Bolthole Index

Tazewell County, Illinois

Building permits, zoning and septic in Marquette Heights, Illinois

Marquette Heights, Illinois requires building permits for projects covered by its adopted building code; starting without a required building permit doubles the fee.1 City inspectors handle building inspections, while Tazewell County Health Department issues private sewage disposal permits within Tazewell County.23 Marquette Heights also requires a certificate of occupancy before a new building is occupied or an existing land or building use changes.4

At a glance

Building permits
Required for projects covered by the adopted city building code; confirm exemptions before starting1
Building permit fees
Published city fee schedule; all building permit fees double if required approval is missing when work starts5
Occupancy approval
City certificate required for new buildings and changes of use or occupancy4
Septic permits
Tazewell County Health Department issues private sewage disposal permits36
Completion deadlines
Permitted work generally must finish within 1 year; exterior work generally within 6 months, subject to the code exception7
Land divisions
City subdivision ordinance applies; agricultural land-division exemption has conditions89

Who to call

Building permits

Marquette Heights City Office / City Inspectors

City building and electrical inspections; contact point for building, driveway, sidewalk, water and sewer permit forms

382-3455

Septic permits

Tazewell County Health Department

Private sewage disposal permits and inspections throughout Tazewell County

309-925-5511

[email protected]

21306 IL Route 9, Tremont, IL 61568-9252

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

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Do you need a building permit in Marquette Heights, IL?

Marquette Heights requires a building permit for projects covered by the adopted city building code, and all building permit fees double if the required permit is not obtained before work starts.1 Marquette Heights has adopted nationally recognized building codes, with the ordinance listing 2009 editions and future publisher-sanctioned supplements and amendments.10 Ask the city building inspector which edition, amendments and exemptions apply to your proposed work before ordering plans.2 The city specifically says pools need a building permit and possibly an electrical permit.2 The published single-family building permit schedule lists $300 plus $10 for each additional $1,000 or fraction thereof; ask the City Office how the valuation applies to your project.52

Who handles building inspections in Marquette Heights?

The Marquette Heights City Office schedules city inspections at 382-3455, and the city asks for at least 24 hours of notice.2 The city inspector page lists building, electrical, driveway and sidewalk, and water and sewer inspection and permit-form categories.2 For a new building or a change of use, Marquette Heights requires inspection and approval by the building inspector, electrical inspector, street superintendent and water superintendent before occupancy approval is issued.11 Arrange the required inspections with the City Office before planning your move-in date.24

What zoning and land-use questions should you ask in Marquette Heights?

We could not confirm Marquette Heights’ district map, minimum lot area, dwelling size, setbacks, height or lot-coverage schedule; ask the City Office to direct your parcel-specific questions to the appropriate city official.2 Marquette Heights regulates land subdivision through its own subdivision ordinance.8 The city agricultural land-division exemption covers parcels of 5 acres or more only when no new street or access easement is involved.9 That exemption concerns land division; the city building-permit requirement still needs a separate answer for any proposed structure.91

How do septic permits work inside Marquette Heights?

Tazewell County Health Department issues permits to construct, alter or extend private sewage disposal systems within Tazewell County, including addresses inside Marquette Heights.36 The county septic permit is valid for 1 year, and a soil investigation is required before issuance, subject to the stated pre-site-inspection waiver.12 The Board of Health may refuse a septic permit where municipal sewer is available under the ordinance’s distance and practicality rules.12 Start with the city’s water and sewer contact and the Health Department before treating a lot as a septic site.213

Can you live in an RV or tiny home in Marquette Heights?

We could not confirm a Marquette Heights rule allowing residential RV use, temporary camping, tiny homes, manufactured homes or accessory dwellings on a private lot; ask the City Office for an answer tied to your parcel and intended occupancy.2 Marquette Heights requires a certificate of occupancy before a new building is occupied or land or building use changes.4 Illinois permits specified alternative human-waste systems, including compost toilets, but other domestic wastewater must go to a conventional private sewage disposal system; that state rule alone does not resolve city sanitation approval.14

Building a home in Marquette Heights: what are the steps?

  1. Ask the City Office to route your proposed home, lot layout, driveway and utility questions to the city inspectors; we could not confirm the complete municipal application checklist.2
  2. Resolve public sewer availability with the city and, if private sewage disposal is proposed, obtain Health Department approval before septic construction.21215
  3. Obtain the required city building permit before starting, and confirm the applicable fee calculation.15
  4. Plan permitted work around the general 1-year completion deadline and the 6-month exterior-work deadline, subject to the code exception.7
  5. Schedule inspections with the City Office and obtain the city certificate of occupancy before moving in.2114

What stays with Tazewell County when buying in Marquette Heights?

Private sewage disposal permits stay with Tazewell County Health Department, while the Marquette Heights City Office is the contact for city building inspections and listed water and sewer permit forms.32 For an existing septic property, the Health Department recommends an operational inspection before sale; the cited county rule does not make that inspection generally mandatory.16 We could not confirm city-specific private-well, floodplain-development or curb-cut approval requirements; ask the City Office before closing.2 For land outside city limits, use the Tazewell County guide: the county building and zoning rules apply to unincorporated land.1718

Watch-outs

  • Starting a Marquette Heights project without a required building permit doubles all building permit fees.1
  • Marquette Heights occupancy approval requires completed work and sign-off from the city building, electrical, street and water officials.11
  • We could not confirm a general Marquette Heights owner-builder exemption; ask the city building inspector before assuming personal labor removes building permit requirements.21

