Bolthole Index

Livingston County, Illinois

Building permits, zoning and septic in Village of Forrest, Illinois

Village of Forrest, Illinois requires a building permit for new construction or an addition to an existing structure.1 Forrest sets its own zoning standards; for homes not served by public sewer, private septic permits come from the Livingston County Health Department.23 Start with Village Hall for building and zoning questions, and the health department for private sewage disposal.45

At a glance

Building permits
Required for new construction and additions1
Zoning
Village residential, business and commercial districts2
Septic permits
Livingston County Health Department where public sewer does not serve the property3
Minimum home size
R Residential District: 400 square feet of ground-floor area for a detached single-family dwelling6
Minimum lot
R Residential District: 3,750 square feet and 50 feet mean or average width for a single-family dwelling7
Floodplain development
Village development permit required for development in the floodplain8
Owner-installed septic
Allowed for the owner’s personal residence, subject to sewage-disposal requirements and inspections9

Who to call

Zoning

Village of Forrest Village Hall

Starting contact for village building applications and zoning questions

815-657-8226

[email protected]

323 S Williams Forrest, IL 61741

Building permits

Village of Forrest Building Permit Application

Village building-permit submission, review and inspection instructions

815-657-8226

[email protected]

Septic permits

Livingston County Health Department, Environmental Health Division

Private sewage disposal plan approval, inspections and septic permits for homes not served by public sewer

(815) 842-5916

[email protected]

310 E Torrance Avenue Pontiac , IL 61764

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 Forrest 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 Village of Forrest, IL?

Forrest requires a building permit for new construction and additions to an existing structure.1 The village application asks for a drawing that includes a lot layout and front elevation, and the building permit must be posted at the job site before work starts.1 Forrest also requires foundation inspection before backfill and a final inspection; arrange those through the Village Office.1 Illinois leaves privately funded construction building-permit administration to the applicable local government, so a state office is not the application counter for a Forrest project.10

Who handles building applications in Village of Forrest?

Village Hall is the starting contact for Forrest building-permit applications and zoning questions, with the building application and zoning-code link on the village government page.4 Call 815-657-8226 or email [email protected] to discuss a proposed project.4 The village application says zoning committee members review the application and drawing, and approval can take 7–10 business days after receipt.1 Ask Village Hall for the current building-permit fee before submitting; we could not confirm a village building-permit fee schedule.4

Does Village of Forrest have zoning and minimum lot sizes?

Forrest publishes R Residential, B Business and C Commercial zoning districts, with uses governed by the applicable district regulations.2 In the R Residential District, a single-family dwelling needs a lot of at least 3,750 square feet and a mean or average width of at least 50 feet.7 A detached single-family dwelling in that district must have at least 400 square feet of ground-floor area.6 Front-yard requirements depend on adjoining development and corner-lot conditions, and side-yard provisions include an exception for lots in the village’s original plat; ask Village Hall to review the actual lot layout before choosing a footprint.114

How do septic permits work inside Village of Forrest?

Forrest properties not served by public sewer fall under the Livingston County Health Department’s private sewage disposal program.3 The Environmental Health Division approves installation plans, inspects systems and issues private sewage disposal permits.5 Illinois requires plan approval before private sewage disposal construction begins.12 For a subsurface seepage field, the county application process requires a soil investigation by an Illinois-licensed soil classifier or registered engineer.13 Owners may install a system serving their own personal residence, but must meet the other sewage-disposal requirements and give the health department at least 48 hours’ notice before excavation and again before covering for final inspection.914

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

We could not confirm Forrest’s rules for living in an RV on private land, temporary camping, or tiny-home occupancy; ask Village Hall about the proposed dwelling and parcel before buying.4 The R Residential District’s 400-square-foot ground-floor minimum for detached single-family dwellings is a size standard, not a complete answer about permission for a particular tiny home.62 Where a Forrest home lacks public sewer service, private sewage disposal remains regulated by the county health department, including permits and inspections.15

Building a home in Village of Forrest: what are the steps?

  1. Ask Village Hall to confirm the parcel’s zoning district and review the planned use, lot dimensions and building footprint against village standards.42
  2. Confirm sewer service with Village Hall; if the home will use private septic, obtain county health department plan approval before septic construction.4312
  3. Submit the village building application with a lot layout and front elevation, and allow for the published review period.1
  4. Obtain a village development permit before development in the floodplain, with the required site drawings and elevation information.8
  5. Post the building permit before starting work and arrange foundation and final inspections through the Village Office.1

For a parcel outside Forrest’s limits, use the Livingston County guide for the county zoning and building questions.16

Watch-outs

  • Forrest’s floodplain development permit requires other applicable federal, state and local permits to be obtained before issuance.8
  • We could not confirm a Forrest certificate-of-occupancy requirement or a mandatory water/sewer connection rule; ask Village Hall before committing to a construction or utility plan.4
  • An owner-installed septic allowance applies to the owner’s personal residence and does not waive sewage-disposal requirements or inspections.9

