Bolthole Index

St. Francois County, Missouri

Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Bonne Terre, Missouri

The City of Bonne Terre, Missouri (St. Francois County) runs its own zoning under Chapter 405 of the city code1, and its building inspector issues building permits for new homes, additions, sheds, fences and decks inside city limits2. Septic permits are required where no public sewer is available3; we could not confirm whether the city or the St. Francois County Health Center issues them.

At a glance

Zoning
Yes: city Chapter 405 zoning with A-1, R-1, R-2, R-3, MH, commercial and industrial districts1
Building permit
Required from the city building inspector for new construction, additions, sheds, fences and decks2
Permit fee
$1.00 per $1,000 of construction cost, $10.00 minimum2
Farm buildings
No building permit for agricultural structures in the A-1 district4
Septic
Permit required where no public sewer is available; issuing office to confirm3
Public sewer
Connection required when a city sewer is within 200 feet5

Who to call

Building permits

City of Bonne Terre Building Inspector (City Hall)

Building permits, occupancy inspections and zoning compliance inside Bonne Terre city limits

5733582254

[email protected]

118 North Allen Street, Bonne Terre, MO 63628

Septic permits

St. Francois County Health Center, Environmental Health Department

Onsite wastewater permits in St. Francois County; confirm whether it covers addresses inside Bonne Terre

573-431-1947

[email protected]

1025 West Main Street, Park Hills, Missouri 63601

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 23, 2026.

Off-grid gear

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

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Does Bonne Terre, Missouri have zoning?

Yes. Land inside Bonne Terre city limits is governed by the city's own Chapter 405 Zoning Code, with agricultural (A-1), residential (R-1, R-2, R-3), manufactured home (MH), commercial and industrial districts1. The district regulations are published in Chapter 405, Article II6.

In the R-1 single-family district, a detached house needs a lot of at least 8,500 square feet and 75 feet of width at the setback line, excluding previously platted lots7. Buildings, accessory buildings included, may cover no more than 30 percent of an R-1 lot8 and stand no taller than 35 feet9. R-2 uses the same 8,500 square foot average lot area and 35-foot height1011.

We could not confirm the city's rules on RVs, tiny homes, accessory dwellings, manufactured homes or minimum house size. Ask the city building inspector before you plan any of them.

Do you need a building permit in Bonne Terre, and who issues it?

Yes, in most cases. The City of Bonne Terre Building Inspector issues building permits for new residential and commercial construction inside city limits2. A permit is required before starting additions, sheds and detached garages, fences, swimming pools and decks2. Work may not begin until the city approves the permit2.

The fee is $1.00 per $1,000 of construction cost, with a $10.00 minimum2. Agricultural structures in the A-1 agricultural district are the exception: the city code does not require a building permit for them4, and only farm uses qualify, with one farmhouse per farmsite12. A carport added to an R-1 front yard does need a permit and must stay open on both sides and one end13.

We could not confirm which building code edition the city enforces or whether an owner-builder exemption exists. Call City Hall.

How do septic permits work in Bonne Terre?

Where no public sewer is available, a private septic system inside Bonne Terre needs a permit signed before construction starts3. The city inspects within 48 hours of notice14, and a system with a subsurface soil absorption field is not permitted on a lot under 15,000 square feet3.

A house on a street with a city sewer main within 200 feet of the property line must connect within 90 days of official notice5. Privies, septic tanks and cesspools are otherwise unlawful15.

We could not confirm whether the city or the county issues the permit inside city limits. St. Francois County's septic program is run by the Health Center's Environmental Health Department16, and Missouri's program lets some incorporated areas fall outside the local agency, where the state health department handles the permit17. Call the Health Center and City Hall before you buy.

Building a home in Bonne Terre: the steps, in order

  1. Confirm the lot's zoning district and its lot-size, coverage and height limits with the city1.
  2. Ask City Hall whether a public sewer is within 200 feet; if so, plan to connect5.
  3. If there is no sewer, contact the St. Francois County Health Center about a septic permit16.
  4. Submit a building permit application, a plat if applicable, a site plan showing setbacks, and the fee to the building inspector2.
  5. Wait for approval before breaking ground2.
  6. Schedule the occupancy inspection; an occupancy inspection is required before a building may be occupied2.

What stays with St. Francois County (and what to check before you buy)?

The city's rules cover land inside Bonne Terre only. For land outside city limits, see the St. Francois County page, where the county's own permit rules apply.

