Bolthole Index

Washington County, Illinois

Building permits, zoning and septic rules in Nashville, Illinois

Nashville, Illinois has adopted a building code covering construction inside city limits, including permits, but we could not confirm the general building-permit application requirement; ask City Hall before starting work.12 Nashville sets district-specific zoning standards, while private sewage needs state or applicable local plan approval and a separate city inspection before underground work is covered.345 For land outside Nashville in Washington County, county zoning applies to unincorporated areas.6

At a glance

Building permits
City building code adopted; confirm application requirements with City Hall12
Zoning
City agricultural and residential districts have separate dimensional standards73
Septic
State or applicable local plan approval, plus city inspection before covering underground work45
Minimum home size
900 square feet for single-family residences in A-1, subject to ordinance exceptions8
RV and tiny-home living
We could not confirm occupancy permission; ask City Hall about the proposed use and district2
Owner-builder
Conditional state plumbing exemption; no general city building-permit exemption confirmed910
Private wells
State or approved local health department permit required before construction or modification11

Who to call

Also useful

Nashville City Hall

Municipal contact: ask for the city official responsible for building-code administration, zoning, sewer connections and floodplain review

(618) 327-3058

190 N. East Court St. Nashville, IL. 62263

Health department

Washington County Health Department

Environmental health contact: confirm the approving authority for private sewage plans and private wells inside Nashville

(618) 327-3644

[email protected]

177 S. Washington St. Nashville, IL 62263

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

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Do you need a building permit in Nashville, Illinois?

Nashville has adopted the National Board of Fire Underwriters Building Code, with city modifications, for buildings and structures inside its corporate limits; the adoption expressly includes permits and penalties.1 We could not confirm the operative general building-permit application requirement, current city fee schedule, or general inspection sequence; ask Nashville City Hall for the official handling your project.2

Illinois does not issue building permits for privately funded construction; any building-permit requirement is administered locally.12 Illinois structural-code baseline requirements took effect in 2025, so ask the city code official which current standards and amendments govern the project rather than relying only on the edition named in the city adoption.132

Does Nashville have zoning, and what are the lot and setback rules?

Nashville zoning standards depend on the district: single-family residences in A-1 Agricultural require a minimum lot area of one acre, while R-1 One-Family Residence requires 10,000 square feet, subject to ordinance exceptions and modifications.73 In Nashville A-1, single-family residences require at least 900 square feet of floor area, subject to the same additional provisions.8

Nashville R-1 ordinarily calls for a 35-foot front yard, side yards totaling 20 feet with at least 7 feet on one side, and a 50-foot rear yard; qualifying existing lots and established front-yard patterns have exceptions.14 Nashville A-1 calls for a 50-foot front yard along marked state or federal highways and 40 feet along other roads, side yards totaling 40 feet with at least 15 feet on one side, and a 75-foot rear yard, subject to ordinance modifications.15 Ask City Hall to confirm the parcel district and applicable exceptions before choosing a house footprint.2

How do septic permits work inside Nashville?

Private sewage construction in Nashville needs plan approval from Illinois Department of Public Health or the applicable local authority before construction begins, and notice at least 48 hours before installation, repair or modification work begins.4 Contact Washington County Health Department Environmental Health to confirm who will approve the plans for the address, then coordinate the city inspection separately.165

Nashville may inspect a private sewage installation at any stage, and the applicant must notify the city for final inspection before underground portions are covered.5 If public sewer later becomes available to a Nashville property served by private sewage, the building sewer must connect within 60 days, and the private system must be cleaned and filled as the ordinance specifies.17 Ask City Hall about sewer availability before commissioning a private system.2

Can you live in an RV or tiny home in Nashville?

We could not confirm Nashville permission for living in an RV, temporary camping, a tiny home or an accessory dwelling on a private parcel; ask City Hall about the exact proposed use, zoning district and sewage arrangement before buying a unit.2 Nashville A-1 has a 900-square-foot minimum for single-family residences, subject to ordinance exceptions, so a small dwelling proposed in that district needs specific review against that standard.8

An Illinois owner-occupant plumbing exemption can allow qualifying residents to perform plumbing work on their own single-family home, but the work must meet the state plumbing code and remains subject to inspection.9 That exemption does not eliminate local plumbing permits, and we could not confirm a general Nashville owner-builder exemption from construction permitting.102

Building a home in Nashville: what are the steps in order?

