Bolthole Index

Franklin County, Ohio

Building permits, zoning and septic rules in Hilliard, Ohio

Building a home in Hilliard, Ohio requires a building permit from the City's Building Standards Division, and plans must be approved first12. The City's Planning Division handles zoning approval3. Living in an RV or tent is prohibited in every Hilliard district4. We could not confirm who issues septic permits inside the city; ask Franklin County Public Health5.

At a glance

Building permit
Required for new buildings, additions and alterations; plans approved first1
Who issues it
City of Hilliard Building Standards Division, through its online portal62
Zoning
City zoning code, run by the Planning Division; district rules for lot size and setbacks37
RV or tent living
Prohibited in every district48
Accessory dwelling
Allowed only if built and authorized as one9
Owner-builder
Homeowners may do their own work on their residence; permits and inspections still required10
Driveway
Permit required from the Engineering Division11
Septic
Not confirmed inside city limits; Franklin County Public Health permits septic systems in the county12

Who to call

Building permits

City of Hilliard Building Standards Division

Building permits, plan review and inspections inside Hilliard city limits; driveway and utility lateral permits go through the Engineering Division on the same online portal

(614) 876-7361

3800 Municipal Way Hilliard, OH 43026

Zoning

City of Hilliard Planning Division

Zoning code and zoning compliance certificates inside Hilliard city limits

(614) 876-7361

3800 Municipal Way Hilliard, OH 43026

Septic permits

Franklin County Public Health

Household sewage treatment system (septic) and private water system (well) permits in Franklin County

(614) 525-3160

[email protected]

280 E Broad St, Columbus, OH 43215

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 24, 2026.

Off-grid gear

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

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Do you need a building permit in Hilliard, Ohio?

Yes. Inside Hilliard city limits, new buildings, additions and alterations need a building permit before construction starts1. Plans are submitted for review first, and the permit is issued once they are approved2. The City's Building Standards Division issues the permits, using the 2019 Residential Code of Ohio for homes6. A new driveway, approach or sidewalk, or any expansion or replacement of one, needs its own permit from the Engineering Division11. Minor interior demolition may happen before permit approval1. The county's building department serves unincorporated land, so it is the wrong counter for a Hilliard address.

Who issues building permits in Hilliard, and how do you reach them?

The City of Hilliard Building Standards Division issues building permits, approves plans and provides on-site inspections13. Applications go through the City's online portal, and the permit comes with a list of required inspections14. For a new home, the Planning Division also issues a certificate of zoning compliance15. The City Hall number for both offices is (614) 876-736113, and City Hall is at 3800 Municipal Way, Hilliard, OH 4302613. We could not confirm a published permit fee schedule, so ask the Building Standards Division what your project will cost.

Does Hilliard have zoning, and what does it mean for RVs, tiny homes and lot size?

Yes. The City's Planning Division regulates Hilliard's zoning and property maintenance code3. Lot size, minimum floor area and setbacks depend on the zoning district, so look up the district for a specific parcel before you buy71617. An existing residential lot of record that is 50 feet wide or wider, but smaller than its district requires, may still be used for a single-family dwelling7. A garage or accessory building can be lived in only if it was specifically constructed and authorized as an accessory dwelling9. We could not confirm a tiny-home rule in the City's code, so ask the Planning Division before buying for one.

Can you live in an RV or tent in Hilliard, Ohio?

No. Hilliard's code says no cabin, garage, basement, tent, recreational vehicle or other temporary structure may be used for dwelling purposes in any district4. The same ban covers living in a tent8. That rules out the common plan of parking an RV on a lot while you build. Ohio's statewide RV rules for licensed campgrounds do not change this for private lots18.

How do septic permits work in Hilliard, Ohio?

We could not confirm who administers septic permits for addresses inside Hilliard. Ohio requires a permit from the board of health to install, replace or alter a sewage treatment system19. In Franklin County, Franklin County Public Health reviews, inspects and regulates sewage systems and approves private water system permits1220. Ohio also requires connection to an existing public sewer when one is accessible and available21, and the City requires a lateral permit when a new building needs a sewer or waterline13. Call Franklin County Public Health at (614) 525-31605 and the City's Building Standards Division before you plan any septic or well.

