Bolthole Index

St. Clair County, Illinois

Zoning, building permits and septic rules in the Village of Freeburg, Illinois

The Village of Freeburg in St. Clair County, Illinois runs its own zoning, with a Zoning Administrator and a Combined Planning and Zoning Board1. Accessory buildings inside the village need a building permit2, and the county does building inspections for Freeburg under a contract3. Septic and well permits are not confirmed for village lots; the St. Clair County Health Department is the office to ask4.

At a glance

Zoning
Yes, village zoning with a Zoning Administrator and Combined Planning and Zoning Board1
Building permit
Required for accessory buildings; other construction not confirmed here2
Building inspections
St. Clair County inspects for Freeburg under a contract3
RV as a dwelling
Prohibited on a village lot5
Accessory dwelling
Using an accessory structure as a dwelling is prohibited in every district6
Minimum home size
1,000 sq ft in SR-1 and SR-278
Septic
St. Clair County Health Department handles county septic permits; village lots not confirmed9

Who to call

Building permits

St. Clair County Building & Zoning Department

County building permits, building inspections and zoning for unincorporated St. Clair County; also the county department that performs building inspections for Freeburg under a contract

(618) 825-2528

[email protected]

#10 Public Square Belleville, IL 62220

Building permits

St. Clair County Building & Zoning Department – Building Permits

Building inspection contract that covers Freeburg and other St. Clair County villages

Septic permits

St. Clair County Health Department – Water & Private Sewage

Private sewage (septic) permits and private well permits for St. Clair County

618-233-7769

[email protected]

19 Public Square, Suite 150, Belleville, IL 62220

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 16, 2026.

Off-grid gear

Going off-grid in Village of Freeburg means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

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Does Freeburg, Illinois have zoning, and what does it mean for RVs and tiny homes?

Yes. The Village of Freeburg has its own zoning, administered by a Zoning Administrator and the Combined Planning and Zoning Board1. St. Clair County's zoning code is for unincorporated land, so the county's districts do not decide what you can do on a lot inside the village10.

RVs: no travel trailer or other recreational vehicle may be used as a dwelling inside Freeburg, except in a permitted travel trailer park5. Parking is also limited to two RVs per lot, not on a street and not in a front yard5.

Tiny homes and backyard units: any accessory structure used as a dwelling is prohibited in every Freeburg zoning district6. SR-1 and SR-2 homes need at least 1,000 square feet of floor area, which rules out most tiny-home designs on those lots78. The village's rules on tiny homes by name are unconfirmed; ask the Zoning Administrator.

What lot sizes and setbacks apply in Freeburg?

Dimensions depend on the zoning district. In SR-1, lots need at least 9,500 square feet and 80 feet of width, with a 25-foot front setback, 10 feet on each side and 35% maximum lot coverage111213. In SR-2, lots need at least 6,000 square feet and 50 feet of width, with a 25-foot front setback, 5 feet on a side and 25% maximum lot coverage141516.

The Agriculture district is larger: at least 3 acres and 150 feet of width, with a 50-foot front setback and 10 feet on a side1718. The village code also lists a Manufactured Housing District and other districts we did not review, so confirm your parcel's district with the Zoning Administrator before you buy19.

Do you need a building permit in Freeburg, and who issues it?

An accessory building inside the village requires a building permit2. Whether the village or the county issues permits for a house is not confirmed here, and the village's permit fees and process are also unconfirmed.

What is confirmed: Freeburg is one of the villages with a contract with St. Clair County to provide building inspections3. Permanent foundations for manufactured homes are inspected before the home is placed20. A zoning compliance certificate from the Zoning Administrator is required before a new structure is occupied21.

Call the Village of Freeburg first, and the St. Clair County Building & Zoning Department second, to learn which of them takes your application22. Do not assume the county's unincorporated building fees apply inside the village23.

How do septic permits work inside Freeburg?

Septic rules for lots inside the village are unconfirmed. The village may require a sewer connection, and we could not confirm that either way.

What applies countywide: St. Clair County requires a permit from the St. Clair County Health Department before a private sewage system is built or repaired4. The Health Department refuses a septic permit where a sanitary sewer is available9. For a village lot near sewer lines, plan on connecting to sewer rather than installing a septic system. Wells: the Health Department also issues private well permits4. Ask the Health Department about your address.

Building a home in Freeburg: the steps, in order

  1. Confirm the parcel's zoning district with the Village of Freeburg Zoning Administrator1.
  2. Check lot area, width, setbacks and minimum floor area for that district19.
  3. Ask the village whether the permit application goes to the village or to the county, which does Freeburg's building inspections under contract3.
  4. Check the flood map: buildings in the floodplain inside Freeburg must be protected from flood damage24.
  5. Ask the St. Clair County Health Department about sewer availability, a septic permit or a well permit4.
  6. Get the zoning compliance certificate before you occupy the finished structure21.

