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

Yes. Unincorporated Montgomery County requires building permits for construction, alteration, repair, location and use of buildings and structures covered by its ordinance¹. Listed exemptions include portable buildings without electricity, nonstructural roofing, siding or window work, redecorating, portable agricultural buildings without electricity, and non-electrical projects valued under $2,000¹. For a one- or two-family dwelling the county schedule lists a $150.00 base rate plus $0.10 per square foot of living space, and a building permit is capped at $30,000.00¹. Building permits are valid for one year; reissuing one after that costs $20¹. Inside Crawfordsville, the city runs a separate building permit process for new homes, additions, remodels, pools, sheds, porches, decks and fences⁵. A home on a lot without sewer also needs a septic permit first, because the Health Department will not release a building permit without one⁴. Indiana's residential code applies statewide to Class 2 structures and their accessory structures¹⁰.

The Montgomery County Building/Zoning Department issues building permits for construction, demolitions and electrical inspections across most of the county². The office is at 1580 Constitution Row, Suite E, Crawfordsville, IN 47933, and its phone is 765-364-6490². The department also issues new addresses and reviews rezoning applications for the Plan Commission and Board of Zoning Appeals². Its building permits do not cover Crawfordsville or the city's two-mile jurisdiction, so establish jurisdiction before applying². In Crawfordsville, applicants submit an application, construction plans, a site plan and a subcontractor list, then schedule required inspections directly with the City Building Inspector⁵. Septic permits stay with the county Health Department wherever the address, and the county office's fee schedule also lists stormwater, floodplain, electrical and demolition charges^1,6.

Yes. Outside Crawfordsville and its two-mile jurisdiction, the Montgomery County Building/Zoning Department administers county zoning, including rezoning and variance applications for the Plan Commission and Board of Zoning Appeals². The county publishes a 2025 zoning ordinance and a permitted use table on its Building/Zoning page². Inside Crawfordsville, the city's Unified Development Ordinance, effective July 1, 2026, is enforced by the city's Zoning Administrator, and the city issues its own zoning permits³. Subdivision of land outside Crawfordsville is also regulated through the county department². We could not confirm a county rule for minimum dwelling size, setbacks, lot coverage, building height or minimum lot size, because those depend on the zoning district. Give the county or city office the parcel address and ask for the zoning district, permitted uses and dimensional standards before designing a home or outbuilding².

The Montgomery County Health Department permits and reviews onsite sewage systems, including new systems, repairs, replacements and qualifying reconnections⁶. The process requires a soil test, county site assessment, house site plan and floor plan before permit release; installation must use a county-certified installer⁴. Residential new, replacement or repair permits cost $200 and remain valid for one year⁴. Contact the Health Department at 1580 Constitution Row, Suite G, Crawfordsville, IN 47933, (765) 364-6440, or health.reception@montgomerycounty.in.gov¹¹. Only about 1.9% of county soils are rated without severe limitations for a conventional drain field, so settle feasibility before fixing the house location¹². Keep vehicles, sheds and driveways out of the infiltration area¹³.

We could not confirm Montgomery County's rule for long-term RV occupancy, temporary camping or a tiny home used as a dwelling. Indiana's cited RV provisions govern regulated campgrounds and do not answer whether someone may live in an RV on an individually owned parcel¹⁴. Manufactured homes are recognized as dwellings in Indiana, but county and municipal authorities retain zoning and building-code jurisdiction¹⁵. Before buying land or moving a unit, give the Montgomery County Building/Zoning Department the parcel number and ask about the zoning district, allowed residential use, foundation and utility requirements, setbacks, minimum dwelling size and time limits². Also ask the Health Department how the proposed dwelling will satisfy wastewater requirements, because a dwelling without sanitary sewer must use an onsite sewage system⁴.

1. Confirm whether the parcel falls under Montgomery County or within Crawfordsville and its two-mile jurisdiction².
2. Ask the appropriate zoning office for the district, allowed use, setbacks and required location approval^2,3.
3. If sanitary sewer is unavailable, complete the soil test and Health Department site assessment, then obtain the septic permit before the building permit⁴.
4. Apply for the building permit; Crawfordsville applications require construction plans, a site plan and a subcontractor list⁵.
5. Confirm inspections with the issuing office; local government handles inspections for one- and two-family dwellings, and Crawfordsville applicants schedule directly with the City Building Inspector^5,16.
6. Complete final approvals; Crawfordsville prohibits use or occupancy until final inspection and issuance of a certificate of occupancy⁵.

Confirm jurisdiction and zoning first because the county office excludes Crawfordsville and its two-mile jurisdiction². Test the septic path early because only about 1.9% of county soils are rated without severe limitations for a conventional drain field¹². Check flood mapping and grading with Building/Zoning; development in a state-regulated floodway needs Indiana DNR approval before work begins, and the county fee schedule lists a $100 floodplain permit^1,17. Verify road ownership because an entrance on a state highway needs INDOT permission¹⁸. Ask the Health Department whether Montgomery County requires a residential well permit⁸. High-capacity wells generally need no state permit outside Indiana's Great Lakes Basin, but a facility capable of at least 100,000 gallons per day must be registered with DNR within three months after completion⁹.