Bolthole Index

Madison County, Illinois

Building permits, zoning and septic in the Village of Pontoon Beach, Illinois

The Village of Pontoon Beach, Illinois requires a building permit for home construction and regulated alterations; apply to the village building official.1 Pontoon Beach has village zoning with district-specific lot sizes, and occupancy requires a village inspection and certificate.234 In Madison County, private sewage approvals come through Building & Zoning, while well construction or deepening requires a Health Department permit.56

At a glance

Building permits
Village building official; required for construction and regulated alterations1
Zoning and lot size
Village districts: A-1 minimum 3 acres; SR-1 minimum 10,000 square feet; SR-2 minimum 7,000 square feet728
Occupancy
Village certificate of occupancy and inspection required, with an exception for occupancy existing when the section was adopted34
Sewer or septic
Public sewer or approved private sewage disposal system required; county Building & Zoning reviews private systems95
Private wells
Health Department permit before construction or deepening6
Owner plumbing work
Conditional Illinois exemption for qualifying owner occupants; local plumbing permits and inspections can still apply1011

Who to call

Building permits

Village of Pontoon Beach Building Inspector / Zoning Administrator

Village residential building, zoning and occupancy questions; ask for the appropriate inspector.

618-931-6100

1 Regency Parkway

Building permits

Village of Pontoon Beach Building Official — Residential Application

Residential building permit applications and required construction documents.

Septic permits

Madison County Planning & Development — Private Sewage Permits & Inspections

Private sewage applications, installation inspections and questions about sewer availability.

(618)296-4663

tlhawkins@co.madison.il.us

157 N. Main Street, Suite 254

Well permits

Madison County Health Department

Contact for the Health Department well permit required by the county potable-water ordinance.

(618) 692-8954

health@madisoncountyil.gov

101 East Edwardsville Road

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 11, 2026.

Off-grid gear

Going off-grid in Village of Pontoon Beach means bringing your own water and power. 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.

Do you need a building permit in the Village of Pontoon Beach, IL?

Pontoon Beach requires an application to the village building official before constructing a home or doing regulated alterations, repairs, demolition, occupancy changes or building-system work.1 The village residential application requires a complete set of plans and rejects plans marked preliminary or not for construction.1 Include existing and proposed buildings, dimensioned setbacks, easements and rights-of-way on the site plan.1 Ask the village building inspector which trade applications and inspections your project needs; Illinois leaves private-project building-permit administration with local government.1213

Who handles building permits and zoning in the Village of Pontoon Beach?

The Pontoon Beach Administration Office lists a residential building inspector, a commercial building inspector/zoning administrator and an occupancy inspector.12 Call the village office at 618-931-6100 for the appropriate inspector before submitting a home design.12 A certificate of occupancy must be issued before covered buildings, additions or parts of buildings are occupied, and the village building inspector must inspect the dwelling before issuance.34 The occupancy provision excepts occupancy already existing when the section was adopted; ask the inspector how the provision applies to a purchase, rental or renovation.3

What do zoning and lot sizes mean in the Village of Pontoon Beach?

Pontoon Beach lot requirements depend on the village zoning district: A-1 Agricultural requires 3 acres, a minimum width of 150 feet at the building line and a minimum mean depth of 200 feet.7 SR-1 Single-Family Residence requires 10,000 square feet, a minimum width of 80 feet and a minimum mean depth of 100 feet.2 SR-2 Single-Family Residence requires 7,000 square feet, a minimum width of 50 feet and a minimum mean depth of 100 feet.8 Ask the village zoning administrator to identify the parcel district and applicable setbacks before choosing a house footprint.12

How do septic permits and wells work inside the Village of Pontoon Beach?

Pontoon Beach requires plumbing fixtures to connect to public sewer or an approved private sewage disposal system.9 Madison County Building & Zoning reviews and approves private sewage systems, and the county sewage office permits and inspects installation.514 County guidance allows private sewage only where public sewer is unavailable and cannot be extended to the property line, with acceptable soil conditions.14 The village residential application names the county Public Health Department for septic and well permits; ask Planning & Development to reconcile that direction before applying.114 Well construction or deepening needs a Health Department permit before work starts.6

Can you live in an RV or tiny home in the Village of Pontoon Beach?

