Bolthole Index

Will County, Illinois

Building permits, zoning and septic in Manhattan Township, Illinois

Unincorporated Manhattan Township, Illinois uses Will County’s building-permit process and adopted building codes.12 Will County reviews building applications for zoning compliance; the township board makes recommendations on special land uses and rezoning requests.34 Septic permits come through the Will County Health Department, with a soil evaluation required before issuance.56

At a glance

Building permits
County application process for unincorporated Manhattan Township1
Zoning review
Will County zoning review; township recommendations on rezoning and special land uses34
Septic permits
Will County Health Department; soil evaluation before permit issuance56
Lot size
R-1: 60,000 square feet minimum lot area and 165 feet minimum frontage7
Private wells
Illinois requires a permit before new construction, modification or abandoned-well sealing8
Building inspections
County construction inspections after application review and approval9

Who to call

Building permits

Will County Land Use Department — Building Division

Building applications and inspections for unincorporated Manhattan Township

815-727-8634

[email protected]

58 East Clinton Street Suite 100 Joliet, IL 60432

Zoning

Will County Land Use Department — Current Planning & Zoning

Zoning applications and building-application zoning review for unincorporated Manhattan Township

815.740.8140

[email protected]

58 E. Clinton Street, Suite 100 Joliet, IL 60432

Septic permits

Will County Health Department — Private Sewage Program (Joliet Main Office)

Private sewage program and well inspections in Will County

815-727-8490

501 Ella Avenue Joliet, IL 60433

Zoning

Manhattan Township Board — Planning Review

Township public hearings and recommendations to Will County on special land uses and rezoning requests

(815) 592-2303

[email protected]

230 Wabash St., Manhattan, IL 60442

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

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Do you need a building permit in Manhattan Township, IL?

For construction subject to county building review in unincorporated Manhattan Township, use Will County’s building-permit process and SmartGov Public Portal.1 The portal supports applications, document submissions, inspection scheduling, fee payment, permit printing and viewing permit information.1 County adopted building codes apply to construction in these unincorporated areas, and the Building Section conducts the necessary construction inspections after review and approval.29 Ask the Building Division which application and inspection stages your proposed home or accessory building needs.10

Who handles building applications in Manhattan Township?

The Will County Land Use Department Building Division is the building-application contact for the unincorporated Manhattan Township work described here.110 Reach the Building Division at 815-727-8634 or [email protected].10 Will County publishes a building-permit fee schedule, but new residential plan-review fees are set by a third-party review company.11 Request both the county building-permit charges and the residential plan-review charge when budgeting your project; a published building-permit schedule alone does not establish the full review cost.11

Does Manhattan Township have zoning, lot sizes and setbacks?

Will County’s Current Planning & Zoning section reviews building applications for zoning district requirements, building setbacks and proposed uses.3 In the R-1 district of unincorporated Manhattan Township, minimum lot area is 60,000 square feet and minimum lot frontage is 165 feet; the zoning map determines whether that district applies to your parcel.7 R-1 accessory buildings have a maximum height of 25 feet, excluding attached garages.12 Manhattan Township’s board reviews special land uses and rezoning requests and sends recommendations to Will County following a township public hearing.4 Ask county zoning to identify your parcel’s district and setbacks before designing a home.3

How do septic permits and wells work in Manhattan Township?

Will County requires a septic permit before construction or repair of an onsite wastewater system, and a soil evaluation must precede permit issuance.5 The Will County Health Department Private Sewage Program is the local septic contact.6 Call the Joliet office at 815-727-8490 to discuss a proposed system.13 Across Will County, only 0.2% of soils receive USDA’s “not limited” rating for a conventional septic drain field; that county-level figure makes a parcel-specific evaluation important and does not mean septic is impossible.14 Illinois also requires a permit before constructing a new well, modifying an existing well or sealing an abandoned well, through IDPH or an approved local health department.8

Can you live in an RV or tiny home in Manhattan Township?

We could not confirm a township-wide answer for living in an RV or tiny home on private land, or a minimum dwelling size; ask Will County Current Planning & Zoning about the proposed use on an unincorporated parcel.3 The county zoning review examines proposed uses as well as district requirements and building setbacks.3 Illinois approves compost toilets and other specified human-waste systems subject to conditions, but other domestic wastewater still needs a conventional private sewage disposal system.15 That sanitation option does not establish residential zoning approval; obtain the zoning answer separately from the health department’s wastewater requirements.315

Building a home in Manhattan Township: what comes first?

