Bolthole Index

Perry County, Illinois

Building permits, zoning and septic in Pinckneyville, Illinois

Pinckneyville, Illinois requires a zoning certificate and building permit for new buildings, with city zoning approval preceding the building permit.1 Pinckneyville administers zoning, while Perry County handles building-permit administration.1 When public sewer is not reasonably available, a private sewage permit from the Perry County Health Department must come before the building permit.2

At a glance

Building permit
New buildings need zoning certification and a building permit; city zoning approval comes first.1
Zoning
Pinckneyville has municipal zoning within city limits.3
Sewer or septic
Public sewer connection is required when available under city distance and capacity rules; otherwise private sewage requires county health approval.42
Residential setbacks
R-1 setbacks vary with lot dimensions; accessory buildings require at least 5 feet.5
Manufactured homes
Class B mobile-home placement is addressed in Non-Urban District mobile-home parks, subject to lot, parking and installation requirements.6
Owner-builder
Illinois has a conditional exemption from plumber licensing for qualifying resident owners, with code compliance and inspections still required.7

Who to call

Zoning

Pinckneyville Zoning Department

Parcel zoning, zoning certificates, permitted uses and special-use questions inside Pinckneyville.

618-357-8775

Building permits

Pinckneyville Economic Development Coordinator

City zoning approval and guidance on the county building-permit application route.

618-357-8775

203 North Walnut Street, Suite C

Septic permits

Perry County Health Department

Private sewage disposal applications for Pinckneyville properties without reasonably available public sewer.

Online permits →

Health department

Perry County Health Department — contact office

Contact office for private sewage and environmental health questions.

618-357-5371

907 S MAIN ST – PINCKNEYVILLE IL 62274

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

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Do you need a building permit in Pinckneyville, Illinois?

Pinckneyville’s application instructions say new buildings require a zoning certificate and building permit, and the city zoning certificate must be secured first.1 The city lists a $25 Certificate of Zoning Compliance charge; ask the Economic Development Coordinator for the building-permit fee applicable to your project.1

For home improvements and additions, start with Pinckneyville’s Zoning Administrator: the city expressly includes sheds, porches, decks, covered patios and swimming pools in its zoning review guidance.8 Illinois does not issue building permits for privately funded construction through the Capital Development Board; project-specific building requirements are administered locally.9

Who handles building permits and zoning approval in Pinckneyville?

Pinckneyville’s Economic Development Coordinator handles zoning administration, land-use regulations, variances and appeals; the city describes county responsibility for building-permit administration and plan review for plat approval.1 Contact the city zoning office at 618-357-8775 before proposing a new use or building layout.8 The city’s building-permit page also lists the Perry County Zoning Administrator at 618-357-3267 as the county contact.1

Use the city office for the municipal zoning determination rather than substituting county zoning standards for a city parcel.3 Private sewage approval remains with the Perry County Health Department when public sewer is not reasonably available, even inside Pinckneyville.10

Does Pinckneyville have zoning, lot-size rules and setbacks?

Pinckneyville’s zoning code applies within corporate city limits, so identify the parcel’s district before drawing a house footprint.3 In the R-1 Residential District, lots smaller than 100 feet wide and 150 feet deep have minimum front and rear setbacks of 20 feet and side setbacks of 10 feet.5 R-1 lots larger than those dimensions have minimum front and rear setbacks of 35 feet and side setbacks of 15 feet.5 Ask the city how a lot exactly at the dividing dimensions is treated.8

R-1 accessory buildings require at least 5 feet of setback on any lot size.5 In R-2, accessory buildings cannot cover more than 30% of available rear-yard area; that limit is specifically about accessory buildings.11 The city warns that its posted zoning map is for reference and directs official zoning determinations to the Zoning Administrator.8

How do sewer connections and septic permits work in Pinckneyville?

