Unincorporated Hendricks County, Indiana requires a building permit for new construction, issued by the county Planning & Building Department1. County zoning and subdivision rules apply in unincorporated areas2, while the Hendricks County Health Department permits and inspects residential septic systems34.
At a glance
- Building permit
- Required for new construction; issued by the Planning & Building Department1
- Zoning
- Yes — county zoning and subdivision ordinances apply in unincorporated areas2
- Septic permits
- Required for homes not connected to sewer; handled by the county Health Department5
- Owner-builder exemption
- Not confirmed on county sources — ask the Planning & Building Department directly6
- Driveway/road-cut permit
- Required from the county Highway Department for county roads (new process since June 1, 2023)7
- Ag buildings
- Exempt from state Class 1 design-release review, but local zoning and inspection can still apply8
- Floodway construction
- DNR Division of Water permit required for most floodway development statewide9
Who to call
Building permits
Hendricks County Planning & Building Department
Building and improvement location permits, plan review and inspections; also floodplain management, zoning enforcement, subdivision review and addressing for unincorporated Hendricks County
355 S Washington St #G80, Danville, IN 46122
Septic permits
Hendricks County Health Department (Environmental Health)
Onsite sewage (septic) system permits, plan review and inspections under 410 IAC 6-8.3
355 S Washington St #G40, Danville, IN 46122
Roads & driveways
Hendricks County Highway Department
Driveway and cut permits for county roads; driveways onto a state highway instead need an INDOT permit
930 E Main St, Danville, IN 46122
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 Hendricks County, Indiana?
Yes. Hendricks County requires a permit before you build, issued by the county Planning & Building Department, which enforces the Indiana State Building Code1. The Building division reviews plans and issues improvement location and building permits for eligible construction10. The currently effective codes are the 2014 Indiana Building Code and the 2020 Indiana Residential Code; the residential code applies to one- and two-family dwellings11. Local jurisdictions may establish permit and inspection procedures, so the county department is the first stop for a project in unincorporated Hendricks County12. We could not confirm an owner-builder exemption; ask the Planning & Building Department before assuming that doing your own work removes any permit requirement6.
Who is the Hendricks County building department, and how do you reach them?
The Hendricks County Planning & Building Department, at 355 S Washington St #G80 in Danville, handles building permits and planning matters for unincorporated areas10. Call (317) 745-9255 with permit questions or use the department's online portal10. The Planning division also handles floodplain management, zoning enforcement, subdivision and development-plan engineering inspections, and addressing, making it the first county contact for a floodplain determination or address assignment10. Ask the department for the current application sequence and fees, which we could not confirm.
Does Hendricks County have zoning?
Yes. The Hendricks County Area Plan Commission administers the county Zoning Ordinance and Subdivision Control Ordinance in unincorporated areas2. The zoning ordinance establishes districts and development standards, while the subdivision ordinance regulates how land is divided for development10. We could not confirm district-specific minimum lot sizes, setbacks, building heights, or rules for RVs and tiny homes, so get the parcel's zoning district and applicable standards from the Planning & Building Department before relying on a listing description. A subdivision outside a municipality requires a recorded plat prepared by a registered land surveyor and approved through the applicable county process before lots are sold13.
How do septic permits work in Hendricks County?
The Hendricks County Health Department's Environmental Health division administers residential onsite-sewage permits, with certain approvals reserved to the state3. A written septic construction permit is required before building or placing a residence that will not connect to sanitary sewer, and the application must include a soils evaluation and compliant system plans5. The permittee must arrange a final inspection before subsurface components are covered; if the local board has not published another procedure, notice is due at least 48 hours or two working days beforehand4. Only 0.6% of county soils rate as free of severe limits for a conventional drain field, so verify a workable design before treating a lot as buildable14. A dwelling without sewer must use a permitted system with a septic tank and soil absorption system; the rule does not authorize unrestricted off-grid sanitation15. Ask Environmental Health whether a separate well permit applies16.
Can you live in an RV or tiny home on your land in Hendricks County?
