Bolthole Index

Lewis County, Missouri

Building permits, zoning and septic rules in La Grange, Missouri

La Grange, Missouri requires a City Council building permit to build, enlarge or alter a structure, subject to the code’s exemptions.1 Inside La Grange in Lewis County, private sewage systems need city approval where public sewer is unavailable, and additional health requirements may apply.2 We could not confirm adopted zoning or RV and tiny-home occupancy rules; ask City Hall before committing to a parcel.3

At a glance

Building permits
City Council issues building permits; exemptions apply.1
Zoning
Adopted zoning and district standards unconfirmed; ask City Hall.3
Private sewage
City Inspector’s written permit and $10 permit and inspection fee; additional health requirements may apply.2
Public sewer
Connection required after notice when the qualifying sewer is within 100 feet of the property line.4
RV and tiny homes
Occupancy rules unconfirmed; ask City Hall.3
Mobile and modular homes
Required skirting after 30 continuous days unless on a concealing, continuous concrete foundation.5

Who to call

Also useful

La Grange City Hall

Starting point for city building applications, planning questions and referral to the sewer Inspector.

(573) 655-4301

P.O. Box 266, 118 S. Main Street La Grange, MO 63448

Building permits

La Grange City Council / Building Inspector

City Council building permits and Building Inspector construction inspections.

Septic permits

Missouri DHSS Onsite Wastewater Treatment Program

DHSS onsite-wastewater approval for Lewis County; coordinate with La Grange’s separate city sewage permit.

(573) 751-6095 ext. 5

930 Wildwood Dr, Jefferson City, MO 65102

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 La Grange means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

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Do you need a building permit in La Grange, Missouri?

La Grange requires plans and a statement of construction materials submitted in writing in duplicate to City Council before a structure is built, enlarged or altered, except where the city code exempts the work.1 Moving a building also requires a City Council permit.1 Ask City Hall to identify the exemption, if any, for your specific repair, shed or alteration before starting.3 For property outside the city boundary, use the Lewis County guide; the county’s residential building-permit answer concerns unincorporated land.6

Who issues building permits and inspects construction in La Grange?

La Grange’s City Council issues the building permit described in the city’s building regulations, and the Building Inspector inspects buildings and structures during construction for compliance with that chapter.1 Start with La Grange City Hall at (573) 655-4301 to arrange submission and reach the appropriate city official.3 Keep the building application separate from sewage approval: La Grange’s sewer ordinance calls for municipality-furnished forms and information required by the Inspector, with sewer connections supervised by the Inspector or a representative.7

Does La Grange have zoning, and can you live in an RV or tiny home?

We could not confirm an adopted La Grange zoning ordinance, district map, residential setbacks, minimum lot size or minimum dwelling size; ask City Hall for the standards applicable to the address and proposed use.3 We also could not confirm permission for RV living, temporary camping, tiny-home occupancy or an accessory dwelling; ask City Hall about each use explicitly.3 La Grange does have a separate mobile-home rule: mobile homes, modular homes and other residential buildings without a concealing, continuous concrete foundation must be attractively and adequately skirted if remaining more than 30 consecutive days.5 That skirting rule does not establish RV or tiny-home occupancy permission.5

How do septic permits and sewer connections work inside La Grange?

Where public sewer is unavailable, La Grange requires a written private sewage-disposal permit signed by the Inspector before construction, municipality-furnished application forms, supporting plans and a $10 permit and inspection fee.2 The city permit becomes effective only after installation satisfies the Inspector.8 Additional state or county health requirements can apply, so coordinate the city approval with Missouri DHSS, whose Lewis County lookup identifies DHSS as the onsite-wastewater authority.29 Do not begin onsite-wastewater work until the applicable permit is issued or an exemption is confirmed.10 La Grange’s residential building-sewer permit also carries a $10 permit and inspection fee paid with the application.11

Building a home in La Grange: what are the steps in order?

  1. Start at City Hall with the parcel address and proposed home; request confirmation of zoning, dimensional standards and any occupancy restrictions that remain unconfirmed.3
  1. Next, resolve sewer availability: qualifying occupied properties abutting a municipal sewer within 100 feet of the property line must connect within 90 days after official notice.4
  1. Submit construction plans and the materials statement to City Council for the building permit, unless an exemption applies.1
  1. Arrange the city sewage permit and DHSS approval or confirmed exemption before private-system construction.210
  1. Coordinate construction inspections with the Building Inspector and sewer connection inspection with the sewer Inspector.17

What should you check before buying land in La Grange?

