Bolthole Index

Kosciusko County, Indiana

Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Washington Township, Indiana

Washington Township in Kosciusko County, Indiana has no township zoning of its own: the Kosciusko County Area Plan Commission applies county zoning here1. The Area Plan Commission also issues Improvement Location Permits for construction, which appears to be required before building2. Septic and well permits come from the Kosciusko County Health Department3.

At a glance

Zoning
County zoning, run by the Area Plan Commission (no township ordinance)1
Building permit
Improvement Location Permit from the Area Plan Commission; appears required24
Septic and wells
Permits required from the Kosciusko County Health Department356
RV or mobile home as a residence
Limited: must meet all federal, state and county laws for dwellings, with durable skirting7
Driveway
Entrance approval from the road authority before the permit issues8
Floodplain
Flood development permit required for improvements in a floodplain9

Who to call

Planning & zoning

Kosciusko County Area Plan Commission

Improvement Location Permits, zoning, subdivision and flood development permits for land in Washington Township outside any town that runs its own program

(574) 372-2304

100 W Center St, Warsaw, IN 46580

Septic permits

Kosciusko County Health Department – Environmental Health Services

Septic and well permits for every address in Kosciusko County, including Washington Township

(574) 372-2349

100 W. Center St., Warsaw, IN 46580

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

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Does Washington Township, Indiana have zoning?

Yes, but the rules come from Kosciusko County, not from the township. Zoning on land in Washington Township is administered by the Kosciusko County Area Plan Commission1. Towns that joined the county program, or run their own, have a separate jurisdiction, so confirm that your parcel is not inside a town before relying on the township rules1.

The county ordinance publishes permitted uses district by district10. Dimensional rules depend on the district. In the Residential district on a lot without public sewer, the minimum lot area is 20,000 sq ft with a 100 ft minimum lot width11, and the front yard is at least 35 ft with side yards of at least 10 ft12. In the Agricultural district on a lot without public sewer, the front yard is at least 50 ft and side yards at least 20 ft13. We could not confirm building height, lot coverage, minimum dwelling size, accessory dwellings or tiny homes; ask the Area Plan Commission.

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

Construction in Washington Township appears to need an Improvement Location Permit from the Kosciusko County Area Plan Commission2. Applications go through the county GeoPermits portal, which requires a free registered account414. The commission will not issue a permit until any needed well, septic, floodplain or erosion-control approvals are in hand4.

Indiana enforces a statewide Residential Code15, and one- and two-family homes fall under the local government entity, or the county if there is none16. We could not confirm whether the county runs its own building inspections or certificates of occupancy here. A fee schedule applies to permits issued on or after January 1, 2022 and is attached to the county page17. We also could not confirm an owner-builder exemption.

How do septic permits work in Washington Township?

Septic permits for Washington Township come from the Kosciusko County Health Department, not from the Area Plan Commission3. County ordinances require a permit for any new septic system or well, and for repairing an existing septic system or replacing a well18.

If a sanitary sewer is available within a reasonable distance of the building, Indiana prohibits an onsite septic system and requires a sewer connection19. Across Kosciusko County, only about 6.8% of soils rate as not limited for a conventional drain field, so most lots need a site evaluation and some may need an engineered system20. Ask the Health Department about inspections, which we could not confirm.

Can you live in an RV or mobile home on your land in Washington Township?

Only with conditions. Under county zoning, a mobile home or recreational vehicle outside a mobile home park or designated campground that serves as a temporary or permanent place of abode must meet all federal, state and county laws applicable to dwellings7. A mobile home or RV used this way must have skirting of durable material7.

A stored RV that nobody lives in must stay 20 ft behind the front setback line and 5 ft from the side setback line7. Because living in an RV is treated like living in a dwelling, expect septic, well and Improvement Location Permit requirements to apply. We did not find a tiny-home rule or a temporary camping rule; ask the Area Plan Commission before you move anything onto the land.

Building a home in Washington Township: the steps, in order

  1. Confirm with the Kosciusko County Area Plan Commission that your parcel is outside any town and see which zoning district it is in114.
  2. Ask the Kosciusko County Health Department for a septic and well permit518.
  3. Get entrance approval from the road authority for your driveway before the permit issues8.
  4. Check for floodplain on the parcel; improvements there need a flood development permit9.
  5. Register for GeoPermits and apply for the Improvement Location Permit414.
  6. If you are dividing the land, plats go through county review21.

What stays with Kosciusko County, and what to check before you buy

Zoning, Improvement Location Permits, floodplain permits and plat review all sit with the county Area Plan Commission for this township121. Septic and well permits sit with the county Health Department3. Kosciusko County is gentle land, with 99.4% of its area at 15% slope or less22, and its effective property tax rate is 0.6%23. Farmland there averages $8,605 per acre24.

For land elsewhere in the county, see the Kosciusko County page.

