Bolthole Index

Cook County, Illinois

Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Arlington Heights, Illinois

The Village of Arlington Heights, Illinois (Cook County) runs its own zoning under Chapter 28 of its Municipal Code1. Its Building & Life Safety Department handles building permits and inspections under the village's amended 2018 International Residential Code23. Cook County's building and zoning office serves unincorporated land only4. Septic permits, where a property has a septic system, come from the Cook County Department of Public Health5.

At a glance

Zoning
Village zoning under Chapter 28 of the Municipal Code1
Building permits
Issued by the village for certain building and construction projects3
Building code
2018 International Residential Code, amended by the village2
Inspections
Required during permitted work; the permit holder requests them6
Septic
Cook County Department of Public Health reviews private sewage systems5
Accessory structures
Rear yard only; 15 feet maximum height78
Floodplain
Village floodplain permitting applies in special flood hazard areas9

Who to call

Building permits

Arlington Heights Building & Life Safety Department

Building permits, plan review and inspections inside the village

847-368-5560

33 S. Arlington Heights Road, Arlington Heights, IL 60005

Online permits →

Zoning

Arlington Heights Planning & Community Development Department

Zoning, subdivision and Zoning Board of Appeals applications inside the village

847.368.5200

planningmail@vah.com

33 S. Arlington Heights Road, Arlington Heights, IL 60005

Septic permits

Cook County Department of Public Health - Environmental Health

Review and approval of private sewage disposal systems and well/septic evaluations in Cook County

708-836-8600

7556 Jackson Boulevard, Forest Park, IL 60130

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 16, 2026.

Off-grid gear

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

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Does Arlington Heights, Illinois have zoning?

Yes. The Village of Arlington Heights has its own zoning regulations in Chapter 28 of its Municipal Code, and they cover buildings and uses of land inside the village1. Cook County's zoning ordinance covers unincorporated areas and excludes villages that have their own zoning ordinances, so the county ordinance does not govern Arlington Heights lots10. The village's Planning & Community Development Department handles zoning, and its Zoning Board of Appeals reviews requests for variations11.

For accessory structures such as garages and sheds, the village allows them only in the rear yard, at least 3 feet from a side lot line and 5 feet from the rear lot line7. Accessory structures may cover no more than 40 percent of a required rear yard, and a detached garage is capped at 720 square feet12. Accessory structures may not exceed 15 feet above grade8.

We could not confirm the village's rules on RVs, tiny homes, accessory dwellings, minimum home size or minimum lot size by district. Ask the Planning & Community Development Department before you buy or build.

Do you need a building permit in Arlington Heights, and who issues it?

The Village of Arlington Heights issues its own building permits through the Building & Life Safety Department, which states that the village requires permits for certain building and construction projects3. Cook County's Department of Building and Zoning handles permits only in unincorporated areas and directs callers in incorporated municipalities to the local authority4. Illinois does not issue building permits for privately funded homes; any permit requirement comes from the local government13.

Inside the village, one- and two-family dwellings are built under the 2018 International Residential Code as amended by the village, and the village code controls where the two conflict2. Inspections are required during permitted work, and the permit holder requests each one6. The village requires first submittals for building permits to be made electronically3. We could not confirm the permit fee schedule or which small projects are exempt; call the department.

How do septic permits work in Arlington Heights?

We could not confirm whether the village has its own septic rules, and most village addresses are likely on public sewer, which we also could not confirm. Ask the Building & Life Safety Department whether a given lot connects to village sewer and water.

For a lot with a private sewage system, the Cook County Department of Public Health reviews and approves private sewage disposal systems throughout Cook County, and Arlington Heights is not among the four exceptions (Barrington Hills, Inverness, Palos Park and South Barrington)514. Illinois requires plan approval from the state health department or the local authority before construction of a new private sewage system begins15. Water wells also need a permit from the state health department or an approved local health department before work starts16, and the county health department takes well applications in suburban Cook County17.

