Bolthole Index

DeKalb County, Missouri

Building permits, zoning and septic in Colfax Township, Missouri

Colfax Township, Missouri has a township permit provision covering construction and changes in land use; ask the Township Zoning Administrator how the provision applies to your project.1 Unincorporated land in Colfax Township is subject to township zoning.2 In DeKalb County, Missouri DHSS handles qualifying septic construction permits, and Colfax Township also requires its own approval for septic tank installation.34

At a glance

Building permit
Township code requires a permit for construction and changes in land use; confirm project requirements with the Zoning Administrator1
Zoning
Township zoning applies to unincorporated land2
Septic permits
DHSS permitting plus township approval for septic tank installation34
Septic lot size
Township code requires at least 4 acres for a lot with a septic tank system4
Building height
A-1 and A-2: maximum 35 feet for structures requiring a building permit, also subject to the story limit56

Who to call

Building permits

Colfax Township Zoning Administrator

Township construction and land-use permit questions

Zoning

Colfax Township Zoning Administrator — sewage approval

Township septic tank approval and installation notification

Septic permits

Missouri DHSS Onsite Wastewater Treatment Program

Onsite wastewater construction permits for DeKalb County within DHSS jurisdiction

573-751-6095

[email protected]

PO Box 570, Jefferson City, MO 65102-0570

Online permits →

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 12, 2026.

Off-grid gear

Going off-grid in Colfax Township means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

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Do you need a building permit in Colfax Township, Missouri?

Colfax Township’s code states that construction, reconstruction, enlargement, alteration, certain repairs and changes in land use require a permit after the responsible official has been designated.1 Ask the Colfax Township Zoning Administrator for the application, fee schedule and required inspections before committing to a house plan. We could not confirm an adopted building code, a complete application process or an owner-builder exemption for Colfax Township. For land outside the township, consult the DeKalb County guide and identify the applicable local zoning authority; zoning varies across DeKalb County’s townships and municipalities.7

Does Colfax Township have zoning, lot-size and height rules?

Colfax Township zoning applies to unincorporated land, and the official zoning map is maintained by the Township Clerk.2 Ask the Clerk to identify the parcel’s district before selecting a house location. Colfax Township’s published districts include A-1 Agricultural, A-2 Agricultural-Fringe, C-1 General Commercial and I-1 Industrial.8 In A-1 and A-2, buildings and structures requiring a building permit have a maximum height of 35 feet, with an additional limit of two and one-half stories.56 For lots using septic tank systems, the township code requires at least 4 acres; do not treat a possible state septic exemption as permission to ignore township lot requirements.49

How do septic permits work inside Colfax Township?

Missouri DHSS is the listed permitting authority for DeKalb County systems within DHSS jurisdiction.3 Colfax Township separately prohibits septic tank installation without a construction/building permit from the Township Zoning Administrator.4 Notify the Administrator when the septic tank is being installed so the township can make the inspection it considers necessary.4 Township septic lateral lines must be at least 15 feet from the property line.4 Ask DHSS to confirm any residential exemption, and obtain township approval before installation; Missouri says work should not begin until a septic permit has been issued or an exemption confirmed.9

Can you live in an RV or tiny home in Colfax Township?

We could not confirm an operative Colfax Township rule allowing residential RV occupancy, temporary camping or tiny-home occupancy on private land. Ask the Township Zoning Administrator about your proposed dwelling type, duration of occupancy and parcel district before buying an RV or placing a tiny home. Colfax Township has local zoning, so a rural address alone does not establish that the proposed use is allowed.2 Missouri’s onsite wastewater requirements still matter for installation or repair of a system serving the property, subject to a confirmed exemption.9 Ask DHSS about the sanitation plan as well as asking the township about the use.

Building a home in Colfax Township: what comes first?

  1. Ask the Township Clerk to identify the parcel on Colfax Township’s official zoning map.2
  2. Ask the Township Zoning Administrator to confirm the construction and land-use permit requirements for the proposed house.1
  3. Arrange the wastewater review with DHSS and obtain the township’s septic tank approval; do not start septic work until the required permit or exemption is confirmed.34
  4. Check floodplain status before choosing the building site: Missouri requires a permit for development in the floodplain.10
  5. If the driveway will be built or modified on MoDOT right-of-way, obtain the MoDOT driveway permit.11

What should you check before buying land in Colfax Township?

For a Colfax Township lot intended to use a septic tank system, verify the township’s minimum 4-acre lot area before relying on the advertised acreage.4 DeKalb County’s soil data show 0% rated “not limited” for conventional septic drain fields; that county-level rating calls for a site evaluation and may mean an engineered system, rather than proving septic is impossible on a particular lot.12 Ask DHSS about the site and the township about the layout. For a private well, Missouri’s installer permit rules include a landowner exception for installing your own well or pump; construction standards still apply.13 We could not confirm a parcel-specific public water or sewer connection requirement; ask the serving utility before closing.

