Bolthole Index

Clark County, Indiana

Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Sellersburg, Indiana

The Town of Sellersburg, Indiana requires an improvement location permit (ILP), which the town calls a building permit, for erecting or altering structures1. The town sets its own zoning through its Unified Development Ordinance2. Septic permits where a lot uses on-site sewage disposal come from the Clark County Health Department, not the town3.

At a glance

Building permit
Required: an improvement location permit (ILP) from the town1
Zoning
Yes: the town's own Unified Development Ordinance2
Septic
Clark County Health Department where on-site disposal is used; town sewer connection is required in R1 and R234
RV living
Not permitted outside an ISDH-approved campground or RV park5
Minimum lot (R1)
7,200 sq ft for a single-family lot6
Accessory dwelling
Allowed with conditions, including an ILP and a shared water meter7

Who to call

Building permits

Town of Sellersburg Building, Construction Permitting & Code Enforcement

Building permits, plan review and inspections inside Sellersburg town limits; the page links to the town's planning and zoning office for zoning and variances

(812)246-3821

info@sellersburg.org

316 E Utica St, Sellersburg, IN 47172

Septic permits

Clark County Health Department, Environmental Health

Residential on-site wastewater permits, septic-system inspections and soil-testing guidance for Clark County, including addresses inside Sellersburg that use on-site disposal

812-282-7521

clarkhealth@clarkcounty.in.gov

1201 Wall Street Jeffersonville, Indiana 47130

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 Sellersburg 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.

Does Sellersburg, Indiana have zoning, and what does it mean for RVs, tiny homes and lot size?

Yes. Land inside the Town of Sellersburg falls under the town's own Unified Development Ordinance (UDO), which sets zoning districts and development standards2. The districts include residential (R1, R2, M1, M2, DTN), business, downtown, industrial and a Gateway overlay8.

In the R1 low-density residential district, a single-family lot needs at least 7,200 square feet and 60 feet of width6. R1 homes face a 30-foot front setback, or 20 feet in a platted subdivision, plus 8-foot side and 10-foot rear setbacks for the main structure9. The height limit is 35 feet for the house and 20 feet for accessory structures10, and impervious surfaces are capped at 60 percent of the lot11. The R1 table lists a 950 square foot minimum for single-family living area12.

RVs may not be used for residential occupancy in Sellersburg outside a campground or RV park approved by the Indiana State Department of Health5. We could not confirm a tiny-home occupancy rule; ask the town's planning and zoning office.

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

Yes. Sellersburg requires an improvement location permit (ILP), also called a building permit, for erecting, altering or modifying structures within the town1. The Town of Sellersburg's Building, Construction Permitting & Code Enforcement office reviews plans, issues permits and inspects the work1314.

Inspections of new structures, additions and renovations inside town limits cover building, electrical, mechanical and plumbing work15. The town enforces the Indiana building codes16. Zoning questions and variances go to the town's planning and zoning office, which the building page links to13.

The town's building page also lists a home owner permit affidavit, but we could not confirm who qualifies, and we could not confirm current permit fees. Ask the building office before you budget.

How do septic permits work inside Sellersburg?

Septic permits do not come from the town. Where a Sellersburg lot uses on-site sewage disposal, the Clark County Health Department approves it3. A new home on a site without a functional septic system needs a septic permit from that department, and soil testing is required for new installations and repairs17.

Many lots will not need a septic system at all. The UDO requires municipal sewer and water in the R1 and R2 districts4, and an owner of property abutting an accessible public sanitary sewer must connect to it18. Where a subdivision has no sanitary sewers, the developer needs Clark County Health Department letters on soils and lot adequacy19.

We could not confirm the town's rules on private wells or off-grid sanitation inside town limits; call the Clark County Health Department.

Building a home in Sellersburg: the steps, in order

  1. Confirm the lot's zoning district with the town's planning and zoning office, since lot size, setbacks and height differ by district8.
  2. Ask whether town sewer and water reach the lot; R1 and R2 require them4. If they do not, apply to the Clark County Health Department for soil testing and a septic permit17.
  3. Apply for the improvement location permit with the town's building office, in person at Town Hall or online1413.
  4. Schedule the building, electrical, mechanical and plumbing inspections as work proceeds15.

For an accessory dwelling, the ILP is also required, and the unit must share the primary structure's water meter7.

What stays with Clark County, and what to check before you buy in Sellersburg?

