Bolthole Index

Cook County, Illinois

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

The Village of Harwood Heights, Illinois, in Cook County, adopts its own zoning code1 and requires permits for construction and remodeling through its Building Department2. Living in an RV, travel trailer or mobile home is not allowed inside the village3. Septic approval is a Cook County Department of Public Health matter4, and we could not confirm whether any village lot uses septic at all.

At a glance

Zoning
Village of Harwood Heights zoning code (Title 17), not Cook County's1
Building permit
Required for construction and remodeling; issued by the village Building Department2
Building code
2018 International Residential Code with village amendments5
RV living
Not allowed; one small camper (130 sq ft or less) may be stored, not occupied3
Mobile homes
Not allowed to be occupied as dwellings6
R1 lot size
5,000 sq ft minimum lot area; 25 ft front, 4 ft side, 35 ft rear yards78
Septic
Cook County Department of Public Health reviews and approves systems4

Who to call

Building permits

Village of Harwood Heights Building Department

Building permits, plan review and inspections inside Harwood Heights village limits

708-867-7200

7300 W. Wilson Harwood Heights, IL. 60706

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

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Does Harwood Heights have zoning, and what does it mean for RVs and tiny homes?

Yes. The Village of Harwood Heights, Illinois adopts its own zoning code, Title 17 of the village code1. Cook County's zoning ordinance covers only unincorporated land and excludes villages that have their own zoning9.

Residential land is divided into the R1, R2, R2-A, R3 and R4 districts10. Inside the village, mobile homes, truck campers and travel or camping trailers may not be occupied for dwelling purposes3. In residence districts, one small camper or trailer of 130 sq ft or less may be stored, but not lived in, in the rear yard or a concealing structure3. Tents are limited to small recreational tents in a rear yard11. Occupying a mobile home as a dwelling is likewise prohibited6. We could not confirm how the village treats tiny homes or accessory dwellings, so ask the Building Department before planning either.

What are the lot size, setback and height rules in Harwood Heights?

The rules depend on the district. In the R1 district, the minimum lot area is 5,000 sq ft for homes7, with a minimum lot width of 40 ft and depth of 125 ft7. R1 yards are 25 ft in front, 4 ft on each side and 35 ft in the rear8. Buildings with a hip, gable or gambrel roof are limited to 22 ft for one or two stories and 30 ft for three or more12.

R2, R2-A, R3 and R4 have their own figures in the village's bulk and yard table, so check the district for your parcel before buying10. We could not confirm a minimum dwelling size in the village code.

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

Yes. The Village of Harwood Heights requires permits for construction and remodeling, and the Building Department issues them2. Work must be done by contractors licensed with the village2. Residential construction follows the 2018 International Residential Code, adopted with village amendments such as plans sealed by an Illinois licensed design professional, basement egress and ceiling height rules, and a grading plan5.

Cook County's Department of Building and Zoning serves unincorporated land and sends callers in incorporated municipalities to the local building and zoning authority13. For a lot inside Harwood Heights, call the village at 708-867-72002, not the county counter. We could not confirm village permit fees or the application steps on its pages; ask the Building Department.

How do septic permits work in Harwood Heights?

Cook County, not the village, handles septic approval. The Cook County Department of Public Health reviews and approves private sewage disposal systems throughout Cook County, except in Barrington Hills, Inverness, Palos Park and South Barrington4. Harwood Heights is not on that exception list. Cook County Building and Zoning requires homeowners and contractors to get that approval before home construction involving wells and septic14.

We could not confirm whether a Harwood Heights lot can use septic or must connect to village sewer. Ask the Building Department before you buy. Illinois requires plan approval from the state or a local authority before any new private sewage system is built15.

