Building permits, zoning and septic rules in Henry County, Indiana

Unincorporated Henry County requires an owner or agent to obtain a building permit before constructing, enlarging, altering or moving a structure¹. The statewide 2020 Indiana Residential Code applies to covered one- and two-family dwellings and townhouses in Henry County; other covered construction falls under Indiana’s building-code rules⁵. Henry County requires plot plans for additions, new structures, roofline alterations and other exterior remodeling⁶. Indiana’s agricultural exemption concerns the state Class 1 design-release requirement for qualifying farm-use buildings; we could not confirm a Henry County exemption from local building or zoning requirements, so ask Planning & Zoning before relying on it⁷.

Henry County’s Planning & Zoning Department handles county building and zoning applications at 1201 Race Street, New Castle, IN 47362; call (765) 529-7408⁶. Bring a plot plan for a new structure, addition, roofline alteration or other exterior remodeling⁶. A complete and accurate application can take up to 10 days from acceptance to permit issuance⁶. The building application packet directs applicants to Henry County Health Department’s Environmental Health Division for septic installation and Henry County Highway Department for a driveway permit on a county road⁶. Ask Planning & Zoning which building and zoning authority serves the parcel before applying, especially inside municipal limits.

Henry County has a Development Code administered by its Planning Commission, with zoning districts and district-specific minimum lot sizes¹. The county guidance here concerns unincorporated land; we could not confirm the complete boundary between county and municipal zoning authority. Ask Henry County Planning & Zoning which jurisdiction and district govern the parcel, then request the applicable setbacks, lot size and permitted uses⁶. We could not confirm Henry County’s rules for RV residence, tiny-home occupancy, accessory dwellings, minimum dwelling size, building height or lot coverage. Describe the proposed dwelling and use to Planning & Zoning before buying⁶.

Henry County requires septic permits through the Henry County Health Department, which also inspects and approves onsite sewage systems². Submit a soil test and application; the department prepares the Technical Specification Data Sheet within 48 hours after receiving both². A contractor must submit a system plan before the onsite evaluation; a compliant plan receives a septic permit, and the department conducts the final inspection². Published septic fees are $225 for new construction, $200 for replacement or expansion, $75 for component repair or replacement, $50 to connect to an existing system and $200 for commercial projects; conflicting renewal fees require confirmation with the Health Department⁸. Inside Shirley, where public sewer is unavailable, private sewage construction also requires notification through the Superintendent and Town Council permission; county health requirements still apply⁹. Henry County’s soil survey rates 0% of mapped land as free of severe limitations for conventional drain fields, making the parcel-specific soil test essential⁴.

We could not confirm a Henry County rule that generally allows long-term RV residence or tiny-home occupancy on private land. Henry County does have zoning districts under its Development Code, so the Planning & Zoning Department should confirm the permitted use and dimensional rules for the specific parcel¹. Indiana's campground rule addresses RV occupancy at regulated campground campsites, not residential occupancy on an individually deeded lot, so it does not answer whether you may live in an RV on your own Henry County land¹⁰. Before buying for either use, describe the structure, foundation, utilities, duration of occupancy and parcel location to Planning & Zoning at (765) 529-7408⁶. Ask the Health Department separately how the proposed dwelling will satisfy sewage requirements².

1. Ask Henry County Planning & Zoning to confirm the parcel's governing jurisdiction, zoning district, proposed use, setbacks and lot standards¹.

1. Order the required soil test and submit it with the septic application to Henry County Health Department².

1. Have the septic contractor submit a system plan, complete the onsite evaluation, obtain the septic permit and arrange the final inspection².

1. Obtain a Henry County Highway Department permit for a new or modified driveway on a county road; an approach on a state highway instead requires permission through INDOT's permit system^11,12.

1. Submit the county building and zoning application with a plot plan for new construction or exterior remodeling; a complete, accurate application may take up to 10 days for permit issuance⁶.

1. If the site is in a floodway, determine whether Indiana DNR approval is required before construction¹³.

Make septic feasibility a purchase contingency: 0% of Henry County's mapped soils are rated free of severe limitations for a conventional drain field, but only a parcel-specific soil test can determine a workable design⁴. Identify whether access is from a county road or state highway because separate driveway authorities apply^11,12. Check flood maps as well: Indiana DNR oversees most floodway development, while flood-fringe work has no state permit but may still require local approval¹³. Henry County's effective property-tax rate is about 0.7%, with a median yearly bill near $1,050⁴. Typical home insurance is about $1,529 per year⁴. The land is largely gentle: 98.9% is at a slope of 15% or less, while 12.4% is wooded⁴. The nearest city of 100,000 or more is about 31 miles from the county center⁴.