Bolthole Index

Grant County, Indiana

Building permits, zoning and septic in Town of Upland, Indiana

Town of Upland, Indiana requires a building permit from the Building Official before construction begins.1 Upland adopts Grant County zoning regulations by reference.2 Upland’s sewer-connection rules can limit private septic use; septic permits inside town limits come from Grant County Health Department.345

At a glance

Building permits
Required before construction; apply to the Building Official1
Zoning
Town adopts Grant County zoning regulations and amendments2
Septic permits
Grant County Health Department; new-system permit fee $15056
Town sewer
Connection required after official notice for qualifying properties with public sewer within 300 feet of the property line3
Inspections
All construction is subject to periodic Building Official inspections7
Move-in approval
Full, partial or temporary certificate of occupancy required8

Who to call

Building permits

Town of Upland Town Hall

Town contact for routing building-permit questions to the Building Official

(765) 998-7439

87 N. Main Street Upland, IN 46989

Planning & zoning

Town of Upland Plan Commission

Town planning contact; published variance and plat application resources

(765) 998-7439

87 N. Main Street Upland, IN 46989

Septic permits

Grant County Health Department

Environmental Division contact for septic permits, records and inspections inside Upland

(765) 651-2401

401 S Adams St. | Marion, IN 46953

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

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

Town of Upland requires a valid building permit from the Building Official before construction starts.1 The Upland application calls for scaled plans and specifications, a plot plan unless all work is inside an existing structure, any required state design release, requested supporting information and the adopted fee.9 Upland construction is subject to periodic inspections even when a building permit is not required.7 Occupancy also requires a full, partial or temporary certificate of occupancy from the Building Official.8

Who handles building-permit and zoning questions in Town of Upland?

Start Upland building-permit questions with Town Hall and request the Building Official’s application form and current fee schedule.109 Town Hall’s published phone is (765) 998-7439, with the town address at 87 N. Main Street, Upland, IN 46989.10 Upland’s municipal Plan Commission page provides development-standard variance, use-variance and plat application resources.11 Septic-system work inside Upland remains a separate matter for Grant County Health Department, rather than being covered by a town building permit.56

Does Town of Upland have zoning, and can you live in an RV or tiny home?

Town of Upland adopts Grant County zoning regulations and all amendments by reference; the town’s adoption provision does not reproduce the district standards.2 We could not confirm Upland’s applicable minimum lot size, dwelling size or setback schedule; ask the town Plan Commission to identify the parcel’s district and the standards for your proposed home.11 We also could not confirm residential RV, tiny-home or accessory-dwelling occupancy inside Upland; describe the intended use to town planning before buying.11 A building used for occupancy in Upland requires a full, partial or temporary certificate of occupancy.8

How do sewer connections and septic permits work in Town of Upland?

For Upland properties used for human occupancy or other covered purposes that abut a street, alley or right-of-way containing a town public sewer, connection is required at the owner’s expense within 60 days after official notice when the sewer is within 300 feet of the property line.3 Upland prohibits private sewage-disposal facilities except as provided in its sewer chapter, so establish sewer service and private-system eligibility before planning an off-grid home.4

Where a septic system is used in Upland, Grant County Health Department issues septic permits before construction, replacement, repair or alteration; fees are $150 for new construction, $125 for replacement and $50 for repair.6 Grant County’s septic process requires an application, soil analysis and contractor installation plans, with permit issuance after plan approval.12 Countywide, 0% of surveyed soils receive the strict USDA “not limited” rating for conventional drain fields; that does not make septic impossible, but makes a site evaluation especially important.13

What are the steps for building a home in Town of Upland?

  1. Ask Upland planning to identify the parcel’s zoning district and confirm the proposed use under the zoning regulations the town adopts.211
  2. Establish whether Upland’s sewer-connection requirement applies before designing private sewage disposal.34
  3. For an existing septic system, contact Grant County’s Environmental Division about records; where no record exists, obtain an inspection and submit the results for building-permit review.14
  4. Submit the Building Official’s application with required plans, supporting information and fee, and obtain the Upland building permit before construction.91
  5. Arrange Building Official inspections and obtain a full, partial or temporary certificate of occupancy before moving into the building.78

What should you check before buying land in Town of Upland?

