Bolthole Index

Shelby County, Illinois

Building permits, zoning and septic in Herrick Township, Illinois

Unincorporated Herrick Township, Illinois requires a Shelby County Improvement Location Permit for structures, including homes and accessory buildings.1 Shelby County administers zoning outside incorporated municipalities, so these township rules do not cover the incorporated Village of Herrick.2 A new private sewer system needs a Shelby County Health Department sewer permit before the building permit can be issued.3

At a glance

Building permit
Required in unincorporated Herrick Township; Shelby County issues the Improvement Location Permit1
Zoning
County zoning applies outside incorporated municipalities2
Septic
New private sewer system permit required before the building permit3
RV living
Not allowed as a dwelling except in locations lawfully established for that use4
Tiny homes
Minimum residence size is 900 square feet; hardship variance may be requested5
Owner-builder
Qualifying owner-occupant plumbing exemption is limited; it is not a general building-permit exemption6
Private wells
Permit required before construction, modification or sealing7

Who to call

Building permits

Shelby County Zoning Office

Improvement Location Permits, zoning enforcement, zoning questions, variances and parcel zoning information for unincorporated Shelby County

217-774-5797

[email protected]

315 1/2 E Main Street Shelbyville, Illinois 62565

Roads & driveways

Shelby County Highway Department

County-highway entrance, culvert, right-of-way and oversize permits

217-774-2721

[email protected]

1590 STATE HIGHWAY 16 Shelbyville, Illinois 62565

Online permits →

Septic permits

Shelby County Public Health Department

Private sewage disposal and potable-water questions for Herrick Township

[email protected]

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 Herrick Township 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 Herrick Township, IL?

A home or accessory building in unincorporated Herrick Township requires an Improvement Location Permit from Shelby County; the rule covers placing, erecting, altering or changing structures.1 The listed fee is $175 for a new residence and $125 for a residential addition or accessory building.1 Shelby County traditionally exempts aluminum carports and boat docks, rather than offering a blanket exemption for small structures.1 Construction subject to county permitting must follow the International Building and Residential codes adopted by Shelby County.8

Who handles building permits and zoning in Herrick Township?

Shelby County Zoning Office handles building permits and ordinance enforcement for unincorporated Herrick Township, rather than a separate township building counter.2 Contact the office at 217-774-5797 or [email protected]; the office is by appointment only.9 The office address is 315 1/2 E Main Street Shelbyville, Illinois 62565.9 Confirm whether the parcel is outside the incorporated Village of Herrick before using the county application, because county zoning excludes incorporated municipalities.2 For the broader unincorporated-area rules, see the Shelby County guide.2

Does Herrick Township have zoning for RVs and tiny homes?

Unincorporated Herrick Township is subject to Shelby County zoning; a township address does not mean the land is unzoned.2 Shelby County prohibits recreational vehicles as dwellings, including living, sleeping or housekeeping, except in locations lawfully established for that use, such as parks and campgrounds.4 A tiny home used as a residence must meet the 900-square-foot minimum unless a hardship variance is granted through the application process.5 Manufactured homes are permitted in the Agricultural District subject to the ordinance’s mobile-home requirements, including a 1-acre lot and a 900-square-foot dwelling minimum.10 Ask the zoning office to identify the parcel’s district and applicable setbacks before choosing a house footprint.9

How do septic permits and wells work in Herrick Township?

For a new private sewer system in unincorporated Herrick Township, obtain the Shelby County Health Department sewer permit before the county building permit can be issued.3 Illinois requires plan approval before new private sewage-system construction and notification to the Department or local authority at least 48 hours before work begins.11 Shelby County’s soil rating shows only 2.8% of soils as not limited for a conventional septic drain field; a site evaluation may point to an engineered system, rather than making septic impossible.12 Illinois also requires a permit before constructing, modifying or sealing a water well; ask the county health department which approved authority processes the application.7

What are the steps to build a home in Herrick Township?

  1. Confirm that the Herrick Township parcel is outside incorporated municipalities and arrange an appointment with Shelby County Zoning Office.29
  2. Determine the structure’s size and placement, and obtain the health department sewer permit first if installing a new private sewer system.93
  3. Apply for the Improvement Location Permit; Shelby County typically issues it within 15 business days, and construction must begin within 1 year before expiration.9
  4. Build to the county-adopted codes and apply for the Certificate of Occupancy along with the Improvement Location Permit application.813
  5. Obtain the Certificate of Occupancy before occupying a new, reconstructed or structurally altered building.13

What should you check before buying land in Herrick Township?

