Harrison County, Indiana requires an Improvement Location Permit before construction, alterations or additions begin1. The Harrison County Plan Commission administers permits, zoning and building inspections, while Environmental Health issues residential septic permits23.
At a glance
- Building permit
- Required before construction, alterations or additions begin1
- Building code
- Harrison County adopted Building Code Ordinance No. 2021-34
- Zoning
- Yes; district standards govern lots, setbacks, coverage and height56789
- Septic permit
- Required for new residential systems and repairs through Environmental Health3
- Manufactured home
- Permit and safety inspection required; permanent residences must have at least 320 square feet1011
- RV living
- Countywide rules outside regulated campgrounds could not be confirmed; ask the Plan Commission122
- Owner-builder
- No building-permit exemption was confirmed; homeowner septic installation is a separate option1314
- County-road driveway
- A permit is required and the driveway permit fee is $015
Who to call
Planning & zoning
Harrison County Plan Commission
Improvement location permits, building inspections, certificates of occupancy, zoning requests, subdivisions, addresses and sign permits
245 Atwood St. NE, Suite 215, Corydon IN 47112
Septic permits
Harrison County Health Department, Environmental Health
Residential septic-system permitting and inspection questions
241 Atwood Street, Corydon, Indiana
Septic permits
Harrison County Health Department — Septic Systems
Septic applications, inspections, fee information and installer resources
Septic permits
Harrison County Health Department — Homeowner Installation
Explains the exam required for a person who wants to install their own septic system
Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on September 29, 2026.
Do you need a building permit in Harrison County, Indiana?
Yes. Harrison County requires an Improvement Location Permit before construction, alterations or additions begin, and a sewage-disposal permit and road cut-in permit may be prerequisites1. Harrison County also adopted Building Code Ordinance No. 2021-3, which the state commission approved in 20214. Applicants must complete the building-permit application and submit it to the Planner's Office, which provides an online permit portal and plan-review checklist162. The available county material does not establish that the same authority serves every incorporated municipality, so confirm jurisdiction with the Plan Commission before filing4.
Who handles Harrison County building permits and inspections?
The Harrison County Plan Commission handles Improvement Location Permits, building inspections, certificates of occupancy, zoning requests, subdivisions, address issuance and sign permits2. The office is at 245 Atwood St. NE, Suite 215, Corydon, and the phone number is (812) 738-89272. Permit applications can be submitted through the county's online Permit Management Portal2. Harrison County requires building inspections, and a manufactured or mobile home used as a residence must pass an inspection of its electrical, heating and plumbing systems before residential use17. The complete certificate-of-occupancy requirement and current county building-permit fees could not be confirmed; ask the Plan Commission when discussing the permit sequence2.
Does Harrison County, Indiana have zoning?
Yes. Harrison County has mapped zoning districts, and the Plan Commission processes rezoning, variance and special-exception requests52. Minimum lot size, setbacks, lot coverage and building height all vary by zoning district, with additional conditions tied to such details as lot type, right-of-way width, subdivision lines, septic service and proposed use6789. Public wastewater can change residential minimum-lot standards, and major subdivisions must use public water18. Land divisions also follow different procedures for major, minor, private and exempt subdivisions19. Ask the Plan Commission to confirm the parcel's mapped district and dimensional table before choosing a building site52.
How do septic permits work in Harrison County?
Harrison County Environmental Health requires a permit for new residential septic construction and repairs3. The department needs the owner's contact information, soil report, completed application and a flagged site, and a severe site problem can prevent issuance3. New-construction permits cost $150 and repair permits cost $503. County personnel inspect residential septic sites before construction and after installation, while commercial sites require state approval2021. Only about 14.8% of Harrison County soils are rated without severe limitations for a conventional drain field, so settle septic feasibility before fixing the house location22. A homeowner may install a septic system after passing the county installer exam, but that does not establish an exemption from the building permit1413.
Can you live in an RV or tiny home in Harrison County?