What stays with St. Clair County, and what to check before you buy

The county's building and zoning rules cover unincorporated land only. For land outside Freeburg's limits, see the St. Clair County page.

County-level numbers: St. Clair County's effective property tax rate is 2.1%25, and the median property tax bill is $3,533 a year26. Illinois does not issue building permits itself; any permit requirement comes from the local government27.

If you want an RV or tiny home for living, Freeburg is the wrong place: RVs and accessory dwellings are both prohibited in the village56.

Watch-outs

  • The Village of Freeburg's own permit office, fee schedule and application process were not confirmed, so call the village before you rely on county fees3.
  • RVs cannot be used as a dwelling inside Freeburg, and accessory structures cannot be lived in anywhere in the village56.
  • Homes in SR-1 and SR-2 need at least 1,000 square feet of floor area, excluding garages, porches, cellars and basements7.

Sources

  1. Freeburg Code 40-1-9 Definitions (Village of Freeburg), quoted and re-checked
  2. Freeburg Code 40-2-16 Accessory use restrictions (Village of Freeburg), quoted and re-checked
  3. St. Clair County Building & Zoning Department – Building Permits (co.st-clair.il.us)
  4. St. Clair County Health Department – Water & Private Sewage (scchealthdept.com)
  5. Freeburg Code 40-17-7 Recreational vehicles (Village of Freeburg), quoted and re-checked
  6. Freeburg Code 40-2-16 Accessory use restrictions (Village of Freeburg), quoted and re-checked
  7. Freeburg Code 40-5-3 SR-1 lot and building requirements (Village of Freeburg), quoted and re-checked
  8. Freeburg Code 40-6-3 SR-2 lot and building requirements (Village of Freeburg), quoted and re-checked
  9. Health Department - Private Sewage Disposal Code, quoted and re-checked
  10. ZONING CODE - CHAPTER 40, quoted and re-checked
  11. Freeburg Code 40-5-3 SR-1 lot and building requirements (Village of Freeburg), quoted and re-checked
  12. Freeburg Code 40-5-3 SR-1 lot and building requirements (Village of Freeburg), quoted and re-checked
  13. Freeburg Code 40-5-3 SR-1 lot and building requirements (Village of Freeburg), quoted and re-checked
  14. Freeburg Code 40-6-3 SR-2 lot and building requirements (Village of Freeburg), quoted and re-checked
  15. Freeburg Code 40-6-3 SR-2 lot and building requirements (Village of Freeburg), quoted and re-checked
  16. Freeburg Code 40-6-3 SR-2 lot and building requirements (Village of Freeburg), quoted and re-checked
  17. Freeburg Code 40-4-3 Agriculture district lot and building requirements (Village of Freeburg), quoted and re-checked
  18. Freeburg Code 40-4-3 Agriculture district lot and building requirements (Village of Freeburg), quoted and re-checked
  19. Freeburg Code 40-4-3 Agriculture district lot and building requirements (Village of Freeburg), quoted and re-checked
  20. Freeburg Code 6-2-4 Manufactured home permanent foundations (Village of Freeburg), quoted and re-checked
  21. Freeburg Code 40-1-9 Definitions (Village of Freeburg), quoted and re-checked
  22. St. Clair County Building & Zoning Department (co.st-clair.il.us)
  23. Chapter 7 - Building Regulations, quoted and re-checked
  24. Freeburg Code 14-1-7 Protecting buildings (Village of Freeburg), quoted and re-checked
  25. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  26. Median property tax bill: Bolthole Index county data
  27. Illinois Codes FAQ (Illinois statewide rule), quoted and re-checked

Written October 16, 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 Freeburg

Village of Freeburg’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    Accessory buildings inside Freeburg village (other construction not verified here)

    • Evidence covers accessory buildings only; Chapter 6 Building Regulations not reviewed
    “An accessory building shall require a building permit.”
  • InspectionsLimited

    Permanent foundations for manufactured homes inside Freeburg village

    • General inspection rules for other construction not verified
    “Permanent foundations installed for the placement of a manufactured home shall be inspected prior to the placement of said home.”
  • Certificate of occupancyLimited

    Zoning compliance certificate before occupying newly completed structures inside Freeburg village

    • This is a zoning certificate; a building-code certificate of occupancy was not verified
    “A permit issued by the Zoning Administrator indicating that a lot or newly completed structure or use complied with all pertinent requirements of this Chapter and therefore, may be occupied or used.”
  • Local zoningPresent