Check whether a Herrick Township parcel lies in Shelby County’s Flood Plain Overlay: ordinary permitted uses generally cannot require a structure intended for year-round occupancy, and other uses require Zoning Board findings.14 A new entrance onto a county highway requires an entrance/culvert permit and aerial map, submitted at least 2 business days before construction; contact Shelby County Highway Department for that road class.15 Work in a state-highway right-of-way instead requires authorization from the Illinois Department of Transportation before work begins.16 We could not confirm parcel-specific public-water or sewer connection obligations; ask Shelby County Zoning Office and the serving utility before relying on an off-grid design.9

Watch-outs

  • The incorporated Village of Herrick is outside the county zoning jurisdiction described here; confirm the parcel boundary before applying these rules.2
  • An RV is not an approved dwelling on ordinary private land in unincorporated Herrick Township merely because a house is under construction.4
  • Illinois’s owner-occupant plumbing exemption does not establish a general owner-builder exemption from building permits or building codes.6
  • We could not confirm a separate temporary-camping allowance for unincorporated Herrick Township; ask Shelby County Zoning Office before planning overnight stays.9

Sources

  1. Shelby County Zoning (Herrick Township), quoted and re-checked
  2. Zoning Ordinance of Shelby County, Illinois (Herrick Township), quoted and re-checked
  3. Comprehensive Zoning Application – Building Permit (Herrick Township), quoted and re-checked
  4. shelbycounty-il.gov (Herrick Township), quoted and re-checked
  5. shelbycounty-il.gov (Herrick Township), quoted and re-checked
  6. HB5913 Enrolled — Illinois Plumbing License Law amendment (Illinois statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  7. 77 Ill. Admin. Code 920.130, Water Well Permit Requirements (Illinois statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  8. Comprehensive Zoning Application – Building Permit (Herrick Township), quoted and re-checked
  9. Shelby County Zoning Office (shelbycounty-il.gov)
  10. Zoning Ordinance of Shelby County, Illinois (Herrick Township), quoted and re-checked
  11. 77 Ill. Adm. Code 905.190 Installation Approval (Illinois statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  12. 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
  13. Zoning Ordinance of Shelby County, Illinois (Herrick Township), quoted and re-checked
  14. Zoning Ordinance of Shelby County, Illinois (Herrick Township), quoted and re-checked
  15. Shelby County - Highway Department, quoted and re-checked
  16. Highway Permits (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 Herrick Township

Rules another office applies inside Herrick Township

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

  • Building permitRequired

    Structures placed, erected, altered, changed, or located in the unincorporated portions of Herrick township.

    • The county page states that the rule covers any structure and examples include homes and accessory buildings.
    • The page identifies traditional exceptions for aluminum carports and boat docks.
    • The county page states permits are generally issued within 15 business days and expire if construction has not begun within one year.

    new residence fee: 175 USD · residential addition fee: 125 USD · accessory building fee: 125 USD

    “No structure of any kind shall be placed, erected, altered, changed, or located on any land within the jurisdiction of Shelby County, Illinois, including any unincorporated villages, without an Improvement Location Permit (Building Permit).”
  • Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

    Construction in the unincorporated portions of Herrick township subject to Shelby County permitting.

    • The application states that International Building and Residential codes are adopted by Shelby County.
    • Construction remains subject to the county zoning ordinance and applicable state regulations.
    “International Building and Residential codes as adopted by Shelby County”
  • Certificate of occupancyRequired

    New, reconstructed, or structurally altered buildings and changes of use in the unincorporated portions of Herrick township.

    • A temporary certificate may be issued for up to 90 days and may receive one renewal of up to 90 days if the stated progress conditions are met.
    • No change in land use, except agricultural use, may occur without a certificate.
    • The certificate must be applied for coincidentally with the Improvement Location Permit and is to be issued within ten days after lawful completion.
    • A fee may be assessed by the County Board.

    temporary certificate period: 90 days (one renewal of up to 90 days may be granted under the ordinance)

    “No land shall be occupied or used and no building hereafter erected, reconstructed or structurally altered, shall be occupied or used, in whole or in part, for any purpose whatsoever, until a Certificate of Occupancy shall have been issued by the Zoning Administrator stating that the building and use comply with all of the provisions of these regulations applicable to the building or premises or the use in the District in which it is to be located.”
  • Local zoningPresent

    Unincorporated portions of Herrick township; the county ordinance does not apply inside the incorporated Village of Herrick.