For a proposed land division inside Upland’s applicable planning jurisdiction, a subdivision plat or replat needs Commission approval before recording; an excluded-division application also requires written county Health Department approval of sewage adequacy.15 We could not confirm a Upland-specific residential well-permit requirement; ask Grant County Health Department’s Environmental Division before arranging a well.16 Indiana requires licensed water-well drillers.17 For a driveway connecting to an Indiana state highway, permission comes through INDOT’s Electronic Permit System.18 If the parcel is outside town limits, use the Grant County guide for the county’s unincorporated-area building-permit requirements.19

Watch-outs

  • We could not confirm an owner-builder exemption or Upland building-permit fee amount; ask the Building Official through Town Hall before budgeting or starting work.10
  • Upland’s agricultural exemption concerns state structure classification and design release; it does not establish a blanket exemption from local zoning or inspections.20
  • We could not confirm Upland’s local floodplain-development approval process; ask town planning about the parcel, and remember that most Indiana floodway development is under DNR Division of Water jurisdiction, subject to exemptions.1121

Sources

  1. § 150.08 Building permits; application; certificate of occupancy (Town of Upland), quoted and re-checked
  2. § 153.01 County regulations adopted by reference (Town of Upland), quoted and re-checked
  3. § 50.16 Prohibited acts; connection with public sewer required (Town of Upland), quoted and re-checked
  4. § 50.16 Prohibited acts; connection with public sewer required (Town of Upland), quoted and re-checked
  5. Grant County Environmental Division (Town of Upland), quoted and re-checked
  6. Grant County Health Department FAQs (Town of Upland), quoted and re-checked
  7. § 150.09 Investigations and inspections of construction activities (Town of Upland), quoted and re-checked
  8. § 150.08 Building permits; application; certificate of occupancy (Town of Upland), quoted and re-checked
  9. § 150.08 Building permits; application; certificate of occupancy (Town of Upland), quoted and re-checked
  10. Town of Upland Town Hall (uplandindiana.com)
  11. Town of Upland Plan Commission (uplandindiana.com)
  12. Grant County Health Department Environmental Division FAQs, quoted and re-checked
  13. 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
  14. Grant County Residential Onsite Septic System (Town of Upland), quoted and re-checked
  15. codelibrary.amlegal.com (Town of Upland), quoted and re-checked
  16. Grant County Health Department (in.gov)
  17. Recommended Standards For Private Water Wells (Indiana statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  18. INDOT Driveway Permit Guide 2024 (Indiana statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  19. Grant County Code of Ordinances, quoted and re-checked
  20. Plan Review FAQs (Indiana statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  21. Water: Community Assistance & Information (Indiana statewide rule), 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 Town of Upland

Town of Upland’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    Construction inside Upland town limits.

    • A valid permit must be obtained before construction begins.
    • The application must include required plans, plot plan unless all work is inside an existing structure, any required state design release, additional information, and the adopted fee.
    “Construction is prohibited unless in conformity with a valid building permit obtained from the Building Official prior to commencement of construction.”
  • Building code adoptedAdopted

    Building construction inside Upland town limits.

    • The chapter incorporates material by reference.
    • The code page identifies Ord. 14-2007, passed 12-19-2007.
    “This subchapter and all material included herein by reference shall be known as the “Building Code of Upland, Indiana”.”
  • InspectionsRequired

    All construction inside Upland town limits.

    • Inspections are periodic and may occur before or after completion.
    • The rule applies irrespective of whether a permit has been or is required.
    “All construction shall be subject to periodic inspections by the Building Official, irrespective of whether a building permit has been or is required to be obtained.”
  • Certificate of occupancyRequired

    Occupancy of any building or structure inside Upland town limits.

    • The building must comply with the building subchapter.
    • A full, partial, or temporary certificate may be issued; occupancy is unlawful without one.
    “No certificate of occupancy for any building or structure shall be issued unless such building or structure was constructed in compliance with the provisions of this subchapter. It shall be unlawful to occupy any such building or structure unless a full, partial or temporary certificate of occupancy has been issued by the Building Official.”
  • Local zoningPresent

    Land inside Upland town limits; Upland adopts and incorporates Grant County zoning regulations by reference.

    • The incorporated county zoning regulations and all amendments apply.
    • The town code does not reproduce the county district standards in this section.
    “The town hereby adopts the county’s zoning regulations, and any and all amendments, and incorporates such provisions herein as if set out in full.”
  • Who permits septicCounty

    Septic systems inside Upland town limits are administered by the Grant County Health Department.

    • Grant County Health Department Environmental Division performs site visits, plan reviews, permit issuance, and inspections.
    “Overview residential onsite septic systems - includes: site visits, plan reviews, issuing permits and completing inspections.”
  • Septic permitRequired

    Repairing, replacing, constructing, or otherwise altering a septic system inside Upland town limits when a septic system is used.

    • The permit is issued by the Grant County Health Department.
    • The plumbing portion beyond two feet outside the foundation is treated as part of the septic system.
    • New construction, replacement, and repair have different county fees.

    new construction permit fee: 150 USD · replacement permit fee: 125 USD · repair permit fee: 50 USD

    “You will need a septic permit, issued by the Grant County Health Department, prior to repairing, replacing, constructing, or otherwise altering your septic system. The portion of your plumbing that is 2 feet outside of your foundation is considered part of your septic system; therefore any repair or replacement beyond this point will require a septic permit.”
  • Septic inspectionLimited

    Septic systems inside Upland town limits when no septic-system record is on file and a building permit is sought.

