Bolthole Index

Franklin County, Indiana

Building permits, zoning and septic in the Town of Brookville, Indiana

The Town of Brookville, Indiana requires a building permit for construction and alterations, with an exception for interior renovations that do not affect sewer or water lines.1 Brookville adopts Franklin County zoning and delegates its administration to county planning authorities.2 Town building applications go to the Clerk-Treasurer after any required county zoning approval; residential septic permitting stays with the Franklin County Health Department.34

At a glance

Building permit
Required through the town Clerk-Treasurer; interior renovations not affecting sewer or water lines are exempt1
Zoning
Franklin County code adopted by the town; county authorities administer it2
Septic
County health department construction permit required for a home not connected to sanitary sewer54
Minimum dwelling size
1,440 square feet total; multi-story homes need at least 1,000 square feet on the ground floor6
Town building application fee
Published code specifies $2; ask the Clerk-Treasurer about the current charge and separate county approvals73
Agricultural buildings
Qualifying commercial farm buildings have a building-code exemption, but still need an Improvement Location Permit8

Who to call

Building permits

Town of Brookville Clerk-Treasurer

Town building-permit applications and questions about Town Council approval

765-647-3322

[email protected]

405 E. 7th Street | Brookville, IN 47012

Online permits →

Planning & zoning

Franklin County Area Plan Commission & Building Department

County-administered zoning and subdivision review inside Brookville under the town’s delegation

765-647-5731

1010 Franklin Avenue - Room 107, Brookville, IN 47012

Septic permits

Franklin County Health Department

Residential septic applications, soil evaluations and system-layout review

(765)647-4322

1010 Franklin Avenue, Suite 210 Brookville, Indiana 47012

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

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Do you need a building permit in the Town of Brookville, IN?

Brookville requires a town building-permit application for construction or alteration of buildings and improvements, including excavation, demolition, sidewalks, gutters, driveways and drains.1 Interior renovation that does not affect sewer or water lines does not require that building permit.1 The published town code sets a $2 application fee covering filing, construction inspection and amendments caused by construction changes; ask the Clerk-Treasurer to confirm the current charge before filing.7 County zoning approval is a separate prerequisite whenever planning and zoning laws require it.3

Who issues building permits in the Town of Brookville?

The Brookville Clerk-Treasurer issues the town building permit upon advice of the Town Council.1 Contact the Clerk-Treasurer at 765-647-3322 or [email protected] for application forms and questions about the town approval.9 Brookville’s code assigns construction supervision and completion-conformity inspections to the Town Waterworks Superintendent.10 For zoning review, Brookville delegates administration to the Franklin County Planning, Zoning, and Building Department, Area Plan Commission and Board of Zoning Appeals.2 The county planning office can be reached at 765-647-5731.11

Does the Town of Brookville have zoning, and can you build a tiny home?

Brookville adopts the Franklin County Citizens Zoning and Subdivision Control Code for privately owned property inside town limits; town-owned and town-maintained property is exempt.2 Brookville’s adopted amendment record specifies a minimum dwelling area of 1,440 square feet across all floors, with at least 1,000 square feet on the ground floor for a multi-story home.6 That minimum is a concrete constraint when planning a small dwelling.6 We could not confirm a separate tiny-home or residential RV occupancy rule, or a complete parcel-specific lot-size and setback schedule; ask county planning for the district standards and the proposed use’s eligibility.

How do septic permits work inside the Town of Brookville?

A Brookville home that will not connect to sanitary sewer needs a written residential septic construction permit from the local health officer before the applicable construction or installation work.5 Franklin County Health Department administers residential septic permitting.4 The health department requires a certified soil scientist’s evaluation and an installer’s drawing for review before issuing the septic permit.12 Franklin County publishes a $50 residential septic permit fee.5 Where sanitary sewer is available within a reasonable distance, onsite sewage disposal is prohibited and sewer connection is required; establish sewer availability before paying for septic design.13

Building a home in the Town of Brookville: what is the approval order?

