Bolthole Index

Boone County, Indiana

Zoning, building permits and septic rules in the Town of Advance, Indiana

In the Town of Advance, Indiana (Boone County), zoning and building permits are both handled by the Boone County Area Plan Commission, not a separate town office1. New construction needs an improvement location permit before work starts2. Septic permits come from the Boone County Health Department3.

At a glance

Zoning
Yes: the Boone County zoning ordinance applies inside Advance, administered by the Area Plan Commission1
Building permit
Required: an improvement location permit from the Area Plan Office before construction2
Certificate of occupancy
Required before a new or altered building is occupied4
Minimum lot size
2 acres without public sewer (3 acres in the RE district); 5,000 square feet with public sewer5
Septic permit
Boone County Health Department3
Accessory dwelling
Limited: special exception from the Board of Zoning Appeals; no RVs or travel trailers6

Who to call

Building permits

Boone County Area Plan Commission

Zoning, improvement location permits (building permits), floodplain and subdivision matters for the Town of Advance and unincorporated Boone County

765-482-3821

116 W. Washington St., Suite 101 Lebanon, IN 46052

Septic permits

Boone County Health Department - Environmental Health Division

Onsite sewage system permits and inspections in Boone County

765-483-4458

116 W. Washington St., Suite B202 Lebanon, IN 46052

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 23, 2026.

Off-grid gear

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

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Does the Town of Advance, Indiana have zoning?

Yes. The zoning text in force inside Advance is the Boone County Zoning Ordinance, which the Advance Town Board passed in 1999, and the Boone County Area Plan Commission administers and enforces it inside town limits1. The Area Plan Office states that it serves the incorporated Town of Advance7.

The residential tables list districts including AG, RE, R1, R2, R3 and R4, plus business districts8. Check which district a specific parcel sits in with the Area Plan Office before you buy, because lot size and yard rules depend on it.

For single-family lots, the minimum is 5,000 square feet where public sewers serve the lot, and 2 acres where they do not, with 3 acres in the RE district5. Rear yards for the main building are at least 20 feet, accessory-building rear yards at least 5 feet, and side yards at least 5 feet outside the agricultural district9.

RVs and tiny homes: we found no rule on tiny homes or on temporary camping on private land inside Advance, so ask the Area Plan Office before planning either.

Do you need a building permit in the Town of Advance, and who issues it?

Yes. Construction, repair, alteration or addition inside Advance may proceed only after an improvement location permit (ILP), which is the Area Plan Office's name for a building permit2. The Boone County Area Plan Commission issues it, not a town building department7. Fences under 6 feet high do not need an ILP2.

The filing fee is set on the Area Plan Commission's fee schedule10. At least one site inspection comes before a permit is approved11. After the work is finished, a certificate of occupancy is required before the building is used, and the Area Plan director issues it once the finished work complies4.

Indiana's residential code for one- and two-family homes is statewide12. We could not confirm which building standards or owner-builder rules the Town of Advance adds, so ask the Area Plan Office at 765-482-38217.

How do septic permits work inside the Town of Advance?

Septic systems on individual lots inside Advance follow the Boone County sewage disposal and drainage ordinance as administered by the Boone County Health Department3. The department regulates, permits and inspects onsite systems13.

County-wide, a residential permit requires an application, soil report, floor plans, plot plan and fee14. Indiana does not allow drywells or cesspools for on-site sewage treatment15.

Public water and sewer connection is required for lots smaller than 1 acre16. Whether a larger lot must connect is unconfirmed16; ask the Area Plan Office and the Town of Advance. Drilling a well in Boone County requires a permit17.

Can you add a second dwelling or live in an RV in the Town of Advance?

An accessory dwelling unit on a residential parcel in Advance needs a special exception from the Board of Zoning Appeals before you apply for a building permit6. Only 1 unit is allowed per parcel, a single-family house must already be on the lot, and the unit must use the existing driveway6. Deed restrictions must keep those standards in place6.

A recreational vehicle, travel trailer or similar vehicle cannot serve as the accessory dwelling6. We found no rule on living in an RV during construction, so confirm with the Area Plan Office before you move one onto a lot.

