Building permits, zoning and land rules in Shelby County, Illinois

Unincorporated Shelby County requires an Improvement Location Permit, commonly called a building permit, before a structure is placed, erected, altered, changed or located within the county's jurisdiction, including an unincorporated village¹. Aluminum carports and boat docks are traditionally exempt¹. A new-residence permit costs $175, while a residential addition or accessory-building permit costs $125; the published schedule dates from October 2023, and agricultural-building permits are free⁹. The county typically issues a permit within 15 business days, and construction must begin within 1 year or the permit expires¹. After completion, the Zoning Administrator inspects the improvement for substantial conformity with the site plan and any required certificate of compliance². All construction must follow the International Building and Residential codes as adopted by Shelby County, and the property owner is responsible for compliance¹⁰. We could not confirm which code edition or local amendments the county has adopted, so ask the Zoning Office before ordering plans or materials¹. For buildings clearly incidental to agriculture, the ordinance states that permit requirements do not prevail, yet also provides for free agricultural permits; agricultural setbacks still apply, so ask the Zoning Office whether a written application is required for your project^1,2.

The Shelby County Zoning Office is the permit counter for unincorporated land: it issues building permits and enforces the county ordinance¹. The office is at 315 1/2 E Main Street, Shelbyville, Illinois 62565; call 217-774-5797 or email shelbyzoning@shelbycounty-il.gov¹. The Zoning Office is open by appointment¹. Before applying, decide the structure's size and placement and obtain the county health department's sewer permit when one applies¹. The county provides township zoning maps and a GIS zoning layer². County-regulated land and buildings may not be occupied or used until the Zoning Administrator issues a Certificate of Occupancy². Pana, mainly in Christian County and extending into Shelby County, issues its own building permits within city limits¹¹. Private sewage plans in Pana still require approval by IDPH or the applicable local health agency; the local agency serving Pana was not confirmed⁴.

Shelby County zoning applies to unincorporated land, with Agriculture, Residential, Rural Residential, General Business, Industrial and Flood Plain Overlay districts². Shelbyville and the Village of Moweaqua set their own zoning^12,13. Pana, mainly in Christian County and extending into Shelby County, also has its own zoning¹⁴. Municipal zoning does not replace private-sewage plan approval by IDPH or the applicable local health agency¹⁵. For unincorporated parcels, the ordinance gives conflicting Agriculture-district non-farm dwelling lot sizes; get the Zoning Office's determination before buying^1,2. Rural Residential generally requires 5 acres per non-farm dwelling². Front yards require 40 feet on major streets, 30 feet on collectors and 25 feet on local streets². In the Agriculture, R1, Rural Residential and General Business districts, one side yard must be at least 15, 6, 20 and 5 feet respectively, and the rear yard at least 20, 20, 40 and 20 feet². Maximum lot coverage is 25% in R1 and General Business, with Agriculture and Rural Residential listed as not applicable². Residential height limits also vary by district².

Illinois regulates private sewage systems statewide, while local health agencies may review plans under local ordinance or as state agents⁴. In Shelby County, the Public Health Department administers the Private Sewage Disposal Program, and a sewer permit for a new system must be received before the county building permit can be issued^1,3. Illinois requires plan approval from IDPH or the applicable local authority before construction begins¹⁵. Site feasibility deserves early attention because only 2.8% of Shelby County soils are rated without severe limitations for a conventional septic drain field¹⁶. Call the health department at 217-774-2355 before choosing a house site or system design³. We could not confirm Shelby County's inspection schedule, so ask the health department what inspections and signoffs the proposed system will require³.

An RV cannot be used as a dwelling for living, sleeping or housekeeping in unincorporated Shelby County unless the location is lawfully established for that use¹. We could not confirm a general rule for occasional temporary camping on private land, so ask the Zoning Office before staying on a building site¹. A tiny house used as a residence must meet the county's 900-square-foot minimum ground-floor size, although an applicant may seek a hardship variance^1,2. Tiny homes still need the applicable building, zoning and septic approvals¹. A manufactured or mobile home is allowed in Agriculture districts under the same residential-use rules: at least 1 acre, 80 feet of lot width, a 25-foot height limit, the 900-square-foot minimum and an Improvement Location Permit². We could not confirm a separate accessory-dwelling-unit rule; ask the Zoning Office whether a proposed second dwelling is allowed in the parcel's district¹.

1. Confirm that the parcel is outside a village, city or incorporated town and ask the Zoning Office for its mapped district^1,2.
2. Check the district's use, lot, setback and height standards before locating the house and driveway².
3. Call Shelby County Public Health Department at 217-774-2355 for the sewer permit required before the building permit when installing a new system^1,3.
4. Obtain a private-well permit before new well construction¹⁷.
5. Submit a site plan showing the building, driveway, setbacks, utilities, septic area and well with the Improvement Location Permit application; typical processing is 15 business days, and work must begin within 1 year¹.
6. Build to the International Building and Residential codes as adopted by Shelby County, arrange the final county inspection, and obtain the Certificate of Occupancy before using the building^2,10.
7. For a county-highway entrance, submit the permit form and aerial map at least 2 business days before construction⁸.

Start with jurisdiction and zoning: county rules govern land outside incorporated municipalities, and the parcel's district controls uses and dimensions^1,2. If dividing land, ask the Zoning Office whether plat review applies: preliminary and final plat applications each cost $500 plus $25 per lot or parcel^1,2. Make septic feasibility a purchase contingency because only 2.8% of Shelby County soils rate without severe limitations for a conventional drain field¹⁶. Confirm a legal entrance with the road authority; a county-highway entrance needs a permit and aerial map, while work in an Illinois state-highway right-of-way needs an IDOT permit before work starts^8,18. In the county Flood Plain Overlay District, uses beyond the listed permitted uses require the owner to demonstrate adequate drainage and water-table suitability and obtain Zoning Board approval². A private well requires advance approval through IDPH or an approved local health department⁷. Shelby County's effective property-tax rate is about 1.5%, and its median annual property-tax bill is about $1,955¹⁶.