  1. Ask county planning to identify the Brookville parcel’s zoning and obtain any required county planning and zoning approval before filing the town application.23
  2. Establish sewer availability; if the home will not connect to sanitary sewer, obtain the health department’s septic construction permit before the covered work.135
  3. File the town application in triplicate on Clerk-Treasurer forms, with the fee and diagrams, maps, sketches or blueprints; the application goes to the Town Council.3
  4. Coordinate construction inspections with the Town Waterworks Superintendent and ask the Clerk-Treasurer what completion documentation is needed before occupancy.10

What should you check before buying land in the Town of Brookville?

For a commercial farming project in Brookville, qualifying barns and agricultural buildings are exempt from building-code requirements but still need an Improvement Location Permit and must meet zoning, setback and floodplain requirements; farm dwellings do not receive the exemption.8 Brookville also requires a town building-permit application for driveway construction, so include access work in the project discussion with the Clerk-Treasurer.14 For property outside town limits, use the Franklin County guide to distinguish county building requirements from Brookville’s town application.115 We could not confirm a Brookville owner-builder exemption or certificate-of-occupancy requirement; ask the Clerk-Treasurer before budgeting or scheduling a move.

Watch-outs

  • Brookville’s published $2 town building application fee should not be treated as the total project approval cost: required county zoning approval comes first, and a residential septic permit has a separate $50 fee.735
  • We could not confirm permission to live in an RV while building in Brookville; ask Franklin County planning, which administers Brookville zoning, about the proposed residential use before arranging a temporary stay.2
  • Brookville town building permits are valid for 1 year under the published code; an extension requires Town Council approval for good cause.3

Sources

  1. § 151.02 Building Permits (Town of Brookville), quoted and re-checked
  2. § 153.01 Adoption of Code and Amendments (Town of Brookville), quoted and re-checked
  3. § 151.02 Building Permits (Town of Brookville), quoted and re-checked
  4. Franklin County: Enviromental Health, quoted and re-checked
  5. Franklin County: Services and Fees, quoted and re-checked
  6. § 153.01 Adoption of Code and Amendments (Town of Brookville), quoted and re-checked
  7. § 151.02 Building Permits (Town of Brookville), quoted and re-checked
  8. § 153.01 Adoption of Code and Amendments (Town of Brookville), quoted and re-checked
  9. Town of Brookville Clerk-Treasurer (brookville.in.gov)
  10. § 151.02 Building Permits (Town of Brookville), quoted and re-checked
  11. Franklin County Area Plan Commission & Building Department (franklincounty.in.gov)
  12. Franklin County Health Department (in.gov)
  13. Environmental Public Health: Onsite Sewage Systems Program, quoted and re-checked
  14. § 151.02 Building Permits (Town of Brookville), quoted and re-checked
  15. Franklin County IN - Area Planning, Zoning & Building Department (2026 county census)

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 Town of Brookville

Town of Brookville’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    Construction or alteration of buildings and improvements on real estate inside Brookville town limits.

    • Application is made to the Clerk-Treasurer upon advice of the Town Council.
    • Before filing, county planning and zoning approval and permit must first be obtained if planning and zoning laws require it.
    • Interior renovation not affecting sewer or water lines does not require a building permit.
    “Any person owning real estate in the town, deciding to construct or alter any existing or contemplated building or improvement on his or her real estate, including, but not limited to, the building of any structure, the excavation for any structure, the razing of any structure and the construction of any other types of any improvements such as sidewalks, gutters, driveways and drains, shall apply for a building permit to be issued by the Clerk-Treasurer, upon advice of the Council.”
  • Building code adoptedPartial

    Electrical construction and maintenance within Brookville town limits.

