Bolthole Index

Champaign County, Illinois

Zoning, building permits and septic rules in St. Joseph Township, Illinois

Unincorporated St. Joseph Township, Illinois is zoned by Champaign County, and construction there needs a county zoning use permit rather than a building-code permit1. Zoning is the county's, not the township's2. Septic permits come from the Champaign-Urbana Public Health District3. Land inside the Village of St. Joseph is outside these county rules.

At a glance

Building permit
County zoning use permit required; the county does not issue building-code permits1
Zoning
Champaign County zoning applies outside the Village of St. Joseph2
Septic
Construction permit from the Champaign-Urbana Public Health District4
Minimum lot (AG-1)
1 acre5
Minimum lot (R-1)
9,000 square feet6
RV as a dwelling
Prohibited under the county zoning ordinance7
Private well
County health permit required8

Who to call

Zoning

Champaign County Department of Planning & Zoning

Zoning use permits, zoning compliance certificates and zoning inspections for unincorporated Champaign County, including unincorporated St. Joseph Township

217-384-3708

zoningdept@champaigncountyil.gov

102 E. Main Street, Urbana, IL 61801

Septic permits

Champaign-Urbana Public Health District, Environmental Health

Construction permits, inspections and plan review for private sewage systems, and private well permits, outside Champaign and Urbana

217-373-7900

201 W. Kenyon Rd., Champaign, IL 61820

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

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Do you need a building permit in St. Joseph Township, Illinois?

In unincorporated St. Joseph Township, new construction needs a county zoning use permit, and that permit is a land-use approval, not a structural building-code permit1. Champaign County states that all construction requires an approved Zoning Use Permit9. A Zoning Compliance Certificate is then required after construction before the building is used or occupied10.

Some uses also need a county board special use permit before the zoning use permit can issue1. Agriculture is exempt from county zoning except for the street setback11, and a qualifying farm dwelling may skip the zoning use permit but must still meet building and setback-line rules12.

The State of Illinois does not issue building permits for privately funded construction; any such requirement comes from the local unit of government13.

Who issues zoning and building approvals in St. Joseph Township, and how do you reach them?

Zoning use permits for unincorporated St. Joseph Township come from the Champaign County Department of Planning & Zoning in Urbana, which also inspects construction for zoning compliance and issues zoning compliance certificates14. The office is at 102 E. Main Street, Urbana, IL 61801, phone 217-384-3708, email zoningdept@champaigncountyil.gov14.

The Department's inspections check compliance with the approved zoning permit and the zoning ordinance, not a structural building code15.

The county's rules cover the unincorporated part of the township. Inside the Village of St. Joseph, the village is outside the county's zoning jurisdiction2, so ask Village of St. Joseph staff which permits apply to a village lot. Septic and well permits are the exception and stay with the health district, described below.

Does St. Joseph Township have zoning, and what are the lot and setback rules?

Yes. Unincorporated land in St. Joseph Township is covered by the Champaign County Zoning Ordinance, not a township ordinance2. Districts include AG-1, AG-2, CR, R-1 through R-5, B-1 through B-5, and I-1 and I-216. The county provides the zoning district for a specific property at no fee17, so ask before you buy.

  • AG-1 Agriculture: minimum lot of 1 acre5; side yard 15 feet and rear yard 25 feet18; lot coverage up to 20%19; height up to 50 feet, subject to footnotes20.
  • R-1 Single Family Residence: minimum lot of 9,000 square feet6; side yard 10 feet and rear yard 20 feet21; lot coverage up to 30%22; height up to 35 feet23.

These figures come from the county's district schedule and are subject to footnotes; confirm exact setbacks and any minimum dwelling size with the Planning & Zoning office, since we could not confirm a minimum home size.

How do septic permits work in St. Joseph Township?

Outside the Champaign and Urbana city limits, septic permits are handled by the Champaign-Urbana Public Health District3. A homeowner or an Illinois Department of Public Health-licensed sewage contractor must obtain a construction permit from the district before any work starts424. Applications are processed within 15 days, and the district needs at least 48 hours' notice before work starts24. Staff then inspect the installation for code compliance25.

The published private sewage permit fee is $20026. A private water well permit costs $200, made up of a $100 permit fee and a $100 inspection fee27.