Septic permits and soil testing stay with the Clark County Health Department17. Land outside town limits follows Clark County's rules, not the town's; see the Clark County page for unincorporated land.

County figures give context only. About 16 percent of Clark County soils are rated not limited for a conventional septic drain field, so a site evaluation or engineered system is common on lots without sewer20. Clark County's effective property tax rate is about 0.7 percent21.

If the lot is near a creek or low ground, ask about floodplain rules. We could not confirm Sellersburg's own floodplain or driveway-access requirements, so ask the town building office.

Watch-outs

  • The town's zoning rules we reviewed come from a UDO copy uploaded in 2023, and the town's Planning & Zoning page points to an update in progress, so confirm current standards with the town before you rely on a figure2.
  • Lot sizes, setbacks and height limits above apply to the R1 district only; other districts differ6.
  • Rear-yard RV storage cannot be used for occupancy, cannot be hooked to sewer or utilities, and cannot be visible from the public right-of-way in a residential district5.
  • Short-term rentals are a conditional use with their own development standards, so ask the town before buying a lot for that purpose22.

Sources

  1. Town of Sellersburg Unified Development Ordinance (UDO), current copy PDF (uploaded 2023) (Town of Sellersburg), quoted and re-checked
  2. Town of Sellersburg Unified Development Ordinance (UDO), current copy PDF (uploaded 2023) (Town of Sellersburg), quoted and re-checked
  3. Town of Sellersburg Unified Development Ordinance (UDO), current copy PDF (uploaded 2023) (Town of Sellersburg), quoted and re-checked
  4. Town of Sellersburg Unified Development Ordinance (UDO), current copy PDF (uploaded 2023) (Town of Sellersburg), quoted and re-checked
  5. Town of Sellersburg Unified Development Ordinance (UDO), current copy PDF (uploaded 2023) (Town of Sellersburg), quoted and re-checked
  6. Town of Sellersburg Unified Development Ordinance (UDO), current copy PDF (uploaded 2023) (Town of Sellersburg), quoted and re-checked
  7. Town of Sellersburg Unified Development Ordinance (UDO), current copy PDF (uploaded 2023) (Town of Sellersburg), quoted and re-checked
  8. Town of Sellersburg Unified Development Ordinance (UDO), current copy PDF (uploaded 2023) (Town of Sellersburg), quoted and re-checked
  9. Town of Sellersburg Unified Development Ordinance (UDO), current copy PDF (uploaded 2023) (Town of Sellersburg), quoted and re-checked
  10. Town of Sellersburg Unified Development Ordinance (UDO), current copy PDF (uploaded 2023) (Town of Sellersburg), quoted and re-checked
  11. Town of Sellersburg Unified Development Ordinance (UDO), current copy PDF (uploaded 2023) (Town of Sellersburg), quoted and re-checked
  12. Town of Sellersburg Unified Development Ordinance (UDO), current copy PDF (uploaded 2023) (Town of Sellersburg), quoted and re-checked
  13. Town of Sellersburg Building, Construction Permitting & Code Enforcement (sellersburg.org)
  14. Building, Construction Permitting, & Code Enforcement, Town of Sellersburg (Town of Sellersburg), quoted and re-checked
  15. Building, Construction Permitting, & Code Enforcement, Town of Sellersburg (Town of Sellersburg), quoted and re-checked
  16. Building, Construction Permitting, & Code Enforcement, Town of Sellersburg (Town of Sellersburg), quoted and re-checked
  17. Clark County Health Department, Environmental Health (clarkhealth.net)
  18. Town of Sellersburg Unified Development Ordinance (UDO), current copy PDF (uploaded 2023) (Town of Sellersburg), quoted and re-checked
  19. Town of Sellersburg Unified Development Ordinance (UDO), current copy PDF (uploaded 2023) (Town of Sellersburg), quoted and re-checked
  20. Share of soils USDA rates "not limited" for a conventional septic drain field (SSURGO). A strict rating: the median county is about 6% and a tenth of counties are 0%, so a low figure means most lots need a site evaluation or an engineered system, not that septic is impossible. Cite it only with that caveat: Bolthole Index county data
  21. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  22. Town of Sellersburg Unified Development Ordinance (UDO), current copy PDF (uploaded 2023) (Town of Sellersburg), quoted and re-checked

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 Sellersburg

Town of Sellersburg’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    Erection, alteration, or modification of structures inside Sellersburg town limits.