Watch-outs

  • The zoning figures above come from the county ordinance text we reviewed, and a newer revision is listed on the county site, so confirm current setbacks and lot sizes with the Area Plan Commission12.
  • The lot-size and setback numbers apply to lots without public sewer; lots on public sewer may differ11.
  • Towns inside or beside Washington Township may run their own zoning, so confirm your parcel is outside any town before using these rules1.

Sources

  1. Kosciusko County Zoning Ordinance (PDF, 2016-era text) (Washington Township), quoted and re-checked
  2. Kosciusko County IN - Improvement Location Permits (2026 county census)
  3. Kosciusko County Health Department - Septic & Well Systems (Washington Township), quoted and re-checked
  4. Improvement Location Permits / Kosciusko County, Indiana (Washington Township), quoted and re-checked
  5. Kosciusko County Health Department - Septic & Well Systems (Washington Township), quoted and re-checked
  6. Kosciusko County Health Department - Septic & Well Systems (Washington Township), quoted and re-checked
  7. Kosciusko County Zoning Ordinance (PDF, 2016-era text) (Washington Township), quoted and re-checked
  8. kosciusko.in.gov (Washington Township), quoted and re-checked
  9. Improvement Location Permits / Kosciusko County, Indiana (Washington Township), quoted and re-checked
  10. Kosciusko County Zoning Ordinance (PDF, 2016-era text) (Washington Township), quoted and re-checked
  11. Kosciusko County Zoning Ordinance (PDF, 2016-era text) (Washington Township), quoted and re-checked
  12. Kosciusko County Zoning Ordinance (PDF, 2016-era text) (Washington Township), quoted and re-checked
  13. Kosciusko County Zoning Ordinance (PDF, 2016-era text) (Washington Township), quoted and re-checked
  14. Kosciusko County Area Plan Commission (kosciusko.in.gov)
  15. Rules of the Indiana Fire Prevention and Building Safety Commission (Indiana statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  16. DHS: Code Enforcement, quoted and re-checked
  17. Improvement Location Permits / Kosciusko County, Indiana (Washington Township), quoted and re-checked
  18. Kosciusko County Health Department – Environmental Health Services (in.gov)
  19. Environmental Public Health: Onsite Sewage Systems Program, 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. Kosciusko County Zoning Ordinance (PDF, 2016-era text) (Washington Township), quoted and re-checked
  22. Share of land at 15% slope or less: Bolthole Index county data
  23. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  24. Farmland value per acre (USDA census): 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 Washington Township

Rules another office applies inside Washington Township

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

  • Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

    Land inside Washington township (Kosciusko County, Indiana) outside any incorporated town that joined the county program; zoning is administered by the Kosciusko County Area Plan Commission, not by a township ordinance. This is a county rule applied in the township, not a township-adopted ordinance.

    • Source is the Kosciusko County Zoning Ordinance PDF at the official URL (text dated around 2016, recodified/revised; a newer Feb. 25, 2025 revision was listed on the county site but its PDF returned HTTP 404 and was not read).
    • Joined towns (e.g., Pierceton, Claypool, Milford, Silver Lake, North Webster, Syracuse, Etna Green, Burket, Leesburg) have their own jurisdiction; confirm the parcel is not inside one.
    “1.5 jurisdiction: the jurisdiction of this ordinance shall include all lands and waters within the territorial jurisdiction of the county.”
  • Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

    County zoning districts (residential, agricultural, commercial, industrial, etc.) applying to land inside Washington township under county zoning

    • Permitted uses for each district are in table A; zone maps are in section 2.1 and the Area Plan Commission; the 2016-era text was read, not the 2025 revision.
    “2.14.1 permitted uses: the permitted uses for each district are shown in table a.”
  • Minimum lot sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Residential ('r') district lots in Kosciusko County zoning, including such lots inside Washington township, on lots WITHOUT public sewer

    • Table B applies to lots without public sewer; table C (lots with public sewer) was not read and may differ.
    • Minimum lot area is listed as 20,000 sq. ft.; additional lot area per family is 10,000 sq. ft.
    • The county's newer revision (Feb. 25, 2025) was not read.

    minimum lot area: >= 20000 sq ft (without public sewer (table B)) · additional lot area per family: >= 10000 sq ft (without public sewer (table B)) · minimum lot width: >= 100 feet (without public sewer (table B))

    “aii 1 acre n/a 100 50 20 r 20,000 10,000 100 35 10 c 7,000 +5000** 30 35 10”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • District specific (with conditions) — Agricultural ('a') district lots in Kosciusko County zoning, including such lots inside Washington township, on lots WITHOUT public sewer
      “pu 1 acre n/a 100 50 20 a 20,000 10,000 100 50 20 aii 1 acre n/a 100 50 20”
  • SetbacksDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Agricultural ('a') district lots in Kosciusko County zoning, including such lots inside Washington township, on lots WITHOUT public sewer

    • Table B (without public sewer) applies; table C (with public sewer) not read.
    • Rear yard for this district not reliably mapped from the flattened table and is not stated here.

