Building permits, zoning and land rules in Floyd County, Indiana

In unincorporated Floyd County, county building permits are required building permits for new single-family homes, additions, renovations or rehabilitation work, and accessory structures¹. Residential applications may be filed online or in person, and required materials include wastewater approval, a site plan, proof of ownership and building plans¹. The county asks applicants to allow 5–7 business days for review¹. Floyd County one- and two-family homes and their accessory structures must comply with the 2020 Indiana Residential Code, based on the 2018 International Residential Code with Indiana amendments; the residential code applies throughout Indiana¹¹. A qualifying agricultural building used only for agriculture on the same land and not for retail trade is outside state Class 1 design-release requirements, but local requirements may still apply⁹. Floyd County's owner-builder exemption could not be confirmed, so an owner acting as contractor should ask Building and Development Services what applications and inspections apply⁷. Final inspection and a Certificate of Occupancy are required before a covered building may be occupied¹.

The Floyd County Department of Building & Development Services handles county building permits; call (812) 981-7611 or visit Pine View Government Center, 2524 Corydon Pike, Suite 203, New Albany, IN 47150¹². Posted hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m¹².. The Floyd County Plan Commission administers county zoning, and staff encourage a pre-submission meeting arranged at building@floydcounty.in.gov¹³. Inside New Albany, the city issues building permits³. For onsite sewage, begin with the Floyd County Health Department; New Albany’s code requires a written septic permit signed by the Health Officer with jurisdiction^6,14.

Floyd County has zoning for unincorporated land within its planning jurisdiction, excluding New Albany’s planning jurisdiction, incorporated Georgetown and Greenville, and state or federal land². New Albany sets its own city zoning; onsite sewage questions still start with the Floyd County Health Department, and the city code requires the Health Officer’s septic approval^4,6,14. County district standards vary, so ask the Plan Commission to identify the parcel on the official zoning map². Minimum lot area and setbacks depend on district and use². In Multi-Family Residential (MF), front setbacks are 60 feet on arterial, collector or local streets and 40 feet on subdivision streets; side and rear setbacks are 20 and 25 feet¹⁵. Buildings and impervious surfaces together may cover no more than 65% of an MF lot or 70% of a General Commercial (GC) lot, and both districts require a development plan¹⁵. MF development also requires public water and sanitary sewer connections¹⁵.

The Floyd County Health Department administers onsite sewage systems under Indiana Rule 410 IAC 6-8.3 and local ordinances⁵. Septic permits are required for new systems and most repairs and replacements; published fees are $150 for a new system, $75 for a repair, $100 for a replacement, and $250 for either a mound or subsurface-drip system⁵. For direct questions, call (812) 948-4726 or visit 1917 Bono Road, New Albany, IN 47150¹⁴. A new dwelling application must include Health Department approval or a sewer tap-in receipt¹. Site feasibility deserves attention before purchase because 0% of mapped Floyd County soils are rated free of severe limits for a conventional drain field¹⁰. Multi-Family Residential development must connect to a sanitary sewer system, so an onsite system is not an alternative in that district¹⁵. Drywells and cesspools are not allowed, and temporary holding tanks are restricted rather than a general off-grid substitute¹⁶. We could not confirm Floyd County’s treatment of other non-septic sanitation systems; take such a proposal to the Health Department before purchase¹⁴.

Floyd County prohibits using a parked or stored recreational vehicle for living, sleeping or housekeeping in districts covered by the county ordinance’s RV restriction². We could not confirm separate temporary-camping rules; ask the Plan Commission before relying on a short stay¹³. A tiny home used as a primary dwelling in the Agricultural-Residential, Rural Residential, Residential Suburban or Residential Urban district must provide at least 950 square feet of ground-floor area⁸. A unit in the Multi-Family Residential district instead has a confirmed minimum living area of 800 square feet¹⁵. A tiny home proposed as a residence also needs the required building permit and must satisfy the applicable zoning provisions^1,8. Ask Building and Development Services how a proposed unit will be classified, and ask the Health Department how wastewater service must be approved^12,14.

1. Confirm which planning jurisdiction controls the parcel because county zoning excludes New Albany's planning jurisdiction, incorporated Georgetown and Greenville, and state or federal land².

1. Ask the controlling planning office for the zoning district, allowed use, minimum lot area, setbacks, height and utility rules².

1. If the project divides land, take the proposal through Plan Commission subdivision review before assuming lots can be created or served¹⁷.

1. Start wastewater planning early: a new dwelling application needs Health Department approval or a sewer tap-in receipt¹.

1. Assemble the site plan, deed or purchase contract, building plans and wastewater approval, then submit online or in person to Building and Development Services^1,12.

1. Allow 5–7 business days for residential application review and budget from the published septic fee schedule^1,18.

1. If the driveway connects to an Indiana state highway, obtain INDOT approval for the connection and work in the state right-of-way¹⁹. Ask Building and Development Services who approves county-road access; we could not confirm that local requirement¹².

1. Request final inspection and obtain the Certificate of Occupancy before moving into the building¹.

County zoning excludes New Albany's planning jurisdiction, incorporated Georgetown and Greenville, and state or federal land, so the correct planning office depends on location⁸. Minimum lot area varies by zoning district rather than following one countywide figure². Conventional septic conditions are difficult: 0% of mapped county soils are rated free of severe drain-field limits¹⁰. Terrain and clearing also affect cost because 69% of the county is at a 15% slope or less and 61.1% is wooded¹⁰. Development in an Indiana floodway usually needs state DNR approval, while floodplain-fringe work may avoid a state permit but remain subject to local floodplain rules²⁰. Floyd County's private-well permit rule was not confirmed; Indiana notes that some local health departments require permits, so ask the Health Department before drilling or installing a pump²¹. Typical figures are a 0.7% effective property-tax rate and a $1,656 median annual bill, but verify the parcel's actual assessment and taxing district¹⁰.