For a single-family dwelling in Pinckneyville, public sewer connection is required when the nearest public sewer with available capacity is within 300 feet; the corresponding distance for commercial establishments and multifamily dwellings is 1,000 feet.4 When public sewer is not reasonably available, Pinckneyville requires a private sewage system and a Perry County Health Department sewage permit before the building permit can issue.2

The health department’s application instructions request house details, contractor information and any completed soil reports, and list a $125.00 application fee.12 Illinois requires sewage-plan approval before construction and notification to the responsible health authority at least 48 hours before work begins.13 Perry County’s soils have only 3.2% rated not limited for conventional septic drain fields; that county-level rating points to the need for a parcel evaluation rather than proving septic is impossible.14

Can you live in an RV, tiny home or mobile home in Pinckneyville?

We could not confirm permission for residential RV occupancy, temporary camping or tiny-home occupancy in Pinckneyville; take the proposed dwelling type, intended occupancy and parcel location to the city Zoning Administrator before buying.8 Pinckneyville’s zoning office reviews uses and occupancy limitations, so a suitable building footprint alone does not settle whether the proposed use is allowed.8

The confirmed Class B mobile-home provisions address mobile-home parks within the Non-Urban District: lots must be at least 50 feet by 100 feet and provide parking for at least 2 vehicles.6 Those units must be anchored, immobilized and skirted, and cannot share a lot with another primary dwelling.6 Treat that mobile-home provision as a specific placement rule, rather than permission for every RV or tiny-home proposal.6

What are the steps to building a home in Pinckneyville?

  1. Ask Pinckneyville’s Zoning Administrator to identify the district and review the proposed use, setbacks, height and coverage before finalizing the plan.8
  2. Establish whether public sewer is reasonably available under the city’s connection rules; if not, obtain the Perry County Health Department private sewage permit before the building permit.42
  3. Secure the city Certificate of Zoning Compliance, then follow the city’s directions for county building-permit administration.1
  4. Ask the city to confirm the current building-code edition, required inspections and any occupancy approval before scheduling construction; Illinois assigns private-project inspection and occupancy administration to local government.1516

Illinois’s owner-occupant plumbing exemption has conditions, including code compliance, inspection and restrictions on unlicensed helpers; owner-built construction does not receive a blanket local-permit exemption.717

What should you check before buying land near Pinckneyville?

For land outside Pinckneyville, consult the Perry County guide for the county zoning rules that apply outside municipalities with adopted local zoning ordinances.18 Ask Pinckneyville’s Zoning Administrator to establish the parcel’s jurisdiction and official district before relying on a map or a mailing address.8

A proposed private well requires a permit from Illinois Department of Public Health or an approved local health department before construction, deepening, modification or sealing begins; ask the Perry County Health Department which office receives the application.19 Driveway work affecting a state highway requires IDOT approval before work begins.20 We could not confirm Pinckneyville’s operative floodplain-development or local driveway requirements; ask the city zoning office to identify the responsible administrator before committing to the site layout.8

Watch-outs

  • Confirm Pinckneyville’s current building-code edition with the city: the state directory reports a 1996 BOCA adoption but does not establish the current effective code.21
  • A compost toilet does not remove the Illinois requirement to dispose of other domestic wastewater through a conventional private sewage disposal system.22
  • Pinckneyville’s public sewer connection requirement can determine whether private sewage disposal is an option for a home site.4

