Bolthole Index

Lake County, Indiana

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

The Town of Schererville, Indiana (Lake County) has its own zoning ordinance, and no building or structure may be erected until the town issues a building/zoning permit12. The town's Planning & Building Department handles permits, inspections and zoning information3. Septic permits for systems in Lake County come from the Lake County Health Department, not the town4.

At a glance

Zoning
Yes: Schererville adopted its own Zoning Ordinance No. 2004 on April 10, 20241
Building permit
Required: a building/zoning permit must be issued before any building or structure is erected, moved or enlarged2
Certificate of occupancy
Required before a new or altered building is used or occupied; issued within 3 business days when the use conforms56
Minimum lot size
R-1: 10,000 square feet; Open Land: 5 acres78
Minimum home size
Open Land: 1,200 square feet of ground floor area9
Septic
Lake County Health Department (Environmental Health Division)4
RV and tiny home living
Not confirmed: ask the town's Planning & Building Department3

Who to call

Building permits

Town of Schererville Planning & Building Department

Building permits, inspections, contractor licenses and zoning information inside the Town of Schererville

(219) 322-2211

10 E Joliet St, Schererville, IN 46375

Septic permits

Lake County Health Department, Environmental Health Division

Residential on-site wastewater (septic) system permits and inspections for Lake County

(219) 755-3000

2293 N. Main Street, Crown Point, IN 46307

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 24, 2026.

Off-grid gear

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

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Does Schererville, Indiana have zoning, and what does it mean for lot size and setbacks?

Yes. The Town of Schererville enforces its own zoning ordinance, Ordinance No. 2004, adopted April 10, 20241. The ordinance publishes residential districts R-1, R-2 and R-3, an Open Land district, Institutional, Neighborhood Commercial (C-1) and Planned Unit Development districts10.

Rules differ by district. In the R-1 district, a lot needs at least 10,000 square feet, 80 feet of width at the building line and 125 feet of depth7. In the Open Land district, every lot needs at least 5 acres and 120 feet of width at the building line8. Open Land front yards must be at least 30 feet deep, but not more than 50 feet11.

Dwellings in R-1 may rise 35 feet and 2.5 stories12. New homes in Open Land must have at least 1,200 square feet of ground floor area, not counting unenclosed porches, terraces and garages9.

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

Yes. Under the town's zoning ordinance, no building or structure may be erected, reconstructed, enlarged or moved until a building/zoning permit has been applied for in writing and issued by the town's administrative official2. The Town of Schererville Planning & Building Department issues permits, runs inspections and licenses contractors3.

Before anyone uses or occupies a new or altered building, the town also requires a certificate of occupancy5. When the proposed use conforms to the ordinance, that certificate is issued within 3 business days of the application6.

Lake County's Plan Commission has no jurisdiction in incorporated areas, so the county building counter is the wrong office for a lot inside Schererville13. We could not confirm the town's permit fees, adopted building code or owner-builder rules; ask the Planning & Building Department.

How do septic permits work in Schererville?

Septic permits for Lake County residents come from the Lake County Health Department's Environmental Health Division, which administers residential on-site wastewater permitting4. Statewide, Indiana's septic rule is administered by local boards of health, and local health departments issue the permits14.

Inside town limits, the zoning ordinance requires every lot in the Open Land district and the other districts to be provided with public water and public sewers, if available15. Where public sewer or water is not available, state and county regulations apply instead15. We could not confirm a town-specific septic permit rule or how the town measures availability, so ask the Planning & Building Department whether a sewer connection is available at your address before assuming you need a septic system.

Indiana does not allow drywells or cesspools as on-site sewage treatment16.

Can you live in an RV or tiny home on your land in Schererville?

We could not confirm a Schererville rule on long-term RV living, temporary camping, tiny homes or accessory dwellings. Ask the Planning & Building Department at (219) 322-2211 before parking an RV on a lot or building a secondary dwelling3.

Indiana's campground rule does not answer the question for a private lot. It covers regulated campgrounds and excludes tracts divided into individually deeded lots, and it does not authorize long-term residential RV occupancy outside regulated campgrounds17.

Building a home in Schererville: the steps, in order

  1. Confirm the zoning district of your lot with the Planning & Building Department, and check lot size, width and setbacks against Ordinance No. 200431.
  2. Ask whether public water and sewer are available at the address; the ordinance requires them if available15.
  3. If sewer is not available, contact the Lake County Health Department about a septic permit4.
  4. Apply in writing for the building/zoning permit; no construction may start before it is issued2.
  5. Request inspections through the Planning & Building Department3.
  6. Obtain the certificate of occupancy before anyone moves in5.

