Bolthole Index

Kendall County, Illinois

Village of Montgomery, Illinois: building permits, zoning and septic

The Village of Montgomery, Illinois requires building permits for new residential construction and additions; the Village Building Division is the building-permit counter.1 Montgomery has village zoning under its Unified Development Ordinance.2 For an unsewered address in Kendall County, the Kendall County Health Department reviews septic plans, issues septic permits and conducts inspections; ask Environmental Health to confirm the parcel’s service area.3

At a glance

Building permits
Village building permits required for new homes and additions, before work begins.1
Zoning
Village Unified Development Ordinance and zoning maps govern the zoning inquiry.2
Building codes
Village-adopted codes include local amendments.4
Septic
Kendall County Environmental Health handles onsite wastewater in unsewered Kendall County; confirm the address before applying.3
Driveway location
Residential driveways must be concrete or blacktop and at least 1 foot from the side property line.5
Owner-builder
Illinois offers a conditional plumbing exemption, which does not waive local plumbing permits or inspections.67

Who to call

Building permits

Village of Montgomery Building Division

Village building permits, contractor-license questions and floodplain certificate requirements

(331) 212-9023

200 N. River St. Montgomery , IL 60538

Zoning

Village of Montgomery Community Development, Planning & Zoning

Village planning and zoning inquiries

(630) 896-8080

200 N. River St. Montgomery, IL 60538

Septic permits

Kendall County Health Department, Environmental Health Services

Onsite wastewater plan review, septic permits and inspections in unsewered Kendall County; confirm parcel jurisdiction

(630) 553-8026

811 W. John Street, Yorkville, IL 60560

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 11, 2026.

Off-grid gear

Going off-grid in Village of Montgomery 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 Montgomery, IL?

The Village of Montgomery requires a building permit for new residential construction and additions, and the building permit must be obtained before work begins.1 Montgomery also uses adopted building codes with local amendments, so a building permit is more than permission to place a house on a lot.4 Residential construction has required inspection stages including footing, backfill, electric service, rough framing/electrical and final inspections.8 Ask the Village Building Division which inspection stages apply to your plans before arranging construction.1

Who is the Village of Montgomery building department?

The Village of Montgomery Building Division is the office for building permits; its direct line is (331) 212-9023.1 Montgomery Community Development’s Planning & Zoning counter can be reached at (630) 896-8080.9 Planning & Zoning lists weekday hours of 8A to 4:30P, while the Building Department lists weekday hours of 8A to 3:30P.9 Montgomery’s building-permit page says construction must use a contractor licensed to work in the village and tells residents to confirm the contractor’s license before signing a contract.1 Ask the Building Division how that requirement applies if you plan to do the work yourself.1

Does the Village of Montgomery have zoning and setback rules?

The Village of Montgomery has its own zoning: the Village directs property owners to its Unified Development Ordinance for requirements and to village zoning maps for property zoning information.2 Ask Planning & Zoning to identify the parcel’s district and the applicable lot-size, home-size, lot-coverage and principal-building setback provisions before buying.2 The confirmed residential driveway rule requires concrete or blacktop and at least 1 foot of clearance from the side property line; that is a driveway rule, not the house setback.5 Montgomery’s planning application packet also covers preliminary and final plats, special uses, rezonings, variations and appeals.10

How do septic permits and well permits work inside Montgomery?

Kendall County Health Department Environmental Health reviews designs, issues septic permits and inspects construction or repair of onsite wastewater systems in unsewered Kendall County.3 We could not confirm a septic authority covering every address inside Montgomery; ask Environmental Health to confirm your parcel’s jurisdiction and ask Village Community Development about sewer service before designing a private system.3 For systems administered by Kendall County Health Department, the application process requires a soil evaluation, soil report, detailed site drawing, completed forms and applicable fees.11 Illinois requires a permit from the state Department of Public Health or an approved local health department before constructing, modifying or sealing a water well; confirm the appropriate office for the address before hiring a driller.12

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

We could not confirm permission to occupy an RV, tiny home, manufactured home or accessory dwelling on a Montgomery lot, including during house construction; ask Village Planning & Zoning about the proposed living arrangement before purchasing the structure.2 Montgomery’s Unified Development Ordinance is the Village’s stated source for zoning requirements, so ask for the applicable district provisions and any temporary-use approval.2 Illinois’s owner-occupant plumbing exemption is limited to qualifying work on a single-family residence and does not establish a general exemption from building permits.6 Local plumbing permits and inspections may still apply even when the owner qualifies for that exemption.7

What are the steps before building a home in Montgomery?