Wells and floodplains are not city matters we could confirm. Missouri requires a state permit and a licensed contractor to drill or repair a water well18, and development in a mapped floodplain needs a floodplain permit19. St. Francois County also states that new construction in its floodplain must be elevated at least one foot above base flood elevation20.

County figures: the effective property tax rate in St. Francois County is 0.7%21, with a median bill of $1,161 a year22.

Watch-outs

  • We could not confirm Bonne Terre's rules on RV occupancy, tiny homes, accessory dwellings or manufactured homes; ask the city building inspector at City Hall before buying2.
  • We could not confirm whether the city or the St. Francois County Health Center issues septic permits inside city limits; call both16.
  • The state notice that septic application fees were temporarily suspended from August 28, 2026 may change what you pay; confirm the current fee17.

Sources

  1. Table of Contents - City of Bonne Terre, MO (Bonne Terre), quoted and re-checked
  2. City of Bonne Terre Building Inspector (City Hall) (bonneterre.net)
  3. Chapter 705: Sewers - City of Bonne Terre, MO (Bonne Terre), quoted and re-checked
  4. Article II: District Regulations - City of Bonne Terre, MO (Bonne Terre), quoted and re-checked
  5. Chapter 705: Sewers - City of Bonne Terre, MO (Bonne Terre), quoted and re-checked
  6. Article II: District Regulations - City of Bonne Terre, MO (Bonne Terre), quoted and re-checked
  7. Article II: District Regulations - City of Bonne Terre, MO (Bonne Terre), quoted and re-checked
  8. Article II: District Regulations - City of Bonne Terre, MO (Bonne Terre), quoted and re-checked
  9. Article II: District Regulations - City of Bonne Terre, MO (Bonne Terre), quoted and re-checked
  10. Article II: District Regulations - City of Bonne Terre, MO (Bonne Terre), quoted and re-checked
  11. Article II: District Regulations - City of Bonne Terre, MO (Bonne Terre), quoted and re-checked
  12. Article II: District Regulations - City of Bonne Terre, MO (Bonne Terre), quoted and re-checked
  13. Article II: District Regulations - City of Bonne Terre, MO (Bonne Terre), quoted and re-checked
  14. Chapter 705: Sewers - City of Bonne Terre, MO (Bonne Terre), quoted and re-checked
  15. Chapter 705: Sewers - City of Bonne Terre, MO (Bonne Terre), quoted and re-checked
  16. St. Francois County Health Center, Environmental Health Department (sfchealth.org)
  17. OWTS Construction Permit Process, quoted and re-checked
  18. Well and Pump Installation Contractor Permitting (Missouri statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  19. Floodplain Forms (Missouri statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  20. St. Francois County Floodplain, quoted and re-checked
  21. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  22. Median property tax bill: Bolthole Index county data

Written October 23, 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 Bonne Terre

Bonne Terre’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    Carports added to the front yard of an R-1 lot inside Bonne Terre city limits.

    • Carport must be open on both sides and one end; no enclosure.
    “a building permit must first be obtained and approved by the building inspector.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • Not required — Agricultural uses and their accessory structures in the A-1 agricultural district inside Bonne Terre city limits.
      “agricultural uses and their accessory structures, as defined earlier. no building permits shall be required for such structures.”
  • Local zoningPresent

    Land inside Bonne Terre city limits, under the city's own Chapter 405 Zoning Code.

    • Districts A-1, R-1, R-2, R-3, MH, C-1 to C-3 and I-1 to I-3 are established by the city code.
    “the regulations set forth in this section or set forth elsewhere in this chapter, when referred to in this section, are the regulations of the "a-1" agricultural district.”
  • Zoning districtsPublished

    Zoning districts inside Bonne Terre city limits.

    • Official district regulations are published in Chapter 405 Article II; the official zoning map was not opened.
    “section 405.090 "r-1" single-family residential district.”
  • Minimum lot sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Detached single-family dwellings in the R-1 single-family residential district inside Bonne Terre city limits.