Building a home in the Town of Advance: the steps, in order

  1. Ask the Boone County Area Plan Commission which zoning district the parcel is in and whether any lot you plan to create needs subdivision approval18.
  2. Confirm whether public sewer reaches the lot, since that sets the minimum lot size5.
  3. If no public sewer, apply to the Boone County Health Department for a septic permit3.
  4. Apply to the Area Plan Office for an improvement location permit before any construction2.
  5. Schedule the inspections the Area Plan Office requires11.
  6. Get the certificate of occupancy before you move in4.

What stays with Boone County, and what to check before you buy in Advance

Septic and wells stay with the Boone County Health Department, even for addresses inside Advance3. The county rules for land outside town limits differ in detail; see the Boone County page for unincorporated land.

For access, a residential lot on a private access driveway needs at least 100 feet of continuous frontage on a public road19. Floodplain rules are administered by the Area Plan Office, but we could not confirm the requirements inside Advance, so ask about the flood map for your parcel20.

Boone County's effective property tax rate is 0.8%21.

Watch-outs

  • Zoning and building permits for Advance addresses come from the Boone County Area Plan Commission in Lebanon, not a town counter7.
  • We could not confirm the building standards, owner-builder rules, tiny-home rules or short-term rental rules inside Advance; ask the Area Plan Office before you buy7.
  • Septic and well permits come from the Boone County Health Department even inside town limits3.

Sources

  1. Boone County Zoning Ordinance (1998, with amendments through 2025-12-19), including Advance town board passage (Town of Advance), quoted and re-checked
  2. Boone County Zoning Ordinance (1998, with amendments through 2025-12-19), including Advance town board passage (Town of Advance), quoted and re-checked
  3. Boone County Zoning Ordinance (1998, with amendments through 2025-12-19), including Advance town board passage (Town of Advance), quoted and re-checked
  4. Boone County Zoning Ordinance (1998, with amendments through 2025-12-19), including Advance town board passage (Town of Advance), quoted and re-checked
  5. Boone County Zoning Ordinance (1998, with amendments through 2025-12-19), including Advance town board passage (Town of Advance), quoted and re-checked
  6. Boone County Zoning Ordinance (1998, with amendments through 2025-12-19), including Advance town board passage (Town of Advance), quoted and re-checked
  7. Boone County Area Plan Commission (boonecounty.in.gov)
  8. Boone County Zoning Ordinance (1998, with amendments through 2025-12-19), including Advance town board passage (Town of Advance), quoted and re-checked
  9. Boone County Zoning Ordinance (1998, with amendments through 2025-12-19), including Advance town board passage (Town of Advance), quoted and re-checked
  10. Boone County Zoning Ordinance (1998, with amendments through 2025-12-19), including Advance town board passage (Town of Advance), quoted and re-checked
  11. Boone County Area Plan Commission, Area Plan Office (Town of Advance), quoted and re-checked
  12. Rules of the Indiana Fire Prevention and Building Safety Commission, quoted and re-checked
  13. Boone County Health Department - Environmental Health Division (boonecounty.in.gov)
  14. Waste Water - Boone County, Indiana, quoted and re-checked
  15. 410 IAC 6-8.3 Residential On-Site Sewage Systems (Indiana statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  16. Boone County Zoning Ordinance (1998, with amendments through 2025-12-19), including Advance town board passage (Town of Advance), quoted and re-checked
  17. Water Wells - Boone County, Indiana, quoted and re-checked
  18. Boone County Area Plan Commission, Area Plan Office (Town of Advance), quoted and re-checked
  19. Boone County Zoning Ordinance (1998, with amendments through 2025-12-19), including Advance town board passage (Town of Advance), quoted and re-checked
  20. Area Plan Commission - Boone County, Indiana, quoted and re-checked
  21. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data

Written October 23, 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 Town of Advance

Town of Advance’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    Alterations to land or structures, including new construction, inside the Town of Advance, permitted by the Boone County Area Plan Commission (Area Plan Office issues the improvement location permit)

    • Construction may proceed only after an improvement location permit (ILP) is obtained.
    • An ILP is written permission issued by the APC for construction, repair, alteration, or addition that complies with the development standards and applicable building codes.
    • Fences under 6 feet high do not require an ILP.
    • Filing fee is set by the Boone County Area Plan Commission fee schedule.
    “issue improvement location permits (building permits) for new construction as directed by the boone county zoning ordinance, building regulations and boone county subdivision control ordinance.”
  • InspectionsRequired

    Permits issued by the Boone County Area Plan Office for land inside the Town of Advance