  1. Ask Nashville City Hall to confirm city-limit status, the parcel zoning district, proposed residential use and the city official responsible for building-code administration.2
  2. Check the home footprint against the Nashville district standards before finalizing drawings: lot area, setbacks, coverage and height differ between agricultural and residential districts.73151418192021
  3. Ask City Hall for the building-permit application, current code requirements, fees, required inspections and any occupancy approval; those project-specific municipal requirements remain unconfirmed here.2
  4. Confirm public sewer availability with City Hall; if private sewage is proposed, secure state or applicable local plan approval and arrange the city inspection before covering underground work.245
  5. If a private well is proposed, obtain the required IDPH or approved local health department permit before work begins.11

What stays with Washington County, and what should Nashville buyers check?

Washington County zoning applies to unincorporated land, so buyers considering an address outside Nashville city limits should use the Washington County guide for the county zoning answer.6 Washington County Health Department remains the environmental health contact to ask about private sewage and well approval inside Nashville; city sewage inspections are a separate requirement.165

Washington County soils data rates only 3.2% of soils as not limited for conventional septic drain fields; that county-wide screening is not a Nashville parcel assessment and does not mean septic is impossible, so arrange a site evaluation before committing to private sewage.22 For a driveway onto an Illinois state highway, an IDOT access permit is required before work begins.23 We could not confirm Nashville floodplain-development conditions or city-street driveway approval requirements; ask City Hall to identify the responsible official for the parcel.2

Watch-outs

  • Nashville’s adopted code names an older edition, while Illinois requires current minimum structural standards; confirm the applicable code with the city official before commissioning plans.113
  • Nashville private sewage installation includes city inspection before underground work is covered, in addition to state or applicable local plan approval.54
  • We could not confirm Nashville RV, tiny-home or temporary-camping permission; get an answer from City Hall for the proposed parcel and use.2

Sources

  1. § 150.02 Building Code Adopted (Nashville), quoted and re-checked
  2. Nashville City Hall (washingtonco.illinois.gov)
  3. § 152.041 R-1 One-Family Residence District (Nashville), quoted and re-checked
  4. 77 Ill. Adm. Code 905.190 Installation Approval (Illinois statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  5. § 50.068 Private Sewage Disposal System (Nashville), quoted and re-checked
  6. Zoning | Washington County, Illinois, quoted and re-checked
  7. § 152.040 A-1 Agricultural District (Nashville), quoted and re-checked
  8. § 152.040 A-1 Agricultural District (Nashville), quoted and re-checked
  9. HB5913 Enrolled — Illinois Plumbing License Law amendment (Illinois statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  10. 225 ILCS 320/18 — Local regulation; Department standards (Illinois statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  11. 77 Ill. Admin. Code 920.130, Water Well Permit Requirements (Illinois statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  12. Illinois Codes FAQ (Illinois statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  13. Building Codes and Regulations (Illinois statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  14. § 152.041 R-1 One-Family Residence District (Nashville), quoted and re-checked
  15. § 152.040 A-1 Agricultural District (Nashville), quoted and re-checked
  16. Washington County Health Department (washingtonco.illinois.gov)
  17. § 50.068 Private Sewage Disposal System (Nashville), quoted and re-checked
  18. § 152.040 A-1 Agricultural District (Nashville), quoted and re-checked
  19. § 152.041 R-1 One-Family Residence District (Nashville), quoted and re-checked
  20. § 152.040 A-1 Agricultural District (Nashville), quoted and re-checked
  21. § 152.041 R-1 One-Family Residence District (Nashville), quoted and re-checked
  22. 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
  23. 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 Nashville

Nashville’s own rules

  • Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

    Construction of all buildings and structures within Nashville's corporate limits.

    • The adopted code is the 1955 National Board of Fire Underwriters Building Code, subject to portions deleted, modified, or amended by the city ordinance.
    “There is adopted by the city, for the purpose of establishing rules and regulations for the construction, alteration, removal, demolition, equipment, use, and occupancy, location, and maintenance of buildings and structures, including permits and penalties, that certain building code known as the National Board of Fire Underwriters Building Code, being particularly the 1955 edition thereof”
  • Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

    Single-family residences in Nashville A-1 Agricultural District.

