Bolthole Index

McHenry County, Illinois

Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Huntley, Illinois

The Village of Huntley, Illinois adopts its own zoning ordinance1 and requires building permits for construction inside village limits2, issued by the village's Development Services Department3. Septic permits are a separate McHenry County Department of Health matter4. McHenry County's unincorporated-land rules do not apply inside Huntley.

At a glance

Building permit
Required; issued by the Village of Huntley23
Zoning
Village's own zoning ordinance (Chapter 156)1
Building code
2024 International Residential Code with village amendments5
Minimum lot, R-2
8,400 sq ft for single-family6
Minimum lot, RE-1
40,000 sq ft for single-family7
Septic
County permit required; Huntley-specific rules unconfirmed4
Certificate of occupancy
Required for new dwellings8

Who to call

Building permits

Village of Huntley Development Services Department, Building & Code Enforcement Division

Building plan review, permits and inspections inside Huntley village limits

847-515-5252

10987 Main Street, Huntley, IL 60142

Online permits →

Zoning

Village of Huntley Development Services Department, Planning & Zoning Division

Zoning interpretation, special use permits, zoning variations and subdivisions inside Huntley village limits

847-515-5252

10987 Main Street, Huntley, IL 60142

Septic permits

McHenry County Department of Health, Environmental Health Division

Septic (onsite wastewater treatment) system permits in McHenry County

(815) 334-4000

2200 North Seminary Ave., Woodstock, IL 60098

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

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Does Huntley, Illinois have zoning, and what does it mean for lot size and setbacks?

Yes. The Village of Huntley adopts its own zoning ordinance, with residential districts including R-2, RE-1 and RE-21. The rules depend on the district, so check which one a parcel is in before you buy.

In the R-2 Single-Family Residence District, the minimum single-family lot is 8,400 square feet6, with a 30-foot front setback and 40-foot rear setback9 and building coverage capped at 35 percent10. In the RE-1 Residential Estate District, the minimum single-family lot is 40,000 square feet7, with a 50-foot front setback and 40-foot rear setback11 and coverage capped at 20 percent12. In RE-2, the single-family minimum is 20,000 square feet13. Single-family homes top out at 25 feet in R-214 and in RE-115.

We could not confirm Huntley's rules on RVs, tiny homes, manufactured homes or accessory dwellings. Ask the Planning & Zoning Division16.

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

Yes. Building work inside Huntley village limits needs a village building permit, and Huntley has narrowed the exemptions in the model residential code2. The Village of Huntley Development Services Department reviews plans, issues building permits and inspects the work3. Huntley has adopted the 2024 International Residential Code with local amendments, and shipping containers may not be used as a dwelling5. New dwellings also need a certificate of occupancy8.

Inside Huntley, McHenry County's Planning & Development Building Division does not issue building permits; the county states that a property inside village or city limits is handled by that jurisdiction17. Illinois does not issue permits for privately funded construction either; the local government does18. We could not confirm Huntley's permit fees or an owner-builder exemption, so call Development Services before you budget.

How do septic permits work in Huntley?

Septic permits come from the McHenry County Department of Health, not the village4. The county requires a permit before a septic system is installed, repaired, extended, replaced or abandoned, and the work must be done by a licensed installer4. A site evaluation with a soil boring report comes first for a new residence19.

We could not confirm whether a given Huntley address is on village sewer or needs a septic system, or how Huntley's village limits that reach into Kane County handle septic. Ask Development Services whether sewer and water are available at the lot, and call the McHenry County Department of Health before you rely on septic19. Wells in Huntley are also unconfirmed; Illinois requires a state or local health department permit for any new water well20.

Building a home in Huntley: the steps, in order

  1. Confirm the parcel's zoning district with the Planning & Zoning Division16.
  2. Ask Development Services whether sewer and water reach the lot; if not, start a septic site evaluation with the McHenry County Department of Health19.
  3. Apply for a building permit with the village, using the online permit page or the Development Services counter3. The village adopted the 2024 International Residential Code with local amendments5.
  4. Schedule village inspections as work proceeds3.
  5. Obtain a certificate of occupancy before moving in8.