    • Construction may proceed after the improvement location permit (ilp), which the UDO calls a building permit, is issued.
    • The ilp covers primary structures, accessory structures, fences, decks, patios, slabs, signs and temporary storage containers as set out in the UDO.
    “an ilp, also known as a building permit, shall be required for the erection, alteration, or modification of all structures within the jurisdiction including, but not necessarily limited to:”
  • InspectionsRequired

    New structures, additions and renovations inside Sellersburg town limits.

    • Four inspection types are conducted: building, electrical, mechanical (HVAC) and plumbing, reporting to the Building Commissioner.
    • Inspection scheduling and fees were not located.
    “the building, construction permitting, and code enforcement department conducts inspections of new structures, additions, and renovations of existing structures within the town of sellersburg limits.”
  • Local zoningPresent

    Land inside Sellersburg town limits is governed by the Town's own Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) with zoning districts and development standards.

    • The UDO copy reviewed is the 2023-uploaded 'CURRENT COPY' PDF. The Town's Planning & Zoning page and an August 17, 2026 Plan Commission agenda indicate a UDO update is underway, so this may not be the operative text; the Town should be checked before relying on it.
    • The amlegal code overview lists Title XV: Land Usage, but the Town's zoning chapter was not opened on amlegal in this research.
    “development standards – low-density residential district (r1) single-family residential”
  • Zoning districtsPublished

    Zoning districts inside Sellersburg town limits (Chapter 2 of the Town UDO).

    • Districts shown in the UDO include residential (R1, R2, M1, M2, DTN), business (B1, B2, B3), downtown (DT, TC), industrial (I1, I2), and overlay (Gateway) districts. An agricultural (AG) district is referenced in the UDO text but its table was not located in the extraction.
    “ch. 2: zoning districts sellersburg, indiana b. uses & development standards. permitted uses – neighborhood business district (b1)”
  • Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

    Single-family dwellings in the R1 low-density residential district inside Sellersburg town limits.

    • The table lists minimum living area per unit; other districts (for example DT and DTN) list different figures, so district-specific values were not fully recorded.

    minimum living area, single-family (per unit): >= 950 sqft (750 sqft for 1-bedroom, 850 sqft for 2-bedroom, and 1,000 sqft for 3+ bedroom units apply to two-family and attached units in other districts)

    “accessory structure1 20 feet 20 feet 950 sqft n/a minimum lot width 60 feet 250 feet”
  • Minimum lot sizeSpecified

    Single-family detached lots in the R1 low-density residential district inside Sellersburg town limits.

    • Municipal sewer and water are required in R1, so this lot size presumes town utilities (see utility claims).

    minimum lot area, single-family: 7200 sqft · minimum lot width: 60 feet (250 feet for non-residential uses per the same table)

    “minimum lot width 60 feet 250 feet minimum lot area 7,200 sqft n/a”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
  • SetbacksSpecified

    Single-family detached primary structures in the R1 low-density residential district inside Sellersburg town limits.

    • Front setback is 30 feet, or 20 feet in a platted subdivision, per the R1 table. Side and rear values (primary 8 ft and 10 ft; accessory 5 ft) are read from a flattened table and should be checked against the PDF.
    • Accessory structures in R1 cannot exceed the height of the primary structure.

    minimum front yard setback, primary structure: >= 30 feet (20 feet in a platted subdivision) · minimum side yard setback, primary structure: 8 feet · minimum rear yard setback, primary structure: 10 feet

    “30 feet or 20 feet in platted subdivision 50 feet parking n/a 25 feet primary structure 8 feet 50 feet accessory structure 5 feet 5 feet primary structure 10 feet 50 feet”
  • Lot coverageSpecified

    Lots in the R1 low-density residential district inside Sellersburg town limits.

    • Limit is maximum impervious surface coverage, not total building footprint coverage.

    maximum impervious surface coverage: <= 60 percent

    “60% 60% yes yes structure standards maximum height of structure”
  • Building heightSpecified

    Primary and accessory structures in the R1 low-density residential district inside Sellersburg town limits.

    • Accessory structures cannot exceed the height of the primary structure.

    maximum height, primary structure (single-family): <= 35 feet · maximum height, accessory structure: <= 20 feet

    “primary structure 35 feet 35 feet accessory structure1 20 feet 20 feet”
  • Living in an RVProhibited

    Residential occupancy of recreational vehicles on land inside Sellersburg town limits.