    • At least one site inspection is required before an Area Plan petition or permit is approved.
    • Inspection before a certificate of occupancy is issued is also required under the ILP section (see certificate_of_occupancy claim).
    “any petition or permit granted through the boone county area plan office is subject to at least one site inspection before it will be approved.”
  • Certificate of occupancyRequired

    Land use or occupancy of any building erected, altered or reconstructed inside the Town of Advance

    • Certificate of occupancy is issued by the Area Plan director or agent after the ILP-authorized improvements are complete, within five days of completion when compliant.
    • Landscaping must be installed before a certificate of occupancy is granted, subject to a limited delay with a performance bond.
    “no land shall be occupied or used and no building hereafter erected, altered, or reconstructed shall be occupied or used, in whole or in part, for any purpose whatsoever, until a certificate of occupancy has been issued by the director, or their agent, stating that the use complies with all of the provisions of this ordinance.”
  • Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

    Land inside the corporate limits of the Town of Advance, Indiana

    • The zoning text in force inside Advance is the Boone County Zoning Ordinance, which the Advance Town Board passed on August 3, 1999; the Boone County Area Plan Commission administers and enforces it inside Advance.
    • The Area Plan Office states that it administers and enforces the zoning ordinance for the incorporated Town of Advance.
    • Land outside Advance town limits is not covered by this claim.
    “the boone county area plan serves the incorporated town of advance and the unincorporated areas of boone county. area plan administers and enforces the zoning, floodplain, building, and unsafe structures through adopted ordinances.”
  • Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

    Land inside the Town of Advance, Indiana, under the zoning ordinance administered by the Boone County Area Plan Commission

    • The residential table in the ordinance lists districts including AG, RE, R1, R2, R3, R4, MF, LB, UB, GB, PB, AB, I1, I2 and IR; the full district list and map boundaries were not extracted.
    “table 3, residential uses and requirements-single family zoning district maximum height of buildings ag re r1 r2 r3 r4 lb ub gb pb ab”
  • Minimum lot sizeSpecified

    Single-family residential lots inside the Town of Advance (Table 3 single-family requirements, all residential districts)

    • Lots with public sewers: 5,000 square feet minimum in all districts.
    • Lots without public sewers: 2 acres minimum in all districts, and 3 acres in the RE district.
    • Table 3 also lists minimum acreage on well/septic (2 to 3 acres) and on utilities (0.23 to 3 acres) by district; the column-to-district mapping was not verified in the extracted text.
    • Lots under one acre must have public water and public sewer connection (see utility_connection claim).

    minimum lot area with public sewers: >= 5000 square feet (all districts with public sewers) · minimum lot area without public sewers: >= 2 acres (all districts without public sewers; 3 acres in the RE district)

    “minimum lot area: 5,000 square feet in all districts with public sewers. 2 acres in all districts without public sewers, and 3 acres in the re district”
  • SetbacksSpecified

    Single-family residential lots inside the Town of Advance (Table 3 yard requirements)

    • Minimum rear yard for primary structures: 20 feet in all districts.
    • Minimum rear yard for accessory structures: 5 feet in all districts.
    • Minimum side yard: 5 feet in all districts except the agricultural district.
    • The same table sets a minimum front yard of 20 feet from the right-of-way or 70 feet from the road centre, labelled '(unincorporated areas)'; that front-yard rule is not recorded here as Advance's rule.
    • Flag lots are excluded from the front-yard rule.

    minimum rear yard, primary structure: >= 20 feet (all districts) · minimum rear yard, accessory structure: >= 5 feet (all districts) · minimum side yard: >= 5 feet (all districts except the agricultural district)

    “minimum rear yard for primary structures: 20 feet in all districts minimum rear yard for accessory structures: 5 feet in all districts minimum side yard: 5 feet in all districts except the agricultural district.”
  • Lot coverageDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Single-family residential lots inside the Town of Advance (Table 3, maximum lot coverage)

    • Table 3 lists maximum lot coverage between 50% and 70% across the residential districts.
    • The district-to-percentage mapping was not verified in the extracted text.

    maximum lot coverage: 50-70 percent (varies by district; district mapping not verified)

    “maximum lot coverage 50% 50% 60% 60% 70% 70% 70% 70% 70% 70% 70%”
  • Accessory dwellingsLimited

