Richland Township, in Monroe County, requires approval for covered construction: start with county Planning for an Improvement Location Permit, then apply to the county Building Department.12 Monroe County zoning applies outside Bloomington and Ellettsville, while the Monroe County Health Department handles septic systems.34
At a glance
- Building approval
- Improvement Location Permit first, then the building application12
- Zoning
- Monroe County administers zoning outside Bloomington and Ellettsville3
- Septic permit
- Required before installing, altering, repairing or adding to a private system5
- RV living
- The county treats RVs as temporary living quarters in its zoning jurisdiction6
- Accessory dwelling
- Allowed with district standards; an RV cannot be a detached accessory dwelling7
- Owner-builder
- No explicit owner-builder exemption confirmed; ask the Building Department8
- County-road driveway
- A county driveway permit is required9
Who to call
Planning & zoning
Monroe County Planning Department
Zoning, subdivision review and Improvement Location Permits in Monroe County's jurisdiction within Richland Township
501 N Morton St, Suite 224, Bloomington, IN 47404
Building permits
Monroe County Building Department
Building applications, code enforcement and construction inspections throughout Monroe County
501 N Morton St, Suite 220, Bloomington, IN 47404
Septic permits
Monroe County Health Department - Wastewater Section
Septic permits for new, repair, replacement, renewal and commercial onsite sewage systems
119 W 7th St, Bloomington, IN 47404
Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 9, 2026.
Off-grid gear
Going off-grid in Richland Township means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:
- Water Crystal Quest Filter any source — well, rain, or creek — to drinking-clean.
- Power Bluetti Solar generators and home battery backup for living off the grid.
- Septic Soil percolation test kit Run your own perc test before paying an engineer — the first thing a septic office asks about.
- Water Well water test kit Bacteria, nitrates, hardness — know what the well on a parcel is really pumping.
These are affiliate links — we may earn a commission, at no cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, Bolthole Index earns from qualifying purchases.
Do you need a building permit in Richland Township, Indiana?
Covered work in Richland Township needs county approval before construction. An Improvement Location Permit is required before constructing, moving, enlarging, demolishing or structurally altering a building, connecting a structure to public water or sewage disposal, or locating a mobile home; listed exemptions cover some routine maintenance and small structures.1
For residential projects, complete the Improvement Location Permit process with Monroe County Planning before applying to the Building Department.2 The Building Department enforces adopted Indiana building codes throughout Monroe County and conducts construction inspections.10 A final inspection is required before moving in, and the certificate of occupancy follows successful final inspections.11
Who handles building permits and zoning in Richland Township?
Monroe County divides the work between Planning and Building. The Planning Department handles land-use policy and the Improvement Location Permit step; the Building Department handles building applications, code enforcement and inspections.1210
The county Planning Office administers zoning and subdivision requirements in the parts of Richland Township outside the Town of Ellettsville and City of Bloomington.3 Land inside either municipality follows that municipality's land-use process, but the county Building Department states that it enforces adopted Indiana building codes throughout Monroe County.310 Contact Planning with the parcel address before designing the site, because jurisdiction and the parcel's mapped district determine which land-use standards apply.13
Does Richland Township have zoning, and what does it mean for RVs and ADUs?
Monroe County zoning applies to unincorporated Richland Township, with uses and dimensions varying by the parcel's mapped district.313 In the RES district, the local-road front setback is 25 feet, the side setback is 10 feet and the rear setback is 20 feet; overlays and other standards can be stricter.14 In the AGR district, those dimensions are 25 feet, 15 feet and 35 feet.15
Accessory dwelling units are allowed with standards, but an Improvement Location Permit is required and an RV cannot serve as a detached accessory dwelling unit.7 In the county zoning jurisdiction, an RV is temporary living space, cannot be permanently connected to utilities and should not stay more than 180 days except for storage.6 We could not confirm a general tiny-home rule or minimum dwelling size, so ask Planning how the proposed home is classified in the parcel's district.12
How do septic permits work inside Richland Township?
