Bolthole Index

Licking County, Ohio

Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Johnstown, Ohio

Inside Johnstown, Ohio, a city building permit is required to construct or alter any building costing more than $200, fences excepted1. The city adopts and enforces its own zoning through its Planning and Zoning Code2. Septic permits for homes off public sewer come from the Licking County Health Department, not the city3.

At a glance

Building permit
Required inside Johnstown city limits for construction or alteration costing more than $200; fences are excepted1
Building code
Residential Code of Ohio applies within the city4
Zoning
City Planning and Zoning Code with residential, commercial, industrial, agricultural and flood plain districts25
Certificate of zoning compliance
Required before a building or premises is used or occupied6
Dwelling height
No dwelling over 30 feet in the Rural Residential RR and Suburban Residential SR-1 districts78
Septic
Licking County Health Department permits and inspects household sewage systems; sewer availability inside the city is unconfirmed3
Wells
Licking County Health Department permit required before installing or altering a private water system9

Who to call

Planning & zoning

City of Johnstown (Planning & Zoning, Code Enforcement)

Zoning certificates, zoning permit forms and zoning questions inside Johnstown city limits

(740) 967-3177

Building permits

Licking County Building Code Department

County building-code review for much of Licking County; ask the city whether it handles plan review inside Johnstown

740.349.6671

675 Price Road, Newark, OH 43055

Septic permits

Licking County Health Department (Sewage Treatment Program)

Household sewage treatment system permits and inspections, and private water system permits, for Licking County

(740) 349-6535

675 Price Road, Newark, OH 43055

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

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

Yes. Johnstown administers zoning through its own Planning and Zoning Code, and the rules apply to land inside Johnstown city limits2. The code lists Rural Residential RR, Suburban Residential SR-1 and SR-2, Urban Residential UR-1 and UR-2, Multiple-Family Residential AR-1, commercial, industrial, Flood Plain, Open Space, Agricultural, Planned Development, Village Center, Village Commercial and Special Use districts5.

Dimensional rules depend on the district. In the Rural Residential RR district, no dwelling may exceed 30 feet in height7. In the Suburban Residential SR-1 district, no dwelling may exceed 30 feet either, and permitted and conditional uses may not cover more than 30 percent of the lot810.

We could not confirm Johnstown's rules on RV occupancy, tiny homes, accessory dwellings or manufactured homes. Ask the city's zoning office which district your parcel is in and whether your use is allowed there before you buy.

Do you need a building permit in Johnstown, Ohio, and who issues it?

Yes. Johnstown requires a permit to construct or alter any building or structure within the city when the cost exceeds $200, with fences excepted1. The city has adopted the Residential Code of Ohio for residential construction4.

Applications go to the city Manager or the Manager's designee, with plans and specifications in duplicate11. The city's code calls for inspections as needed to check compliance12. Before anyone uses or occupies a new or changed building, a Certificate of Zoning Compliance from the Zoning Inspector is required6.

We could not confirm Johnstown's current permit fee amounts. Licking County's Building Code Department covers the majority of the county and says projects in incorporated jurisdictions may face additional or different requirements1314. Call the City of Johnstown first15, then the county department16 if the city sends you there.

How do septic permits work in Johnstown, Ohio?

Septic permits come from the health department, not the city. The Licking County Health Department enforces state sewage rules and handles local permitting and inspections for household sewage systems in Licking County3. Ohio requires an installation or alteration permit from the board of health for a new or replacement system17, and Licking County requires both an installation permit and an operating permit before installation18.

We could not confirm which Johnstown addresses are on city sewer and which need a septic system. Ask the city before you buy. Ohio rules also require connection to a public sewer when one is accessible and available19.

If a lot needs a septic system, soils matter: only about 3.6% of Licking County soils rate "not limited" for a conventional drain field20, so expect a site evaluation and possibly an engineered system. The health department advises having a lot evaluated early21. Private wells need a health department permit as well9.

Building a home in Johnstown: the steps, in order

  1. Ask the city which zoning district the parcel is in and whether your home or accessory building is allowed there5.
  2. If the lot is not on public sewer, ask the Licking County Health Department for a site evaluation before you close21.
  3. Apply to the city for a building permit, with plans and specifications in duplicate11.
  4. Schedule the city's inspections as work progresses12.
  5. Obtain the Certificate of Zoning Compliance before anyone moves in6.

What stays with Licking County, and what to check before you buy in Johnstown?

Septic, sewage and well permits stay with the Licking County Health Department even for lots inside Johnstown39. Land outside city limits follows different rules: Licking County reports that 19 of its 25 townships are zoned and 6 are not, and each township enforces its own zoning22. See the Licking County page for unincorporated land.

Before buying, confirm the zoning district, any Flood Plain District overlap5, and sewer or septic status. Licking County's effective property tax rate is about 1.3%23, with a median bill of $3,150 a year24.

Watch-outs

  • The $200 construction-cost trigger in Johnstown is low, so most structures other than fences need a city building permit1.
  • We could not confirm whether the city or the Licking County Building Code Department performs plan review and inspections inside Johnstown; ask the City of Johnstown first15.
  • We could not confirm Johnstown rules on RV living, tiny homes, accessory dwellings, owner-built homes, driveway access or floodplain development; ask the city zoning office15.