    Land inside Freeburg village limits

    • Administered by a Zoning Administrator and the Combined Planning and Zoning Board
    “District, zoning. A portion of the territory of the Village wherein certain uniform requirements or various combinations thereof apply to structures, lots and uses under the terms of this Chapter.”
  • Zoning districtsPartial

    Zoning districts inside Freeburg village (SR-1, SR-2, A, Manufactured Housing, I-2 and others referenced)

    • Full district list and map not opened
    “Every principal building erected in the "SR-1" District shall conform to the following requirements:”
  • Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

    SR-1 Single Family Residence District, Freeburg village

    • Garages, open porches, cellars and basements excluded from floor area

    minimum floor area: >= 1000 sq ft

    “Minimum floor area of not less than 1,000 square feet. The areas of garages, open porches, cellars and basements shall not be included.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
  • Minimum lot sizeSpecified

    Agriculture (A) district, Freeburg village

    • Minimum depth 200 ft

    minimum lot area: >= 3 acres · minimum lot width: >= 150 ft

    “Minimum lot area: 3 Acres. (B) Minimum lot width at the established building line: 150 feet.”
    2 more reviewed findings on this topic
  • SetbacksSpecified

    SR-1 district principal buildings, Freeburg village

    • Total both side yards 25 ft; rear 25 ft; street side yard 25 ft
    • Accessory structures follow same setbacks as primary structure (40-2-16)

    front setback: >= 25 ft · side setback: >= 10 ft

    “From front lot line: 25 feet. (2) Total for both side yard lines: 25 feet. (3) From either side lot line: 10 feet.”
    2 more reviewed findings on this topic
  • Lot coverageSpecified

    SR-1 district, Freeburg village

    • Accessory structures total limited per 40-2-16(D)

    max lot coverage: <= 35 percent

    “Maximum percent lot coverage per lot: 35%.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
  • Building heightSpecified

    Agriculture (A) district, Freeburg village

    • Does not apply to accessory agricultural structures

    max building height: <= 35 ft (accessory agricultural structures)

    “From side yard abutting street: 50 feet. (E) Maximum building height: 35 feet.”
    2 more reviewed findings on this topic
  • Living in an RVProhibited

    Using an RV or travel trailer as a dwelling on a lot inside Freeburg village

    • Not applicable to units in a permitted travel trailer park
    • No more than two RVs parked per lot, not on a street, not in a front yard, accessory-building setbacks apply

    max RVs per lot: <= 2 vehicles (permitted travel trailer park)

    “No travel trailer or other recreational vehicle shall be used as a dwelling.”
  • Camping on your landLimited

    Camping on public/Village property and overnight vehicle sleeping inside Freeburg village; private-land camping not addressed in supplied sections

    • Exceptions for emergency declarations, Village Board-approved special events, or uses specifically authorized by the Code
    “No person may sleep, nor otherwise engage in public camping, on any real property owned or otherwise maintained by the Village of Freeburg.”
  • Manufactured homesLimited

    Manufactured homes inside Freeburg village

    • Manufactured home parks need 2-acre minimum tract, 6,000 sq ft spaces, 25 ft boundary setbacks, 35 ft max height
    • Manufactured home foundations are inspected
    • Manufactured Housing District exists as a separate zoning article

    park minimum tract: >= 2 acres

    “After the effective date of this Chapter, no manufactured home park shall be established except in conformity with the requirements of this Section:”
  • Accessory dwellingsProhibited

    Dwelling use of accessory structures in all zoning districts inside Freeburg village

    • Attached/internal units not addressed in supplied sections
    “Use of any accessory structure as a dwelling is strictly prohibited throughout the Village, in all zoning districts.”
  • Building in a floodplainRequired

    Buildings in the floodplain (SFHA) inside Freeburg village

    • Applies to new buildings over $1,000 or over 70 sq ft, substantial improvements, manufactured homes on new sites, RVs on site over 180 days per year
    • Flood protection elevation is base flood plus one foot
    • Elevation by fill or raised foundation

    freeboard: >= 1 ft

    “all buildings located in the floodplain shall be protected from flood damage below the flood protection elevation.”

Still unanswered

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

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption inside Freeburg village
  • Building code adopted — Building code inside Freeburg village
  • Tiny homes — Tiny homes inside Freeburg village
  • Who permits septic — Septic regulation inside Freeburg village
  • Septic permit — Septic permits inside Freeburg village
10 more unanswered
  • Septic inspection
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • Mandatory utility hookup
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Subdividing land
  • Driveway access
  • Short-term rentals
  • Permit fees
  • Permit process

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

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