A driveway onto a McHenry County highway needs a county access permit from the McHenry County Division of Transportation21; a driveway onto an Illinois state route needs an IDOT permit22. Driveway rules on village streets are unconfirmed.

What stays with McHenry County, and what to check before you buy in Huntley

McHenry County handles septic permits4 and sets rules for land outside village limits, which are covered on the McHenry County page. The county's RV ban and its 40-acre A-1 residential minimum apply only to unincorporated land2324, so they do not tell you what Huntley allows.

Before you buy, confirm the district, the sewer and water status, and the floodplain status of the lot. The village's amendments refer flood hazards to the FEMA flood map, and we could not confirm Huntley's stormwater or floodplain chapter. McHenry County's effective property tax rate is 2.5 percent25, and its median property tax bill is $7,153 a year26.

Watch-outs

  • Huntley's own rules on RVs, tiny homes, manufactured homes, accessory dwellings, permit fees and owner-builders could not be confirmed; ask the Development Services Department at 847-515-52523.
  • Do not apply McHenry County's unincorporated-land permit, RV or lot-size rules inside Huntley; the village sets its own2.
  • The village deletes several permit exemptions from the model residential code, so small projects that need no permit elsewhere may need one in Huntley2.

Sources

  1. Huntley Code Sec. 156.029 (R-2) Single-Family Residence District (Village of Huntley), quoted and re-checked
  2. Huntley Code Sec. 150.009 Amendments to the 2024 International Residential Code (Village of Huntley), quoted and re-checked
  3. Village of Huntley Development Services Department, Building & Code Enforcement Division (huntley.il.us)
  4. So You Are Applying for a Septic Permit, quoted and re-checked
  5. Huntley Code Sec. 150.009 Amendments to the 2024 International Residential Code (Village of Huntley), quoted and re-checked
  6. Huntley Code Sec. 156.029 (R-2) Single-Family Residence District (Village of Huntley), quoted and re-checked
  7. Huntley Code Sec. 156.026 (RE-1) Residential Estate District (Village of Huntley), quoted and re-checked
  8. Huntley Code Sec. 150.009 Amendments to the 2024 International Residential Code (Village of Huntley), quoted and re-checked
  9. Huntley Code Sec. 156.029 (R-2) Single-Family Residence District (Village of Huntley), quoted and re-checked
  10. Huntley Code Sec. 156.029 (R-2) Single-Family Residence District (Village of Huntley), quoted and re-checked
  11. Huntley Code Sec. 156.026 (RE-1) Residential Estate District (Village of Huntley), quoted and re-checked
  12. Huntley Code Sec. 156.026 (RE-1) Residential Estate District (Village of Huntley), quoted and re-checked
  13. Huntley Code Sec. 156.027 (RE-2) Residential Estate District (Village of Huntley), quoted and re-checked
  14. Huntley Code Sec. 156.029 (R-2) Single-Family Residence District (Village of Huntley), quoted and re-checked
  15. Huntley Code Sec. 156.026 (RE-1) Residential Estate District (Village of Huntley), quoted and re-checked
  16. Village of Huntley Development Services Department, Planning & Zoning Division (huntley.il.us)
  17. codelibrary.amlegal.com, quoted and re-checked
  18. Illinois Codes FAQ (Illinois statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  19. McHenry County Department of Health, Environmental Health Division (mchenrycountyil.gov)
  20. 77 Ill. Admin. Code 920.130, Water Well Permit Requirements (Illinois statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  21. Highway Access Permit Application, quoted and re-checked
  22. Highway Permits (Illinois statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  23. McHenry County Code § 16.56.050, Accessory Structure and Use Standards, quoted and re-checked
  24. § 16.36.040 Bulk and Setback Regulations, quoted and re-checked
  25. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  26. Median property tax bill: 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 Huntley

Village of Huntley’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    Building work inside Huntley village