For a proposed lot split, La Grange requires subdivision plat approval by the Council or Planning Commission and recording with the Lewis County Recorder before selling land by reference to the plat.12 Ask City Hall whether a major street plan has been adopted: the city’s street-access condition for building permits depends on that adoption.13 Missouri requires some type of permit for all floodplain development, and regulatory-floodway development requires an engineering No-Rise Certificate before the community can issue the floodplain development permit.14 Ask City Hall to identify the applicable city floodplain process before pricing a project.3 For a private well, Missouri permits contracted well work, while a landowner personally installing a well or pump may qualify for an exception and must still meet construction standards.1516

Watch-outs

  • La Grange’s requirement to connect when public sewer becomes available can end private-system use: connection is required within 60 days, with the private system cleaned and filled as the ordinance specifies.4
  • Missouri DHSS onsite-wastewater application fees are temporarily suspended effective August 28, 2026; La Grange’s separate $10 private sewage permit and inspection fee remains stated in the city ordinance.172
  • We could not confirm a La Grange owner-builder exemption for home construction; ask City Hall before treating personal construction as exempt from building approval.3

Sources

  1. La Grange City Council / Building Inspector (ecode360.com)
  2. Article I: Public and Private Sewers (La Grange), quoted and re-checked
  3. La Grange City Hall (cityoflagrangemo.gov)
  4. Article I: Public and Private Sewers (La Grange), quoted and re-checked
  5. Chapter 580 Mobile Home Regulations (La Grange), quoted and re-checked
  6. Missouri Data Portal — County Building Codes dataset (2026 county census)
  7. Article I: Public and Private Sewers (La Grange), quoted and re-checked
  8. Article I: Public and Private Sewers (La Grange), quoted and re-checked
  9. Missouri DHSS Onsite Wastewater Treatment Program (health.mo.gov)
  10. OWTS Construction Permit Process (Missouri statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  11. Article I: Public and Private Sewers (La Grange), quoted and re-checked
  12. Chapter 400 Municipal Planning Commission (La Grange), quoted and re-checked
  13. Chapter 400 Municipal Planning Commission (La Grange), quoted and re-checked
  14. Floodplain Forms (Missouri statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  15. Water Wells - PUB2945, quoted and re-checked
  16. Water Wells - PUB2945, quoted and re-checked
  17. 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 La Grange

La Grange’s own rules

  • Building heightSpecified

    Buildings inside La Grange city limits under the City's fire-limit building regulations.

    • The 45-foot/three-story limit does not apply to fire-resistive construction as defined by the ordinance.
    • Other fire-limit area and construction rules may also apply.

    maximum height: <= 45 feet (unless of fire-resistive construction) · maximum stories: <= 3 stories (unless of fire-resistive construction)

    “No building shall exceed three (3) stories or forty-five (45) feet in height unless of fire-resistive construction (reinforced concrete frame, floors and roof or the equivalent).”
  • Manufactured homesLimited

    Mobile homes, modular homes, and other residential buildings without a concealing and continuous concrete foundation inside La Grange city limits.

    • The structure may not remain more than 30 consecutive days unless attractively and adequately skirted.
    • A mobile home is defined as a dwelling requiring a certificate of title and customarily moved to location on axles.
    • A mobile home parked or remaining more than 60 consecutive days without residential occupancy is deemed abandoned.

    maximum continuous period without required skirting: 30 days (unless attractively and adequately skirted) · abandonment period without residential occupancy: > 60 days

    “No mobile home, modular home or other residential building not on a concealing and continuous concrete foundation shall be permitted to remain located within the City limits of the City of LaGrange, Missouri, for more than thirty (30) days continuously unless it is attractively and adequately skirted.”
  • Septic permitRequired

    Private sewage disposal systems inside La Grange city limits where a public sewer is unavailable.

    • Before construction begins, the owner must obtain a written permit signed by the Inspector.
    • The application must use a municipality-furnished form and include plans, specifications, and other information required by the Inspector.
    • A $10 permit and inspection fee is due when the application is filed.
    • Additional requirements may be imposed by the State or County Health Officer.

    permit and inspection fee: 10 USD

    “Before commencement of construction of a private sewage disposal system, the owner shall first obtain a written permit signed by the Inspector.”
  • Septic inspectionRequired

    Private sewage disposal systems inside La Grange city limits.

    • The permit does not become effective until installation is completed to the Inspector's satisfaction.
    • Additional state or county health requirements may apply.
    “A permit for a private sewage disposal system shall not become effective until the installation is completed to the satisfaction of the Inspector.”
  • Off-grid sanitationLimited

    Private sewage disposal systems inside La Grange city limits when a public sewer is unavailable.

    • The city prohibits privies, septic tanks, cesspools, or other sewage-disposal facilities except as provided by the sewer ordinance.
    • A permitted private sewage disposal system may be used where a public sewer is unavailable.
    • When a public sewer becomes available, connection is required within 60 days.

    connection deadline after public sewer becomes available: 60 days

    “Except as hereinafter provided, it shall be unlawful to construct or maintain any privy, privy vault, septic tank, cesspool or other facility intended or used for the disposal of sewage.”
  • Mandatory utility hookupSewer (with conditions)

    Houses, buildings, and other properties used for human occupancy, employment, recreation, or other purposes inside La Grange city limits where a municipal public sanitary or combined sewer is located or becomes located in the abutting street, alley, or right-of-way.

