Building permits, zoning and land rules in Collinsville, Illinois

At a glance

Building permits

Required within Collinsville; apply through city Community Development¹

Zoning

City Planning and Zoning Division administers the zoning ordinance²

Septic

County installation permits; city manufactured-home parks need county-approved private sewage or city sewer³⁴

Residential lot coverage

R-2: all structures combined may cover at most 30% of the lot⁵

Manufactured-home park utilities

Public water required; central sanitary sewer serves each space⁶

Owner-builder

Conditional Illinois plumbing exemption; local plumbing permits can still apply⁷⁸

Private wells

State or approved local health department permit required before well work⁹

Who to call

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

Do you need a building permit in Collinsville, IL?

Collinsville requires building permits within city limits and mandatory inspections for certain types of work.¹ New residential construction, additions, garages, decks and substantial residential remodeling fall under the city’s residential “R” building permit rather than its limited “U” building permit.¹ Collinsville adopted the 2021 ICC Codes effective January 1, 2025.¹

For a home project, ask the city Building Department which drawings and inspections the scope requires: the city says building plans may be required for residential “R” building permits.¹ The residential building permit fee depends on total work cost, and the permit is valid for 6 months.¹

Who issues building permits in Collinsville, and where do you apply?

Submit Collinsville building permit applications to the Community Development Front Desk at City Hall or through the application email shown on the city’s building-permit page.¹ The city identifies the application counter as 125 South Center Street, Collinsville, IL.¹ Use the linked city page for the residential building permit application and ask the front desk to confirm the required submittal for your project.¹

For Collinsville construction inspections, call 618-346-5200 ext. 1143.¹ Illinois does not issue building permits for privately funded construction; the applicable local government handles any building permit requirement.¹⁰ A state permit inquiry therefore does not replace the Collinsville application.¹¹⁰

Does Collinsville have zoning, lot coverage limits and setbacks?

Collinsville’s Planning and Zoning Division implements the city’s Zoning Ordinance and processes land-development applications.² Collinsville special-use permits require Planning Commission approval, and the city directs applicants to Planning and Zoning to confirm whether a development needs a site plan.²

In Collinsville’s R-2 One- and Two-Family Residential District, all structures combined may cover no more than 30% of the lot, and maximum structure height is 30 feet.⁵¹¹ In the R-4 Manufactured Home District, maximum lot coverage is 35% and maximum structure height is 15 feet.¹²¹³ R-4 front and rear yards are each 25 feet; combined side yards must total at least 15 feet, with minimum sides of 5 and 10 feet.¹⁴ Ask Planning and Zoning for the parcel’s district before drawing a house footprint.

How do septic permits work inside Collinsville?

Madison County Planning & Development permits and inspects private sewage system installation.³ The county permits private sewage only where public sewer is unavailable and cannot be extended to the property line, and where acceptable site soil conditions exist.³ Illinois requires plan approval from the state or applicable local authority before construction of a new private sewage disposal system.¹⁵

Collinsville’s manufactured-home park rule requires connection to city sanitary sewer or a Madison County-approved private sewage system; every park space must connect to the park’s central sanitary sewer system, and public water must supply the park.⁴⁶ Those park requirements do not establish the utility answer for every Collinsville house lot.⁴ For an individual parcel, ask the city about sewer availability and the county private-sewage office about installation approval. Madison County licenses private sewer installers.³

Can you live in an RV or tiny home in Collinsville?

We could not confirm a Collinsville rule authorizing residential RV occupancy, tiny-home occupancy, accessory dwellings or a minimum dwelling size. Ask Collinsville Planning and Zoning about the proposed dwelling type and district, then ask the Building Department what building permit and inspection requirements apply. Collinsville administers city zoning and requires city building permits; the proposed dwelling still needs a city-specific answer.²¹

A manufactured-home park utility rule is not permission to place an RV or tiny home on an ordinary residential lot: the verified city rule addresses manufactured-home parks.⁶ Illinois allows specified human-waste disposal options, including compost toilets, but other domestic wastes still require a conventional private sewage disposal system; a compost toilet does not remove that wastewater requirement.¹⁶

Building a home in Collinsville: what should you do first?

Start with Collinsville Planning and Zoning: request the parcel’s zoning district, describe the proposed use, and ask whether site-plan review or a special-use application is needed. The city processes land-development applications, requires Planning Commission approval for special uses and tells applicants to confirm site-plan requirements with the division.²

Next, establish the wastewater route with the city and county private-sewage office; county septic eligibility depends on sewer availability and acceptable soils.³ Submit the residential building permit application to city Community Development, confirm required plans, and arrange city construction inspections.¹ Ask Public Works about driveway work in the city right-of-way: such work requires a right-of-way excavation permit reviewed and issued by Public Works.¹⁷

For land outside city limits, use the Madison County guide for the county’s unincorporated-area building permit requirements.¹⁸

What should you check before buying land in Collinsville?

Ask Collinsville Planning and Zoning to assess the intended use against the parcel’s district and ask the Building Department to identify the building permit scope before committing to a design. The city administers zoning and requires building permits.²¹ We could not confirm city-specific minimum lot sizes, residential RV permission or private-well administration; request those answers for the actual parcel.

If a private well is proposed, Illinois requires a permit from IDPH or an approved local health department before constructing, modifying or sealing a well.⁹ For owner-built plumbing, Illinois provides a conditional single-family owner-occupant exemption, but local plumbing permits and inspections can still apply.⁷⁸ Treat self-built plumbing and a city building permit as separate questions when discussing the project with Collinsville’s Building Department.⁸¹

Watch-outs

• Collinsville’s R-2 and R-4 dimensional limits belong to their named districts; confirm the parcel’s district with Planning and Zoning.⁵¹⁴
• Private sewage eligibility depends on public sewer availability and acceptable soils, so ask Madison County’s private-sewage office before planning a septic system.³
• We could not confirm permission to live in an RV or tiny home on a Collinsville lot; ask the city Planning and Zoning Division before buying for that purpose.²

Sources

1. Collinsville Community Development — Building Permits and Inspections (collinsvilleil.org)
2. Collinsville Planning and Zoning Division (collinsvilleil.org)
3. Madison County Planning & Development — Private Sewage Permits & Inspections (madisoncountyil.gov)
4. Sec. 17.040.090. - "R-4" Manufactured Home District (Collinsville), quoted and re-checked
5. Sec. 17.040.070. - "R-2" One- and Two-Family Residential District (Collinsville), quoted and re-checked
6. Sec. 17.040.090. - "R-4" Manufactured Home District (Collinsville), quoted and re-checked
7. HB5913 Enrolled — Illinois Plumbing License Law amendment (Illinois statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
8. 225 ILCS 320/18 — Local regulation; Department standards (Illinois statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
9. 77 Ill. Admin. Code 920.130, Water Well Permit Requirements (Illinois statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
10. Illinois Codes FAQ (Illinois statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
11. Sec. 17.040.070. - "R-2" One- and Two-Family Residential District (Collinsville), quoted and re-checked
12. Sec. 17.040.090. - "R-4" Manufactured Home District (Collinsville), quoted and re-checked
13. Sec. 17.040.090. - "R-4" Manufactured Home District (Collinsville), quoted and re-checked
14. Sec. 17.040.090. - "R-4" Manufactured Home District (Collinsville), quoted and re-checked
15. 77 Ill. Adm. Code 905.190 Installation Approval (Illinois statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
16. 77 Ill. Adm. Code 905.130 Human Waste Disposal (Illinois statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
17. Collinsville Department of Public Works (collinsvilleil.org)
18. Building Permits & Inspections (2026 county census)

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.