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

Rules another office applies inside Shelby Township

Shelby 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

  Buildings and structures inside Shelby township under the county building permit process

  • Permit required for any structure 144 square feet or larger, per the county page.
  • No permit is issued without required building plans or pertinent structural drawings.
  • The page does not name Shelby township; applicability inside the township is inferred from county building administration.

  minimum structure size requiring building permit: >= 144 square feet

  “any building or structure that is 144 square feet or larger, requires a building permit.”

• Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

  Building construction inside Shelby township, administered by Ripley County Area Planning & Building (county-adopted building code)

  • The source says the county adopted the building code; it does not name Shelby township, and it does not state an adoption or effective date.
  • Applies only where county building jurisdiction applies; the page does not describe any incorporated-town exclusion.

  “ripley county has, by requirement of the indiana department of homeland security, adopted their building code under ic 36-7-8-3 and ic 36-7-2-9.”

• InspectionsRequired

  Construction inside Shelby township under county building inspections

  • Inspections required for all construction; minimum 24 hour notice required for inspections.
  • Listed inspections include footer/hole, wall, basement or crawl space, underfloor plumbing, perimeter drain, framing and rough-in, second rough-in, and final inspection.
  • Applicability inside Shelby township is inferred from county building administration rather than named on the page.

  “attention! inspections required for all construction. a minimum of 24 hour notice is required on all inspections.”

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

  New construction inside Shelby township permitted through the county building department

  • Certificate of occupancy issues only after all inspections are completed and codes are met.
  • Final inspection requires gutters and handrails in place, driveway culvert, and permanent 911 address in place per county ordinance 1991-3, per the source.

  “all inspections shall be completed and codes met before the certificate of occupancy will be issued.”

• Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

  On-site septic systems for residential construction inside Shelby township

  • Septic applications go to the Ripley County Health Department; the page does not name Shelby township.
  • Installers must be Ripley County registered; soil analysis and house plans are required with the application.

  “you can send these to the ripley county health department either by mailing to our office at p.o. box 745, versailles in 47042, submitting in person at our office, or by email.”

• Septic permitRequired

  Residential septic system for a home inside Shelby township

  • Requires a soil analysis by a soil scientist, a residential septic application with house plans, and a septic design by a Ripley County registered installer.
  • Full street address required; for new construction the driveway permit comes first from the highway department.
  • Permit is signed and paid for in person at the health department office.

  “you must read through, complete, and submit specific information to obtain residential septic permits in ripley county.”

• Driveway accessRequired

  New construction on a lot inside Shelby township

  • Driveway permit comes from the Ripley County Highway Department before a street number is assigned.
  • Driveway culvert required before final inspection per county building page.

  “for new construction, driveway permits are obtained through the ripley county highway department.”

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  Residential septic permit fee for a home inside Shelby township; building and improvement-location permit fees not covered

  • Fee paid in person at pickup; cash or card accepted with a small card fee; personal checks not accepted.
  • Fee schedule for building or improvement-location permits (linked from area planning page) was not opened.

  residential septic permit fee: 100 USD (small additional fee for card payments)

  “when picking up your permit, you will need to pay $100 for the septic permit.”

• Permit processPartial

  Residential septic permit process for a home inside Shelby township

  • Septic process is published in four steps; building permit process is only partly published (plans, inspections, certificate of occupancy).

  “once we contact you with news that your permit is ready, you may come into our office to sign and pay for your permit.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption from permit or licensing inside Shelby township
• Local zoning — Whether Shelby township itself adopts and administers a zoning ordinance
• Zoning districts — Zoning districts mapped for land inside Shelby township
• Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size in the main single-family residential district inside Shelby township
• Minimum lot size — Minimum lot size in the main single-family residential district inside Shelby 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.