Building a home in Hilliard: the steps, in order

  1. Confirm the parcel's zoning district and any lot-of-record limits with the Planning Division7.
  2. Submit plans for review through the City's online portal2.
  3. Get a certificate of zoning compliance from the Planning Division15.
  4. Receive the building permit and the list of required inspections14.
  5. Pull a separate driveway permit from the Engineering Division11.
  6. Ask Franklin County Public Health about any septic or well, and the City about sewer and water laterals5.

Homeowners may do the work themselves on their own residence, but not on rental properties, and permits and inspections are still required10.

What stays with Franklin County, and what to check before you buy

Septic and well permits sit with Franklin County Public Health and the state, not the City's planning counter1220. The county's rules for unincorporated land do not apply inside Hilliard. For land outside city limits, see the Franklin County page. Franklin County's effective property tax rate is 1.5%22. Before buying, confirm the zoning district, sewer availability, driveway access and a certificate-of-occupancy process, which we could not confirm in the City's published material.

Watch-outs

  • We could not confirm whether septic or private-well rules apply differently inside Hilliard city limits; ask Franklin County Public Health5.
  • Permit fees and a certificate-of-occupancy requirement were not confirmed in the City's published pages; ask the Building Standards Division13.
  • Recreational vehicles and tents cannot be lived in on any Hilliard lot4.

Sources

  1. Building Standards Division - City of Hilliard (Hilliard), quoted and re-checked
  2. Building Standards Division - City of Hilliard (Hilliard), quoted and re-checked
  3. Planning Division - City of Hilliard (Hilliard), quoted and re-checked
  4. Chapter 1121 - Zoning General Provisions, Code of Ordinances, Hilliard, Ohio (Hilliard), quoted and re-checked
  5. Franklin County Public Health (myfcph.org)
  6. Building Standards Division - City of Hilliard (Hilliard), quoted and re-checked
  7. Chapter 1121 - Zoning General Provisions, Code of Ordinances, Hilliard, Ohio (Hilliard), quoted and re-checked
  8. Chapter 1121 - Zoning General Provisions, Code of Ordinances, Hilliard, Ohio (Hilliard), quoted and re-checked
  9. Chapter 1121 - Zoning General Provisions, Code of Ordinances, Hilliard, Ohio (Hilliard), quoted and re-checked
  10. Building Standards Division - City of Hilliard (Hilliard), quoted and re-checked
  11. Building Standards Division - City of Hilliard (Hilliard), quoted and re-checked
  12. Water Quality, quoted and re-checked
  13. City of Hilliard Building Standards Division (hilliardohio.gov)
  14. Building Standards Division - City of Hilliard (Hilliard), quoted and re-checked
  15. City of Hilliard Planning Division (hilliardohio.gov)
  16. Chapter 1121 - Zoning General Provisions, Code of Ordinances, Hilliard, Ohio (Hilliard), quoted and re-checked
  17. Chapter 1121 - Zoning General Provisions, Code of Ordinances, Hilliard, Ohio (Hilliard), quoted and re-checked
  18. Rule 3701-26-04 | Campground requirements (Ohio statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  19. Rule 3701-29-09 | Site review and permits for STS installation and operation (Ohio statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  20. Water Quality, quoted and re-checked
  21. Rule 3745-42-07 | Best available technology for connection into sanitary sewers and centralized collection and treatment (Ohio statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  22. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data

Written October 24, 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 Hilliard

Hilliard’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    New buildings, additions, and alterations inside Hilliard city limits.

    • Minor interior demolition and discovery may occur before permit approval.
    • Plans must be submitted and approved before a permit is issued.
    “Residents who are interested in building or remodeling must obtain a permit before construction.”
  • Owner-builder exemptionAvailable (with conditions)

    A homeowner doing work on the homeowner's own residence inside Hilliard city limits.

    • Does not include rental properties.
    • Permits and inspections remain required.
    “Homeowners may do the work themselves on their residence. This does not include rental properties. Permits and inspections are still required.”
  • Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

    Construction inside Hilliard city limits.