Watch-outs

  • Colfax Township septic tank approval is separate from the DHSS septic permit process.43
  • Missouri temporarily suspended onsite sewage construction, modification and repair application fees effective August 28, 2026; ask DHSS for the current fee status.14
  • We could not confirm residential RV or tiny-home occupancy rules in Colfax Township, where township zoning applies to unincorporated land; ask the Township Zoning Administrator before planning to live on the parcel.2

Sources

  1. Colfax Township Zoning Administrator (ecode360.com)
  2. Article I: General Provisions - Township of Colfax, MO (Colfax Township), quoted and re-checked
  3. OWTS Construction Permit Process, quoted and re-checked
  4. Colfax Township Zoning Administrator — sewage approval (ecode360.com)
  5. Article II: Zoning District Regulations - Township of Colfax, MO (Colfax Township), quoted and re-checked
  6. Article II: Zoning District Regulations - Township of Colfax, MO (Colfax Township), quoted and re-checked
  7. DeKalb County Commission, quoted and re-checked
  8. Article II: Zoning District Regulations - Township of Colfax, MO (Colfax Township), quoted and re-checked
  9. OWTS Construction Permit Process (Colfax Township), quoted and re-checked
  10. Floodplain Forms (Missouri statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  11. Permits | Missouri Department of Transportation (Missouri statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  12. 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
  13. Water Wells - PUB2945 (Missouri statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  14. OWTS Construction Permit Process (Missouri statewide rule), quoted and re-checked

Written October 12, 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.

Answers from the rulebook for Colfax Township

Colfax Township’s own rules

  • Local zoningPresent

    Unincorporated land inside Colfax Township.

    • The ordinance states that it applies to the unincorporated areas of the Township.
    • An official zoning map is incorporated by reference and maintained by the Township Clerk.
    “This Chapter shall be known and may be cited and referred to as the "Zoning Ordinance of Colfax Township."”
  • Zoning districtsPublished

    Unincorporated areas of Colfax Township.

    • The official zoning map is incorporated by reference and is on file with the Township Clerk.
    • District boundary interpretation rules apply where boundaries are uncertain.
    “The zoning districts shall be known as: "A-1" Agricultural District "A-2" Agricultural-Fringe District "C-1" General Commercial District "I-1" Industrial”
  • Building heightSpecified

    A-1 Agricultural District in Colfax Township.

    • Applies to buildings and structures requiring a building permit.
    • Maximum is also limited to two and one-half stories.

    maximum height: 35 feet (not over two and one-half stories)

    “Height. The maximum height of all buildings/structures requiring a building permit shall be thirty-five (35) feet and not over two and one-half (2 1/2) stories.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic

Rules another office applies inside Colfax Township

Colfax Township 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

    Most onsite wastewater treatment system installation and repair work inside Colfax Township, subject to the permitting authority's determination.

    • Some single-family residential lots may be exempt.
    • Work should not begin until a permit has been issued or an exemption has been confirmed.
    • Effective August 28, 2026, Missouri stated that application fees for onsite sewage disposal construction, modifications, and repairs were temporarily suspended.
    “A construction permit is required before installing or repairing most onsite wastewater treatment systems (OWTS).”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    New subdivisions inside Colfax Township proposing individual onsite wastewater systems.

    • Written MoDNR approval is required for seven or more new lots, each less than five acres, using individual onsite systems.
    • Written approval is also required for expansion of an existing subdivision by three or more lots where each lot is less than five acres and uses an individual onsite system.
    • Approval must be received before sale, lease, or commencement of construction on any lot.

    new subdivision threshold: >= 7 lots (each lot less than five acres and using individual onsite wastewater systems) · existing subdivision expansion threshold: >= 3 lots (each lot less than five acres and using individual onsite wastewater systems)

    “new subdivisions need to receive written approval from MoDNR”

Still unanswered

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

  • Building permit — Residential and other building construction inside Colfax Township.
  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder work inside Colfax Township.
  • Building code adopted — Building-code adoption for land inside Colfax Township.
  • Inspections — Building construction inside Colfax Township.
  • Certificate of occupancy — Occupancy of buildings inside Colfax Township.
17 more unanswered
  • Minimum dwelling size
  • Lot coverage
  • Living in an RV
  • Camping on your land
  • Tiny homes
  • Manufactured homes
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Septic inspection
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • Mandatory utility hookup
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Driveway access
  • Building in a floodplain
  • Short-term rentals
  • Permit fees
  • Permit process

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.

Unanswered questions are usually a sign that Colfax Township publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. DeKalb County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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