Sources

  1. Pinckneyville Economic Development Coordinator (ci.pinckneyville.il.us)
  2. § 154.091 Sewers; septic tanks (Pinckneyville), quoted and re-checked
  3. § 154.002 Jurisdiction (Pinckneyville), quoted and re-checked
  4. § 154.091 Sewers; septic tanks (Pinckneyville), quoted and re-checked
  5. § 154.115 R-1 Residential District height and setback restrictions (Pinckneyville), quoted and re-checked
  6. § 154.281 Class B: mobile homes (Pinckneyville), quoted and re-checked
  7. HB5913 Enrolled — Illinois Plumbing License Law amendment (Illinois statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  8. Pinckneyville Zoning Department (ci.pinckneyville.il.us)
  9. Illinois Codes FAQ (Illinois statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  10. § 154.091 Sewers; septic tanks (Pinckneyville), quoted and re-checked
  11. § 154.134 R-2 Residential District lot sizes (Pinckneyville), quoted and re-checked
  12. Perry County Health Department (perryhealth.net)
  13. 77 Ill. Adm. Code 905.190 Installation Approval (Illinois statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  14. Share of soils USDA rates "not limited" for a conventional septic drain field (SSURGO). A strict rating: the median county is about 6% and a tenth of counties are 0%, so a low figure means most lots need a site evaluation or an engineered system, not that septic is impossible. Cite it only with that caveat: Bolthole Index county data
  15. Illinois Codes FAQ (Illinois statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  16. Illinois Codes FAQ (Illinois statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  17. 225 ILCS 320/18 — Local regulation; Department standards (Illinois statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  18. Perry County Zoning Code, Chapter 40, quoted and re-checked
  19. 77 Ill. Admin. Code 920.130, Water Well Permit Requirements (Illinois statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  20. Highway Permits (Illinois statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  21. Illinois Municipal Building Code Directory (Pinckneyville), quoted and re-checked
  22. 77 Ill. Adm. Code 905.130 Human Waste Disposal (Illinois statewide rule), 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 Pinckneyville

Pinckneyville’s own rules

  • Building code adoptedAdopted

    The Illinois Capital Development Board directory reports a Pinckneyville building-code adoption.

    • The directory identifies the code as the 1996 BOCA National Building Code and marks it as adopted; the directory entry does not establish a current effective date.

    code edition: 1996 BOCA National Building Code

    “Pinckneyville 1996 Building Code BOCA National Building Code Yes”
  • Local zoningPresent

    Pinckneyville's Chapter 154 zoning code applies within the corporate city limits.

    • The cited jurisdiction provision states that the chapter applies within the corporate city limits.
    “This chapter shall be applicable within the corporate city limits of the City of Pinckneyville, Illinois.”
  • SetbacksSpecified

    R-1 Residential District inside Pinckneyville city limits.

    • For lots smaller than 100 feet wide and 150 feet deep, front and rear setbacks are at least 20 feet and side setbacks at least 10 feet.
    • For lots larger than 100 feet wide and 150 feet deep, front and rear setbacks are at least 35 feet and side setbacks at least 15 feet.
    • Accessory-building setbacks are at least 5 feet on any size lot.

    front and rear setback, smaller lots: >= 20 feet (lots smaller than 100 feet wide and 150 feet deep) · side setback, smaller lots: >= 10 feet (lots smaller than 100 feet wide and 150 feet deep) · front and rear setback, larger lots: >= 35 feet (lots larger than 100 feet wide and 150 feet deep) · side setback, larger lots: >= 15 feet (lots larger than 100 feet wide and 150 feet deep) · accessory-building setback: >= 5 feet (any size lot)

    “Front and rear setbacks shall be at least 20 feet”
  • Lot coverageSpecified

    Accessory buildings in the R-2 Residential District inside Pinckneyville city limits.

    • The provision limits accessory-building coverage to 30% of available rear-yard area; it is not a general maximum principal-building lot-coverage rule.

    accessory-building coverage of available rear yard: <= 30 percent

    “Accessory buildings shall not cover more than 30% of the available rear yard area.”
  • Building heightSpecified

    R-1 Residential District inside Pinckneyville city limits.

    • The limit applies to the ceiling of the highest occupied level, excluding attic and rafter space.

    maximum height to ceiling of highest occupied level: <= 25 feet above ground level (attic and rafter space excluded)

    “shall not exceed 25 feet above ground level.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
  • Manufactured homesLimited

    Class B mobile homes inside Pinckneyville city limits.

    • Placement is addressed for mobile-home parks within the Non-Urban District.
    • Units must be used only as dwellings, placed on lots at least 50 feet by 100 feet, provide parking for at least two vehicles, be securely immobilized and anchored under the Illinois Mobile Home Tie-Down Act, be skirted with fire-resistant skirting and an inspection door, and cannot occupy a lot already occupied by another primary dwelling.

    minimum mobile-home lot width: >= 50 feet · minimum mobile-home lot depth: >= 100 feet · minimum off-street parking: >= 2 vehicles

    “All units shall be used only as dwellings.”
  • Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

    Private sewage permitting for properties inside Pinckneyville city limits when public sewer is not reasonably available.

