Bolthole Index

LaSalle County, Illinois

Building permits, zoning and septic rules in Marseilles, Illinois

Marseilles, Illinois requires city building permits for construction of improvements and has its own zoning regulations.12 Inside Marseilles, private sewage systems require a written city permit signed by the Commissioner of Public Property before construction.3 For land outside city limits, use the LaSalle County guide; the county building ordinance applies to unincorporated land.4

At a glance

Building permits
Required for construction of improvements; display before work begins1
Zoning
City zoning regulations adopted by reference2
Private sewage
Written city permit before construction; $15 permit and inspection fee5
Water connection
Within 100 feet of a water main: connect within 90 days after official notice6
Driveway permits
City permit; published fee $357
Floodplain development
City development permit from the Zoning Enforcement Officer8

Who to call

Building permits

Marseilles Zoning/Building Inspector — via City Hall

City building and zoning inquiries; City Hall can route private-sewage and floodplain questions to the appropriate city official.

815-795-2133

[email protected]

200 Riverfront Dr. Marseilles, IL 61341

Health department

LaSalle County Health Department

Contact for coordination of county health review alongside the city private-sewage process and for well-permit routing.

815-433-3366

717 E Etna Road Ottawa , IL 61350

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

These are affiliate links — we may earn a commission, at no cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, Bolthole Index earns from qualifying purchases.

Do you need a building permit in Marseilles, IL?

Marseilles building permits are issued after the applicant presents a preliminary construction plan, and the permit must be prominently displayed before construction begins.91 Where water and sewer services are part of the improvement, the plan must show connection to a public or community sanitary sewerage system or an adequate individual disposal system.1

Marseilles publishes building-structure fees of $0.25 per square foot, industrial or commercial fees of $0.50 per square foot, and a $35 fee for other structures such as fences and driveways.10 Ask the city to calculate the project fee and identify the required inspection schedule before work starts.

Who handles Marseilles building permits and zoning?

Marseilles lists a Zoning/Building Inspector among its city officials; contact City Hall at 815-795-2133 or [email protected] to reach that office.11 The city also lists a Commissioner of Public Property, the role that signs private-sewage permits under the city code.113

Bring the parcel address, proposed use and preliminary construction plan when asking which approvals your project needs. Marseilles requires contractors doing business in the city to obtain an annual license, provide liability insurance and a $20,000 surety bond, and submit registration and authorization forms.9 Ask the inspector how those contractor requirements apply to your chosen builder.

Does Marseilles have zoning, and can you live in an RV or tiny home?

Marseilles has city zoning regulations adopted by reference, so a building-permit application should begin with a discussion of the proposed land use and zoning district.2 Ask the Marseilles Zoning/Building Inspector for the district map and the applicable lot-area, setback, height and lot-coverage schedule before choosing a house footprint.11

We could not confirm Marseilles rules for living in an RV, temporary camping, tiny-home occupancy, accessory dwellings or manufactured-home placement; ask the city inspector about the exact dwelling and intended duration. Do not purchase a small dwelling on the assumption that its size establishes permission to occupy the parcel. We also could not confirm a city minimum dwelling size or a general owner-builder exemption.

How do septic permits work inside Marseilles?

A private sewage system in Marseilles requires a written permit signed by the Commissioner of Public Property before construction; the application uses a city form with plans, specifications and other information the Engineer requires.5 The city code states a $15 permit and inspection fee due when the application is filed, and city engineers inspect the sewerage system after construction to verify the proposed plan.512

Illinois also requires plan approval from IDPH or the applicable local authority before a new private sewage system is built, with notification at least 48 hours before work begins.13 Ask the city and LaSalle County Health Department how their reviews fit together for your address.1114

Can a Marseilles home use a well or off-grid sanitation?

Marseilles requires buildings used for human occupancy and other listed purposes within 100 feet of an existing or future water main to connect at the owner’s expense within 90 days after official city notice.6 Marseilles also restricts private sewage facilities, including barring cesspools and privy vaults on property within a sewer district that abuts a city public sewer.15

Illinois requires a permit from IDPH or an approved local health department before constructing, modifying or sealing a water well.16 We could not confirm a separate Marseilles well-permit rule; ask City Hall whether the public-water connection requirement affects your parcel and ask LaSalle County Health Department where to submit any well application.1114

Building a home in Marseilles: what are the steps?

  1. Ask the Marseilles Zoning/Building Inspector to identify the parcel’s zoning district and evaluate the intended residential use against city zoning.211
  2. Prepare the preliminary construction plan and show the proposed sanitary sewer connection or adequate individual sewage system where applicable.9
  3. Obtain the written city private-sewage permit before building a private system, and coordinate the required state or local plan approval.513
  4. For floodplain development, obtain the city development permit from the Zoning Enforcement Officer before starting; required federal, state and local approvals must be secured before issuance.8
  5. Pay the applicable building fee and display the building permit prominently before construction; arrange the city engineers’ sewerage-system inspection upon completion.917

Watch-outs

  • A Marseilles driveway needs a city permit with a published $35 fee; include access work in your project discussion.7
  • Marseilles floodplain review can apply to hydraulically connected land below the base flood elevation even when the current map does not show the parcel in the floodplain.8
  • We could not confirm Marseilles’ adopted building-code edition or certificate-of-occupancy requirement; ask the Zoning/Building Inspector before finalizing plans.11

Sources

  1. § 150.01 Building permits; issuance; inspection of sewerage system (Marseilles), quoted and re-checked
  2. § 153.01 Adoption of regulations by reference (Marseilles), quoted and re-checked
  3. § 51.021 Written permit to be obtained; application (Marseilles), quoted and re-checked
  4. LaSalle County Building Permit Ordinance, quoted and re-checked
  5. § 51.021 Written permit to be obtained; application (Marseilles), quoted and re-checked
  6. § 51.004 Privies, septic tanks, and other facilities (Marseilles), quoted and re-checked
  7. § 150.01 Building permits; issuance; inspection of sewerage system (Marseilles), quoted and re-checked
  8. § 154.05 Development permit (Marseilles), quoted and re-checked
  9. § 150.01 Building permits; issuance; inspection of sewerage system (Marseilles), quoted and re-checked
  10. § 150.01 Building permits; issuance; inspection of sewerage system (Marseilles), quoted and re-checked
  11. Marseilles Zoning/Building Inspector — via City Hall (cityofmarseilles.com)
  12. § 150.01 Building permits; issuance; inspection of sewerage system (Marseilles), quoted and re-checked
  13. 77 Ill. Adm. Code 905.190 Installation Approval (Illinois statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  14. LaSalle County Health Department (lasallecountyil.gov)
  15. § 51.004 Privies, septic tanks, and other facilities (Marseilles), quoted and re-checked
  16. 77 Ill. Admin. Code 920.130, Water Well Permit Requirements (Illinois statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  17. § 150.01 Building permits; issuance; inspection of sewerage system (Marseilles), 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 Marseilles

Marseilles’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    Construction of improvements on property inside Marseilles city limits.

    • A preliminary construction plan must be presented.
    • If the improvement uses water and sewer services, the plan must demonstrate connection to a public or community sanitary sewerage system or an adequate individual sewerage disposal system.
    • Building permits must be displayed before construction begins.
    • Permit fees are $0.25 per square foot for building structures, $0.50 per square foot for industrial or commercial structures, $35 for other structures such as fences and driveways, and $20 per foot for cell towers.

    residential building permit fee: 0.25 USD per square foot · industrial or commercial building permit fee: 0.5 USD per square foot · other structure permit fee: 35 USD (Examples include fences and driveways.) · cell tower permit fee: 20 USD per foot

    “Building permits must be displayed at the construction site in a manner that is prominent and clearly visible to passersby and must be so displayed before construction is begun.”
  • InspectionsLimited

    Sewerage systems associated with construction inside Marseilles city limits.

    • Inspection occurs upon completion of construction.
    • The inspection is made by city engineers to verify completion of the proposed plan.
    “Upon completion of the construction, an inspection of the applicant’s sewerage system will be made by the city engineers for the purpose of verifying the completion of the proposed plan.”
  • Local zoningPresent

    Land inside Marseilles city limits.

    “The zoning regulations of the city, as amended from time to time, are hereby adopted by reference as fully as if set out in length herein.”
  • Who permits septicLocal (with conditions)

    Private sewage disposal systems inside Marseilles city limits.

    • The permit is signed by the Commissioner of Public Property.
    • The city code also references compliance with state health requirements in its private sewage disposal provisions.
    “Before commencement of construction of a private sewage disposal system, the owner shall first obtain a written permit signed by the Commissioner of Public Property.”
  • Septic permitRequired

    Construction of a private sewage disposal system inside Marseilles city limits.

    • The written permit must be obtained before construction begins.
    • The application uses a city-furnished form and may require plans, specifications, and other information deemed necessary by the Engineer.
    • A $15 permit and inspection fee is due when the application is filed.

    permit and inspection fee: 15 USD

    “Before commencement of construction of a private sewage disposal system, the owner shall first obtain a written permit signed by the Commissioner of Public Property. The application for such permit shall be made on a form furnished by the city, which the applicant shall supplement by any plans, specifications and other information as are deemed necessary by the Engineer. A permit and inspection fee of $15 shall be paid to the City Collector at the time the application is filed.”
  • Septic inspectionRequired

    Sewerage systems associated with construction inside Marseilles city limits, including private systems subject to the city permit process.

    • Inspection occurs upon completion of construction.
    • The city engineers verify completion of the proposed plan.
    • The private-system permit includes an inspection fee.

    permit and inspection fee: 15 USD

    “Upon completion of the construction, an inspection of the applicant’s sewerage system will be made by the city engineers for the purpose of verifying the completion of the proposed plan.”
  • Off-grid sanitationLimited

    Private or off-grid sewage disposal inside Marseilles city limits.