    • The ordinance applies outside villages, cities, and incorporated towns.
    • This is Shelby County zoning, not a Herrick township-administered ordinance.
    “This ordinance shall apply to all of the territory of Shelby County, Illinois, outside of villages, cities and incorporated towns, said area to be known as the Jurisdictional Area for the purposes of this ordinance.”
  • Living in an RVProhibited

    Use of recreational vehicles as dwelling units in the unincorporated portions of Herrick township.

    • RV use is allowed only in locations lawfully established for such use, such as parks and campgrounds.
    “Recreational Vehicles (RVs), as defined in §1, shall not be used as dwelling units. They may not be used for living, sleeping, or housekeeping, except in locations lawfully established for such use.”
  • Tiny homesLimited

    Tiny homes used as residences in the unincorporated portions of Herrick township.

    • The county page states the minimum residence requirement is 900 square feet.
    • A variance may be requested for particular hardship during the application process.

    minimum residence size: >= 900 square feet (variance may be requested for hardship)

    “Currently, the minimum requirement for a residence is 900 square feet. If this rule, or any rule, is creating a particular hardship, you may apply for a variance during your application process.”
  • Manufactured homesAllowed (with conditions)

    Mobile/manufactured homes in the Agricultural District in the unincorporated portions of Herrick township.

    • The ordinance permits mobile homes in Agricultural Districts subject to §10(B)(5).
    • The mobile-home requirements include one-acre minimum lot size, 80-foot minimum lot width, 25-foot maximum height, applicable front/side/rear yards, 900-square-foot minimum, and 40-foot minimum street frontage.
    • Existing homes in the jurisdictional area as of July 9, 1997 may not be replaced with units under 900 square feet.

    minimum lot size: 1 acre · minimum lot width: >= 80 feet · maximum building height: <= 25 feet · minimum dwelling size: >= 900 square feet

    “Mobile Homes – Homes of these types, as defined in §1, shall be permitted in Agricultural Districts subject to the use requirements hereinafter designated in paragraph B5.”
  • Septic permitRequired

    A new private sewer system in the unincorporated portions of Herrick township.

    • A sewer permit is required when there will be a new sewer system.
    • The permit number must be received before any county building permit can be issued.
    “required if there will be a new sewer system installed”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Subdivision of land in the unincorporated portions of Herrick township.

    • The county ordinance contains Article III Subdivision Regulations.
    • The official fee schedule lists separate preliminary and final plat fees plus $25 per lot or parcel.

    preliminary plat fee: 500 USD (plus $25 for each lot or parcel) · final plat fee: 500 USD (plus $25 for each lot or parcel)

    “Application for Preliminary Plat, plus $25 for each lot or parcel in the proposed addition or subdivision $500”
  • Building in a floodplainLimited

    Land within the Shelby County Flood Plain Overlay in the unincorporated portions of Herrick township.

    • The overlay is based on the 100-year flood plain.
    • Permitted uses generally may not require a structure intended for year-round occupancy.
    • Other uses require Zoning Board findings concerning drainage, compatibility, supporting structures, access, health and safety, and flood-storage effects.

    floodplain basis: 100-year flood plain (overlay boundaries use Shelby County flood-zone data maintained by the Illinois State Geological Survey)

    “Permitted Uses, include all of the following, so long as the use does not require the erection of a structure intended for year-round occupancy. All uses other than those permitted herein are prohibited.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Herrick Township or Shelby County directly.

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builders in the unincorporated portions of Herrick township.
  • Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land in the unincorporated portions of Herrick township.
  • Accessory dwellings — Accessory dwelling units in the unincorporated portions of Herrick township.
  • Off-grid sanitation — Off-grid sanitation in the unincorporated portions of Herrick township.
  • Well permit — Private wells in the unincorporated portions of Herrick township.
4 more unanswered
  • Mandatory utility hookup
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Driveway access
  • 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 Herrick Township publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Shelby County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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