    • The City page identifies the Ohio Building Code and 2019 Residential Code of Ohio as current codes.
    “The Building Standards Division is dedicated to ensuring public safety through the adoption of both state and local construction codes and standards. Within the parameters of those codes, the Building Standards Division issues permits to construct, approves plans, and provides on-site inspections.”
  • InspectionsRequired

    Permitted construction inside Hilliard city limits.

    • Required inspections are identified when approved plans and the permit are issued.
    “When your plans are approved and you receive your permit through the online portal you will receive a list of required inspections.”
  • Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

    Land inside Hilliard city limits.

    • The City Planning Division regulates the City's zoning code.
    “The Planning Division works with citizens, business owners, and community leaders to regulate the City’s zoning and property maintenance code to meet the City’s master and development plans.”
  • Minimum dwelling sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Single-family or multiple-family dwellings in the applicable Hilliard zoning district.

    • The applicable district's minimum floor-area requirement controls.
    “Each dwelling unit meets the minimum floor area requirements for single or multiple family dwellings, as applicable, within the zoning district.”
  • Minimum lot sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Residential lots in the applicable Hilliard zoning district.

    • Existing residential lots of record have a stated exception when they are at least 50 feet wide but below required district area and/or width, subject to stated yard limits.
    “Any residentially zoned lot of record, existing on the effective date of this code, that is 50 feet or wider, but less than the minimum area and/or width required for the zoning district, may be used for the erection of a single family dwelling”
  • SetbacksDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Residential lots in the applicable Hilliard zoning district.

    • For qualifying existing residential lots of record, district front and rear setbacks must be met and side yards cannot be less than the stated proportion.
    “the front and rear yard setback requirements of the district are met and each side yard is no less than the percent of the lot width in relation to the required lot width.”
  • Building heightDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Structures in the applicable Hilliard zoning district.

    • Listed towers, spires, monuments, tanks, certain industrial structures, and flagpoles are excepted unless they hazard aircraft landing or takeoff at an established airport.
    “The height regulations of any zoning district shall not apply to television and radio towers, church spires, belfries, monuments, tanks, water and fire towers”
  • Living in an RVProhibited

    Use of a recreational vehicle as a dwelling inside Hilliard city limits.

    • The prohibition applies in every district.
    “No cabin, garage, basement, tent, recreational vehicle, or other temporary structure shall be used in whole or in part for dwelling purposes in any district”
  • Camping on your landProhibited

    Use of a tent for dwelling purposes inside Hilliard city limits.

    • The prohibition applies in every district.
    “No cabin, garage, basement, tent, recreational vehicle, or other temporary structure shall be used in whole or in part for dwelling purposes in any district”
  • Accessory dwellingsAllowed (with conditions)

    Accessory buildings used as accessory dwellings inside Hilliard city limits.

    • The accessory building must be specifically constructed and authorized as an accessory dwelling.
    “Buildings erected as garages or accessory buildings shall not be occupied for dwelling purposes, except if specifically constructed and authorized as an accessory dwelling.”
  • Driveway accessRequired

    New, expanded, or replaced driveways, approaches, and sidewalks inside Hilliard city limits.

    • Engineering Division permit required.
    “A permit is required for a new driveway, approach or sidewalk. Any expansion or replacement of an existing driveway, approach or sidewalk also requires a permit.”
  • Permit processPublished (with conditions)

    Building-permit applicants inside Hilliard city limits.

    • Plans are reviewed before construction and a permit issues after approval.
    • The City provides an online portal for applications.
    “Plans shall be submitted for review before construction starts on any new building, addition or alteration. Once plans are approved, permits can be issued.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Hilliard or Franklin County directly.

  • Certificate of occupancy — Occupancy of new or altered dwellings inside Hilliard city limits.
  • Lot coverage — Lots inside Hilliard city limits.
  • Tiny homes — Tiny-home occupancy inside Hilliard city limits.
  • Who permits septic — Private sewage treatment inside Hilliard city limits.
  • Septic permit — Private sewage systems inside Hilliard city limits.
8 more unanswered
  • Septic inspection
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • Mandatory utility hookup
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Subdividing land
  • Building in a floodplain
  • Permit fees

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

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