Harrison County's complete countywide rule for living in an RV on an individually owned parcel could not be confirmed; Indiana's campground rule does not answer residential occupancy on individually deeded land12. A manufactured or mobile home may be placed only in a district that permits a dwelling, requires an Improvement Location Permit, and must be inspected before residential use10. A manufactured or mobile home with less than 320 square feet of living space cannot serve as a permanent residence in any Harrison County zoning district23. That threshold does not establish a general minimum size or complete occupancy rule for every tiny-home type, so give the Plan Commission the parcel, unit type, foundation and proposed use before purchase232.
Building a home in Harrison County: the steps, in order
- Ask the Plan Commission to confirm the zoning district, permitted dwelling type, dimensional standards and permitting jurisdiction562.
- Secure the soil report and residential septic permit from Environmental Health before relying on a house location3.
- Submit the Improvement Location Permit application and plan-review materials through the county portal before work begins1162.
- Obtain the road cut-in approval for the road authority: the county requires a driveway permit for county-road access, while INDOT handles state-highway connections1524.
What should you check before buying land in Harrison County?
Start with the parcel's zoning district, minimum lot size, setbacks, coverage limit and height limit because Harrison County varies each standard by district56789. Check septic feasibility early because only about 14.8% of county soils are rated without severe limitations for a conventional drain field22. Confirm whether the tract is in a special flood-hazard area, where a county Floodplain Development Permit is required before development begins25. Verify legal access and the correct road authority because county roads require a county driveway permit and state highways require INDOT permission1524. Ask Environmental Health whether the parcel needs a private-well permit because the available statewide source does not identify Harrison County's local rule2728.
Watch-outs
- A manufactured or mobile home cannot be used as a residence until its electrical, heating and plumbing systems have been inspected11.
- Major subdivisions must have public water, while wastewater service can change residential lot-size requirements18.
- Harrison County building-permit fees, the complete certificate-of-occupancy requirement and the general tiny-home rule could not be confirmed; ask the Plan Commission before committing to a design2.
Sources
- Harrison County Zoning Ordinance Amended 9/15/2025, quoted and re-checked
- Harrison County Plan Commission (in.gov)
- How to get a septic permit, quoted and re-checked
- Indiana Fire Prevention and Building Safety Commission Meeting Minutes, quoted and re-checked
- Harrison County Planning Commission, quoted and re-checked
- Harrison County Zoning Ordinance Amended 9/15/2025, quoted and re-checked
- Harrison County Zoning Ordinance Amended 9/15/2025, quoted and re-checked
- Harrison County Zoning Ordinance Amended 9/15/2025, quoted and re-checked
- Harrison County Zoning Ordinance Amended 9/15/2025, quoted and re-checked
- Harrison County Zoning Ordinance Amended 9/15/2025, quoted and re-checked
- Harrison County Zoning Ordinance Amended 9/15/2025, quoted and re-checked
- Environmental Public Health: 410 IAC 6-71 Campgrounds (Indiana statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
- (2026 county census)
- Harrison County Health Department — Homeowner Installation (in.gov)
- Harrison County Zoning Ordinance Amended 9/15/2025, quoted and re-checked
- Harrison County Building Permits, quoted and re-checked
- Harrison County Planning Commission, quoted and re-checked
- Harrison County Zoning Ordinance Amended 9/15/2025, quoted and re-checked
- Harrison County Subdivision Ordinance, quoted and re-checked
- Harrison County Environmental Health: Septic Systems, quoted and re-checked
- Harrison County Environmental Health: Septic Systems, quoted and re-checked
- Share of soils without severe limits for a conventional septic drain field (USDA SSURGO): Bolthole Index county data
- Harrison County Zoning Ordinance Amended 9/15/2025, quoted and re-checked
- INDOT Driveway Permit Guide 2024 (Indiana statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
- Harrison County Zoning Ordinance Amended 9/15/2025, quoted and re-checked
- Water: Community Assistance & Information (Indiana statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
- Recommended Standards For Private Water Wells (Indiana statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
- Harrison County Health Department, Environmental Health (in.gov)
Written September 29, 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.