The Monroe County Health Department administers septic work inside Richland Township.4 A Health Department permit is required before installing, altering, repairing or adding to a private sewage disposal system or privy.5 The county's application process also requires a soil report when a septic field is added or modified.16
Published fees are $250 for a new septic permit and $150 for a repair permit, although the county says fees may change.5 Only 22% of Monroe County soils are rated without severe limits for a conventional septic drain field, so evaluate soils before fixing the house location.17 The applicant or installer must give the Health Department 48 hours' notice before the final septic inspection, and underground work generally must remain uncovered until inspection.18
Building a home in Richland Township: what are the steps?
Use the county's approval order to avoid redesign and delay:
- Ask Planning to confirm whether Monroe County, Ellettsville or Bloomington controls land use at the address and identify the mapped zoning district.312
- Complete the county's residential pre-design and Improvement Location Permit process before the building application.2
- For onsite sewage, obtain the soil work and septic permit from the Health Department.5
- Obtain a driveway permit for access to a county road, or meet the requirements of the agency controlling another public road.9
- Apply to the Building Department and schedule the required inspections.1019
- Complete the final inspection before occupying the home.11
What should you check before buying land in Richland Township?
Start with jurisdiction and zoning: Richland Township includes land outside Monroe County Planning's jurisdiction, and district standards control uses, setbacks, height and lot coverage on county-governed land.313 Confirm legal access as well, because a driveway onto a county road needs a county driveway permit and another public-road authority may impose its own requirements.9
Check the proposed building area for flood hazards; development in a special flood-hazard area requires a Floodplain Development Permit before work begins.20 Arrange early soil evaluation for onsite sewage because only 22% of Monroe County soils are rated without severe limits for a conventional drain field.17 We could not confirm a township-wide private-well permit rule, so ask the Health Department what applies at the parcel before treating a well as an available water source.21
Watch-outs
- For covered residential work, complete the Improvement Location Permit process before applying to the Monroe County Building Department.2
- Richland Township includes areas where Bloomington or Ellettsville, rather than Monroe County Planning, controls land use.3
- In the county zoning jurisdiction, an RV cannot be permanently connected to utilities and should not remain on a property for more than 180 days except for storage.6
- Floodplain development requires a separate Floodplain Development Permit when the special-flood-hazard rules apply.20
Sources
- Monroe County Development Ordinance (Richland Township), quoted and re-checked
- Monroe County: Planning Department (Richland Township), quoted and re-checked
- Monroe County CDO (Richland Township), quoted and re-checked
- Monroe County Code Chapter 365: Private Sewage Disposal Systems (Richland Township), quoted and re-checked
- Monroe County Code Chapter 365: Private Sewage Disposal Systems (Richland Township), quoted and re-checked
- Adopted Monroe County Development Ordinance, quoted and re-checked
- Adopted Monroe County Development Ordinance (Richland Township), quoted and re-checked
- (2026 county census)
- in.gov (Richland Township), quoted and re-checked
- Monroe County Building Department (in.gov)
- Monroe County Building Department Inspection Schedule (Richland Township), quoted and re-checked
- Monroe County Planning Department (in.gov)
- Monroe County Development Ordinance (Richland Township), quoted and re-checked
- Adopted Monroe County Development Ordinance (Richland Township), quoted and re-checked
- Adopted Monroe County Development Ordinance (Richland Township), quoted and re-checked
- Monroe County Health Department - Wastewater Section (secure.in.gov)
- 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
- Monroe County Code Chapter 365: Private Sewage Disposal Systems (Richland Township), quoted and re-checked
- Monroe County Building Department Inspection Schedule (Richland Township), quoted and re-checked
- Monroe County Development Ordinance, Chapter 825 (Richland Township), quoted and re-checked
- Recommended Standards For Private Water Wells (Indiana statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
Written October 9, 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.