Soils matter: only about 0.3% of Champaign County soils rate as not limited for a conventional drain field, so expect a site evaluation and possibly an engineered system28. Inside the Village of St. Joseph, the village may have its own sewer rules; ask the village before assuming septic is allowed3.

Can you live in an RV or tiny home on your land in St. Joseph Township?

Not in an RV. The Champaign County Zoning Ordinance, which governs unincorporated St. Joseph Township, states that no motor vehicle, travel trailer or tent may be used as a dwelling7.

The ordinance does allow a manufactured home to be placed temporarily on a lot while the owner builds a permanent dwelling; that placement is part of the permanent dwelling's zoning use permit and expires with it29. Manufactured homes otherwise must have wheels and hitches removed and meet federal or Illinois manufactured-home standards30.

We could not confirm how the ordinance treats tiny homes or accessory dwellings. Ask the Champaign County Department of Planning & Zoning before buying land for one14.

Building a home in St. Joseph Township: the steps, in order

  1. Confirm the property is outside the Village of St. Joseph limits and find its zoning district with the Champaign County Department of Planning & Zoning1417.
  2. Check the district's lot size and setbacks, and ask whether a special use permit is needed for your use1.
  3. Apply to Planning & Zoning for the zoning use permit before any construction begins31.
  4. Apply to the Champaign-Urbana Public Health District for the septic construction permit, and a well permit if you need a well248.
  5. Build within the permit's time limits: construction must start within 180 days of issue and be substantially complete within 365 days, or the permit becomes null and void32.
  6. Request the zoning compliance inspection and get the Zoning Compliance Certificate before moving in10.

What to check before you buy land in St. Joseph Township

Start with the zoning district and whether the parcel is inside the Village of St. Joseph, since that changes who permits what2. Dividing land is regulated too: county subdivision regulations and the Illinois Plat Act govern land division in most of the unincorporated area33.

For flood risk, the county charges $100 for a floodplain development permit in addition to any other fee34. Construction without a valid zoning use permit is a violation with a fine of up to $500 per day32.

Champaign County, which includes the township (see the Champaign County page for land elsewhere in the county), has a median property tax bill of $4,245 a year35 and farmland value of $7,187 per acre36. Driveway access permits for township lots are unconfirmed; ask the township road commissioner.

Watch-outs

  • The county's zoning rules do not clearly cover land inside the Village of St. Joseph, so confirm with the village whether your lot is inside its limits before relying on county permits2.
  • Zoning near the village may differ: a 2016 county memo describes a one-and-one-half-mile zone around the village where the village holds zoning authority, so confirm parcel location with Planning & Zoning2.
  • Septic and well permits are required even where a parcel qualifies for the farm dwelling zoning exemption124.
  • We could not confirm tiny home rules, accessory dwellings, minimum home size or driveway permits for St. Joseph Township; call the Champaign County Department of Planning & Zoning14.