Sources

  1. 1315.01 Permit Required (Johnstown), quoted and re-checked
  2. Part Eleven - Planning and Zoning Code (Johnstown), quoted and re-checked
  3. Sewage Treatment Program, quoted and re-checked
  4. 1303.01 Adoption (Johnstown), quoted and re-checked
  5. Part Eleven - Planning and Zoning Code (Johnstown), quoted and re-checked
  6. 1127.06 Certificate of Compliance (Johnstown), quoted and re-checked
  7. 1142.04 Additional District Development Standards (Johnstown), quoted and re-checked
  8. 1143.04 Additional District Development Standards (Johnstown), quoted and re-checked
  9. lickingcohealth.org, quoted and re-checked
  10. 1143.04 Additional District Development Standards (Johnstown), quoted and re-checked
  11. 1315.02 Application (Johnstown), quoted and re-checked
  12. 1315.07 Inspections (Johnstown), quoted and re-checked
  13. Building Code, quoted and re-checked
  14. Summary of residential work that does or does not require approval, quoted and re-checked
  15. City of Johnstown (Planning & Zoning, Code Enforcement) (johnstownohio.org)
  16. Licking County Building Code Department (lickingcounty.gov)
  17. Rule 3701-29-09 | Site review and permits for STS installation and operation (Ohio statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  18. Sewage Treatment Program, quoted and re-checked
  19. Rule 3745-42-07 | Best available technology for connection into sanitary sewers and centralized collection and treatment (Ohio statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  20. 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
  21. Licking County Health Department (Sewage Treatment Program) (lickingcohealth.org)
  22. Township & Zoning Info, quoted and re-checked
  23. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  24. Median property tax bill: 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 Johnstown

Johnstown’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    Construction or alteration of a building or structure inside Johnstown city limits.

    • Fences are excepted.
    • The requirement applies when construction cost exceeds $200, or when the work enlarges capacity or affects bearing walls or the roof.

    construction-cost threshold: > 200 USD (Fences are excepted.)

    “No person shall construct or alter any building or structure in the Village, except fences, when the cost of such construction exceeds two hundred dollars ($200.00)”
  • Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

    Residential construction inside Johnstown city limits.

    • The adopted code is Ohio Administrative Code 4101:8 - Residential Code of Ohio.
    “Ohio Administrative Code 4101:8 - Residential Code of Ohio as promulgated by the Ohio Board of Building Standards, shall apply and be enforced within the Village.”
  • InspectionsRequired

    Work governed by Johnstown Building Code Chapter 1315.

    • Inspections are made as necessary from time to time.
    • The Manager designates inspection authorities.
    “Inspections as are necessary shall be made from time to time to see if the provisions of this chapter are complied with.”
  • Certificate of occupancyRequired

    Use or occupancy of buildings or premises created, erected, changed, converted, altered, enlarged, or changed in use inside Johnstown city limits.

    • This is a Certificate of Zoning Compliance issued by the Zoning Inspector.
    • The certificate must state that the proposed use conforms to the ordinance.
    “It shall be unlawful to use or occupy or permit the use or occupancy of any building or premises”
  • Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

    Land inside Johnstown city limits.

    • Zoning controls are administered through the city's Planning and Zoning Code.
    “TITLE FIVE - Zoning Districts Chap. 1141. Districts Generally.”
  • Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

    Zoning districts inside Johnstown city limits.

    • The Planning and Zoning Code lists Rural Residential RR, Suburban Residential SR-1 and SR-2, Urban Residential UR-1 and UR-2, Multiple-Family Residential AR-1, commercial, industrial, Flood Plain, Open Space, Agricultural, Planned Development, Village Center, Village Commercial, and Special Use districts.
    “Chap. 1142. Rural Residential RR District.”
  • Lot coverageDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Permitted and conditional uses in the Suburban Residential SR-1 District inside Johnstown city limits.

    maximum lot coverage: <= 30 percent

    “Permitted and conditional uses shall not cover the lot by more than thirty percent (30%).”
  • Building heightDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Dwellings in the Rural Residential RR District inside Johnstown city limits.

    • Other structures may not exceed a safe height determined by the Fire Chief and reviewed and accepted by the Planning and Zoning Commission.

    dwelling maximum height: <= 30 feet

    “No dwelling structure shall exceed thirty feet in height.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Subdivision activity inside Johnstown city limits.

    • The Planning and Zoning Code includes preliminary plats, final plats, improvements, and design standards.
    “TITLE ONE - Subdivision Regulations Chap. 1101. Definitions. Chap. 1103. Variances and Approval. Chap. 1105. Preliminary Plats. Chap. 1107. Final Plats. Chap. 1109. Improvements. Chap. 1111. Design Standards.”
  • Permit processPublished (with conditions)

    Building-permit applications inside Johnstown city limits.

    • Application is made to the Manager or designee.
    • Plans and specifications are required in duplicate.
    • Plans must be verified by the owner, architect, or contractor in charge.
    “Application for such permits shall be made to the Manager or his designee and shall be accompanied by plans and specifications”

Still unanswered

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

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential work inside Johnstown city limits.
  • Living in an RV — RV occupancy on private land inside Johnstown city limits.
  • Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land inside Johnstown city limits.
  • Tiny homes — Tiny-home occupancy inside Johnstown city limits.
  • Manufactured homes — Manufactured-home occupancy inside Johnstown city limits.
12 more unanswered
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Who permits septic
  • Septic permit
  • Septic inspection
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • Mandatory utility hookup
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Driveway access
  • Building in a floodplain
  • Short-term rentals
  • 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 Johnstown publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Licking County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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