What stays with Lake County, and what to check before you buy in Schererville

Septic permits stay with the Lake County Health Department4. For land outside town limits, Lake County has its own rules for unincorporated areas; see the Lake County page for those13.

Indiana says whether a building permit is required depends on the local jurisdiction's own ordinance18. Driveways onto an Indiana state highway need INDOT permission19. We could not confirm the town's floodplain, driveway or well rules, so ask the Planning & Building Department.

County-level figures: Lake County's typical home value is about $254,09720, its effective property tax rate is 0.9%21, and only 1.1% of its soils are rated not limited for a conventional septic drain field, so lots without sewer likely need a site evaluation or an engineered system22.

Watch-outs

  • The town's zoning ordinance in the town's records is Ordinance No. 2004, but some permit sheets and Board of Zoning Appeals agendas still cite an older ordinance number, so confirm with the Planning & Building Department which ordinance governs your lot1.
  • We could not confirm the town's building permit fees, adopted building code, inspection schedule or owner-builder rules; call (219) 322-22113.
  • Lake County's building and zoning rules cover only unincorporated land, not lots inside Schererville13.

Sources

  1. Schererville, Indiana Zoning Ordinance, Ordinance No. 2004 (Town of Schererville), quoted and re-checked
  2. Schererville, Indiana Zoning Ordinance, Ordinance No. 2004 (Town of Schererville), quoted and re-checked
  3. Town of Schererville Planning & Building Department (schererville.org)
  4. Residential On-Site Waste Water Disposal Systems, quoted and re-checked
  5. Schererville, Indiana Zoning Ordinance, Ordinance No. 2004 (Town of Schererville), quoted and re-checked
  6. Schererville, Indiana Zoning Ordinance, Ordinance No. 2004 (Town of Schererville), quoted and re-checked
  7. Schererville, Indiana Zoning Ordinance, Ordinance No. 2004 (Town of Schererville), quoted and re-checked
  8. Schererville, Indiana Zoning Ordinance, Ordinance No. 2004 (Town of Schererville), quoted and re-checked
  9. Schererville, Indiana Zoning Ordinance, Ordinance No. 2004 (Town of Schererville), quoted and re-checked
  10. Schererville, Indiana Zoning Ordinance, Ordinance No. 2004 (Town of Schererville), quoted and re-checked
  11. Schererville, Indiana Zoning Ordinance, Ordinance No. 2004 (Town of Schererville), quoted and re-checked
  12. Schererville, Indiana Zoning Ordinance, Ordinance No. 2004 (Town of Schererville), quoted and re-checked
  13. Plan Commission, quoted and re-checked
  14. 410 IAC 6-8.3 Residential On-Site Sewage Systems (Indiana statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  15. Schererville, Indiana Zoning Ordinance, Ordinance No. 2004 (Town of Schererville), quoted and re-checked
  16. 410 IAC 6-8.3 Residential On-Site Sewage Systems (Indiana statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  17. Environmental Public Health: 410 IAC 6-71 Campgrounds (Indiana statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  18. in.gov (Indiana statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  19. INDOT Driveway Permit Guide 2024 (Indiana statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  20. Typical home value (Zillow): Bolthole Index county data
  21. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  22. 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

Written October 24, 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 Schererville

Town of Schererville’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    Erection of buildings and structures, and changes in use, inside Schererville town

    • Construction may proceed only after the building/zoning permit is issued, which requires an application for a certificate of occupancy first.
    • Zoning ordinance table of contents lists building/zoning permits at section 24-21.
    “no building or structure shall be erected, reconstructed, enlarged, or moved until a building/zoning permit shall have been applied for in writing and issued by the designated administrative official.”
  • Certificate of occupancyRequired

    Occupancy or use of new or altered buildings and premises inside Schererville town

    • Certificate required for occupancy and use of a building hereafter erected or enlarged; for change in use or occupants of an existing building, except for residential uses; for occupancy of vacant land (except crops); and for change of land use classification (except crops).
    • Section 5(b) lists the required cases; the quoted sentence states the general prohibition.
    “it shall be unlawful to use or occupy or permit the use of occupancy of any building or premises, or both, or part thereof hereafter created, erected, changed, converted, or wholly or partly altered or enlarged in its use or structure until a certificate of occupancy shall have been issued therefor”
  • Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

    All land inside Schererville town limits

    • Zoning Ordinance No. 2004 is a standalone town ordinance; the American Legal Publishing code (current through ord. no. 985k, passed 10-16-24) lists Chapter 10 as zoning and subdivisions but that chapter was not opened.
    • Permit sheets and Board of Zoning Appeals agendas found in search results cite Zoning Ordinance #1797; the currently governing ordinance was not confirmed beyond the PDF's own title.
    “ordinance no. 2004 date of adoption: april 10, 2024”
  • Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

