
  • Lot coverage
  • Living in an RV
  • Camping on your land
  • Tiny homes
  • Manufactured homes
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • Mandatory utility hookup
  • Agricultural exemption
  • 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 Scales Mound publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Jo Daviess County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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