    • Lot size requirement excludes previous platted lots.

    minimum lot area: >= 8500 square feet (previous platted lots excluded) · minimum width at setback line: >= 75 feet

    “a. detached single-family dwellings shall be on a lot having an area of eight thousand five hundred (8,500) square feet and a width at the setback line of not less than seventy-five (75) feet. this lot size requirement shall exclude previous platted lots.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • District specific (with conditions) — Detached single-family dwellings in the R-2 single-family residential district inside Bonne Terre city limits.
      “detached single-family dwellings shall be on a lot having an average area of not less than eight thousand five hundred (8,500) square feet and a width at the setback line of not less than seventy-five (75) feet.”
  • Lot coverageDistrict specific (with conditions)

    All buildings on a lot in the R-1 single-family residential district inside Bonne Terre city limits.

    • Includes accessory buildings.

    maximum lot coverage: <= 30 percent

    “all buildings, including accessory buildings, shall not cover more than thirty percent (30%) of the area of the lot.”
  • Building heightDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Detached single-family dwellings and most buildings in the R-1 single-family residential district inside Bonne Terre city limits.

    • Churches and similar places of worship have separate limits (towers 75 feet).

    maximum height: <= 35 feet (and not over two and one-half (2½) stories)

    “a. detached single-family dwellings and all buildings other than churches and similar places of worship, thirty-five (35) feet and not over two and one-half (2½) stories.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • District specific (with conditions) — Single-family and two-family dwellings in the R-2 single-family residential district inside Bonne Terre city limits.
      “a. single-family and two-family dwellings and all buildings other than churches and similar places of worship, thirty-five (35) feet and not over two and one-half (2½) stories.”
  • Septic permitRequired

    Private sewage disposal (septic) system where no public sanitary sewer is available inside Bonne Terre city limits.

    • Permit signed by the approving authority before construction begins.
    • Permit and inspection fee set in the fee schedule adopted by city council.
    • Systems with subsurface soil absorption are not permitted on lots under 15,000 square feet.
    • Type, capacity, location and layout must follow Missouri Department of Natural Resources recommendations.

    minimum lot area for subsurface soil absorption system: >= 15000 square feet

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

    Private sewage disposal (septic) system inside Bonne Terre city limits.

    • Inspection within 48 hours of notice; the permit is not effective until installation is completed to the approving authority's satisfaction.

    inspection response time after notice: <= 48 hours

    “the applicant for the permit shall notify the approving authority when the work is ready for final inspection and before any underground portions are covered.”
  • Off-grid sanitationLimited

    Privies, septic tanks and cesspools inside Bonne Terre city limits.

    • Unlawful except as provided in section 705.030 (private sewage disposal system with permit).
    “c. except as hereinafter provided, it is unlawful to construct or maintain any privy, privy vault, septic tank, cesspool, aeration equipment, or other facility intended or used for the disposal of sewage.”
  • Mandatory utility hookupSewer (with conditions)

    A house or building used for human occupancy inside Bonne Terre city limits, on a street where a public sanitary sewer of the city is available.

    • Applies only where the public sewer is within 200 feet of the property line.
    • Connection is due within 90 days after official notice.
    • Where no public sewer is available, a private sewage disposal system applies (section 705.030).

    distance to public sewer triggering connection: <= 200 feet · connection deadline after official notice: 90 days

    “is 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 chapter within ninety (90) days after date of official notice to do so; provided that the public sewer is within two hundred (200) feet (sixty-one (61) meters) of the property line.”
  • Agricultural exemptionConditional

    Agricultural uses in the A-1 agricultural district inside Bonne Terre city limits.

    • Available only for agricultural uses and their accessory structures in the A-1 district; farmhouse limited to one per farmsite.
    “agricultural uses and their accessory structures, as defined earlier. no building permits shall be required for such structures.”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Land divisions inside Bonne Terre city limits.

    • Chapter 410 Subdivision Regulations govern division of land; its text was not opened.
    “chapter 410 subdivision regulations (section 410.010 &ndash; section 410.330)”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Bonne Terre or St. Francois County directly.

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption from permits inside Bonne Terre city limits.
  • Building code adopted — Building codes adopted by Bonne Terre city.
  • Inspections — Building inspections for new dwellings inside Bonne Terre city limits.
  • Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy for a new dwelling inside Bonne Terre city limits.
  • Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling floor area inside Bonne Terre city limits.
13 more unanswered
  • Setbacks
  • Living in an RV
  • Camping on your land
  • Tiny homes
  • Manufactured homes
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Who permits septic
  • Well permit
  • 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 Bonne Terre publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. St. Francois County’s page lists the county offices to call.

← All of St. Francois County: county rules, score and offices