    • The current edition of the National Electrical Code is adopted as the electrical standard.
    • The reviewed code pages did not establish the complete building-code adoption status for every construction discipline.
    “National Electrical Code [...] adopted as the standards for electrical construction and maintenance”
  • InspectionsRequired

    Construction occurring inside Brookville town limits.

    • The Town Waterworks Superintendent is responsible for enforcement and supervision.
    • The Superintendent must inspect all premises where construction occurs and certify completion conformity.
    • Electrical wiring in remodeled or new buildings must be inspected by a competent electrician within ten days after completion of wiring.
    “inspect all premises where construction occurs”
  • Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

    Real property inside Brookville town limits, except real property owned and maintained by the town.

    • Brookville adopts the Franklin County Citizens Zoning and Subdivision Control Code for zoning and subdivision matters.
    • Administration and enforcement are delegated to the Franklin County Planning, Zoning, and Building Department, Franklin County Area Plan Commission, and Franklin County Board of Zoning Appeals.
    • Town-owned and town-maintained real property is exempt.
    “Pursuant to the authority granted to the town under I.C. 36-7-2 and I.C. 36-7-4, the regulation and administration of real property zoning and subdivision matters within the municipal boundaries of the town shall be pursuant to the Franklin County Citizens Zoning and Subdivision Control Code (the "code"); however, the code shall not apply within the municipal boundaries of the town to real property that is owned and maintained by the town and real property owned and maintained by the town is specifically exempted therefrom.”
  • Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

    Zoning districts and designations used inside Brookville town limits under the adopted Franklin County code.

    • The code uses incorporated-town designations identified with “(I)” for Brookville, Cedar Grove, Mt. Carmel, and Oldenburg.
    • The reviewed adoption record identifies A-1 Prime Agriculture, A-2 Secondary Agriculture, RE Recreational, and other county-code districts, but does not reproduce the complete district map or schedule.
    “Zoning code designations for the unincorporated areas of Franklin County and the incorporated Town of Laurel remain as stated. The designation of an (I) after the existing zoning designations will serve to identify the designated Towns (all incorporated towns within Franklin County, with the exception of Laurel). For example, A-1 shall refer to Prime Agriculture within the unincorporated portions of Franklin County and the Town of Laurel, while A-1 (I) shall refer to the Incorporated Towns of Brookville, Cedar Grove, Mt. Carmel and Oldenburg.”
  • Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

    Residential dwellings governed by the Franklin County Citizens Zoning and Subdivision Control Code as adopted inside Brookville; the reviewed amendment record identifies § 80.03.04(B)(2).

    • For a home consisting of two or more stories, the ground floor must be at least 1,000 square feet.
    • Total minimum square footage for all floors is 1,440 square feet.

    minimum total dwelling area: >= 1440 square feet (For a home consisting of two or more stories, the ground floor must be at least 1,000 square feet.) · minimum ground-floor area: >= 1000 square feet (Applies to a home consisting of two or more stories.)

    “minimum square footage for all floors at 1440”
  • Agricultural exemptionAvailable (with conditions)

    Commercial agricultural operations and agricultural buildings inside Brookville to the extent governed by the adopted Franklin County code.

    • Farming operations pursued for commercial gain are exempt from building-code restrictions and regulations.
    • The exemption does not apply to farm houses and farm dwellings.
    • Barns and other agricultural buildings remain subject to zoning and floodplain requirements.
    • Barns and agricultural buildings still require an Improvement Location Permit to verify purely agricultural use and compliance with zoning, setbacks, and floodplain requirements.
    “Where agriculture is pursued for commercial gain, farming operations are exempt from the restrictions and regulations of the building code. This exemption for farms does not apply to farm houses and farm dwellings which include dwelling for the farm owner, operator or farm assistants. Barns and other agricultural buildings are still subject to zoning and flood plain requirements, but are exempt from the Building Code pursuant to Indiana law. Barns and agriculture buildings shall still require an Improvement Location Permit to ensure that the structure is actually for purely agriculture use and that it complies with all zoning requirements (including setbacks) and flood plain requirements.”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Subdivision matters inside Brookville town limits, except town-owned and town-maintained real property.