    Accessory dwelling units on a residential parcel inside the Town of Advance

    • A special exception from the Board of Zoning Appeals is required before applying for a building permit.
    • Maximum of one accessory dwelling unit per parcel.
    • The lot must meet the minimum lot area of its zoning district and maximum lot coverage still applies.
    • A separate driveway from the public right-of-way is not permitted; the ADU must use the existing driveway.
    • Only allowed where a single-family dwelling already exists on the lot.
    • Deed restrictions are required to keep the ADU standards in perpetuity.
    • Prohibited structure types include a recreational vehicle, travel trailer, motor vehicle or similar structure.

    accessory dwelling units per parcel: <= 1 dwelling unit (maximum one per parcel)

    “maximum of 1 accessory dwelling unit per parcel”
  • Mandatory utility hookupConditional

    New residential development on lots inside the Town of Advance

    • Public water and public sewer connection is required for lots smaller than one acre.
    • Major residential subdivisions of 15 or more lots must have utility connection.
    • Lots of one acre or more are not covered by the quoted sentence; their connection rule was not found.
    • Advance's own sewer-connection rule in its code was not checked.

    lot size below which public water and sewer connection is required: < 1 acre (required in all districts for lots less than one acre; major subdivisions of 15 or more lots also require utility connection)

    “public water & public sewer connection: required in all districts for lots that are less than one acre in size. utility connection: required for major residential subdivisions with 15 lots or more.”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Land divisions inside the Town of Advance

    • The Area Plan Commission holds hearings on the Subdivision Control Ordinance and approves major subdivisions.
    • New lots in the agricultural district created after December 31, 1998 need minor residential subdivision approval by the Area Plan Commission.
    • Residential development in the agricultural district requires Technical Advisory Committee approval before a building permit issues.
    “new lots created after december 31, 1998 require minor residential subdivision approval by the area plan commission.”
  • Driveway accessLimited

    Residential lots that use a private access driveway inside the Town of Advance

    • Residential lots on a private access driveway must have frontage on a public road.
    • Frontage must be at least 100 feet of continuous width extending the depth of the lot; up to 20% of lots in a major subdivision may reduce frontage by up to 20%.
    • Driveway permits are listed among the building-permit items for an accessory dwelling unit.
    • Maximum driveway length provisions exist but were not extracted.

    road frontage for lots on private access driveway: >= 100 feet (continuous width extending the depth of the lot; up to 20% reduction in major subdivisions)

    “road frontage: all residential lots utilizing a private access driveway for access shall have frontage on a public road. the minimum width of that frontage is 100’ of continuous width which extends the depth of the lot.”

Rules another office applies inside Town of Advance

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

  • Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

    Private septic systems on individual lots inside the Town of Advance (county health department rule applying inside Advance; Advance is inside Boone County)

    • Installations must follow the Boone County sewage disposal and drainage ordinance as administered by the Boone County Health Department.
    • Any site must also meet the utility provider and/or Boone County Health Department requirements for accessory dwellings.
    • Public sewer connection rules are in utility_connection.
    “installations of such a system shall be based on the requirements of the boone county sewage disposal and drainage ordinance as administered by the boone county health department.”
  • Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

    Improvement location permit filing fees for land inside the Town of Advance (Area Plan fee schedule covers Advance)

    • Fee amounts are set on the Boone County Area Plan Commission fee schedule, which is incorporated into the zoning ordinance.
    • An early-bird fee applies to construction started before an ILP or certificate of occupancy is obtained, per the same fee schedule.
    “the filing fee for an ilp is shown on the boone county area plan commission fee schedule, which is hereby established as a part of this section.”
  • Permit processPartial

    Building permit process for land inside the Town of Advance through the Boone County Area Plan Office

    • The Area Plan office issues improvement location permits for new construction and enforces the zoning, building and subdivision rules.
    • The process requires a site plan certified by a registered land surveyor and an ILP before construction, with inspection and a certificate of occupancy after completion.
    • Permit steps and timing were only partly extracted.
    “issue improvement location permits (building permits) for new construction as directed by the boone county zoning ordinance, building regulations and boone county subdivision control ordinance.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Town of Advance or Boone County directly.

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder construction inside the Town of Advance
  • Building code adopted — Building construction standards for new homes inside the Town of Advance
  • Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land inside the Town of Advance
  • Tiny homes — Tiny homes used as dwellings inside the Town of Advance
  • Septic permit — Private septic system permits for new homes inside the Town of Advance
6 more unanswered
  • Septic inspection
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • Agricultural exemption
  • 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 Town of Advance publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Boone County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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