Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Town of Chilhowee, Missouri

Rules another office applies inside Town of Chilhowee

Town of Chilhowee 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 Chilhowee town limits, where RSMo §§ 701.025–701.059 applies.

  • Except as otherwise provided in RSMo § 701.031.
  • Before work, notify the city, county, or department; complete the department form; submit the fee set by that authority; and obtain a construction permit.
  • The statute was effective August 28, 2026.

  “Except as otherwise provided in section 701.031, no person may [...] construct [...] an on-site sewage disposal system without [...] obtaining a construction permit.”

• Septic inspectionRequired

  Onsite sewage disposal systems constructed, modified, or repaired inside Chilhowee town limits for which notice is given under the cited statutes.

  • The city, county, or department must inspect in the aggregate up to 60 percent of systems worked on by registered contractors and at least 75 percent of systems worked on by unregistered persons.
  • The statute permits acceptance of qualifying registered-contractor certification without an onsite inspection.
  • The statute was effective August 28, 1994.

  inspection proportion for registered-contractor systems: <= 60 percent (Aggregate maximum; systems must be those covered by RSMo §§ 701.046–701.048 and 701.050.) · inspection proportion for unregistered-person systems: >= 75 percent (Aggregate minimum; systems must be those covered by RSMo §§ 701.046–701.048 and 701.050.)

  “A city, county or the department shall inspect, in the aggregate, up to sixty percent [...] and at least seventy-five percent [...]”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  Domestic sewage disposal for buildings inside Chilhowee town limits.

  • Sewage must be discharged to a Chapter 644-regulated sewer system or an onsite sewage disposal system operated under rules promulgated under RSMo §§ 701.025–701.059.
  • The cited statute contains an acreage, spacing, setback, effluent, contamination, and nuisance exemption for qualifying lots.
  • Installers of onsite sewage disposal systems must be registered with the Department of Health and Senior Services.

  “Property owners of all buildings where people live, work or assemble shall provide for the sanitary disposal of all domestic sewage.”

• Well permitLimited

  Water-well construction inside Chilhowee town limits.

  • A driller or pump installer charging for services must have a permit to construct a well.
  • Landowners drilling their own well or installing their own pump are exempt from permit requirements but remain subject to the other rules.

  “Landowners who drill their own well and/or install their own pump are exempt from permit requirements, but must adhere to all other sections of the rules.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Town of Chilhowee or Johnson County directly.

• Building permit — Residential building construction inside Chilhowee town limits.
• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder treatment for residential construction inside Chilhowee town limits.
• Building code adopted — Building-code adoption for construction inside Chilhowee town limits.
• Inspections — Building inspections inside Chilhowee town limits.
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificates of occupancy inside Chilhowee town 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.