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

Dundee Township’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  New construction, remodel, repair, or demolition on unincorporated land inside Dundee Township.

  • Applicants must complete the 2026 building-permit application and submit it with required documents through the Kane County Web Portal.
  • Payment is due after permit approval.
  • This finding does not establish permit rules of incorporated municipalities within Dundee Township.

  “Building permits are required for all new construction, remodel, repair or demolition projects on properties in unincorporated Kane County.”

• Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

  Construction on unincorporated land inside Dundee Township, administered by Kane County.

  • Kane County advises that amendments to the listed codes may apply in some cases.
  • This finding does not establish building-code rules of incorporated municipalities within Dundee Township.

  adopted codes: 2021 IRC; 2021 IBC; 2021 IEBC; 2021 IMC; 2020 NEC; 2024 Illinois Energy Conservation Code; 2014 Illinois State Plumbing Code; 2018 Illinois Accessibility Code (County page states that amendments may apply in some cases.)

  “Kane County has adopted the following building codes: 2021 International Residential Code, 2021 International Building Code,”

• InspectionsRequired

  Permitted construction on unincorporated land inside Dundee Township, administered by Kane County.

  • Inspection requests typically require 48-72 hours' notice.
  • If an inspection is not ready when the inspector arrives, a $100 re-inspection fee may be charged and must be paid before scheduling the next inspection.
  • This finding does not establish inspection rules of incorporated municipalities within Dundee Township.

  inspection-request notice: 48-72 hours (Typically required.) · re-inspection fee: 100 USD (May be charged when the inspection is not ready; payable before the next inspection is scheduled.)

  “If the inspection is not ready once the inspector arrives, a re-inspection fee of $100.00 may be charged and will need to be paid prior to scheduling the next inspection.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Unincorporated land located inside Dundee Township; Kane County administers the applicable zoning ordinance rather than the township.

  • This finding does not establish the rules for incorporated municipalities within Dundee Township.

  “It also manages the Kane County Zoning Ordinance and Zoning Maps, Agriculture and Farmland Programs, Historic Preservation, and Cable Television Administration for the unincorporated areas.”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning districts for unincorporated land inside Dundee Township, administered by Kane County.

  • The county source provides links to the Kane County Zoning Ordinance, Interactive Zoning Map, and Zoning Atlas Map.
  • This finding does not establish zoning-district publication for incorporated municipalities within Dundee Township.

  “Kane County Zoning Ordinance Kane County Interactive Zoning Map Kane County Zoning Atlas Map”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Subdivision of unincorporated land inside Dundee Township, administered under Kane County subdivision regulations.

  • The definition includes division or redivision into two or more parts through mapping, platting, conveyance, boundary change, or boundary rearrangement.
  • Concept plans, preliminary plans, improvement plans, and final plats are processed under the subdivision-regulation process.
  • This finding does not establish subdivision rules for incorporated municipalities within Dundee Township.

  minimum parts constituting subdivision: >= 2 parts (The source definition also requires a division or redivision by mapping, platting, conveyance, change, or rearrangement of boundaries.)

  “In general, any division or redivision of a parcel of land into 2 or more parts by means of mapping, platting, conveyance, change or rearrangement of boundaries is considered a subdivision.”

• Short-term rentalsLimited

  Short-term rentals on unincorporated land inside Dundee Township, administered by Kane County.

  • Owners must register the property and obtain a county license.
  • The County defines short-term rentals as dwelling units rented for stays of up to 30 days.
  • The regulations were established by a Kane County Board ordinance approved in January 2026.
  • This finding does not establish short-term-rental rules of incorporated municipalities within Dundee Township.

  maximum stay included in short-term-rental definition: <= 30 days

  “Short-term rentals are defined as dwelling units rented for stays of up to 30 days.”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Kane County building-permit applications for unincorporated land inside Dundee Township.

  • The applicant must complete the 2026 building-permit application.
  • The applicant must submit the application and additional required documents through the electronic Kane County Web Portal.
  • Special accommodations may be made when a digital application cannot be submitted.
  • Payment is due after the permit is approved.

  “Special accommodations may be made if a digital application cannot be submitted, please contact the building division if this applies to you.”

Rules another office applies inside Dundee Township

Dundee Township 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 (with conditions)

  New and repaired onsite septic systems on land inside Dundee Township that require a permit.

  • A KCHD permit is required for a new system or repair described on the source page.
  • All septic work requiring a permit must be completed by a licensed septic contractor.

  “If you need a new septic system or an existing one repaired, you are either constructing a new home or business, need to upgrade a failing or insufficient system, or add capacity due to increased demands on your system, a KCHD septic permit is required.”

• Septic permitRequired

  New septic systems and existing septic-system repairs on land inside Dundee Township.

  • The stated triggers include constructing a new home or business, upgrading a failing or insufficient system, or adding capacity due to increased demand.
  • All septic work requiring a permit must be completed by a licensed septic contractor.
  • A soil evaluation is required for every application for a new system or renovation involving the septic field; tank replacements do not require one.

  “A soil evaluation (formerly called a perc test) is required with every application for a new system or a renovation involving the septic field. Tank replacements do not require a soil evaluation.”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  New onsite septic systems on land inside Dundee Township.

  • Public sewer must be used unless access requires more than a 4-inch pipe or creates undue hardship.
  • A soil evaluation is required with every application for a new system or septic-field renovation; tank replacements are excepted.
  • Where soil is unsuitable for a properly sized subsurface system, an alternative system, including an aerobic treatment unit, is required.

  “If the soil is not suitable for a properly sized subsurface system, alternative systems, including aerobic treatment units, will be required.”

• Well permitRequired

  New or modified private water wells on land inside Dundee Township.

  • New and modified wells must be tested for coliform.
  • The licensed well contractor must provide results to KCHD within 30 days after completion.

  test-results filing deadline: <= 30 days after well completion (Licensed contractor must provide coliform results to KCHD.)

  “State of Illinois Application for Permit to Construct, Modify or Abandon a Water Well”

• Mandatory utility hookupSewer (with conditions)

  A proposed new septic system on land inside Dundee Township.

  • The connection requirement applies unless public-sewer access requires more than a 4-inch pipe or creates an undue hardship.
  • Where hardship exists, documentation must be provided to KCHD with the septic-permit application.

  public-sewer access pipe threshold: > 4 inches (A connection is not required under this stated threshold exception or where connection creates undue hardship.)

  “Unless access to public sewer requires more than a 4-inch pipe or creates an undue hardship, you will need to connect to public sewer.”

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  KCHD septic and water-well permits applicable to land inside Dundee Township.

  • Published amounts are specific to the listed environmental-health permit categories and are not a general building-permit fee schedule.

  new single-family septic construction: 350 USD · single-family septic renovation: 215 USD · construct, deepen, or modify water well: 100 USD · well inspection fee: 180 USD (Paid at time of permit fee.)

  “Fees effective 1/1/2026 – 12/31/2026 All fees are non-refundable”

Still unanswered

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

• Certificate of occupancy — Certificate-of-occupancy requirements for land inside Dundee Township.
• Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size inside Dundee Township.
• Minimum lot size — Minimum lot size inside Dundee Township.
• Setbacks — Setbacks inside Dundee Township.
• Lot coverage — Lot coverage inside Dundee 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.