We could not confirm permission to occupy an RV, a separate tiny-home standard, an accessory dwelling rule or a minimum dwelling floor area inside Pontoon Beach; ask the village zoning administrator about the proposed use and the exact parcel.12 Pontoon Beach occupancy approval still requires the village certificate and inspection for buildings covered by the occupancy provision.34 Illinois campground licensing concerns campgrounds and temporary camping; that rule does not establish permission to live in an RV on a private village lot.15 For land outside village limits, consult the Madison County guide, whose RV rule applies to unincorporated land.16

What are the steps to building a home in the Village of Pontoon Beach?

  1. Ask the village zoning administrator to confirm the parcel district and lot dimensions before finalizing the design.12728
  2. Establish public sewer service or obtain approval for private sewage, and secure the Health Department permit if constructing or deepening a well.956
  3. Submit the residential building application and complete plans showing buildings, setbacks and easements; ask the village building official about floodplain requirements and project fees.1
  4. Arrange the village occupancy inspection and obtain the required certificate before moving into the completed home.43

Qualifying Illinois owner occupants may perform plumbing under a limited statutory exemption, but plumbing code compliance, inspection and applicable local plumbing permits remain relevant.1011

Watch-outs

  • We could not confirm a current village fee schedule, agricultural building exemption or general owner-builder exemption; ask the Pontoon Beach building inspector before budgeting or starting work.12
  • We could not confirm Pontoon Beach floodplain development requirements or parcel-specific setbacks; ask the village building official to review the site plan before purchase.1
  • A compost toilet does not eliminate Illinois wastewater disposal requirements: other domestic wastes must go to a conventional private sewage disposal system.17

Sources

  1. Village of Pontoon Beach Building Official — Residential Application (pontoonbeachil.com)
  2. Section 40-3-17 Area and Bulk Regulations (Village of Pontoon Beach), quoted and re-checked
  3. Pontoon Beach Code § 29-1-13, Occupancy Permit Required—Occupancy (Village of Pontoon Beach), quoted and re-checked
  4. Pontoon Beach Code § 29-1-13, Occupancy Permit Required—Occupancy (Village of Pontoon Beach), quoted and re-checked
  5. Private Sewage - Permits, Inspections & Complaints, quoted and re-checked
  6. Madison County Potable Water Supply Ordinance (Village of Pontoon Beach), quoted and re-checked
  7. library.municode.com (Village of Pontoon Beach), quoted and re-checked
  8. Section 40-3-17 Area and Bulk Regulations (Village of Pontoon Beach), quoted and re-checked
  9. Sanitary drainage system—general (Village of Pontoon Beach), quoted and re-checked
  10. HB5913 Enrolled — Illinois Plumbing License Law amendment (Illinois statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  11. 225 ILCS 320/18 — Local regulation; Department standards (Illinois statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  12. Village of Pontoon Beach Building Inspector / Zoning Administrator (pontoonbeachil.com)
  13. Illinois Codes FAQ (Illinois statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  14. Madison County Planning & Development — Private Sewage Permits & Inspections (madisoncountyil.gov)
  15. Youth Camps and Campgrounds (Illinois statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  16. § 93.097 Trailers and Recreational Vehicles, quoted and re-checked
  17. 77 Ill. Adm. Code 905.130 Human Waste Disposal (Illinois statewide rule), quoted and re-checked

Written October 11, 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 Pontoon Beach

Village of Pontoon Beach’s own rules

  • InspectionsLimited

    Dwelling units for which a Village certificate of occupancy is requested.

    • Inspection by the Building Inspector is required before issuance of the certificate of occupancy.
    “A Certificate of Occupancy shall not be issued until an inspection has been conducted by the Building Inspector of the dwelling unit for which said certificate of occupancy has been requested.”
  • Certificate of occupancyRequired

    Buildings, additions, and parts of buildings occupied after adoption of § 29-1-13 inside Pontoon Beach village.

    • The certificate must be issued by the Building Inspector after inspection; the section does not apply to occupancy existing when it was adopted.
    “It shall be unlawful for any person, firm, or corporation to hereafter occupy or for any owner or agent thereof to permit the occupation of any building, or addition thereto, or part thereof, for any purpose until a Certificate of Occupancy has been issued by the Building Inspector.”
  • Minimum lot sizeSpecified

    A-1 Agricultural zoning district inside Pontoon Beach village.