    Districts within Schererville town limits, including Open Land (O.L.), Residential R-1, R-2, R-3, Institutional, Neighborhood Commercial (C-1) and Planned Unit Development

    • Table of contents in Ordinance No. 2004 lists the district titles; the full district map was not opened.
    “title iv – residential (r-1) district title iv section 4: area, width and yard regulations”
  • Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

    Principal residential buildings in the Open Land (O.L.) zoning district of Schererville town

    • Exclusive of unenclosed porches, terraces, and garages.

    minimum ground floor area, principal residential building: >= 1200 square feet (exclusive of unenclosed porches, terraces, and garages)

    “no building shall be erected for residential purposes having a ground floor area of less than one thousand two hundred (1,200) square feet, exclusive of unenclosed porches, terraces, and garages.”
  • Minimum lot sizeSpecified

    Single-family and other permitted uses in the R-1 residential zoning district of Schererville town

    • Corner lot containing a building: lot width not less than 100 feet at the building line.
    • Applies to every building or other structure erected or used for any use permitted in the R-1 district.

    minimum lot area: >= 10000 square feet · minimum lot width at building line: >= 80 feet · minimum lot depth: >= 125 feet

    “a lot area of not less than ten thousand (10,000) square feet, and a lot width of not less than eighty feet (80’) at the building line and a minimum lot depth of one hundred twenty-five feet (125’)”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • Specified — Open Land (O.L.) zoning district of Schererville town, the agricultural or rural-residential district
      “every lot shall have a minimum width at the building line of one hundred twenty feet (120’) and a minimum area of five (5) acres.”
  • SetbacksSpecified

    Open Land (O.L.) zoning district of Schererville town

    • Side yard: each lot, except as otherwise specified, has two side yards.
    • Rear yard distance not extracted; open followup.

    minimum front yard: >= 30 feet (not to exceed fifty feet (50’)) · minimum side yard width (each): >= 30 feet (aggregate side yard width also stated in source)

    “the minimum required front yard shall be thirty feet (30’), but not to exceed fifty feet (50’).”
  • Building heightSpecified

    Dwellings in the R-1 residential zoning district of Schererville town

    • Accessory buildings to a dwelling use: fourteen feet (14’), not exceeding one (1) story.
    • No fence shall exceed six feet (6’) in height in any residential district.
    • District assignment taken from the section 3 height text that appears immediately before the Title IV (R-1) heading in the extracted PDF text; confirm against the printed layout.

    maximum building height for dwellings: <= 35 feet · maximum stories for dwellings: <= 2.5 stories

    “a. for any dwelling, thirty-five feet (35’), not exceeding two and one-half (2 ½) stories;”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
  • Mandatory utility hookupWater and sewer (with conditions)

    Lots inside Schererville town limits, including new homes in the Open Land and residential districts

    • Requirement applies only if public water and public sewers are available.
    • When either or both public utilities are not available, state of Indiana and Lake County regulations apply instead (see septic_authority).
    • The exact availability distance rule was not located in the extracted text; the Dyer, Indiana rule seen in search results is not Schererville's and was not used.

    public water and public sewer availability: if available

    “every lot in open land zoning districts, and each district hereafter described, shall be provided with public water and public sewers, if available.”
  • Permit processPartial

    Certificate of occupancy applications for uses that conform to the zoning ordinance, inside Schererville town

    • Written application for a certificate of occupancy for vacant land, change in land use, or change in non-conforming use is made to the plan commission.
    • Full process (building permit application packet, inspections) not verified on an official page.

    certificate of occupancy issuance time after application: <= 3 business days (if the proposed use conforms to the ordinance)

    “if the proposed use is in conformity with the provisions of this ordinance, the certificate of occupancy therefore shall be issued within three (3) business days after the application for the same has been made.”

Still unanswered

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

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption for residential construction inside Schererville town
  • Building code adopted — Building code applied to construction inside Schererville town
  • Inspections — Building inspections for construction inside Schererville town
  • Lot coverage — R-1 residential zoning district of Schererville town
  • Living in an RV — Long-term occupancy of recreational vehicles on private land inside Schererville town
14 more unanswered
  • Camping on your land
  • Tiny homes
  • Manufactured homes
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Septic permit
  • Septic inspection
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Subdividing land
  • Driveway access
  • Building in a floodplain
  • Short-term rentals
  • 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 Schererville publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Lake County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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