Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Washington Township, Indiana

Rules another office applies inside Washington Township

Washington Township does not set these itself; the county, a health district or the state does, and they apply to every address inside its limits.

• Building permitRequired

  Construction, alteration, repair or moving of buildings in unincorporated Putnam County, including land inside Washington township, where the county building code applies

  • Construction may proceed only after the county permit is issued.
  • Structures for total agriculture use without electrical use are excluded from the permit requirement.
  • Under § 150.007(c)-(d), permit applications in unincorporated areas are made on county forms and must be accompanied by fees payable to the county planning and building department.
  • Under § 150.006(a), a building permit application must be accompanied by an improvement location permit (ILP).
  • Under § 150.003(c), an individual building a dwelling or appurtenant structure for personal use is exempt from the contractor-listing chapter (see owner-builder claim).

  total value of work threshold for permit: > 1500 USD (excludes structures for total agriculture use without electrical use)

  “a permit shall be obtained before beginning construction, alteration, repair or moving any building or structure, (excluding structures for total agriculture use without electrical use) for which the total value of work is in excess of $1,500”

• Building code adoptedAdopted

  Building construction in unincorporated Putnam County, including land inside Washington township

  • Adoption is by county ordinance (ord. 1999-4-5, passed 4-5-1999; current code shown as 2026 s-6) that incorporates Indiana state building rules by reference, including later amendments.
  • Municipal codes of incorporated towns and the City of Greencastle are not covered by this county chapter.

  “building rules of the indiana fire prevention and building safety commission as set out in the following articles of title 675 of the indiana administrative code are hereby incorporated by reference in this code and shall include later amendments”

• InspectionsRequired

  Permitted construction in unincorporated Putnam County, including land inside Washington township

  • Work must start and receive an approved foundation inspection within three months of permit issuance.
  • Appendix B (general residential building inspections) and § 150.013 inspection text were not captured and may add further inspection requirements.

  foundation inspection deadline after permit issuance: 3 months

  “work must be started and have received an approved foundation inspection within three months of permit issuance.”

• Septic permitRequired

  New, repair or replacement on-site sewage systems on land inside Washington township, Putnam County, Indiana

  • Construction of the system may proceed only after the health department issues the permit.
  • Permit application requires a registered soil evaluation report, house floor plans, recorded deed with legal description, and a copy of the plat, per the packet.

  “no work on any septic system – new or repair – is allowed until a permit has been issued!”

• Septic inspectionRequired

  Septic systems installed on land inside Washington township, Putnam County, Indiana

  • Registered installer must contact the health department two business days before installation starts.
  • The final inspection is conducted by the health department.

  installer notice before installation: >= 2 business days

  “a final inspection conducted by the putnam county health department will be completed and a copy will be provided for the homeowner”

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  Septic permit fees for on-site sewage systems on land inside Washington township, Putnam County, Indiana

  • Fee shown is for a new system; the packet lists other fees, including $225 for repair and remodel and $10 to $50 for smaller replacement and resubmittal items.
  • Building permit fees in Chapter 150 Appendix A were not captured.

  new septic system permit application fee: 225 USD (other permit types have lower or higher fees listed on the application form)

  “a permit application must be completed and returned to the putnam county health department along with a check for $225.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Washington Township or Putnam County directly.

• Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy for new buildings in unincorporated Putnam County, including land inside Washington township
• Local zoning — Zoning on land inside Washington township, Putnam County, Indiana
• Zoning districts — Zoning district map and list for unincorporated Putnam County, including land inside Washington township
• Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size in the single-family residential district in unincorporated Putnam County, including land inside Washington township
• Minimum lot size — Minimum lot area in the single-family residential and agricultural districts in unincorporated Putnam County, including land inside Washington township

Each answer was extracted from an official source and independently re-checked against that source by a second reviewer. That is an evidence check, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with the authority before you buy or build.