Building a home in Arlington Heights: the steps, in order

  1. Confirm the zoning district and what the lot allows with the Planning & Community Development Department at 847.368.520011.
  2. If you are dividing or combining lots, ask about Chapter 29: a resubdivision can skip the preliminary plat only when the area does not exceed one acre and meets the other stated tests18.
  3. Check whether the lot is in a special flood hazard area; the village's floodplain chapter applies there9.
  4. Submit the building permit application electronically to the Building & Life Safety Department at 847-368-55603.
  5. If the lot has no sewer, get approval from the Cook County Department of Public Health before construction1914.
  6. Request each required inspection as the work proceeds6.

What stays with Cook County, and what to check before you buy in Arlington Heights

Septic and well approvals come from the Cook County Department of Public Health, not the village5. For land outside village limits, see the Cook County page, because the county's building and zoning rules apply only in unincorporated areas4.

Driveways inside the village need to adjoin a public street or permanent easement, and a curb-cut driveway may be no wider than 25 feet unless the Village Engineer authorizes up to 36 feet20. A driveway onto a state highway needs a permit from the Illinois Department of Transportation21.

Property tax figures are for Cook County as a whole: the effective rate is about 2%22 and the median bill is about $6,053 a year23.

Watch-outs

  • The village's rules on RVs, tiny homes, accessory dwellings and short-term rentals could not be confirmed, so ask the Planning & Community Development Department before relying on any of them11.
  • Cook County's RV, zoning and building rules apply only to unincorporated land, not to lots inside Arlington Heights4.
  • Zoning setbacks, heights and lot coverage above are for accessory structures; principal-building rules differ by district, so check the district before you design24.

Sources

  1. Arlington Heights Municipal Code Ch. 28 Sec. 28-6 General Provisions (Village of Arlington Heights), quoted and re-checked
  2. Arlington Heights Municipal Code Sec. 23-202 IRC amendments (Village of Arlington Heights), quoted and re-checked
  3. Arlington Heights Building & Life Safety Department (vah.com)
  4. Building and Zoning, quoted and re-checked
  5. Septic - Cook County Department of Public Health, quoted and re-checked
  6. Arlington Heights Municipal Code Sec. 23-202 IRC amendments (Village of Arlington Heights), quoted and re-checked
  7. Arlington Heights Municipal Code Ch. 28 Sec. 28-6 General Provisions (Village of Arlington Heights), quoted and re-checked
  8. Arlington Heights Municipal Code Ch. 28 Sec. 28-6 General Provisions (Village of Arlington Heights), quoted and re-checked
  9. Arlington Heights Municipal Code Sec. 15-109 Floodplain permitting requirements (Village of Arlington Heights), quoted and re-checked
  10. Amendment to Cook County Zoning Ordinance, quoted and re-checked
  11. Arlington Heights Planning & Community Development Department (vah.com)
  12. Arlington Heights Municipal Code Ch. 28 Sec. 28-6 General Provisions (Village of Arlington Heights), quoted and re-checked
  13. Illinois Codes FAQ (Illinois statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  14. Cook County Department of Public Health - Environmental Health (cookcountypublichealth.org)
  15. 77 Ill. Adm. Code 905.190 Installation Approval (Illinois statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  16. 77 Ill. Admin. Code 920.130, Water Well Permit Requirements (Illinois statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  17. Wells - Cook County Department of Public Health, quoted and re-checked
  18. Arlington Heights Municipal Code Sec. 29-105 Partial Exceptions (Village of Arlington Heights), quoted and re-checked
  19. Septic, quoted and re-checked
  20. Arlington Heights Municipal Code Ch. 28 Sec. 28-6 General Provisions (Village of Arlington Heights), quoted and re-checked
  21. Highway Permits (Illinois statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  22. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  23. Median property tax bill: Bolthole Index county data
  24. Arlington Heights Municipal Code Sec. 28-10 Off Street Parking and Loading (Village of Arlington Heights), quoted and re-checked

Written October 16, 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 Village of Arlington Heights

Village of Arlington Heights’s own rules

  • Building code adoptedAdopted

    One- and two-family dwellings inside Arlington Heights village

    • Village amends the IRC; where the IRC conflicts with the Municipal Code, the Code applies

    IRC edition: 2018 (as amended by Sec. 23-202)