    • Village amendments delete building exempt-list items 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 10 and plumbing items 1 and 2 from IRC R105.2, narrowing permit exemptions.
    • Store-bought kit gazebos and pergolas are added as exempt.
    “delete the following list items: a. Building: list items 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 10. b. Plumbing: list items 1 and 2.”
  • Building code adoptedAdopted

    Residential construction inside Huntley village

    • Adopted with local amendments (garage, sprinkler, ceiling height, etc.)
    • Intermodal shipping containers may not be used as a dwelling or habitable space.

    adopted code: 2024 International Residential Code (with local amendments)

    “being marked and designated as The International Residential Code/2024 published by the International Code Council be and are hereby provided”
  • Certificate of occupancyRequired

    New dwellings inside Huntley village

    • Village amends IRC R110.2 by deleting list items 3, 5 and 8, so fewer work types qualify for a temporary/no certificate.
    “Section 110. Certificate of occupancy. R110.2 Certificate issued. Delete list items number 3, 5, and 8.”
  • Local zoningPresent

    Land inside Huntley village limits

    • Huntley adopts its own zoning ordinance (Chapter 156) with residential districts R-2, RE-1, RE-2 among others.
    “The (R-2) Single-Family Residence District is established in accordance with the goals and objectives stated in the comprehensive plan.”
  • Minimum lot sizeSpecified

    R-2 Single-Family Residence District, inside Huntley village

    • Other uses: 40,000 sq ft; planned unit development 80,000 sq ft; minimum single-family lot width 70 feet.

    minimum lot area single-family: >= 8400 sq ft

    “This district is intended to provide for a single-family detached residential environment characterized by medium sized lots (8,400 square foot minimum lot area).”
    2 more reviewed findings on this topic
    • Specified — RE-1 Residential Estate District, inside Huntley village
      “(1) Minimum lot area. (a) Single-family: 40,000 square feet. (b) Other: 80,000 square feet. (c) Planned unit development: 80,000 square feet. (2) Minimum lot width. (a) Single-family: 150 feet.”
    • Specified — RE-2 Residential Estate District, inside Huntley village
      “(1) Minimum lot area. (a) Single-family: 20,000 square feet. (b) Other: 80,000 square feet. (c) Planned unit development: 80,000 square feet. (2) Minimum lot width. (a) Single-family: 100 feet.”
  • SetbacksSpecified

    Single-family in R-2 district, inside Huntley village

    • Front yard may be the average setback of existing buildings within 400 feet if greater.
    • Accessory structure setbacks are in Sec. 156.078.

    front: >= 30 ft · rear: >= 40 ft · corner side: >= 30 ft · total side: >= 18 ft · minimum side: >= 7 ft

    “Single-family. i. Front*: 30 feet. ii. Rear: 40 feet. iii. Corner side: 30 feet. iv. Total side: 18 feet. v. Minimum side: seven feet.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • Specified — Single-family in RE-1 district (RE-2 has identical yard figures), inside Huntley village
      “Single-family. i. Front*: 50 feet. ii. Rear: 40 feet. iii. Corner side: 30 feet. iv. Total side: 30 feet. v. Minimum side: ten feet.”
  • Lot coverageSpecified

    Single-family in R-2 district, inside Huntley village

    • Also maximum floor area ratio 0.8 and impervious coverage 60 percent for single-family.

    max building coverage: <= 35 percent

    “Maximum building coverage. (a) Single-family: 35 percent.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
  • Building heightSpecified

    Single-family principal building in R-2 district, inside Huntley village

    • Accessory buildings 12 feet/two stories; detached garage 15 feet/one story; other principal uses 40 feet/three stories.

    max height single-family: <= 25 ft (three stories)

    “Principal buildings. i. Single-family: 25 feet/three stories.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic

Still unanswered

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

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builders inside Huntley village
  • Inspections — Inspections inside Huntley village
  • Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size inside Huntley village
  • Living in an RV — RV occupancy inside Huntley village
  • Camping on your land — Camping/tents inside Huntley village
16 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
  • Subdividing land
  • Driveway access
  • Building in a floodplain
  • 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 Huntley publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. McHenry County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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