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

  1. Look up your parcel's zoning district (R1, R2, R2-A, R3 or R4) and check lot size and yard rules10.
  2. Call the Building Department at 708-867-7200 to confirm which permits your project needs2.
  3. Hire contractors licensed with the village2.
  4. Prepare plans to the 2018 International Residential Code and village amendments, including sealed plans and a grading plan5.
  5. If the lot may be in a floodplain, expect the lowest floor, including any crawl space, to sit at or above flood crest level16.
  6. If the home will not use sewer, get Cook County Department of Public Health approval for the septic system14.

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

Septic approval and, for any private well, the same county health review stay with Cook County14. Land outside village limits is governed by the county's rules; see the Cook County page for unincorporated land.

Before buying, confirm the parcel's zoning district, floodplain status and sewer service with the village. Cook County's typical home value is about $343,35017 and the effective property tax rate is about 2%18; both are county-level figures, not village-specific.

Watch-outs

  • A Cook County rule about permits or zoning does not apply inside Harwood Heights; the village's own Building Department and zoning code control13.
  • RVs, travel trailers and mobile homes cannot be lived in anywhere in the village, even temporarily during construction3.
  • We could not confirm septic rules, sewer connection requirements, permit fees or tiny-home rules inside the village; call the Building Department at 708-867-72002.

Sources

  1. Harwood Heights Code 17.04.030 Interpretation of provisions (Village of Harwood Heights), quoted and re-checked
  2. Village of Harwood Heights Building Department (harwoodheights.org)
  3. Harwood Heights Code 17.04.160 Mobile homes, trailers, truck campers, tents and boats (Village of Harwood Heights), quoted and re-checked
  4. Septic, quoted and re-checked
  5. Harwood Heights Code 15.12.010 Residential Code adopted by reference (Village of Harwood Heights), quoted and re-checked
  6. Harwood Heights Code 17.04.160 Mobile homes, trailers, truck campers, tents and boats (Village of Harwood Heights), quoted and re-checked
  7. Harwood Heights Code 17.12.040 Residential districts bulk and yard requirements (Village of Harwood Heights), quoted and re-checked
  8. Harwood Heights Code 17.12.040 Residential districts bulk and yard requirements (Village of Harwood Heights), quoted and re-checked
  9. Amendment to Cook County Zoning Ordinance, quoted and re-checked
  10. Harwood Heights Code 17.12.040 Residential districts bulk and yard requirements (Village of Harwood Heights), quoted and re-checked
  11. Harwood Heights Code 17.04.160 Mobile homes, trailers, truck campers, tents and boats (Village of Harwood Heights), quoted and re-checked
  12. Harwood Heights Code 17.12.040 Residential districts bulk and yard requirements (Village of Harwood Heights), quoted and re-checked
  13. Building and Zoning, quoted and re-checked
  14. Septic, quoted and re-checked
  15. 77 Ill. Adm. Code 905.190 Installation Approval (Illinois statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  16. Harwood Heights Code 17.04.180 Floodplain area (Village of Harwood Heights), quoted and re-checked
  17. Typical home value (Zillow): Bolthole Index county data
  18. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data

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 Harwood Heights

Village of Harwood Heights’s own rules

  • Building code adoptedAdopted

    Residential construction inside Harwood Heights village

    • Adopted with local amendments (e.g., plans sealed by Illinois licensed design professional, basement egress and ceiling height rules, grading plan)
    • Illinois Plumbing Code also adopted under 15.20.010

    code edition: International Residential Code 2018 (village amendments)

    “marked and designated as "the international residential code, 2018 edition" as published by the international code council, inc. is adopted as the residential code of the village of harwood heights.”
  • Local zoningPresent

    Land inside Harwood Heights village limits; the village adopts Title 17 Zoning Ordinance

    “In their interpretation and application, the provisions of this title shall be held to be the minimum requirements for the promotion and protection of the public health, safety, morals and general welfare.”
  • Zoning districtsPublished

    Residential zoning districts R1, R2, R2-A, R3, R4 inside Harwood Heights village

    • Business and other districts exist (e.g., B-1) but were not reviewed
    “table 17.12.040.1: residential districts bulk and yard requirements establishes building bulk and yard setback requirements for the residential districts.”
  • Minimum lot sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

