Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Mount Pleasant Township, Illinois

Rules another office applies inside Mount Pleasant Township

Mount Pleasant 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

  Construction, moving, alteration or demolition of structures on unincorporated land in Whiteside County, which includes unincorporated land inside Mount Pleasant township (land inside any incorporated municipality is outside this county statement)

  • Permit is required before the structure is built, moved, altered or demolished (construction may proceed after the permit is issued).
  • All permit applications must be presented in person at the Building & Zoning office, 18819 Lincoln Road, Morrison, IL 61270, office hours 8:30 am to 4:30 pm as listed on the page.
  • Permits must be paid for at the time of submittal by cash, check, credit card (service fees will apply) or money order.

  “building and demolition permits are required for all structures built, moved, altered, demolished, destroyed by natural forces in unincorporated areas of whiteside county.”

• Owner-builder exemptionConditional

  Installing a private on-site sewage system (septic) for a residence in Whiteside County, including inside Mount Pleasant township. This is a septic installer exemption only, not a building-construction owner-builder exemption.

  • Installation by a licensed contractor is required unless the individual owns and occupies the single-family dwelling and passes the homeowner test.

  “*unless individual owns and occupies single family dwelling, passes the homeowner test, installation shall be installed by a licensed contractor”

• Septic permitRequired

  New private residential on-site sewage disposal (septic) systems on land inside Mount Pleasant township

  • A permit must be obtained from the Whiteside County Health Department to construct the system (construction proceeds after approval).
  • Installation by a licensed contractor is required unless the individual owns and occupies the single-family dwelling and passes the homeowner test.
  • New developments are prohibited inside the 100-year floodplain.
  • The form also lists a well permit number and a subsurface seepage system design; a variance may be requested.

  homeowner installation permit fee: 460 USD (tank only: $360.00 (per the same form))

  “permit application to construct a private residential on-site sewage disposal system”

• Building in a floodplainLimited

  New private on-site sewage systems (septic) for residences inside the 100-year floodplain on land in Mount Pleasant township. General floodplain development rules were not verified.

  • Form asks whether the new installation is inside the 100-year floodplain; new developments are prohibited in the 100-year floodplain.
  • General county floodplain permit rules for other structures were not verified.

  “new developments prohibited in 100 year floodplain”

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  Homeowner septic installation permit fee for a private residential on-site sewage system on land inside Mount Pleasant township (septic only; not building permits)

  • Fee shown on the 2025 form; confirm it is current before paying.

  homeowner installation permit fee: 460 USD (tank only: $360.00)

  “homeowner installation permit fee*: $460.00”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Building and demolition permit process in unincorporated land inside Mount Pleasant township

  • Applications must be made in person at the Building & Zoning office (18819 Lincoln Road, Morrison, IL 61270 per the page).
  • Fees are paid at submittal by cash, check, credit card (service fees will apply) or money order.

  “all permit applications must be presented in person at the building and zoning office.”

Still unanswered

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

• Building code adopted — Which building code Whiteside County applies to construction in unincorporated land inside Mount Pleasant township
• Inspections — Building inspections for construction in unincorporated land inside Mount Pleasant township
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy for new buildings in unincorporated land inside Mount Pleasant township
• Local zoning — Whether Mount Pleasant township itself adopts and administers a zoning ordinance for land inside its limits (outside any municipality)
• Zoning districts — Zoning district map or schedule for land inside Mount Pleasant township (unincorporated)

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.