Bolthole Index

Bolthole Index county-legal census · checked 2026-10-07

Illinois Counties With No Building Codes and No Zoning

19 of Illinois's 102 counties — 19% — require no residential building permit and have no county-wide zoning in their unincorporated areas. That is the 7th-largest count of any state. The strongest of them on the Bolthole Index is Brown County (83/100). Every entry below cites the county’s own official source.

Rules change, and cities inside these counties set their own — treat this as a verified starting point, not legal advice. All 517 counties nationwide → Illinois: no building codes → Illinois: no zoning → Illinois: owner-builder → Illinois: rv living → Illinois: tiny homes → Illinois: no minimum home size → Full Illinois profile →

From the Illinois guide

Which Illinois counties don't require a building permit?

Illinois has 20 counties that do not require a residential building permit in unincorporated areas, including Brown County, Schuyler County, Crawford County, Clark County, Clay County, Wayne County, Greene County, Effingham County.1 Another 23 counties require a building permit only in some cases, while 59 require a residential building permit.67 Use the Illinois no-building-codes county list to compare counties by their building-permit answers.1

Illinois's statewide building-code baseline took effect in 2025, including requirements for jurisdictions without adopted local codes, so the absence of a county building permit does not remove the applicable state code requirements.13 The State does not issue building permits for privately funded construction; any required building permit comes through the local government.14 CDB's Building Codes and Regulations office provides local code directories; ask the local code official which requirements apply to the proposed home.15

Which Illinois counties have no zoning?

Illinois has 23 counties without countywide zoning, including Brown County, Schuyler County, Crawford County, Clark County, Clay County, Wayne County, Greene County, Richland County.2 Countywide zoning is present in 65 counties, and we could not confirm the zoning answer in 14 counties.89 Compare the Illinois counties with no zoning before choosing a parcel.2

Illinois has 19 counties combining no residential building permit with no countywide zoning; the combined county list helps narrow that search.10 Where county zoning applies, setback distances depend on the applicable district or local ordinance, and agricultural buildings may still have to meet setback lines.16 Even in a county without zoning, a new private sewage disposal system needs plan approval before construction.3

Read the full Illinois guide →

Sources

  1. Bolthole Index county rulebook, 102 Illinois counties, as of October 15, 2026: Illinois counties that do not require a residential building permit in unincorporated areas
  2. Bolthole Index county rulebook, 102 Illinois counties, as of October 15, 2026: Illinois counties with no county-wide zoning
  3. Illinois: 77 Ill. Adm. Code 905.190 Installation Approval, quoted and re-checked
  4. Bolthole Index county rulebook, 102 Illinois counties, as of October 15, 2026: Illinois counties that require a residential building permit only in some cases (for example floodplain or certain structures)
  5. Bolthole Index county rulebook, 102 Illinois counties, as of October 15, 2026: Illinois counties that require a residential building permit in unincorporated areas
  6. Bolthole Index county rulebook, 102 Illinois counties, as of October 15, 2026: Illinois counties with county zoning
  7. Bolthole Index county rulebook, 102 Illinois counties, as of October 15, 2026: Illinois counties whose building-permit or zoning answer we could not confirm
  8. Bolthole Index county rulebook, 102 Illinois counties, as of October 15, 2026: Illinois counties with neither a residential building permit nor county-wide zoning
  9. Illinois: Illinois Codes, quoted and re-checked
  10. Illinois: Illinois Codes FAQ, quoted and re-checked
  11. Illinois Capital Development Board — Building Codes and Regulations (cdb.illinois.gov)
  12. Illinois: ilga.gov, quoted and re-checked

From the Illinois guide, written from the cited official sources and re-checked by an independent reviewer. This is research, not legal advice: confirm with the office before you buy or build.

19 of 102 Illinois counties · sorted by Index score

Keep exploring

Every county here has a full profile — water, land prices, hazard safety, seclusion, and the rest of its building rules. See the Illinois state page for all 102 counties ranked, or go back to the national list.

Off-grid gear

Building on land in one of these Illinois counties? The kit we'd start with:

These are affiliate links — we may earn a commission, at no cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, Bolthole Index earns from qualifying purchases.

General guidance, not legal advice. Off-grid, building, and land-use rules are often set at the county level and change often. Verify with your county and state before acting. Data reviewed 2026-06-26.