    • The requirement is subject to additional requirements, exceptions, and modifications in §§ 152.070 through 152.078.

    minimum floor area: >= 900 square feet

    “(g) Floor area: 900 square feet; and (h) Maximum lot coverage: 10%.”
  • Minimum lot sizeSpecified

    Single-family residences in Nashville A-1 Agricultural District.

    • The requirement is subject to additional requirements, exceptions, and modifications in §§ 152.070 through 152.078.

    minimum lot area: >= one acre

    “(a) Lot area: one acre; (b) Frontage: 125 feet; (c) Front yard depth on marked state or federal highways: 50 feet;”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • Specified — Single-family residences in Nashville R-1 One-Family Residence District.
      “(1) Lot area: 10,000 square feet; (2) Frontage: 75 feet; (3) Front yard depth: 35 feet;”
  • SetbacksSpecified

    Single-family residences in Nashville A-1 Agricultural District.

    • Front yard depth is 50 feet on marked state or federal highways and 40 feet on other roads; side yard width is 40 feet total with at least 15 feet on one side; rear yard depth is 75 feet.
    • The requirements are subject to §§ 152.070 through 152.078.

    front yard depth on marked state or federal highways: 50 feet · front yard depth on other roads: 40 feet · side yard width total: 40 feet (minimum 15 feet one side) · rear yard depth: 75 feet

    “(c) Front yard depth on marked state or federal highways: 50 feet; (d) Front yard depth, all roads except state or federal marked highways: 40 feet;”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • Specified — Single-family residences in Nashville R-1 One-Family Residence District.
      “(3) Front yard depth: 35 feet; (4) Side yard width: 20 feet total, minimum seven feet one side; (5) Rear yard depth: 50 feet;”
  • Lot coverageSpecified

    Single-family residences in Nashville A-1 Agricultural District.

    • The requirement is subject to additional requirements, exceptions, and modifications in §§ 152.070 through 152.078.

    maximum lot coverage: <= 10 percent

    “(h) Maximum lot coverage: 10%. (2) Trailer parks. Trailer park designs must be submitted to the City Planning Commission for approval before permits can be issued:”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • Specified — Single-family residences in Nashville R-1 One-Family Residence District.
      “(7) Maximum lot coverage 20%; and (8) The setback requirement for accessory uses authorized in divisions (B)(1), (B)(2), (B)(3), (B)(6), and (B)(7) shall be the same as the side yard setback requirements of this section.”
  • Building heightSpecified

    Buildings in Nashville A-1 Agricultural District.

    • The height limit is subject to §§ 152.070 through 152.078.

    maximum building height: <= 35 feet (no more than three stories)

    “No building in an Agricultural District shall exceed three stories or 35 feet in height, except as provided in §§ 152.070 through 152.078.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • Specified — Principal and accessory buildings in Nashville R-1 One-Family Residence District.
      “No principal building in a One-Family Residence District should exceed two and one-half stories or 30 feet in height, and no accessory structure should exceed one story of 15 feet in height, except as provided in §§ 152.070 through 152.078.”
  • Septic inspectionRequired

    Private sewage disposal system installation inside Nashville city limits.

    • The city may inspect work at any stage.
    • The applicant must notify the city for final inspection before underground portions are covered.
    • Inspection must occur within three working days after written notice.
    “The city shall be allowed to inspect the work at any stage of construction and, in any event, the applicant for the permit shall notify the city when the work is ready for final inspection, and before any underground portions are covered.”
  • Mandatory utility hookupSewer (with conditions)

    A property inside Nashville city limits served by a private sewage disposal system when public sewer later becomes available.

    • The building sewer must be connected to the public sewer within 60 days after public sewer becomes available.
    • The private system must be cleaned of sludge and waste and filled with clean bank-run gravel or dirt.

    connection deadline after public sewer becomes available: 60 days

    “At such time as a public sewer becomes available to a property served by a private sewage disposal system, as provided in § 50.069 (A), the building sewer shall be connected to said sewer within 60 days”

Still unanswered

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

  • Building permit — Building permits for construction inside Nashville city limits.
  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemptions from construction permitting inside Nashville city limits.
  • Inspections — Building inspections inside Nashville city limits.
  • Certificate of occupancy — Certificates of occupancy for buildings inside Nashville city limits.
  • Living in an RV — RV occupancy on land inside Nashville city limits.
9 more unanswered
  • Camping on your land
  • Tiny homes
  • Manufactured homes
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Well permit
  • Agricultural exemption
  • 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 Nashville publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Washington County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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