    • Exception: occupancy inside a campground or RV park approved by the Indiana State Department of Health (ISDH).
    • Rear-yard RV storage may not be used for permanent or temporary occupancy, cannot be connected to sewer or utilities, and cannot be visible from a public right-of-way in a residential district (UDO rear-yard RV storage rule).
    “recreational vehicles are not permitted to be used for residential occupancy outside of a campground or an rv park approved by the indiana state department of health (isdh).”
  • Accessory dwellingsLimited

    Accessory dwelling units on residential lots inside Sellersburg town limits.

    • An improvement location permit (ilp) is required to construct or establish an accessory dwelling.
    • The accessory unit must use the same water meter as the primary structure; a separate meter is not permitted.
    • Health-department approval is required for connections or modifications to an existing septic system.
    • No additional parking is required for the accessory unit, but existing required parking must be retained or replaced on-site.
    • All other development standards of the zoning district apply.
    “the accessory unit shall utilize the same water meter as the primary structure. a separate meter shall not be permitted.”
  • Mandatory utility hookupSewer (with conditions)

    Property abutting a public sanitary sewer in a street or alley within Sellersburg town limits, as stated in the subdivision design standards.

    • Stated within the subdivision design standards (Chapter 6); confirm whether it applies to individual lots outside a new subdivision.
    • Applies where a public sanitary sewer is accessible and placed in an abutting street or alley; the UDO does not state a distance threshold in this passage.
    “if a public sanitary sewer is accessible and a sanitary sewer is placed in a street or alley abutting upon a property, the owner thereof shall be required to connect to said sewer for the purpose of disposing waste.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Subdivision of land inside Sellersburg town limits.

    • Where sanitary sewers are not available, the subdivider must obtain Clark County Health Department letters on soils and on lot adequacy for individual septic systems.
    • Minimum lot areas for individual sewage systems must meet Clark County Health Department requirements and the UDO.
    “bb. individual disposal system requirements. if sanitary sewers are not available, the subdivider shall:”
  • Short-term rentalsLimited

    Short-term rental in the residential use table of Chapter 2 inside Sellersburg town limits.

    • Listed as a conditional use: specific development standards in Chapter 4 apply.
    • The district this use table belongs to was not identified in the extraction; confirm before relying on it for a specific district.
    “*short-term rental * indicates use is conditional and specific development standards apply.”
  • Permit processPublished (with conditions)

    Obtaining a building permit (ilp) for construction inside Sellersburg town limits.

    • The UDO assigns ilp issuance to the administrator; the Town building office reviews plans, issues permits and inspects.
    • Permits may be applied for in person at Town Hall or submitted online per the Town page.
    “the office of building, construction permitting, and code enforcement is responsible for the oversight of construction in the town of sellersburg through a review process that includes the review of construction plans and issuance of permits and conducting inspections.”

Rules another office applies inside Town of Sellersburg

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

  • Building code adoptedAdopted

    Construction and inspections inside Sellersburg town limits under the Indiana building codes, as enforced by the Town building commission.

    • The Town page states the office enforces the Indiana building codes; the state code text itself was not opened.
    “this process is in place to ensure the safety of citizens and compliance with the indiana building codes and associated codes and ordinances.”
  • Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

    On-site sewage disposal (septic) inside Sellersburg town limits, where the Clark County board of health issues the permit.

    • Applies only where on-site sewage disposal is used; where town sewer is available, the UDO requires connection instead.
    • This passage is located in the nonconforming-lot provisions of Chapter 9; the same health-department approval role appears in the accessory-dwelling standards.
    “the accessory dwelling shall have water and sewage disposal that is approved by the clark county health department or available sanitary service provider as appropriate.”

Still unanswered

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

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption for a homeowner building their own home inside Sellersburg town limits.
  • Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land inside Sellersburg town limits.
  • Tiny homes — Occupancy of a tiny home inside Sellersburg town limits.
  • Septic inspection — Septic system inspection for a new home inside Sellersburg town limits.
  • Off-grid sanitation — Off-grid sanitation (no public sewer or septic) for a dwelling inside Sellersburg town limits.
5 more unanswered
  • Well permit
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Driveway access
  • Building in a floodplain
  • Permit fees

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 Sellersburg publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Clark County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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