Sources

  1. 4-1-2: Building Code Amendments (Marquette Heights), quoted and re-checked
  2. Marquette Heights City Office / City Inspectors (cityofmhgov.org)
  3. Sewage Disposal, quoted and re-checked
  4. 5-10-1: Certificate of Occupancy Required (Marquette Heights), quoted and re-checked
  5. 4-1-2: Building Code Amendments (Marquette Heights), quoted and re-checked
  6. Sewage Disposal, quoted and re-checked
  7. 4-1-2: Building Code Amendments (Marquette Heights), quoted and re-checked
  8. codelibrary.amlegal.com (Marquette Heights), quoted and re-checked
  9. codelibrary.amlegal.com (Marquette Heights), quoted and re-checked
  10. 4-1-1: Codes Adopted (Marquette Heights), quoted and re-checked
  11. 5-10-1: Certificate of Occupancy Required (Marquette Heights), quoted and re-checked
  12. Sewage Disposal, quoted and re-checked
  13. Tazewell County Health Department (tazewellhealth.org)
  14. 77 Ill. Adm. Code 905.130 Human Waste Disposal (Illinois statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  15. 77 Ill. Adm. Code 905.190 Installation Approval (Illinois statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  16. Sewage, quoted and re-checked
  17. Community Development | Tazewell County, quoted and re-checked
  18. Building Permit, 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 Marquette Heights

Marquette Heights’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    Projects in Marquette Heights for which the adopted building code requires a permit.

    • The code provides permit fees and states that fees double if a permit is not obtained before work starts; exact permit exemptions were not fully located.
    “If a permit is not obtained prior to the start of a project, ALL permit fees are doubled.”
  • Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

    Construction regulated by Marquette Heights city building regulations.

    • The listed editions are 2009 editions; the ordinance also adopts future supplements and amendments sanctioned by the publishing body.
    “The following nationally recognized codes, together with all future supplements and amendments which may from time to time be sanctioned by the body or board which approves and publishes same, are hereby adopted as ordinances of the city:”
  • InspectionsRequired

    New occupancy and changes of use in Marquette Heights.

    • Inspection and approval are required by the building inspector, electrical inspector, street superintendent, and water superintendent before the occupancy permit is issued.
    “No occupancy permit shall be issued until the erection, construction or alteration has been completed, inspected and approved by the building inspector, electrical inspector, the street superintendent and the water superintendent and no building or premises shall be occupied until that certificate is issued.”
  • Certificate of occupancyRequired

    New buildings and changes in land or building use inside Marquette Heights.

    • The certificate must be signed by four city officials and issued before occupancy.
    “Subsequent to the effective date hereof, no change in the use or occupancy of land, nor any change of use or occupancy in an existing building shall be made, nor shall any new building be occupied for any purpose, until a certificate of occupancy signed by the building inspector, the electrical inspector, the street superintendent and the water superintendent has been issued.”
  • Agricultural exemptionConditional

    Agricultural land divisions inside Marquette Heights city limits.

    • The exemption is for parcels of five acres or more and requires that no new street or easement of access be involved; other exemptions may apply under 765 Illinois Compiled Statutes.

    minimum parcel area: >= 5 acres (No new street or easement of access.)

    “provided that divisions of land for agricultural purposes in parcels of five (5) acres or more not involving any new street or easement of access, and other enumerated situations shall be exempted as set forth in 765 Illinois Compiled Statutes.”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Subdivision of land inside Marquette Heights city limits.

    • The city code contains a Subdivision Ordinance and defines subdivision as division into two or more lots for transfer, development, or redevelopment.
    “These regulations shall hereinafter be known, cited and referred to as the SUBDIVISION ORDINANCE FOR THE CITY OF MARQUETTE HEIGHTS, ILLINOIS.”
  • Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

    City building permits and listed residential, commercial, accessory, pool, driveway, variance, special-use, and rezoning categories.

    • The schedule states it was adopted by the City Council on January 27, 2020; fees double when a permit is not obtained before project start.

    single-family building permit: 300 USD (Plus $10 for each additional $1,000 or fraction thereof.) · two-family building permit: 400 USD (Plus $10 for each additional $1,000 or fraction thereof.) · variance fee: 250 USD · permit fee for work started without permit: double (All permit fees.)

    “Single-Family Building | $300.00 + $10.00 for each additional $1000.00 or fraction thereof”
  • Permit processPartial

    City building-permit process inside Marquette Heights.

    • Permitted construction must generally be completed within one year; exterior work for new construction, reconstruction, or expansion must be completed within six months, except as provided in IRC section 105.3.2; nonpermitted repairs must be completed within three months after commencement.

    permit completion: 1 year · exterior work completion: 6 months (Except as provided in section 105.3.2.)

    “Duration Of Permits: Except as may be specifically otherwise provided in this or any order code adopted by the city, all construction or other work to be performed pursuant to any permit issued shall be completed within one year from the date such permit is issued.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Marquette Heights or Tazewell County directly.

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder construction inside Marquette Heights city limits.
  • Zoning districts — Zoning-district map, district list, and dimensional schedules inside Marquette Heights city limits.
  • Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size inside Marquette Heights city limits.
  • Minimum lot size — Minimum lot size inside Marquette Heights city limits.
  • Setbacks — Building setbacks inside Marquette Heights city limits.
13 more unanswered
  • Lot coverage
  • Building height
  • Living in an RV
  • Camping on your land
  • Tiny homes
  • Manufactured homes
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • Mandatory utility hookup
  • Driveway access
  • Building in a floodplain
  • 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 Marquette Heights publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Tazewell County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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