For an unincorporated Manhattan Township project, organize the county reviews around the proposed use, wastewater layout and building plans.351

  1. Ask Current Planning & Zoning to confirm the parcel’s district, building setbacks and proposed residential use.3
  2. Arrange the septic soil evaluation and permit with Will County Health Department before wastewater-system construction.56
  3. Submit the building application and documents through SmartGov, then use the portal for fees and inspection scheduling.1
  4. Discuss grading, drainage, wetlands and floodplain review with county subdivision engineering if subdivision or platting is involved.16

For broader county jurisdiction and land beyond this township, see the Will County guide.2

Watch-outs

  • The R-1 lot dimensions apply only to that district in unincorporated Manhattan Township, and health, access and subdivision requirements may also apply.7
  • For unincorporated Manhattan Township, a floodplain submittal is required if any part of a proposed hydrologic disturbance lies in a floodplain, even when most development is outside it.17
  • We could not confirm a township-wide public water or sewer connection rule; ask Will County Health Department about the proposed private well and wastewater arrangements before committing to a site plan.13

Sources

  1. Will County Building (Manhattan Township), quoted and re-checked
  2. Will County Adopted Building Codes (Manhattan Township), quoted and re-checked
  3. Will County Land Use Department — Current Planning & Zoning (willcounty.gov)
  4. Manhattan Township Board — Planning Review (manhattantownship.com)
  5. Will County Health Department Board of Health packet — Private Sewage Disposal Ordinance, quoted and re-checked
  6. Wells and Septic Systems | Will County Health Department, quoted and re-checked
  7. Will County Zoning Code § 155-3.30 Lot and building regulations (Manhattan Township), quoted and re-checked
  8. 77 Ill. Admin. Code 920.130, Water Well Permit Requirements (Illinois statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  9. Will County Building (Manhattan Township), quoted and re-checked
  10. Will County Land Use Department — Building Division (willcounty.gov)
  11. Will County Building (Manhattan Township), quoted and re-checked
  12. Will County Zoning Code § 155-3.30 Lot and building regulations (Manhattan Township), quoted and re-checked
  13. Will County Health Department — Private Sewage Program (Joliet Main Office) (willcountyhealth.org)
  14. 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
  15. 77 Ill. Adm. Code 905.130 Human Waste Disposal (Illinois statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  16. Subdivision Engineering (Manhattan Township), quoted and re-checked
  17. Stormwater Technical Guidance Manual, 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 Manhattan Township

Rules another office applies inside Manhattan Township

Manhattan 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 code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

    Building construction in unincorporated Will County portions of Manhattan township.

    • County amendments are located in the 2021 Will County Building Ordinance.
    • The listed codes include the 2018 International Residential Code, 2018 International Building Code, 2017 National Electric Code, and 2014 Illinois Plumbing Code.
    “The following Codes have been adopted by Will County.”
  • InspectionsRequired

    Construction subject to Will County building applications in unincorporated Manhattan township.

    • The Building Section conducts the necessary construction inspection process after application review and approval.
    “its necessary construction inspection process conducted”
  • Minimum lot sizeSpecified

    R-1 Single-Family Residence district in unincorporated Manhattan township.

    • The official zoning map determines the applicable district.
    • Other health, access, subdivision, and development regulations may also apply.

    minimum lot area: 60000 square feet · minimum lot frontage: 165 feet

    “Minimum Lot Area (square feet) | 215,000 | 105,000 | 60,000”
  • Building heightSpecified

    R-1 district in unincorporated Manhattan township.

    • Accessory buildings have a 25-foot maximum.
    • All other building height is regulated by the Will County Building Ordinance.

    maximum accessory-building height: 25 feet (attached garages excluded)

    “Maximum Building Height (feet) Accessory Buildings [6] | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 All Other | As regulated by Will County Building Ordinance | 35 | 40”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Subdivision and platting in unincorporated Manhattan township.

    • The process includes preliminary plats, improvement plans, final plats, subdivision guarantees, construction observation, site-development permits, and site plans.
    • Projects are reviewed for grading, drainage, soil erosion, floodplain, wetland, and building and construction standards.
    “The Subdivision Engineering section is responsible for the Subdivision and Platting Process”
  • Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

    Will County building permits for unincorporated Manhattan township.

    • The Building page links to the Will County Building Ordinance and Building Permit Fee Schedule.
    • New residential plan-review fees are set by a third-party review company; industrial and commercial plan-review fees are also set by a third-party review company.
    “See Building Permit Fee Schedule- Section 3.(E.).”
  • Permit processPublished (with conditions)

    Will County building-permit process for unincorporated Manhattan township.

    • Applicants use the SmartGov Public Portal.
    • The portal supports applying, submitting documents, scheduling inspections, paying fees, printing permits, and viewing permit information.
    “contractors and applicants apply for permits, submit documents, schedule inspections, pay fees”

Still unanswered

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

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemptions inside Manhattan township.
  • Certificate of occupancy — Certificate-of-occupancy requirements for land inside Manhattan township.
  • Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size in unincorporated Manhattan township.
  • Living in an RV — RV occupancy on private land inside Manhattan township.
  • Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land inside Manhattan township.
9 more unanswered
  • Tiny homes
  • Manufactured homes
  • Septic permit
  • 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 Manhattan Township publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Will County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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