    R1 residential district inside Harwood Heights village (R2, R2-A, R3, R4 differ in the same table)

    • Non-residential uses in R1: 15,000 sf lot area, 120 ft width

    minimum lot area R1: >= 5000 sq ft · minimum lot width R1: >= 40 ft (non-residential 120 ft) · minimum lot depth R1: >= 125 ft

    “minimum lot area 5,000 sf non-residential uses: 15,000 sf”
  • SetbacksDistrict specific (with conditions)

    R1 residential district inside Harwood Heights village

    • Footnotes 5-7 modify yards (non-residential height increases, corner lots, 40 percent rear yard open space in R1)
    • Other districts have different side yards (10% of total width)

    front yard R1: >= 25 ft (see footnote 6) · side yard R1: >= 4 ft · rear yard R1: >= 35 ft

    “front yard 25 ft. minimum 5, 6 25 ft. minimum 5, 6 25 ft. minimum 5, 6, 8 25 ft. minimum 5, 6 25 ft. minimum 5, 6 side yard 4 ft. minimum 5”
  • Building heightDistrict specific (with conditions)

    R1 residential district inside Harwood Heights village (hip, gable or gambrel roof)

    • Other roof types: 1-2 stories 18 ft, 3+ stories 26 ft
    • R3 and R4 allow 35 ft

    max height 1-2 stories: <= 22 ft · max height 3+ stories: <= 30 ft

    “maximum building height—hip, gable, or gambrel roof type 1-2 stories: 22 ft. 3+ stories: 30 ft.”
  • Living in an RVProhibited

    Occupying travel trailers, camping trailers or truck campers for dwelling inside Harwood Heights village

    • In residence districts, one small camper or trailer (130 sq ft or less) may be stored, not occupied, in the rear yard or a concealing structure
    • Temporary construction trailers permitted with zoning officer permit

    max stored trailer floor area: <= 130 sq ft (truck camper on pickup not exceeding three-quarter ton)

    “mobile homes, truck campers, travel and camping trailers shall not be occupied for dwelling purposes nor parked or stored on any lot other than lots occupied by establishments selling or serving such trailers in conformance with other provisions of this title.”
  • Camping on your landLimited

    Tents on residential lots inside Harwood Heights village

    • Only small recreational tents in rear yard
    • Temporary community/commercial tents need zoning officer permit under 17.56.040(A)(1)(i)
    “tents shall not be erected, used or maintained on a residential lot, except such small tents as are customarily used for recreation purposes and located on the same as a dwelling or for entertainment purposes and only when the tent is located within a rear yard.”
  • Manufactured homesProhibited

    Mobile homes occupied for dwelling on lots inside Harwood Heights village

    • Definition of mobile home versus modern HUD-code or modular homes not reviewed
    • Applies to all districts as stated
    “mobile homes, truck campers, travel and camping trailers shall not be occupied for dwelling purposes nor parked or stored on any lot other than lots occupied by establishments selling or serving such trailers in conformance with other provisions of this title.”
  • Building in a floodplainRequired

    Buildings erected, altered, enlarged or moved to a floodplain area inside Harwood Heights village

    • Elevation may be raised further as required by the zoning officer for specific locations
    “the ground floor including also a cellar or crawl space floor of any building hereafter erected, structurally altered, enlarged or moved to a floodplain area shall have an elevation that is equal to or above flood crest level, or the distance above floor crest level that may be required by the zoning officer for specific locations.”

Still unanswered

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

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption inside Harwood Heights village
  • Inspections — Inspections inside Harwood Heights village
  • Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy inside Harwood Heights village
  • Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size inside Harwood Heights village
  • Tiny homes — Tiny homes inside Harwood Heights village
13 more unanswered
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Who permits septic
  • Septic permit
  • Septic inspection
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • Mandatory utility hookup
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Subdividing land
  • Driveway access
  • 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 Harwood 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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