    • Connection is required within 90 days after official notice.
    • The public sewer must be within 100 feet (30.5 meters) of the property line.
    • Where a public sewer is unavailable under the ordinance, connection may be to a permitted private sewage disposal system.
    • When a public sewer becomes available, the building sewer must be connected within 60 days and the private system cleaned and filled with clean bank-run gravel or dirt.

    connection deadline after official notice: 90 days · public sewer distance from property line: <= 100 feet · connection deadline after public sewer becomes available: 60 days

    “The owner of all houses, buildings or properties used for human occupancy, employment, recreation or other purposes, situated within the municipality and abutting on any street, alley or right-of-way in which there is now located or may be in the future be located a public sanitary or combined sewer of the municipality, is hereby required at his/her expense to install suitable toilet facilities therein and to connect such facilities directly with the proper public sewer in accordance with the provisions of this Article within ninety (90) days after date of official notice to do so, provided that said public sewer is within one hundred (100) feet (30.5 meters) of the property line.”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Subdivision of land within the planning jurisdiction and territorial jurisdiction of La Grange city.

    • A subdivision is defined as division of a parcel into two or more lots or other divisions of land, including resubdivisions.
    • A plat must be approved by the Council or Planning Commission and recorded before land may be transferred by reference to the purported subdivision plat.
    • The Commission generally has 60 days to approve or disapprove a submitted plat, subject to an extension with applicant consent.
    • A violation may incur a penalty not exceeding $300 for each lot transferred or sold or agreed or negotiated to be sold.

    plat review period: 60 days (may be extended with applicant consent) · maximum penalty per lot: <= 300 USD

    “No owner or agent of the owner of any land located within the planning jurisdiction of the City of LaGrange, knowingly or with intent to defraud, may transfer, sell, agree to sell or negotiate to sell that land by reference to or by other use of a plat of any purported subdivision of the land before the plat has been approved by the Council or Planning Commission and recorded in the office of the Lewis County Recorder.”
  • Driveway accessRequired

    Lots receiving building access from a street within the territorial jurisdiction of the La Grange Planning Commission after adoption of a major street plan.

    • The street giving access must conform to the ordinance's major-street-plan and public-street requirements before a building permit may issue.
    • The source conditions applicability on adoption of a major street plan.
    “After the adoption of a major street plan, no building permit shall be issued for and no building shall be erected on any lot within the territorial jurisdiction of the Commission unless the street giving access to the lot upon which the building is proposed to be placed conforms to the requirements above described.”
  • Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

    Municipal building-sewer permits inside La Grange city limits.

    • Residential and commercial building-sewer permit applications require a $10 permit and inspection fee.
    • Industrial building-sewer permit applications require a $20 permit and inspection fee.
    • Fees are paid when the application is filed.

    residential or commercial building-sewer permit fee: 10 USD · industrial building-sewer permit fee: 20 USD

    “A permit and inspection fee of ten dollars ($10.00) for a residential or commercial building sewer permit and twenty dollars ($20.00) for an industrial building sewer permit shall be paid to the municipality at the time the application is filed.”
  • Permit processPartial

    Municipal sewer and private sewage-disposal permitting inside La Grange city limits.

    • Applications use municipality-furnished forms.
    • The Inspector may require plans, specifications, and other information.
    • The applicant must notify the Inspector when a building sewer is ready for inspection and connection.
    • The connection is made under the Inspector's supervision or that of the Inspector's representative.
    • This claim does not establish the general building-permit process because the operative Chapter 500 text was not retrieved.
    “No unauthorized person shall uncover, make any connections with or opening into, use, alter or disturb any public sewer or appurtenance thereof without first obtaining a written permit from the Inspector.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask La Grange or Lewis County directly.

  • Building permit — Building construction inside La Grange city limits.
  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builders constructing inside La Grange city limits.
  • Building code adopted — Building construction inside La Grange city limits.
  • Inspections — Building construction inside La Grange city limits.
  • Certificate of occupancy — Residential and other building occupancy inside La Grange city limits.
15 more unanswered
  • Local zoning
  • Zoning districts
  • Minimum dwelling size
  • Minimum lot size
  • Setbacks
  • Lot coverage
  • Living in an RV
  • Camping on your land
  • Tiny homes
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Who permits septic
  • Well permit
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Building in a floodplain
  • Short-term rentals

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 La Grange publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Lewis County’s page lists the county offices to call.

← All of Lewis County: county rules, score and offices