    “the 2018 edition of the irc adopted by this article is modified for use in the village by the following amendments”
  • InspectionsRequired

    Permitted one- and two-family dwelling work inside Arlington Heights village

    • Inspections requested by permit holder
    “r109.1.1 required inspections. all inspections required by the village shall be requested by the permit holder and shall be approved in accordance with subsection r109.4”
  • Local zoningPresent

    Land inside Arlington Heights village, governed by Chapter 28 Zoning Regulations

    • Non-conforming uses addressed in Section 28-7
    “all buildings erected hereafter, all uses of land or buildings established hereafter, all structural alteration or relocation of existing buildings occurring hereafter”
  • Zoning districtsPartial

    Residential zoning districts inside Arlington Heights village

    • Full district list and map not opened
    “in r-e, r-1, r-2, and r-3 districts, off street parking spaces are permitted based on the following”
  • SetbacksSpecified

    Accessory structures on residential lots inside Arlington Heights village (principal-building setbacks by district not captured)

    • Accessory structures only in rear yard
    • Tree house: five feet from side lot line and ten feet from principal structure

    accessory side setback: >= 3 feet (tree house 5 ft) · accessory rear setback: >= 5 feet

    “an accessory structure may be located no less than three feet from a side lot line (except for a tree house which shall be setback five feet and no closer than ten feet to the principal structure), and no less than five feet from the rear lot line.”
  • Lot coverageSpecified

    Accessory structures in required rear yards inside Arlington Heights village (district FAR/coverage not captured)

    • Detached garage max 720 sq ft

    accessory share of required rear yard: <= 40 percent

    “no accessory structure or structures shall occupy more than 40 percent of the area of a required rear yard.”
  • Building heightSpecified

    Accessory structures in required rear yards inside Arlington Heights village (main building height by district not captured)

    • Tree house may not be taller than the highest point of the principal structure

    accessory structure height: <= 15 feet above grade

    “no accessory structure or portion thereof shall exceed a height of 15 feet above grade”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Subdivision and resubdivision of land inside Arlington Heights village (Chapter 29)

    • Resubdivision exempt from preliminary plat only if area does not exceed one acre, no variations, no public improvements, and lot area/width within stated tolerances
    • Exemption application goes to Director of Planning and Community Development, then Plan Commission
    “any resubdivision, including consolidation of land, shall be exempt from the requirements of this chapter relating to the filing of preliminary plats if the proposed resubdivision meets all of the following: a. the entire area does not exceed one acre.”
  • Driveway accessLimited

    Driveways and access for principal buildings inside Arlington Heights village

    • Principal building must adjoin a public street or permanent easement of access
    • Driveway/parking area max 22 feet wide in R-E, R-1, R-2, R-3 (32 feet for certain three-car garages)
    • Curb cut driveway max 25 feet, up to 36 feet if Village Engineer authorizes

    curb cut driveway width: <= 25 feet (36 ft if Village Engineer authorizes)

    “no driveway across public property or requiring a curb cut shall exceed a width of 25 feet, except when, in the opinion of the village engineer, safe and efficient design principals require an increase, in which case the village engineer may authorize a maximum driveway width of 36 feet.”
  • Building in a floodplainRequired

    Development in special flood hazard areas inside Arlington Heights village (Chapter 15)

    • Applies to new buildings or additions valued over $1,000 or 70 sq ft, substantial improvements, and RVs on site over 180 days per year
    • Lowest floor must be at or above flood protection elevation if on fill
    “all buildings located within a 100-year floodplain, also known as a sfha, shall be protected from flood damage below the flood protection elevation.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Village of Arlington Heights or Cook County directly.

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption inside Arlington Heights village
  • Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size in residential districts
  • Minimum lot size — Minimum lot size in R-1 and other residential districts
  • Living in an RV — RV occupancy inside Arlington Heights village
  • Camping on your land — Temporary camping inside Arlington Heights village
13 more unanswered
  • Tiny homes
  • Manufactured homes
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Who permits septic
  • Septic permit
  • Septic inspection
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • Mandatory utility hookup
  • Agricultural exemption
  • 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 Village of Arlington Heights publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Cook County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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