    • The schedule also specifies 1 dwelling unit per 3 acres.

    minimum lot area: 3 acres · minimum lot width at building line: >= 150 feet · minimum mean depth: >= 200 feet

    “"A-1" Agricultural 1 per 3 acres 3 acres 150' Min 200' Min”
    2 more reviewed findings on this topic
    • Specified — SR-1 Single-Family Residence zoning district inside Pontoon Beach village.
      “"SR-1" Single-Family Residence 1 per 10,000 sq ft of lot area 10,000 sq ft 80' Min 100' Min”
    • Specified — SR-2 Single-Family Residence zoning district inside Pontoon Beach village.
      “"SR-2" Single-Family Residence 1 per 7,000 sq ft of lot area 7,000 sq ft 50' Min 100' Min”
  • Mandatory utility hookupConditional

    Homes and buildings inside Pontoon Beach village.

    • Plumbing fixtures must connect either to public sewer or an approved private sewage disposal system.
    • For manufactured/mobile-home parks, if public sewage collection is within 1,000 feet, connection is mandatory and the public system must be used exclusively.

    public sewer connection distance for manufactured/mobile-home parks: <= 1000 feet (public sewage collection system)

    “All plumbing fixtures shall be properly connected to either a public sewer system or to an approved private sewage disposal system.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • Conditional — Mobile homes in a Pontoon Beach mobile-home park where a public sewage collection system is within 1,000 feet.
      “Where a public sewage collection system is within a one thousand (1,000) foot connection shall be made thereto and said public system shall be used exclusively.”
  • Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

    Village right-of-way utility-facility permit applications.

    • Additional application-review costs vary by project complexity and must be paid before final permit issuance.
    • The base fee does not apply to an electricity utility paying the municipal electricity infrastructure maintenance fee under the stated Act.

    base application fee: 100 USD (Unless otherwise provided by franchise, license, or similar agreement.)

    “Unless otherwise provided by franchise, license, or similar agreement, all applications for permits pursuant to this Article shall be accompanied by a base fee in the amount of one hundred dollars ($100.00). Additional application review costs will vary with the complexity of the project and will be determined on a case-by-case basis and shall be paid prior to issuance of final permit.”
  • Permit processPartial

    Construction, relocation, addition, disruption, or material expansion of utility facilities in Village rights-of-way.

    • No permit is required for service connections to customers' premises where there is no right-of-way disruption.
    • The application must be filed with the Superintendent; specified plans, insurance, security, and utility-specific materials may be required.
    “No person shall construct (as defined in this Article) any facility on, over, above, along, upon, under, across, or within any Village right-of-way which: (1) Changes the location of the facility; (2) Adds a new facility; (3) Disrupts the right-of-way (as defined in this Article), or (4) Materially increases the amount of area or space occupied by the facility on, over, above, along, under, across or within the right-of-way, without first filing an application with the Superintendent and obtaining a permit from the Village therefor, except as otherwise provided in this Article.”

Rules another office applies inside Village of Pontoon Beach

Village of Pontoon Beach does not set these itself; the county, a health district or the state does, and they apply to every address inside its limits.

  • Well permitRequired

    Water wells constructed or deepened inside Pontoon Beach village, under the Madison County Potable Water Supply Ordinance.

    • A permit must be obtained from the Health Department before construction or deepening.
    • The ordinance also requires advance notice and inspection.
    “No water well shall be constructed or deepened except in accordance with this Ordinance, and it shall be unlawful to proceed with such work unless a permit has first been obtained from the Health Department.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Village of Pontoon Beach or Madison County directly.

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential construction inside Pontoon Beach village.
  • Minimum dwelling size — Dwellings inside Pontoon Beach village.
  • Tiny homes — Tiny-home occupancy inside Pontoon Beach village.
  • Accessory dwellings — Accessory dwelling units inside Pontoon Beach village.
  • Who permits septic — Private sewage-disposal systems serving parcels inside Pontoon Beach village.
7 more unanswered
  • Septic permit
  • Septic inspection
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Subdividing land
  • 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 Pontoon Beach publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Madison County’s page lists the county offices to call.

← All of Madison County: county rules, score and offices