Sources

  1. Village of Forrest Building Permit Application (forrestil.org)
  2. ecode360.com (Village of Forrest), quoted and re-checked
  3. Septic Systems | Livingston County Health Department, IL (Village of Forrest), quoted and re-checked
  4. Village of Forrest Village Hall (forrestil.org)
  5. Livingston County Health Department, Environmental Health Division (lchd.us)
  6. ecode360.com (Village of Forrest), quoted and re-checked
  7. ecode360.com (Village of Forrest), quoted and re-checked
  8. Village of Forrest, IL Flood Damage Prevention (Village of Forrest), quoted and re-checked
  9. Private Sewage Disposal Permit Application, quoted and re-checked
  10. Illinois Codes FAQ (Illinois statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  11. Village of Forrest, IL Classification of Uses (Village of Forrest), quoted and re-checked
  12. 77 Ill. Adm. Code 905.190 Installation Approval (Illinois statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  13. lchd.us, quoted and re-checked
  14. Private Sewage Disposal Permit Application, quoted and re-checked
  15. Septic Systems | Livingston County Health Department, IL (Village of Forrest), quoted and re-checked
  16. Regional Planning & Zoning, 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 Forrest

Village of Forrest’s own rules

  • Zoning districtsPublished

    The Village's published zoning districts and classifications, including R Residential, B Business, and C Commercial districts.

    • The zoning code states that uses must conform to the permitted uses and regulations for the respective district.
    “R Residential Districts [...] B Business Districts [...] C Commercial District”
  • Building in a floodplainRequired

    Development in a floodplain under Forrest village jurisdiction.

    • The application must include scaled site drawings, existing grade elevations and changes, building locations and dimensions, lowest-floor elevation where applicable, and project cost or improvements estimate.
    • Development outside the floodplain based on survey data may be exempt from this chapter.
    • All other federal, state, and local permits must be obtained before issuance.
    • The source identifies Village of Forrest floodplains using Livingston County FEMA panels dated December 18, 2007.
    “shall commence any development in the floodplain without first obtaining a development permit”
  • Permit processPartial

    Building-permit applications inside Forrest village.

    • The Village's official government page provides a Building Permit with Code application link.
    • The accessible page did not expose the full review, inspection, approval, or fee process.
    “Permit Applications Building Permit with Code Zoning Code: https://ecode360.com/38723220 Fence Permit with Code”

Rules another office applies inside Village of Forrest

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

  • Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

    Single-family dwellings in the Village's R Residential District.

    • The rule is a ground-floor-area minimum for detached single-family dwellings.

    ground floor area: >= 400 square feet

    “The ground floor area of any detached single-family dwelling shall not be less than 400 square feet.”
  • Minimum lot sizeSpecified

    Single-family dwellings in the Village's R Residential District.

    • The lot must also have a mean or average width of at least 50 feet.

    lot area: >= 3750 square feet · mean or average lot width: >= 50 feet

    “No single-family dwelling shall be erected on any lot, having an area of less than 3,750 square feet, or a mean or average width of less than 50 feet;”
  • SetbacksSpecified

    Single-family residential lots in the Village's R Residential District.

    • Front-yard rules vary with existing development and corner-lot conditions.
    • Rear yard is 15% of lot depth or 30 feet, whichever is lesser; accessory buildings in the rear yard must be at least three feet from the rear lot line.
    • Side-yard rules include a four-foot minimum on either side, an aggregate minimum of 20% of lot width or 16 feet, whichever is lesser, with a two-foot-per-side exception for lots platted in the original plat of the Village of Forrest.

    front yard: >= 25 feet (Or the applicable greater average established by adjoining residential development.) · rear yard: 15% of lot depth or 30 feet (Whichever is lesser.) · accessory building rear-lot-line distance: >= 3 feet · side yard each side: >= 4 feet

    “On a street frontage on either side of a street between two intersecting streets where the front line is not established by the provisions of Subsection B(4)(a), the distance of the front yard line back from the street line shall be not less than 25 feet.”
  • Who permits septicCounty

    Private sewage disposal for property inside Forrest village that is not served by public sewer.

    • The source identifies the administering body as the Livingston County Health Department Environmental Health Division.
    • Public sewer service changes whether private sewage disposal rules apply.
    “The Private Sewage Disposal Program regulates methods of disposing of sewage from facilities and homes that are not served by public sewer systems, such as homes located in some rural areas. [...] Issuing private sewage disposal permits”
  • Off-grid sanitationLimited

    Private sewage disposal inside Forrest village where public sewer is unavailable.

    • The county program regulates sewage disposal for homes not served by public sewer.
    • Private sewage disposal permits and inspections are administered by the county health program.
    “The Private Sewage Disposal Program regulates methods of disposing of sewage from facilities and homes that are not served by public sewer systems, such as homes located in some rural areas.”

Still unanswered

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

  • Building permit — Construction inside Forrest village.
  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builders performing construction inside Forrest village.
  • Building code adopted — Building-code adoption inside Forrest village.
  • Inspections — Building work inside Forrest village.
  • Certificate of occupancy — Occupancy of buildings inside Forrest village.
12 more unanswered
  • Living in an RV
  • Camping on your land
  • Tiny homes
  • Manufactured homes
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Well permit
  • Mandatory utility hookup
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Subdividing land
  • Driveway access
  • Short-term rentals
  • Permit fees

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 Forrest publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Livingston County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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