Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Village of Winston, Missouri

Rules another office applies inside Village of Winston

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

• Septic permitRequired

  Construction, major modification, or major repair of an onsite sewage disposal system inside Winston village limits, subject to the statutory exception.

  • Except as otherwise provided in RSMo 701.031.
  • Before work, the person must notify the city, county, or department; complete the department form; submit the fee established by that authority; and obtain a construction permit.
  • The current statutory version is effective August 28, 2026.

  “no person may, [...] construct or make a major modification or major repair to an on-site sewage disposal system without [...] obtaining a construction permit.”

• Septic inspectionNot required

  An onsite wastewater system inspection or evaluation before a real-estate transaction involving land inside Winston village limits.

  • This is the state-level rule for real-estate transactions.
  • If a lender or buyer requests an inspection or evaluation, it must be performed by a licensed individual.
  • A county may impose an inspection or evaluation requirement for every real-estate transaction; no official source was located establishing such a Winston-specific requirement.

  “No. [...] Some counties may require an onsite system inspection/evaluation for every real estate transaction. Check with the local permitting authority.”

• Well permitLimited

  Construction of a water well serving land inside Winston village limits.

  • A driller or pump installer who charges for the work must hold a permit.
  • A landowner drilling their own well or installing their own pump is exempt from the permit requirement but must comply with the other rules.

  “Well drillers and pump installers who charge for their services must have a permit to construct a well. [...] Landowners [...] are exempt from permit requirements”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Village of Winston or Daviess County directly.

• Building permit — Residential construction inside Winston village limits.
• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built dwellings inside Winston village limits.
• Building code adopted — Building-code adoption for construction inside Winston village limits.
• Inspections — Residential building inspections inside Winston village limits.
• Certificate of occupancy — New or altered dwellings inside Winston village limits.

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.