Sources

  1. Champaign County Department of Planning and Zoning orientation (zoning ordinance slides) (St. Joseph Township), quoted and re-checked
  2. Champaign County Zoning Ordinance (posted PDF), section 5.3 schedule of area, height and placement regulations (St. Joseph Township), quoted and re-checked
  3. Champaign-Urbana Public Health District: Private sewage systems (St. Joseph Township), quoted and re-checked
  4. Champaign-Urbana Public Health District: Private sewage systems (St. Joseph Township), quoted and re-checked
  5. Champaign County Zoning Ordinance (posted PDF), section 5.3 schedule of area, height and placement regulations (St. Joseph Township), quoted and re-checked
  6. Champaign County Zoning Ordinance (posted PDF), section 5.3 schedule of area, height and placement regulations (St. Joseph Township), quoted and re-checked
  7. Champaign County Zoning Ordinance, quoted and re-checked
  8. Onsite Water Wells and Closed Loop Geothermal Wells, quoted and re-checked
  9. Champaign County Planning and Zoning Brochure, quoted and re-checked
  10. Champaign County Zoning Ordinance, quoted and re-checked
  11. Champaign County Department of Planning and Zoning orientation (zoning ordinance slides) (St. Joseph Township), quoted and re-checked
  12. Permitting and Enforcement Process in Champaign County, quoted and re-checked
  13. Illinois Codes FAQ (Illinois statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  14. Champaign County Department of Planning & Zoning (champaigncountyil.gov)
  15. Champaign County Planning and Zoning Brochure, quoted and re-checked
  16. Champaign County Zoning Ordinance (posted PDF), section 5.3 schedule of area, height and placement regulations (St. Joseph Township), quoted and re-checked
  17. Champaign County Planning and Zoning Brochure, quoted and re-checked
  18. Champaign County Zoning Ordinance (posted PDF), section 5.3 schedule of area, height and placement regulations (St. Joseph Township), quoted and re-checked
  19. Champaign County Zoning Ordinance (posted PDF), section 5.3 schedule of area, height and placement regulations (St. Joseph Township), quoted and re-checked
  20. Champaign County Zoning Ordinance (posted PDF), section 5.3 schedule of area, height and placement regulations (St. Joseph Township), quoted and re-checked
  21. Champaign County Zoning Ordinance (posted PDF), section 5.3 schedule of area, height and placement regulations (St. Joseph Township), quoted and re-checked
  22. Champaign County Zoning Ordinance (posted PDF), section 5.3 schedule of area, height and placement regulations (St. Joseph Township), quoted and re-checked
  23. Champaign County Zoning Ordinance (posted PDF), section 5.3 schedule of area, height and placement regulations (St. Joseph Township), quoted and re-checked
  24. Champaign-Urbana Public Health District, Environmental Health (c-uphd.org)
  25. Champaign-Urbana Public Health District: Private sewage systems (St. Joseph Township), quoted and re-checked
  26. Onsite Sewage Systems, quoted and re-checked
  27. County Fee Schedule, quoted and re-checked
  28. 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
  29. Champaign County Zoning Ordinance, quoted and re-checked
  30. Champaign County Zoning Ordinance, quoted and re-checked
  31. Permitting and Enforcement Process in Champaign County, quoted and re-checked
  32. Land Disturbance and Zoning Use Permit Application Form, quoted and re-checked
  33. Champaign County Planning and Zoning Brochure, quoted and re-checked
  34. FEES AND CHARGES, quoted and re-checked
  35. Median property tax bill: Bolthole Index county data
  36. Farmland value per acre (USDA census): 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 St. Joseph Township

Rules another office applies inside St. Joseph Township

St. Joseph Township does not set these itself; the county, a health district or the state does, and they apply to every address inside its limits.

  • Building permitRequired

    Construction and new land uses in unincorporated St. Joseph township under the Champaign County Zoning Ordinance

    • The requirement is a county zoning use permit, not a building permit; the county does not issue building permits under a building code.
    • Some uses also need a county board special use permit before a zoning use permit can issue.
    • Village of St. Joseph land is outside this claim.
    “the principal means of control is to require zoning permits for all construction and/ or establishment of new land uses”
  • Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

    Land in St. Joseph township outside the Village of St. Joseph limits (unincorporated Champaign County). This is county zoning, not a township ordinance.

    • The county's zoning jurisdiction is the unincorporated area; incorporated municipalities are included only if agreeable, and the Village of St. Joseph is not listed among them in the county's orientation slides.
    • A zoning use permit is required for construction and new land uses in the county zoning districts.
    • Districts such as AG-1 and AG-2 may require a county board special use permit for some uses.
    • A 2016 Champaign County zoning board memo (search snippet only, not opened) describes the village's one-and-one-half-mile extraterritorial zone in which the village holds zoning authority. Confirm parcel location before relying on county zoning.
    “the county’s zoning jurisdiction is the unincorporated area and also includes the villages of: ● longview ● dewey ● foosland”
  • Zoning districtsPublished

    Zoning districts applying in unincorporated St. Joseph township under the Champaign County Zoning Ordinance

    • Districts include AG-1, AG-2, CR, R-1 through R-5, B-1 through B-5, and I-1 and I-2, as shown in the section 5.3 schedule.
    • Village of St. Joseph districts are not covered by this county claim.
    “section 5.3 schedule of area, height and placement regulations by district”
  • Minimum lot sizeSpecified

    AG-1 Agriculture district lots in unincorporated St. Joseph township

    • Footnote 13 sets maximum lot areas for some AG-1 lots (for example, three acres for qualifying rro-exempt best-prime-farmland lots created from a tract of 12 acres or more as of January 1, 1998).
    • Section 4.3.4 lot standards also apply to all lots.