We could not confirm a Hendricks County rule allowing long-term RV living or tiny-home occupancy on a private parcel. County zoning applies in unincorporated areas, so ask the Planning & Building Department whether the proposed use and structure are allowed in the parcel's district before buying or moving anything onsite2. Indiana's campground rules concern regulated campgrounds, not residential occupancy on an individually deeded lot, and therefore do not answer the private-land question17. A dwelling that cannot connect to sanitary sewer still must have a compliant residential onsite system with a septic tank and soil absorption system; an RV or tiny-home plan is not a route around sanitation permitting15.
What are the steps to build a home in Hendricks County, in order?
- Ask the Planning & Building Department to confirm the parcel's zoning district, allowed use, setbacks, and floodplain status10.
- If land must be divided, have a registered land surveyor prepare the plat and complete the applicable county approval before lots are sold13.
- Obtain a soils evaluation and apply to the Hendricks County Health Department for the required septic construction permit before building a residence that will not connect to sewer5.
- Ask Environmental Health whether a separate well permit is required before drilling16.
- Submit plans to the Planning & Building Department for the required improvement-location and building permits under the applicable Indiana codes111.
- Obtain DNR approval before regulated work in a floodway; a new permanent residence cannot be erected in a floodway18.
- Arrange the septic inspection before covering subsurface work, and coordinate required building inspections with the county419.
- Ask the Highway Department about county-road access; a state-highway connection requires permission from INDOT720.
What should you check before you buy land in Hendricks County?
Get the zoning district, allowed use, and floodplain status confirmed by the Planning & Building Department before closing10. Verify septic feasibility early: only 0.6% of county soils rate as free of severe limits for a conventional drain field, and a permit application requires an onsite soils evaluation and compliant plans145. Hendricks County is largely gentle terrain, with 97.9% of land at a slope of 15% or less, but easy grading does not establish septic suitability21. The county has 458.1 people per square mile, and the nearest city of 100,000 or more is about 20 miles from the county center2223. Farmland averages about $9,052 per acre, while the median property-tax bill is $2,344 per year at an effective rate of 0.8%242526. DNR approval is required before regulated floodway work, and a permanent residence may not be erected in a floodway18.
Watch-outs
- The Hendricks County Highway Department put a new cut-permit and driveway-permit process in place effective June 1, 2023 — confirm current forms and fees with them before assuming an old process applies7.
- We could not confirm an owner-builder exemption or a specific RV/tiny-home occupancy rule; ask the Planning & Building Department about both before committing to a project62.
- A dwelling without sanitary sewer must have a permitted septic tank and soil absorption system, so an off-grid plan still needs Health Department review15.
Sources
- Hendricks County - Planning & Building (2026 county census)
- Hendricks County - Planning Ordinances (2026 county census)
- Indiana Register: 410 IAC 6-8.3-53 Construction permits, quoted and re-checked
- Indiana Register: 410 IAC 6-8.3-53 Construction permits, quoted and re-checked
- Indiana Register: 410 IAC 6-8.3-53 Construction permits, quoted and re-checked
- (2026 county census)
- Hendricks County Highway Department (co.hendricks.in.us)
- Plan Review FAQs (Indiana statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
- Water: Community Assistance & Information (Indiana statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
- Hendricks County Planning & Building Department (co.hendricks.in.us)
- DHS: Rules of the Indiana Fire Prevention and Building Safety Commission, quoted and re-checked
- DHS: Boards and Commissions (Indiana statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
- 2023 County Recorders Resource Library (Indiana statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
- Share of soils without severe limits for a conventional septic drain field (USDA SSURGO): Bolthole Index county data
- Indiana Register: 410 IAC 6-8.3-53 Construction permits, quoted and re-checked
- Recommended Standards For Private Water Wells (Indiana statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
- Environmental Public Health: 410 IAC 6-71 Campgrounds (Indiana statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
- Water: Regulatory Programs, quoted and re-checked
- DHS: Code Enforcement (Indiana statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
- INDOT Driveway Permit Guide 2024 (Indiana statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
- Share of land at 15% slope or less: Bolthole Index county data
- Population density: Bolthole Index county data
- Distance to the nearest metro area: Bolthole Index county data
- Farmland value per acre (USDA census): Bolthole Index county data
- Median property tax bill: Bolthole Index county data
- Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
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.