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

Rules another office applies inside Salem Township

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

• Building permitRequired

  New construction on land inside Salem township that is outside any city, village or town with its own zoning (county permit issued by Knox County zoning department)

  • Applies only where the property is not inside a city, village or town listed as having its own zoning; the listed municipalities are Abingdon, East Galesburg, Galesburg, Knoxville, Maquon, St. Augustine, Victoria and Wataga.
  • Permit issued under county zoning regulations only; the office does not review or enforce subdivision covenants, restrictions or municipal ordinances.
  • Applications must be signed by the landowner or lessee/contract buyer and all documentation is required.
  • An Eco-Cat consultation may be needed before a permit is issued.
  • Mobile home placement requires an affidavit (see manufactured_home_occupancy claim).

  application fee: 25 USD (non-refundable; for all construction applications)

  “the knox county zoning department is responsible for regulating construction activities in the unincorporated areas of knox county”

• Zoning districtsPartial

  County zoning districts applying to land inside Salem township outside listed municipalities

  • Setback table on the permits page lists districts C, A, R, B, B2, M and M2 only; district definitions and the district map (online parcel map) were not reviewed.
  • The county zoning resolution (current, amended April 2025) is listed on the county document center but its text was not opened.

  “c conservation *50/50 20/20 a agricultural *50/50 20/20 r rural residential *30/30 10/10 b local business *50/50 50/50 b2 highway business *50/30 20/20 m restricted industrial *30/30 20/20 m2 heavy industrial *30/30 20/20”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Agricultural (A) district under Knox County zoning, applied to land inside Salem township outside listed municipalities

  • Front/rear figure is marked with an asterisk: the front setback may be subject to additional feet per the zoning resolution; see the zoning officer.
  • The page does not print units beside the figures.
  • Figures are from the county permit page; the zoning resolution text was not reviewed.

  front setback: 50 (may be subject to additional feet per the zoning resolution) · rear setback: 50 (may be subject to additional feet per the zoning resolution) · each side setback: 20

  “a agricultural *50/50 20/20 r rural residential *30/30 10/10”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — Rural residential (R) district under Knox County zoning, applied to land inside Salem township outside listed municipalities (main single-family residential district)

    “a agricultural *50/50 20/20 r rural residential *30/30 10/10”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Mobile home placed on land inside Salem township outside listed municipalities, under a county building permit

  • Affidavit must be submitted with the building permit application showing compliance with these standards.
  • Home must be at least 24 feet wide (page wording: not less than twenty-four feet in width).
  • Home must be placed on a permanent foundation and anchored per manufacturer requirements.
  • Home must be completely enclosed or skirted underneath.
  • Towing devices, hitches, axles and wheels must be removed.

  maximum age: <= 10 years (measured from the current year)

  “the home shall be no older than 10 years old from the current year.”

• Agricultural exemptionConditional

  Farm buildings on land inside Salem township outside listed municipalities: county application fee relief only

  • Relief applies only when the structure is for 100% farm use; otherwise fees are charged.
  • This is a fee rule on the farm-building application, not a general exemption from county permitting.

  “fees will be charged unless structure is for 100% farm use only”

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  Construction permit applications for land inside Salem township outside listed municipalities

  • Farm-building fee exception: fees are charged unless the structure is for 100% farm use (see agricultural_exemption claim).
  • Fee schedule beyond the $25 application fee was not published on the pages reviewed.

  application fee: 25 USD (non-refundable; for all construction applications)

  “a non-refundable $25.00 application fee for all construction applications is required.”

• Permit processPartial

  County construction permit process for land inside Salem township outside listed municipalities

  • Applicant picks the application form by building type (new home, farm building, miscellaneous structure, wind or solar).
  • Property owner or contractor should contact the county zoning department before the project begins for projects outside any city, village or town.
  • Eco-Cat consultation may be needed before a permit is issued.

  “all applications must be signed by the landowner or lessee/contract buyer. all documentation is required.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption for land inside Salem township outside listed municipalities
• Building code adopted — Whether a building code is adopted for Salem township land outside listed municipalities
• Inspections — Building inspections for construction on land inside Salem township outside listed municipalities
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy for new homes on land inside Salem township outside listed municipalities
• Local zoning — Whether Salem township itself adopts and administers a zoning ordinance for land inside its limits

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.