    • If no septic system is on file, the applicant must obtain a septic-system inspection and provide the results.
    • The county Environmental Division also performs septic inspections generally.
    “The Building Department will need a letter from the Environmental Division confirming facts about your septic system before a building permit can be issued. You MUST contact the Environmental Division to inquire if there are any records of a septic system on file. If no septic system is on file with our department, you must obtain a septic system inspection and provide inspection results.”
  • Off-grid sanitationLimited

    Privies, septic tanks, cesspools, and other sewage-disposal facilities inside Upland town limits.

    • The town code states such facilities are unlawful except as provided later in the sewer chapter.
    • Where a public sewer is within 300 feet, direct connection is required after official notice.
    “Except as hereinafter provided, it shall be unlawful to construct or maintain any privy, privy vault, septic tank, cesspool or other facility intended or used for the disposal of sewage.”
  • Mandatory utility hookupSewer (with conditions)

    Human-occupancy, employment, recreation, or other properties inside Upland town limits that abut a street, alley, or right-of-way containing a town public sanitary or combined sewer.

    • Connection is required at the owner’s expense within 60 days after official notice.
    • The public sewer must be within 300 feet of the property line.
    • New construction also requires downstream sewer, lift-station, force-main, treatment-plant, BOD, and suspended-solids capacity.

    connection deadline: 60 days after official notice · maximum sewer distance: <= 300 feet from property line

    “The owner of all houses, buildings or properties used for human occupancy, employment, recreation or other purposes, situated within the town and abutting on any street, alley or right-of-way in which there is now located a public sanitary or combined sewer of the town, is hereby required at his or her expense to install suitable toilet facilities therein, and to connect such facilities directly with the proper public sewer in accordance with the provisions of this chapter, within 60 days after date of official notice to do so; provided that, the public sewer is within 300 feet of the property line.”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Subdivision plats and replats inside the jurisdiction of the Area Plan Commission, including applicable land inside Upland town limits.

    • A plat or replat cannot be recorded until Commission approval is entered in writing on the plat.
    • Excluded-division applications may be available when the division does not adversely affect planning, public health, safety, convenience, or general welfare.
    • An excluded-division application must be filed at least 21 days before the meeting and requires a plot plan and written county Health Department approval of sewage adequacy.

    minimum filing lead time for excluded-division application: >= 21 days

    “No plat or replat of a subdivision of land located within the jurisdiction of the Commission shall be recorded until it shall have been approved by the Commission, and such approval shall have been entered in writing on the plat by the President and Secretary of the Commission”
  • Permit processPublished (with conditions)

    Building permits inside Upland town limits.

    • Submit the Building Official’s form with scaled plans and specifications, a plot plan unless work is entirely inside an existing structure, any required state design release, additional information requested by the Building Official, and the adopted fee.
    • The Building Official issues the permit after a complete application and applicable fee are submitted and the proposal complies with applicable building laws and ordinances.
    “The Building Official shall issue a building permit to a person after the person has submitted a complete application, including any applicable fee; provided that, the proposed construction will conform to all applicable building laws and will not violate any other applicable ordinances or laws.”

Rules another office applies inside Town of Upland

Town of Upland does not set these itself; the county, a health district or the state does, and they apply to every address inside its limits.

  • Agricultural exemptionConditional

    Agricultural-purpose structures in Upland town when the state exemption applies.

    • The structure must be used for an agricultural purpose.
    • It must not be used for another purpose.
    • It must be located on the farm where the agricultural operation occurs.
    • The structure must not be used for retail trade, and a farm-produce stand must not sell retail for more than 8 consecutive months in a calendar year.
    • If the exemption applies, the structure is not a Class 1 structure, does not require a design release, and need not conform to the building code.

    retail farm-produce stand maximum retail period: <= 8 consecutive months in a calendar year

    “If no, the agricultural exemption applies, and the building or structure is not a Class 1 structure, is not required to obtain a design release, and is not required to be constructed in conformance with the building code. If yes, then the agricultural exemption does not apply.”

Still unanswered

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

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption from building permits or inspections inside Upland town limits.
  • Minimum dwelling size — Residential districts inside Upland town limits.
  • Minimum lot size — Residential districts inside Upland town limits.
  • Setbacks — Residential districts inside Upland town limits.
  • Lot coverage — Residential districts inside Upland town limits.
10 more unanswered
  • Building height
  • Living in an RV
  • Camping on your land
  • Tiny homes
  • Manufactured homes
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Well permit
  • Building in a floodplain
  • Short-term rentals
  • Permit fees

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 Upland publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Grant County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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