    • A private sewage disposal system requires a written city permit before construction.
    • The building plan must demonstrate an adequate individual sewerage disposal system when water and sewer services are incidental to the improvement.
    • Privies, septic tanks, cesspools, and other sewage-disposal facilities are unlawful except as provided by the code.
    • Cesspools and privy vaults are barred on property within a sewer district and abutting a city public sewer.

    private-system permit and inspection fee: 15 USD

    “Except as hereinafter provided, it shall be unlawful to construct or maintain any privy, privy vault, septic tank, cesspool or other facility intended or used for the disposal of sewage.”
  • Mandatory utility hookupWater and sewer (with conditions)

    Buildings used for human occupancy, employment, recreation, or other purposes inside Marseilles city limits.

    • A building within 100 feet of an existing or future water main must connect to the public water system at the owner's expense within 90 days after official city notice.
    • A property within a sewer district and abutting a city public sewer may not use a cesspool or privy vault; the Commissioner of Public Health and Safety may compel conveyance of sewage to the public sewer when necessary to protect public health.
    • For construction using water and sewer services, the building plan must show connection to a public or community sanitary sewerage system or an adequate individual disposal system.
    • Each building requires a separate sewer connection to the sewer main.

    water-main distance threshold: <= 100 feet · connection deadline after official notice: 90 days

    “Any property owner of a buildings used for human occupancy, employment, recreation, or other purposes situated within the city and located within 100 feet of any water main which is now in existence, or which may hereafter be installed shall, at their expense, connect said house or other building directly to the public water system of this city within 90 days after date of official notice to do so from the city.”
  • Driveway accessLimited

    Driveway construction inside Marseilles city limits.

    • Driveways are identified as other structures requiring a city permit.
    • The published fee for such a permit is $35.

    driveway permit fee: 35 USD

    “Permits for other structures, e.g., fences, driveways, and the like, shall be issued upon payment of a $35 fee.”
  • Building in a floodplainRequired

    Development in a floodplain inside Marseilles city limits.

    • No development may commence without a development permit from the Zoning Enforcement Officer unless exempted by law.
    • The application must include scaled site drawings, grade elevations and changes, building locations and dimensions, lowest-floor elevations where applicable, and project cost estimates.
    • The officer must obtain all other required federal, state, and local permits, approvals, or permit-not-required letters; no permit issues until those are obtained.
    • Land shown by survey data to be above the base flood elevation may not be subject to the chapter if it was not filled after the first Flood Insurance Rate Map; land below the base flood elevation and hydraulically connected may be subject even if not shown on the current map.
    “No person, firm, corporation, or governmental body not exempted by law shall commence any development in the floodplain without first obtaining a development permit from the Zoning Enforcement Officer.”
  • Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

    City building permits inside Marseilles city limits.

    • Fees vary by structure type and size.
    • The property owner must also pay city enforcement costs and associated attorney, court, publication, and other fees.
    • Contractor licensing imposes a separate $100 annual application fee.

    building structure permit fee: 0.25 USD per square foot · industrial or commercial structure permit fee: 0.5 USD per square foot · other structure permit fee: 35 USD (Fences, driveways, and similar structures.) · cell tower permit fee: 20 USD per foot · contractor license application fee: 100 USD annually (License year runs May 1 through April 30; not prorated.)

    “Permits for any building structure shall be issued upon payment of a fee based on the size of the structure. Said fee shall be $.25 per square foot. Permits for industrial or commercial structures shall be $.50 per square foot. Permits for other structures, e.g., fences, driveways, and the like, shall be issued upon payment of a $35 fee. Permits for cell towers shall be $20 per foot.”
  • Permit processPublished (with conditions)

    Building-permit process inside Marseilles city limits.

    • Submit a preliminary construction plan.
    • Demonstrate required public/community sewer or adequate individual disposal where applicable.
    • Pay the applicable permit fee.
    • Display the permit prominently before construction begins.
    • Contractors doing business in the city must obtain an annual license, provide liability insurance and a $20,000 surety bond, and submit the required registration and authorization forms.

    contractor surety bond: 20000 USD · contractor license year: May 1-April 30 (Annual license; application fee is not prorated.)

    “All city building permits for the purpose of constructing improvements on any property within the jurisdiction of the city shall be issued after the applicant for said permit presents a preliminary plan of construction.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Marseilles or LaSalle County directly.

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemptions inside Marseilles city limits.
  • Building code adopted — Building-code adoption inside Marseilles city limits.
  • Certificate of occupancy — Certificates of occupancy inside Marseilles city limits.
  • Zoning districts — Zoning-district names and dimensional schedules inside Marseilles city limits.
  • Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size inside Marseilles city limits.
12 more unanswered
  • Minimum lot size
  • Setbacks
  • Lot coverage
  • Building height
  • Living in an RV
  • Camping on your land
  • Tiny homes
  • Manufactured homes
  • Accessory dwellings
  • 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 Marseilles publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. LaSalle County’s page lists the county offices to call.

← All of LaSalle County: county rules, score and offices