Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Center Township, Indiana

Rules another office applies inside Center Township

Center 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

  New homes, accessory structures and additions in unincorporated Center township, Boone County, IN (location improvement permit issued by Area Plan).

  • Permit packet lists septic/well permit, driveway permit and drainage permit as submittals.
  • Fee schedule not opened; permit fees not verified.

  “issue improvement location permits (building permits) for new construction as directed by the boone county zoning ordinance, building regulations and boone county subdivision control ordinance.”

• InspectionsRequired

  Residential work in unincorporated Center township that requires a final building inspection.

  • Inspection is a final building inspection tied to the septic inspection and water test being on file with the health department first.

  “a satisfactory septic inspection (including alarm checks) and satisfactory water test must be on file with the boone county health department prior to scheduling your final building inspection.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Unincorporated land inside Center township, Boone County, IN. Zoning there is administered by the Boone County Area Plan Commission, not by a township ordinance.

  • Area Plan does not serve incorporated cities and towns inside Center township (e.g., Lebanon); those are outside this claim.
  • No Center township-adopted zoning ordinance was located; this claim does not assert the township itself zones.

  “the boone county area plan serves the incorporated town of advance and the unincorporated areas of boone county. area plan administers and enforces the zoning, floodplain, building, and unsafe structures through adopted ordinances.”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  County zoning districts applying in unincorporated Center township

  • Districts include an AG district and a rural equestrian district per the ordinance table of contents; full district list not verified.

  “re rural equestrian this district is established to maintain and conserve a rural, country-like atmosphere and to encourage equestrian uses rather than residential uses.”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  Residential lots in unincorporated Center township, all districts in the county zoning table

  • 5,000 sq ft applies in all districts with public sewers; 2 acres applies in all districts without public sewers; 3 acres in the RE district per the same note.
  • Lots under one acre require public water and public sewer connection.

  minimum lot area with public sewer: >= 5000 sq ft (in all districts with public sewers) · minimum lot area without public sewer: >= 2 acres (in all districts without public sewers; RE district is 3 acres)

  “minimum lot area: 5,000 square feet in all districts with public sewers. 2 acres in all districts without public sewers, and 3 acres in the re district,”

• Lot coverageDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Maximum lot coverage in unincorporated Center township, varying by county zoning district

  • Values are in a multi-column table; district-name mapping was not confirmed in the extracted text, so do not assign these percentages to a named district without checking the table.

  maximum lot coverage: 50% to 70% percent (varies by district column)

  “maximum lot coverage 50% 50% 60% 60% 70% 70% 70% 70% 70% 70% 70%”

• Manufactured homesAllowed (with conditions)

  Placement of a manufactured home on a lot in unincorporated Center township, under a county location improvement permit.

  • Requires the county residential building permit (location improvement permit) before placement.

  “manufactured homes shall be permitted provided the following requirements and limitations are met:”

• Accessory dwellingsAllowed (with conditions)

  Accessory dwellings in unincorporated Center township, permitted through the county residential permit.

  • Permit-scope statement only; the zoning use standards for accessory dwellings were not opened.

  “new home – includes new single-family dwellings, two-family dwellings, accessory dwellings, and the placement of a manufactured home.”

• Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

  Onsite sewage (septic) systems inside Center township, handled by the Boone County Health Department (Environmental Division), not by the township. Applies to the unincorporated part of Center township.

  • Health department procedures cite 410 IAC 6-8.3 (state rule) as well as county rules; the county ordinance number was not confirmed.

  “sewage and drainage systems for this residence will be installed to meet requirements of the health department of boone county, indiana in compliance with the boone county commissioners, ordinance #2012-04.”

• Septic permitRequired

  New septic systems for homes in unincorporated Center township

  • Application must be completed in full before the health department processes it.
  • Fee on the 2026 form: $100 residential septic permit plus $150 application fee; confirm current fee.

  residential septic permit fee: 100 USD (listed on 2026 form; confirm current)

  “application for well and septic permits new construction fill out completely – application will not be processed unless all information is filled in.”

• Septic inspectionRequired

  Septic systems installed in unincorporated Center township

  • Satisfactory septic inspection (including alarm checks) and satisfactory water test must be on file before the final building inspection.

  “a satisfactory septic inspection (including alarm checks) and satisfactory water test must be on file with the boone county health department prior to scheduling your final building inspection.”

• Well permitRequired

  New wells for homes in unincorporated Center township

  • Well and well-pump fees appear on the same health department form; amounts not mapped to a specific line in this record.

  “application for well and septic permits new construction fill out completely – application will not be processed unless all information is filled in.”

• Mandatory utility hookupConditional

  New dwellings on lots in unincorporated Center township

  • Public water and public sewer connection are required for lots under one acre in the county dimensional table notes.
  • Lots of 5,000 sq ft minimum apply only where public sewers exist; otherwise 2 acres minimum (see lot-size claim).

  “public water & public sewer connection: required in all districts for lots that are less than one acre in size.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Subdivisions of land in unincorporated Center township

  • Area Plan Commission holds public hearings on subdivision control amendments; major residential subdivisions of 15 lots or more require utility connection per the zoning table notes.

  “enforce the regulations set forth by the boone county zoning ordinance, building regulations and boone county subdivision control ordinance.”

• Driveway accessRequired

  Driveway access for new residential construction in unincorporated Center township

  • A driveway permit is listed as a required submittal for the residential building permit; the driveway standards were not opened.

  “7. driveway permit: a driveway permit is required for new driveways and changes to a site with an existing driveway”

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  Health department septic and well permit fees for new construction in unincorporated Center township (building permit fees not opened)

  • Fee figures are from a 2026 health form; the Area Plan fee schedule was not opened.

  application fee: 150 USD (health department septic and well form)

  “application fee: residential septic permit: commercial septic permit: well & well pump: well only: well pump only:”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Residential building permit (location improvement permit) process for unincorporated Center township

  • Submittals include application, inspection estimate, site plan, construction plans, energy certificate, septic/well or sewer/water release, driveway permit, drainage permit, and deed attachment.

  “step 1: submittal 1. application form 2. inspection estimate form 3. site plan 4. construction plans including hvac, plumbing, and electrical layout 5. energy efficiency certificate (electrical, mechanical, interior lighting, and power) 6. septic and well permit or sanitary sewer and water release 7. driveway permit 8. drainage permit”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption for residential permits in unincorporated Center township
• Building code adopted — Which building code Boone County Area Plan adopts for unincorporated Center township
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy for new homes in unincorporated Center township
• Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size in unincorporated Center township
• Building height — Maximum building height in unincorporated Center township

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.