    • The municipal zoning code expressly assigns issuance of the private sewage permit to the Perry County Health Department.
    • Private sewage systems must also comply with the Illinois Private Sewage Disposal Licensing Act, the Illinois Private Sewage Disposal Code, Illinois EPA regulations, and applicable city or local codes.
    “Whenever the public sewer system is not reasonably available, a private sewer system (whether central or individual) shall be installed and used. All private sewer systems shall be designed, constructed, operated and maintained in conformity with the following requirements: (a) Illinois Private Sewage Disposal Licensing Act (see ILCS Ch. 225, Act 225) as amended from time to time; (b) Illinois Private Sewage Disposal Code No. 4.002, promulgated by the Director of the Illinois Department of Public Health, as amended from time to time; (c) Pertinent, current regulations issued by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency; and (d) Applicable city or local codes and ordinances, particularly the Pinckneyville, Illinois Subdivision Ordinance. (3) A building permit shall not be issued until a private sewage permit has been issued by the Perry County Health Department.”
  • Septic permitRequired

    A private sewage system serving property inside Pinckneyville city limits when public sewer is not reasonably available.

    • A building permit cannot be issued until the Perry County Health Department has issued the private sewage permit.
    • Private systems are required when public sewer is not reasonably available.
    “Whenever the public sewer system is not reasonably available, a private sewer system (whether central or individual) shall be installed and used. All private sewer systems shall be designed, constructed, operated and maintained in conformity with the following requirements: (a) Illinois Private Sewage Disposal Licensing Act (see ILCS Ch. 225, Act 225) as amended from time to time; (b) Illinois Private Sewage Disposal Code No. 4.002, promulgated by the Director of the Illinois Department of Public Health, as amended from time to time; (c) Pertinent, current regulations issued by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency; and (d) Applicable city or local codes and ordinances, particularly the Pinckneyville, Illinois Subdivision Ordinance. (3) A building permit shall not be issued until a private sewage permit has been issued by the Perry County Health Department.”
  • Off-grid sanitationLimited

    Private sewage disposal on property inside Pinckneyville city limits.

    • Allowed only when public sewer is not reasonably available.
    • The private system must comply with the Illinois Private Sewage Disposal Licensing Act, Illinois Private Sewage Disposal Code No. 4.002, current Illinois EPA regulations, and applicable city or local codes.
    • A private sewage permit from the Perry County Health Department is required before a building permit may issue.
    “a private sewer system (whether central or individual)”
  • Mandatory utility hookupSewer (with conditions)

    Structures and places where people live, work, or assemble inside Pinckneyville city limits.

    • Connection to public sanitary sewer is required when the nearest public sewer with available capacity is within 300 feet for a single-family dwelling or within 1,000 feet for a commercial establishment or multifamily dwelling.
    • When public sewer is not reasonably available, a private sewer system must be installed and used.
    • The rule does not state a comparable mandatory public-water connection distance in the cited passage.

    public sewer availability distance for single-family dwellings: <= 300 feet (nearest public sewer must have available capacity) · public sewer availability distance for commercial or multifamily dwellings: <= 1000 feet (nearest public sewer must have available capacity)

    “all sewage shall be discharged into such system”

Still unanswered

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

  • Building permit — General building-permit requirements for construction inside Pinckneyville city limits.
  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemptions from Pinckneyville construction requirements.
  • Inspections — Building inspections inside Pinckneyville city limits.
  • Certificate of occupancy — Certificates of occupancy for buildings inside Pinckneyville city limits.
  • Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size inside Pinckneyville city limits.
12 more unanswered
  • Living in an RV
  • Camping on your land
  • Tiny homes
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Septic inspection
  • Well permit
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Subdividing land
  • Driveway access
  • Building in a floodplain
  • 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 Pinckneyville publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Perry County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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