Start with Village Planning & Zoning: identify the parcel’s district and ask whether the proposed home or land division needs zoning action or plat approval.210 Next, resolve wastewater service; for an unsewered Kendall County address, ask Environmental Health about septic plan review and parcel jurisdiction.3 Take the building plans to the Village Building Division and obtain the building permit before starting work.1 Arrange the required residential inspection stages as construction proceeds.8 For qualifying development in a Special Flood Hazard Area, Montgomery Community Development requires an elevation certificate and other appropriate floodplain certificates.1 For land outside the village, use the Kendall County guide for the county’s building-permit answer: Kendall County issues building permits for new construction in unincorporated Kendall County.13

Watch-outs

  • Do not use Montgomery’s driveway clearance as the house setback: the confirmed 1-foot rule applies to residential driveway location.5
  • We could not confirm RV or tiny-home occupancy permission in Montgomery; ask Village Planning & Zoning for the proposed use’s district requirements.2
  • Confirm wastewater jurisdiction by address: Kendall County Environmental Health’s published program covers unsewered Kendall County.3

Sources

  1. Village of Montgomery Building Division (montgomeryil.org)
  2. Zoning | Montgomery, IL - Official Website (Village of Montgomery), quoted and re-checked
  3. Kendall County Health Department, Environmental Health Services (kendallhealth.org)
  4. Building Codes | Montgomery, IL - Official Website (Village of Montgomery), quoted and re-checked
  5. Residential Building Permit Requirements (Village of Montgomery), quoted and re-checked
  6. HB5913 Enrolled — Illinois Plumbing License Law amendment (Illinois statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  7. 225 ILCS 320/18 — Local regulation; Department standards (Illinois statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  8. Residential Building Permit Requirements (Village of Montgomery), quoted and re-checked
  9. Village of Montgomery Community Development, Planning & Zoning (montgomeryil.org)
  10. Applications / Permits | Montgomery, IL - Official Website (Village of Montgomery), quoted and re-checked
  11. SEPTIC PERMIT & PERMIT DRAWING REQUIREMENTS, quoted and re-checked
  12. 77 Ill. Admin. Code 920.130, Water Well Permit Requirements (Illinois statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  13. Building: Permits, Forms, & Handouts, quoted and re-checked

Written October 11, 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 Montgomery

Village of Montgomery’s own rules

  • Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

    Building construction inside Montgomery village limits.

    • The Village uses local amendments.
    • The Village lists the 2021 ICC codes, 2020 NEC, 2024 Illinois Energy Conservation Code, and amended State Plumbing Code.

    code editions: 2021 ICC Codes and 2020 NEC Codes (local amendments apply)

    “The Village of Montgomery adopted the 2021 ICC Codes with local amendments.”
  • InspectionsRequired

    Residential construction inside Montgomery village limits.

    • Required inspection stages listed by the Village include footing, backfill, electric service, rough framing/electrical, basement floor, garage floor, concrete porches or stoops, public sidewalk, driveway approach, final, and Buffalo Box after permanent ground cover.
    “Inspections: Footing Backfill Electric Service”
  • Local zoningPresent

    Land inside Montgomery village limits.

    • The Village directs users to its Unified Development Ordinance for zoning requirements and to Village zoning maps for property zoning information.
    “If you are looking for zoning requirements they can be found in the Village’s Unified Development Ordinance (PDF).”
  • SetbacksSpecified

    Residential driveways inside Montgomery village limits.

    • Driveways must be hard surfaced with concrete or blacktop.
    • The rule is for driveway location and does not establish principal-building setbacks.

    side property-line setback: >= 1 foot (driveway location)

    “Driveways: must be hard surfaced (concrete or blacktop) and located no closer than 1 (one) foot from side property line.”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Subdivision and platting inside Montgomery village limits.

    • The Village's Planning and Zoning Commission application packet covers annexation, concept plans, planned unit developments, preliminary and final plats and plans, special uses, rezonings, and zoning text amendments.
    • The Village's UDO project states that subdivision standards are part of the development-regulation update.
    “Preliminary and Final Plat and Plans; Special Uses; Rezoning and Ordinance Text Amendments; Variations and Appeals.”

Still unanswered

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

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption from Village of Montgomery permitting, licensing, or inspection requirements.
  • Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size in Montgomery village residential districts.
  • Minimum lot size — Minimum lot size in Montgomery village residential and agricultural or rural-residential districts.
  • Lot coverage — Lot coverage in Montgomery village zoning districts.
  • Building height — Principal buildings in Montgomery village zoning districts.
10 more unanswered
  • Tiny homes
  • Manufactured homes
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Who permits septic
  • Septic permit
  • Septic inspection
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • Agricultural exemption
  • 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 Montgomery publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Kendall County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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