    minimum front yard depth: >= 50 feet (without public sewer (table B)) · minimum side yard width: >= 20 feet (without public sewer (table B))

    “pu 1 acre n/a 100 50 20 a 20,000 10,000 100 50 20 aii 1 acre n/a 100 50 20”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • District specific (with conditions) — Residential ('r') district lots in Kosciusko County zoning, including such lots inside Washington township, on lots WITHOUT public sewer
      “aii 1 acre n/a 100 50 20 r 20,000 10,000 100 35 10 c 7,000 +5000** 30 35 10”
  • Living in an RVLimited

    Recreational vehicles used as a temporary or permanent place of abode outside a mobile home park or designated campground, inside Washington township under county zoning

    • Such use must meet all federal, state and county laws applicable to dwellings.
    • Skirting of durable material is required on a mobile home or recreational vehicle used as an abode.
    • Recreational vehicles and boats stored on residential lots (not occupied) must be set back 20 ft from front setback line, 5 ft from side setback line and 35 ft from waters edge (section 3.16.2).
    “mobile homes and recreational vehicles not located in a mobile home park or designated campground, and used as temporary or permanent place of abode shall be subject to the requirements of all federal, state and county laws applicable to dwellings.”
  • Manufactured homesLimited

    Mobile homes used as a temporary or permanent place of abode outside a mobile home park or designated campground, inside Washington township under county zoning

    • Must meet all federal, state and county laws applicable to dwellings.
    • Skirting of durable material must be installed.
    “mobile homes and recreational vehicles not located in a mobile home park or designated campground, and used as temporary or permanent place of abode shall be subject to the requirements of all federal, state and county laws applicable to dwellings.”
  • Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

    New septic systems and well work inside Washington township, administered by the Kosciusko County Health Department (Environmental Health Services)

    • Permit is required for any new septic system or well; this includes repair of an existing septic and replacement of an existing well.
    “county ordinances require property owners to obtain permits for any new septic or well installed in kosciusko county.”
  • Septic permitRequired

    Any new septic system in Kosciusko County, including on land inside Washington township

    • Application is a fillable county septic permit form emailed to county staff.
    • Soil scientist and installer lists are published by the county; a checklist exists for vacant lot home construction.
    “county ordinances require property owners to obtain permits for any new septic or well installed in kosciusko county.”
  • Well permitRequired

    Any new well in Kosciusko County, including on land inside Washington township

    • Well permit application is a fillable county form emailed to county staff; well driller list is published.
    “county ordinances require property owners to obtain permits for any new septic or well installed in kosciusko county.”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Plats of land inside Washington township under county zoning

    • Plat review runs through the county technical review committee, which recommends to the county Area Plan Commission; the county subdivision ordinance was not read.
    “when granting reviewing a plat, rezoning request, or development sign request the technical committee shall act as a recommending body to the kosciusko county area plan commission.”
  • Driveway accessRequired

    Driveway/entrance connections from private, commercial, or industrial installations inside Washington township

    • Approval from the governmental agency with jurisdiction is required before an improvement location permit issues.
    • Entrance approval for county roads or state highways by the road authority was not checked.
    “3.15 entrances: all entrances from any private, commercial, or industrial installation shall require approval from the governmental agency having jurisdiction over it prior to the issuance of an improvement location permit.”
  • Building in a floodplainRequired

    Improvements in a floodplain inside Washington township under county zoning and flood rules

    • A flood development permit checklist exists; the list of improvements requiring a floodplain permit was not read.
    • Section 3.10 (flood prone areas) of the zoning ordinance was not read.
    “list of improvements which require a permit when in a floodplain in this department”
  • Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

    Improvement location permit fees for projects inside Washington township

    • Fee schedule is an attached sheet on the county page, not read; fees apply to permits issued on or after January 1, 2022 per the page.
    “improvement location fee after january 1, 2022 the fees listed on the attached sheet will be applied to any permit issued on or after january 1, 2022.”
  • Permit processPublished (with conditions)

    Improvement location permit process for land in unincorporated Kosciusko County, including inside Washington township

    • Applications go through the county GeoPermits portal, which requires a free registered account.
    • Projects on wells or septic systems, in floodplains, or under erosion control may need prior approvals; APC will not issue a permit without them.
    “geopermits online permit and form portal - kosciusko county's geopermits site allows you to apply for improvement location permits, sign permits, flood development permits, and property research requests.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Washington Township or Kosciusko County directly.

  • Building permit — Building permits for new homes inside Washington township
  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption for homes inside Washington township
  • Building code adopted — Adoption of a building code by Washington township, Kosciusko County
  • Inspections — Building inspections for construction inside Washington township
  • Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy for new homes inside Washington township
11 more unanswered
  • Minimum dwelling size
  • Lot coverage
  • Building height
  • Camping on your land
  • Tiny homes
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Septic inspection
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Mandatory utility hookup
  • Agricultural exemption
  • 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 Washington Township publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Kosciusko County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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