    minimum lot size: 1 acre (Footnote 13 maximum-area rules may apply to some lots)

    “ag-1 agriculture 1 acre 200 50 nr10 85 75 55 15 25 20% (5), (13), (14), (15)”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
  • SetbacksSpecified

    AG-1 Agriculture district in unincorporated St. Joseph township

    • Front setbacks are measured from street centerline; the three values in the row correspond to the street classifications in the table header, which are not fully legible in the extracted text.
    • Footnote 3 sets minimum front yards measured from the right-of-way line by street type.
    • Agriculture is exempt from zoning except for the street setback (see the agricultural exemption claim).

    side yard: 15 feet · rear yard: 25 feet · front setback from street centerline (street classes read as major, collector, minor): 85 / 75 / 55 feet (Class mapping inferred from header order)

    “ag-1 agriculture 1 acre 200 50 nr10 85 75 55 15 25 20% (5), (13), (14), (15)”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
  • Lot coverageSpecified

    AG-1 Agriculture district in unincorporated St. Joseph township

    • Footnote 5 of the schedule applies (not reviewed in full).

    maximum lot coverage: <= 20 percent

    “ag-1 agriculture 1 acre 200 50 nr10 85 75 55 15 25 20% (5), (13), (14), (15)”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
  • Building heightSpecified

    R-1 Single Family Residence district in unincorporated St. Joseph township

    • Footnotes 4 and 11 may modify the limit (not reviewed in full).

    maximum height: <= 35 feet (Footnotes 4 and 11 may modify) · maximum stories: <= 2.5 stories

    “r-1 single family residence 9,000 80 35 2 1/2 85 75 55 10 20 30% (5), (8)”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
  • Who permits septicLocal (with conditions)

    Private sewage systems in St. Joseph township outside Champaign and Urbana city limits

    • The Champaign-Urbana Public Health District administers private sewage permits and inspections in the county outside the two cities; the page lists the Health Ordinance of Champaign County (No. 969) and the Illinois Private Sewage Disposal Code as governing rules.
    • Within the Village of St. Joseph limits, the village may have its own sewer rules; not covered here.
    • The Illinois Department of Public Health licenses sewage contractors.
    “for all other areas of champaign county, please use the county forms.”
  • Septic permitRequired

    New or renovated private sewage systems in St. Joseph township outside Champaign and Urbana city limits

    • Application must be submitted with the appropriate permit fee; the page links fee schedules for Champaign County but the fee amounts were not opened.
    • Applications are processed within 15 days.
    • Work requires at least 48 hours' notice to the office before starting on the sewage system.

    application processing time: <= 15 days

    “in champaign county, a homeowner or an illinois department of public health-licensed sewage contractor must obtain a construction permit from our office before any work is conducted.”
  • Septic inspectionRequired

    Installation of private sewage systems in St. Joseph township outside Champaign and Urbana city limits

    • The health district must receive at least 48 hours' notice before work starts, then inspects the installation for code compliance.
    “our staff will conduct inspections to determine that systems have been installed according to code”
  • Agricultural exemptionConditional

    Agricultural use of land in unincorporated St. Joseph township

    • Agriculture is exempt from county zoning except for the street setback, per the county's orientation slides.
    • The county orientation text is OCR-garbled; only the quoted sentence was used.
    “is exempt from zoning except for the street setback”
  • Permit processPartial

    Septic construction permit process in St. Joseph township outside Champaign and Urbana city limits

    • Process is partial: the page covers the septic permit, the 15-day processing time, and inspection notice, but the forms and fee schedule were not opened.
    • Zoning use permit process is not covered by this claim.
    “applications are processed within 15 days”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask St. Joseph Township or Champaign County directly.

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption for a home in St. Joseph township
  • Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy for a new home in St. Joseph township
  • Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size in unincorporated St. Joseph township
  • Living in an RV — Long-term RV occupancy on private land in St. Joseph township
  • Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land in St. Joseph township
11 more unanswered
  • Tiny homes
  • Manufactured homes
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • Mandatory utility hookup
  • Subdividing land
  • 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 St. Joseph Township publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Champaign County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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