    • The Franklin County Citizens Zoning and Subdivision Control Code applies.
    • The Franklin County Planning, Zoning, and Building Department, Franklin County Area Plan Commission, and Franklin County Board of Zoning Appeals administer and enforce the code.
    “The authority to administer and enforce the code as to real property within the municipal boundaries of the town, excluding real property owned and maintained by the town, is delegated to the Franklin County Planning, Zoning, and Building Department as well as to the Franklin County Area Plan Commission and the Franklin County Board of Zoning Appeals; however, nothing in this section is intended to limit the town's statutory authority to regulate real property within its municipal boundaries.”
  • Driveway accessRequired

    Construction of driveways inside Brookville town limits.

    • A building permit application is required for construction of a driveway.
    • The permit is issued by the Clerk-Treasurer upon advice of the Town Council.
    • The reviewed source does not establish separate driveway sight-distance, culvert, or access-location standards.
    “Any person owning real estate in the town, deciding to construct or alter any existing or contemplated building or improvement on his or her real estate, including, but not limited to, the building of any structure, the excavation for any structure, the razing of any structure and the construction of any other types of any improvements such as sidewalks, gutters, driveways and drains, shall apply for a building permit to be issued by the Clerk-Treasurer, upon advice of the Council.”
  • Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

    Town building-permit applications inside Brookville town limits.

    • The fee is payable when the application is filed with the Clerk-Treasurer.
    • The $2 fee covers filing, construction inspection, and amending permits required because of construction changes.

    building permit application fee: 2 USD (Covers all fees for filing, inspection of construction, and amending permits necessitated by construction changes.)

    “The fee mentioned in division (A) above shall be $2, payable when the application is filed with the Clerk-Treasurer. Such fee shall cover all fees for filing of such application and inspection of the construction, and for any amending permits that may be necessary due to changes in such construction during construction.”
  • Permit processPublished (with conditions)

    Town building-permit applications inside Brookville town limits.

    • Application must be made in triplicate on Clerk-Treasurer forms with the required fee and diagrams, maps, sketches, or blueprints.
    • County Planning and Zoning Commission approval is required before filing if county planning and zoning laws require it.
    • The application is referred to the next regular Town Council meeting; if that meeting is more than ten days after filing, a special meeting must be called.
    • A refused applicant must receive written reasons and an opportunity to protest at a special meeting within ten days after refusal.
    • Permits are valid for one year and may be extended one additional year for good cause with Town Council approval; permits cannot exceed two total years.

    permit validity: 1 year (May be extended for one additional year for good cause with Town Council approval; maximum total validity is two years.)

    “Such application shall be made in triplicate and filed with the Clerk-Treasurer upon forms to be provided by the Clerk-Treasurer, with the fee as hereinafter provided, together with diagrams, maps, sketches or blueprints showing the nature of the proposed improvements. Before filing any such application, the applicant must make showing to the Clerk-Treasurer that his or her proposed construction has first been approved and a permit issued for such contemplated construction by the County Planning and Zoning Commission, if the planning and zoning laws so require; and until such permit is obtained from such Planning and Zoning Commission, no such application may be filed.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Town of Brookville or Franklin County directly.

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder work inside Brookville town limits.
  • Certificate of occupancy — Occupancy of buildings inside Brookville town limits.
  • Minimum lot size — Minimum lot size inside Brookville town limits.
  • Setbacks — Building setbacks inside Brookville town limits.
  • Lot coverage — Lot coverage inside Brookville town limits.
14 more unanswered
  • Building height
  • Living in an RV
  • Camping on your land
  • Tiny homes
  • Manufactured homes
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Who permits septic
  • Septic permit
  • Septic inspection
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • Mandatory utility hookup
  • 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 Town of Brookville publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Franklin County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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