Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Village of Manteno, Illinois
Village of Manteno is a village in Kankakee County, Illinois. Village of Manteno adopts its own zoning, so inside its limits Village of Manteno’s rules apply, not the county’s. 8 rules below are quoted from official sources and independently re-checked, most recently on October 22, 2026. Rules for unincorporated land are on the Kankakee County page.
Answers from the rulebook for Village of Manteno
Village of Manteno’s own rules
Building permitRequired
New homes and other buildings, plus listed work on existing homes, inside Manteno village limits
Listed permit work includes decks, fencing, concrete flatwork, asphalt driveways, patios, sidewalks, roofing, siding, gutters, sheds and garages, sewer/sump/water line repairs, swimming pools, hot tubs, remodels and additions, signage, water heaters, furnaces, air conditioners, electrical, plumbing, gas lines, storage pods, generators, solar panels, sprinkler systems, demolition, and playhouses over 80 square feet.
Work listed as not requiring a permit: flooring, painting, drywalling, trim, cabinet and countertop replacement (if no plumbing or electrical beyond hook-ups), roofing repairs under one square (100 sq. ft.), and siding repairs under one square (100 sq. ft.). Any hired contractor must still be licensed through the village.
Under IRC 8-1-13(d), the residential code's permit-exempt work list (R105.2) is deleted in its entirety, so the Village does not use the IRC exemption list.
Construction may proceed only after the permit is issued and picked up.
“in addition to new homes and buildings, the following work requires a permit:”
Owner-builder exemptionConditional
A property owner building their own new home inside Manteno village limits
All subcontractors must be licensed by the village.
The homeowner must live in the residence for at least a year from the date of the certificate of occupancy (the code repeats this condition as item 3).
“(d) property/homeowner construction license: a property/homeowner may be the general contractor/contractor of his/her new home provided the following conditions are met: 1. all subcontractors must be licensed by the village. 2. the homeowner must live in the residence for at least a year from the date of the certificate of occupancy.”
Building code adoptedAdopted
Construction inside Manteno village limits
Adopted list in 8-1-13(b): 2024 International Building Code with appendices; 2024 International Residential Code with appendix BF; 2024 International Mechanical Code; 2024 International Fire Code; 2024 International Property Maintenance Code; Illinois Plumbing Code (latest edition); 2023 National Electrical Code as amended; 2024 International Fuel Gas Code; Illinois Energy Conservation Code (latest edition); Illinois Accessibility Code as amended; Manteno subdivision ordinance; 2024 International Performance Code; 2025 International Swimming Pool and Spa Code; 2025 International Existing Building Code.
Local amendments follow in 8-1-13(c) and (d), including deletion of IRC section R105.2 (work exempt from permit) and insertion of the Village flood hazard map date in IBC section 1612.3.
“the technical codes listed below are hereby adopted as the building codes of the village of manteno for the control of buildings, structures, and sites as herein provided:”
InspectionsRequired
Permitted construction inside Manteno village limits
Inspections are not scheduled until the permit is picked up and the inspection sheet is signed by the homeowner or the hired contractor.
Electrical and plumbing inspectors are listed on the Building & Zoning page.
“inspections will not be scheduled until the permit is picked up and the inspection sheet is signed by the homeowner or hired contractor.”
Local zoningPresent (with conditions)
Land inside Manteno village limits. Village of Manteno adopts and administers its own zoning ordinance (Title 9, Zoning).
Use and dimensional rules depend on the zoning district of the parcel (E-1, R-1, R-2, R-3, C-1, C-2, I-1, I-2, A-1, OS-1, FB-1).
Under 9-6-3, any area not shown on the official zoning map is deemed to be in the R-1 district.
Under 9-6-4(b), land annexed to the village is zoned R-1 unless a preannexation or annexation agreement provides otherwise.
The official zoning map kept by the village clerk is the final authority on zoning status (9-6-2(b)).
“the village of manteno, for the purpose of this title, is hereby divided into the following zoning districts:”
Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)
Land inside Manteno village limits
The district list is in 9-6-1; the official zoning map is kept in the village clerk's office (9-6-2(b)) and a zoning map download is posted on the village Building & Zoning page.
District-by-district standards are in chapters 7 to 10 of Title 9, which were not opened.
“residential districts: e-1 estate residential district r-1 single-family residential district r-2 two-family attached residential district r-3 multiple-family residential district commercial districts: c-1 downtown commercial district c-2 commercial district industrial districts: i-1 light industrial district i-2 heavy industrial district specialty districts: a-1 agricultural distric”
Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)
Land divisions inside Manteno village limits
Governed by the Village of Manteno subdivision ordinance (Title 10 of the code), as amended from time to time.
Title 10 text was not opened.
“the village of manteno subdivision ordinance, as amended from time to time.”
Permit processPublished
Building permit applications to the Village of Manteno Building & Zoning Department, 98 East Third Street
Applications may be submitted in person or emailed to jpaicz@villageofmanteno.com; the form is a fillable PDF.
Work by a hired contractor requires the contractor to apply for the permit.
A permit not picked up within 30 days of application becomes void and must be reapplied for.
Work must be finished within 8 months (residential) or 12 months (commercial) per the application form.
permit processing time: 24 hours (staff advise calling first to confirm)
“permit schedule: it typically takes 24 hours for a permit to be processed. please call first to verify that your permit is processed as our office will try its best to reach you when the permit is ready.”
Still unanswered
We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Village of Manteno or Kankakee County directly.
Minimum dwelling size — Single-family R-1 district inside Manteno village limits
Minimum lot size — Single-family R-1 district inside Manteno village limits
Setbacks — Single-family R-1 district inside Manteno village limits
Lot coverage — Single-family R-1 district inside Manteno village limits
Building height — Single-family R-1 district inside Manteno village limits
15 more unanswered
Living in an RV
Camping on your land
Tiny homes
Manufactured homes
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
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 Manteno publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Kankakee County’s page lists the county offices to call.
Off-grid gear
Going off-grid in Village of Manteno means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:
