Bolthole Index

Monroe County, Missouri

Building permits, zoning and land rules in Monroe County, Missouri

69Index Score / 100
#68 of 115 in Missouri

Unincorporated Monroe County, Missouri requires a building permit and has county zoning, but covered projects, zoning boundaries and building inspections need confirmation with the County Clerk's Office123. The published building-permit fee is $60; covered septic systems require a $150 Monroe County Health Department permit, an initial inspection and a final evaluation456.

At a glance

Building permit
Required; $60 fee published, but covered projects and inspections need confirmation14
Planning and zoning
County function exists; parcel coverage and district standards need confirmation2
Septic permit
$150 county permit with initial and final inspections for covered systems456
Septic soil difficulty
0% of mapped soils rate free of severe limits for a conventional drain field7
RV or tiny home
Occupancy rules not confirmed; ask the County Clerk's Office2
Owner-builder
No general building exemption confirmed; a landowner may install the permitted septic system8
State-highway driveway
MoDOT right-of-way permit required9
Property taxes
About 0.7% effective rate; median bill about $1,086 per year1011

Who to call

Planning & zoning

Monroe County Clerk's Office

County Clerk services and the county's Planning & Zoning contact

877-433-3061

300 North Main St, Room 204, Paris, MO 65275

Septic permits

Monroe County Health Department

Onsite wastewater permit applications, initial inspections and final evaluations

660-327-4653

310 North Market Street, Paris, MO 65275

Roads & driveways

Monroe County Road and Bridge Department

County roads, bridges, culvert replacement and driveway-pipe installation outside the special road districts

660-909-0891

300 North Main Street, Paris, MO 65275

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 11, 2026.

Off-grid gear

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

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Do you need a building permit in Monroe County, Missouri?

Unincorporated Monroe County requires a building permit and publishes a $60 building-permit fee payable at the County Clerk's Office in Paris14. The available county information does not identify every project that triggers the permit, provide the application, or describe building inspections and certificates of occupancy1. Call the County Clerk's Office before construction and ask whether the proposed house, addition, cabin, manufactured home, accessory building or farm structure needs approval3. Missouri adopts fire and building codes locally rather than through one uniform statewide building code12. A state farm-structure exemption concerns county fire-protection and fire-prevention ordinances only; it does not create a blanket exemption from zoning, septic, floodplain or other land-use approvals13. Inside Monroe City, the city requires building permits for structural changes or electrical upgrades, with applications at City Hall14. Private sewage disposal there also requires a written permit signed by the city superintendent; ask the Monroe County Health Department about any county septic approval needed for the same project1516.

Who handles Monroe County building permits, and how do you reach them?

Start with the Monroe County Clerk's Office at 877-433-3061 or 300 North Main St, Room 204, Paris, Missouri3. Monroe County identifies a Planning & Zoning function, and the published $60 building-permit fee is payable to the Clerk's Office24. We could not confirm a separate county building department, inspector contact or online building-permit portal; ask the Clerk for the current application, approval standard, required site-plan details, and any inspection or occupancy steps13. Septic approval follows a separate published process through the Monroe County Health Department: call 660-327-4653 for an application, then complete it and pay the fee before the permit is issued1718.

Does Monroe County, Missouri have zoning?

Unincorporated Monroe County has county zoning, but we could not confirm the current zoning map, district standards or exact territorial coverage2. Missouri's county-zoning authority generally concerns unincorporated territory; incorporated cities and towns control land within their own boundaries19. Inside Monroe City, the city administers its own zoning districts and building permits2014. Monroe City also requires a written superintendent-signed permit before private sewage-disposal construction; ask the Monroe County Health Department whether county septic approval also applies1516. For unincorporated parcels, ask the County Clerk's Office to identify the zoning district, allowed use, setbacks, minimum lot size and dwelling-size standards before relying on a listing's description32.

How do septic permits work in Monroe County?

The Monroe County Health Department handles covered domestic onsite wastewater systems producing no more than 3,000 gallons per day16. A county permit is required before construction, installation, modification or operation; systems in use when the ordinance passed are grandfathered unless they become a nuisance or need modification5. Call the Health Department for an application, complete it and pay the $150 septic fee before issuance174. Approval depends on setback distances, and a lagoon must be fenced before final approval17. Covered systems receive an initial inspection and a final evaluation after completion; a landowner may install the permitted system, though a Missouri-registered installer is recommended617. Missouri DNR handles flows above 3,000 gallons per day, direct-discharge and surface-land-application systems, and non-individual lagoons21. DNR also approves wastewater-treatment methods for qualifying new or expanding residential developments; that approval does not settle subdivision platting requirements22. With 0% of mapped soils free of severe conventional-drain-field limitations, establish site feasibility before choosing the house location7.

Can you live in an RV or tiny home on land in Monroe County?

Monroe County's published materials do not confirm whether an RV may be occupied as a residence on private land or while a house is being built2. The published materials also do not resolve tiny-home occupancy, manufactured-home placement, temporary camping, accessory dwellings or a minimum home size2. Ask the County Clerk's Office about the exact parcel and proposed use before buying or moving a unit onsite3. Ask whether the parcel is within county or municipal jurisdiction, whether residential occupancy is allowed in its district, and whether a building permit or other land-use approval is needed191. Any occupied setup still needs lawful wastewater handling: Monroe County requires a Health Department permit for constructing, installing, modifying or operating a covered onsite wastewater system5.

Building a home in Monroe County: the steps in order

  1. Ask the Monroe County Clerk's Office to confirm the parcel's jurisdiction, zoning district, allowed use and current building-permit requirements32.
  1. Get the current building-permit application and confirm what the published $60 fee covers, because the available information does not describe the full application or inspection process41.
  1. Call the Monroe County Health Department at 660-327-4653 for the onsite-wastewater application before choosing a house site or septic layout; complete the application and pay the fee before issuance1817.
  1. Arrange the required initial septic inspection and final evaluation for a covered system6. Confirm septic setbacks and fence any lagoon before final approval17. Ask Missouri DNR about wastewater-treatment approval for a qualifying new or expanding residential development22.
  1. Confirm road authority and access: county Road and Bridge handles driveway-pipe work on its roads outside the Madison and Monroe City special road districts23. A driveway in MoDOT right-of-way requires a state permit9.

What should you check before buying land in Monroe County?

Check septic feasibility first: 0% of mapped Monroe County soils rate free of severe limitations for a conventional drain field7. Confirm the parcel's jurisdiction and request the actual zoning district, allowed use, setbacks and lot standards from the County Clerk's Office32. Missouri DNR regulates water-well construction, maintenance and plugging; public-system wells require authorization before drilling, while requirements vary for private wells24. Verify road authority before planning an entrance because the county maintains about 700 miles of roads outside the Madison and Monroe City special road districts, while a state-highway entrance requires MoDOT approval239. The land is mostly gentle, with 89.3% at a slope of 15% or less, but parcel-level drainage and flood exposure still need site review25. The effective property-tax rate is about 0.7%, and the median annual bill is about $1,0861011.

Watch-outs

  • A published $60 building-permit fee does not answer which projects require approval; get the current scope and process from the County Clerk's Office before construction43.
  • County septic approval depends on setback distances, and a lagoon needs a fence before final approval; Missouri DNR separately approves wastewater-treatment methods for qualifying residential developments1722.
  • RV, tiny-home, manufactured-home and temporary-camping rules could not be confirmed online; ask the County Clerk's Office about the parcel and proposed occupancy23.
  • County Road and Bridge does not serve roads inside the Madison or Monroe City special road districts23.
  • Inside Monroe City, city building permits and zoning apply, and private sewage-disposal construction requires a written permit signed by the city superintendent; confirm any additional county septic approval with the Monroe County Health Department14201516.

Sources

  1. Monroe County Missouri - Planning & Zoning (2026 county census)
  2. Monroe County Missouri - Planning & Zoning (2026 county census)
  3. Monroe County Clerk's Office (monroecountymo.gov)
  4. Wastewater & Septic System Inspections – Monroe County Health Department, quoted and re-checked
  5. Environmental Health – Monroe County Health Department, quoted and re-checked
  6. Wastewater & Septic System Inspections – Monroe County Health Department, quoted and re-checked
  7. 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
  8. Wastewater & Septic System Inspections – Monroe County Health Department, quoted and re-checked
  9. Permits | Missouri Department of Transportation (Missouri statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  10. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  11. Median property tax bill: Bolthole Index county data
  12. RSMo Section 64.170 (Missouri statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  13. RSMo Section 64.003 — Farm buildings and farm structures (Missouri statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  14. Monroe City: Building Permit (Monroe County), quoted and re-checked
  15. Monroe City: Private Sewage Disposal System Permit Required; Fees (Monroe County), quoted and re-checked
  16. Environmental Health – Monroe County Health Department, quoted and re-checked
  17. Environmental Health – Monroe County Health Department, quoted and re-checked
  18. Monroe County Health Department (monroecountyhealth.com)
  19. RSMo § 64.090 — Planning and zoning powers of county commission (Missouri statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  20. Monroe City: Chapter 90 - Zoning, Definitions (Monroe County), quoted and re-checked
  21. On-site Septic Systems and Subdivisions, quoted and re-checked
  22. On-site Septic Systems and Subdivisions, quoted and re-checked
  23. Monroe County Road and Bridge Department (monroecountymo.gov)
  24. Who Regulates Water Wells in Missouri? - PUB4001, quoted and re-checked
  25. Share of land at 15% slope or less: Bolthole Index county data

Written October 11, 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.

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Compared with neighboring counties

Unlike 4 of its 6 neighbors, Monroe County requires a building permit for a home.

RuleMonroe CountyShelby CountyAudrain CountyRandolph CountyRalls CountyMarion CountyMacon County
Building permitRequiredNot requiredNot requiredNot requiredRequiredRequiredNot required
County zoningYesNoNoNoYesYesNo
Septic permitsCounty Health Dept.MO Dept. of Health & Senior ServicesCounty Health Dept.County Health Dept.County Health Dept.County Health Dept.DHSS

County locator

Monroe County in Missouri

69
County map
Monroe County highlighted among the Missouri counties · colored by Index score

How Monroe County scores

Seclusion76100% ev.
Self-Sufficiency61100% ev.
Admin Boringness4690% ev.
Durability53100% ev.
Property Autonomy47100% ev.
Carry Cost78100% ev.

Evidence strength: 98%. This reports direct-source completeness and fallback use; it is separate from the score and is not a confidence interval. How it works →

$230kTypical home
0.7%Property tax
$5,186Land / acre
40.9"Annual rain
5.8% of yrsSevere drought
11.6 / yr (+9.9)Mid-century 100°F days
16.9 daysMid-century dry spell
2.04" (+6.2%)Mid-century 1-day rain
1.84×Wildfire change factor
100%Forward climate coverage
$1,770Home insurance / yr
1% / yrInsurance growth
1.61%Nonrenewal rate
county median (2+ published ZIPs)Insurance basis
6,629People within 30 min
792,211People within 2 hr
10,090Radius comparison (15 mi)
13.4People / sq mi
3.9%Federal land
89.3%Land at 15% slope or less
0%Soils rated "not limited" for septic (strict USDA rating)
1 acWorkable land screen
27.4%Wooded land
49.6 tonsBiomass / forest ac
53.4°FAvg temp

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Cities and towns in Monroe County

Inside a city or town, that city usually issues building permits and sets zoning; the county’s rules above cover unincorporated land. Septic, wells and floodplain rules usually stay with the county or state everywhere.

Not yet researched: Village of Holliday · Madison · Paris · Village of Stoutsville

Answers from the rulebook for Monroe County

What the ordinances and state agencies actually say — one answer per question, each quoted from the official source and independently re-checked.

Monroe County rules

  • Owner-builder exemptionConditional

    Landowner installation of an onsite wastewater treatment system in Monroe County.

    • A wastewater permit is required after an application is completed and fees are paid.
    • A landowner may install the system.
    • The county health page recommends a registered Missouri installer, but does not state that registration is mandatory for the landowner installation described.
    “A landowner may install a wastewater treatment system, but a registered installer in the state of Missouri is recommended.”
  • Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

    Onsite wastewater treatment systems in Monroe County subject to the county ordinance.

    • The county ordinance applies to dwellings or facilities producing domestic wastewater of 3,000 gallons or less per day.
    • The county commission and health department board make the rules and regulations concerning wastewater treatment systems.

    maximum daily domestic wastewater flow: <= 3000 gallons per day

    “Agency: Monroe County Health Dept. Authority Type: Ordinance. Address: 310 North Market Paris, MO 65275 County: Monroe”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
  • Septic permitRequired

    Construction, installation, modification, or operation of wastewater treatment systems subject to the Monroe County onsite wastewater ordinance.

    • Systems in use when the ordinance was passed are grandfathered and do not require a permit unless the system becomes a nuisance or needs modification.
    • The ordinance applies to dwellings or facilities producing domestic wastewater of 3,000 gallons or less per day.
    • The application must be completed and fees paid before the Health Department issues the permit.

    maximum daily domestic wastewater flow: <= 3000 gallons per day · septic permit fee: 150 USD (payable at the Monroe County Health Department)

    “No person shall construct, install, modify or operate any wastewater treatment system without the required permit. Any person constructing, installing, or modifying a wastewater treatment system shall obtain a permit from the Health Department after an application is completed and fees are paid.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
  • Septic inspectionRequired

    Septic systems subject to Monroe County Health Department permitting.

    • An initial inspection occurs when a permit is given.
    • A final evaluation occurs when construction is complete.
    • Grandfathered systems do not require a permit unless they become a nuisance or need modification.
    “Septic systems require an initial inspection”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
  • Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

    Fees stated on the Monroe County Health Department wastewater page.

    • The page does not state an effective date for these fees.
    • The $60 building permit fee is payable at the Monroe County Clerk’s Office.
    • The $150 septic permit fee is payable at the Monroe County Health Department.

    building permit fee: 60 USD · septic system permit fee: 150 USD

    “Building permit fees are $60.00 [...] septic system is $150.00”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • Published (with conditions) — Fees stated by the Monroe County Health Department for wastewater-related permitting.
      “Building permit fees are $60.00, payable at the Monroe County Clerk’s Office, Courthouse, Paris, Missouri. The permit fee for a septic system is $150.00, payable at the Monroe County Health Department, 310 North Market, Paris, MO 65275.”
  • Permit processPublished (with conditions)

    Monroe County onsite wastewater permit process.

    • The applicant must complete an application and pay fees.
    • The permit is issued by the Monroe County Health Department.
    • A landowner may install the system, but a registered Missouri installer is recommended.
    • Wastewater permits depend on setback distances.
    • A lagoon requires a fence after completion before final approval.
    • The source instructs applicants to call 660-327-4653 to request an application.
    “Any person constructing, installing, or modifying a wastewater treatment system shall obtain a permit from the Health Department after an application is completed and fees are paid. A landowner may install a wastewater treatment system, but a registered installer in the state of Missouri is recommended. Any wastewater treatment system permit is dependent on certain setback distances. Any lagoon installed requires a fence after completion, before it receives final approval. [...] Call 660/327-4653 to request an application for the permit.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
  • Building permitRequired

    Monroe County has adopted county zoning regulations administered by a Planning & Zoning Commission, and building permits are issued (fee payable at the Monroe County Clerk's Office), making it one of the Missouri counties that does require permits despite no statewide residential code. Note: the state County Building Codes dataset (data.mo.gov iq7s-izvt, 2021) shows no adopted county residential code — the permit requirement is a county zoning/land-use or health-department permit regime rather than IRC code enforcement.

    Monroe County Missouri - Planning & Zoning ↗Scouted from the county site, not yet independently re-checked

  • County-wide zoningPresent

    Monroe County maintains an official Planning & Zoning office/Commission and adopted county Zoning Regulations governing land use and permits.

    Monroe County Missouri - Planning & Zoning ↗Scouted from the county site, not yet independently re-checked

Missouri rules that apply here

  • Building code adoptedPartial

    Missouri statewide legal framework for building-code adoption by counties and other communities; the statutes authorize local adoption rather than establishing one uniformly adopted statewide building code.

    • County authority under RSMo 64.170 applies to counties of the first and second classification.
    • A county that had not adopted a building code before August 28, 2001 must obtain voter approval before adopting under RSMo 64.170 to 64.200.
    • The adoption vote is limited to voters in the affected area; a code affecting a county is not voted on by citizens of incorporated territory.
    • A county adopting under RSMo 64.180 must use a current nationally recognized building code edition from calendar year 1999 or later, as amended.
    • A county building ordinance may not conflict with liquefied petroleum gas installation requirements governed by RSMo 323.020.
    • A community may incorporate a code by reference only if it otherwise has legal power to adopt the ordinance.
    • A code incorporated by reference must be filed with the community clerk and available for public inspection for 90 days before adoption.
    • An ordinance adopting a code by reference must state the penalty separately rather than incorporate the penalty by reference.
    • RSMo 67.280 defines community to include any county, fire protection district, or municipality, and municipality to include an incorporated city, town, or village.
    “Because fire and building codes are adopted at the local level in Missouri”
    2 more reviewed findings on this topic
  • Zoning districtsPartial

    Missouri statutory authority for counties to create zoning districts in unincorporated territory; this does not establish or publish the actual zoning districts for any particular county.

    • The statute applies to unincorporated territory of counties subject to sections 64.211 to 64.295.
    • Actual district boundaries, regulations, and maps depend on county adoption and are not supplied by this statewide statute.
    • District regulations must be uniform for each class or kind of building or land use within each district, although regulations may differ between districts.
    • The regulations must be made in accordance with a comprehensive plan.
    “the unincorporated territory may be divided into districts of such number, shape and area as may be deemed best suited”
  • Off-grid sanitationLimited

    Off-grid domestic wastewater treatment using onsite wastewater treatment systems where central sewer service is unavailable.

    • Onsite systems treat and dispose of domestic sewage on the property where generated.
    • A construction permit is generally required, including for residential property less than three acres, subject to county-specific exceptions.
    • Wastewater may not be discharged into a road ditch or onto the ground.
    • Local permitting authorities may impose additional requirements.

    residential lot threshold: < 3 acres (The exemption does not apply in some counties.)

    “Onsite wastewater treatment systems are sometimes referred to as "septic systems." These systems treat and dispose of domestic sewage on the property where it is generated.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • Allowed (with conditions) — Use of onsite wastewater treatment systems as off-grid sanitation where central sewer service is unavailable in Missouri.
      “In Missouri, where central sewer service is not available, homeowners and small business owners use various types of onsite wastewater treatment systems (OWTS).”
  • Well permitLimited

    Construction or alteration of a public well serving a Missouri public water system.

    • Public water systems must receive written approval from the Missouri Department of Natural Resources Public Drinking Water Branch before constructing or altering a public well.
    • The requirement does not apply when the system meets the charitable-and-benevolent-organization exemptions in section 640.116, RSMo.
    • Anyone proposing to install a public well must contact the department’s regional office for a well-site survey.
    • The survey addresses minimum isolation or setback distances from known or potential contaminant sources, including septic tanks, sanitary sewer lines, and landfills.
    • Before applying for construction authorization, the public water system must obtain an estimated casing-depth letter from the Missouri Geological Survey Water Resources Center.
    • There is no fee for the well-site-survey and estimated-casing-depth-letter services.
    • Failure to obtain construction authorization may result in approval delays and possibly require the owner to properly plug the well and drill a new one according to 10 CSR 60-3.

    public water system threshold: at least 15 service connections or regularly serves an average of at least 25 individuals daily, at least 60 days per calendar year

    “Public water systems must receive written approval from the PDWB before constructing or altering a public well”
    3 more reviewed findings on this topic
    • Limited — Water-well construction and related well activities in Monroe County under Missouri regulation.
      “Water wells regulated by PDWB require construction authorization before drilling.”
    • Required — A person or contractor conducting regulated work to drill, construct, repair, reconstruct, plug, or install pumps or pumping equipment in a water well, heat-pump well, monitoring well, or related well in Missouri.
      “A non-restricted permit is required to drill, construct, repair, reconstruct, plug, or install pumps or pumping equipment in a well.”
    • Limited — Construction or repair of water wells, installation or replacement of pumps, and associated plumbing and electrical work in Missouri.
      “A non-restricted water well installation permit is required to construct or repair a water well in Missouri.”
  • Agricultural exemptionAvailable (with conditions)

    Farm buildings and farm structures used for agricultural purposes under the county building and land-use restriction provisions of RSMo sections 64.800 to 64.905.

    • The exemption does not apply within incorporated portions of counties.
    • The exemption applies to raising crops, livestock, orchards, or forestry and to specified rice-farming or flood-irrigation impoundments.
    • For farm buildings or farm structures, the area must not be within the area shown on the flood hazard area map.
    • The statute preserves the validity of county ordinances or orders adopted before March 4, 1991.
    • Other laws and local requirements may still apply.

    rice-farming or flood-irrigation berm height: <= 18 inches (small berms placed around a field to hold water for growing rice or flood irrigation)

    “This section shall not apply to the erection, maintenance, repair, alteration or extension of farm buildings or farm structures used for such purposes in an area not within the area shown on the flood hazard area map.”
    4 more reviewed findings on this topic
    • Available (with conditions) — Erection, maintenance, repair, alteration, or extension of farm buildings or farm structures as against county fire-protection or fire-prevention ordinances.
      “Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, no fire protection or fire prevention ordinance adopted by any county in this state shall be exercised so as to impose regulations or to require permits with respect to the erection, maintenance, repair, alteration, or extension of farm buildings or farm structures.”
    • Available (with conditions) — Erection, maintenance, repair, alteration, or extension of farm buildings or farm structures used for agricultural purposes under RSMo section 64.890, outside incorporated portions of counties and outside areas shown on flood hazard area maps.
      “This section shall not apply to the erection, maintenance, repair, alteration or extension of farm buildings or farm structures used for such purposes [...]”
    • Available (with conditions) — Farm buildings and farm structures statewide, with respect to county fire-protection and fire-prevention ordinances.
      “no fire protection or fire prevention ordinance adopted by any county in this state shall be exercised so as to impose regulations or to require permits [...]”
    • Available — Erection, maintenance, repair, alteration, or extension of farm buildings or farm structures with respect to county fire-protection or fire-prevention ordinances.
      “Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, no fire protection or fire prevention ordinance adopted by any county in this state shall be exercised so as to impose regulations or to require permits with respect to the erection, maintenance, repair, alteration, or extension of farm buildings or farm structures.”
  • Subdividing landLimited

    Subdivision plats in the unincorporated areas of counties covered by RSMo section 64.070 after the county commission adopts subdivision regulations.

    • The county commission must first adopt subdivision regulations.
    • The plat must first be submitted to the planning commission.
    • If the county planning commission does not report upon the plat within thirty days, it may then be deemed approved.
    • If amended or rejected by the planning commission, the action may be overruled and the plat approved only by the county commission, with the reasons for overruling spread upon the county commission minutes.
    • The recorder of deeds may not record the plat until receiving a certificate of authority from the county zoning enforcement officer.
    • The statute also permits a county planning commission, upon written request of an incorporated area's legislative body where there is no municipal planning commission, to pass upon subdivision plats within that incorporated area; those plats are subject to county planning commission rules and approval procedures.

    planning commission reporting period: 30 days (If no report is made, the plat may then be deemed approved.)

    “After the county commission shall have adopted such subdivision regulations, no plat of a subdivision of land within the unincorporated area of such county [...]”
    3 more reviewed findings on this topic
    • Regulated (with conditions) — Residential housing developments and subdivisions in Monroe County that meet Missouri DNR criteria.
      “Approving the method of domestic wastewater treatment in new residential housing developments (such as subdivisions, recreational developments and multiple family housing units) and expanding an existing development when they meet specific criteria”
    • Regulated (with conditions) — Subdivisions in Missouri, including Monroe County, when onsite wastewater treatment systems are planned.
      “DNR must approve subdivisions, mobile home parks and campgrounds if the use of OWTS is planned.”
    • Limited — Subdivision regulations adopted by Missouri cities, towns, or villages under RSMo section 89.410.
      “The planning commission shall recommend and the council may by ordinance adopt regulations governing the subdivision of land within its jurisdiction.”
  • Driveway accessRequired

    Construction or modification of driveways within MoDOT right-of-way statewide.

    • A permit is required for construction of driveways and modifications to existing driveways on MoDOT right-of-way.
    • An initial online request must be submitted for each planned listed activity.
    • Engineered plans, traffic studies, hydraulic analysis, traffic-control plans, surety deposits, or performance bonds may be required depending on the work.
    • The rule does not establish a permit requirement for driveways outside MoDOT right-of-way.
    “We require you to obtain a permit to work on MoDOT's Right of Way for: Construction of driveways”
  • Building in a floodplainLimited

    Projects including mining, dredging, building construction, and other dirt-moving activities in designated flood hazard areas within participating Missouri jurisdictions.

    • The source describes local county or city flood damage reduction ordinances rather than one uniform statewide ordinance.
    • The project must be within a participating jurisdiction.
    • The project must be within a designated flood hazard area.
    • The cited rule does not apply if either condition is absent.
    • Covered projects must not raise flood heights.
    “Some jurisdictions (for example, county, city) require any projects in certain floodplains do not raise flood heights.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • Required — All development in a Missouri floodplain, administered through the applicable community floodplain permitting process.
      “Regardless, some type of permit MUST be issued for ALL development in the floodplain.”
  • county zoning authorityLimited

    Missouri county zoning authority over unincorporated land.

    • RSMo § 64.850 applies to counties of the first class without a charter and counties of the second, third, or fourth class.
    • RSMo § 64.620 applies to counties of the second or third class to which §§ 64.510–64.690 apply.
    • Adoption under §§ 64.510–64.690 requires approval by vote of the people under § 64.530.
    • The authority applies in unincorporated portions and not incorporated portions.
    • The regulations must be in accordance with a comprehensive plan.
    • Under § 64.090, the zoning power does not apply to raising crops, livestock, orchards, or forestry; seasonal or temporary rice-farming or flood-irrigation impoundments; specified farm structures outside mapped flood-hazard areas; or underground mining entered through shafts outside mapped flood-hazard areas.
    • Existing lawful uses and specified public-utility services are protected under the cited statutory schemes.
    “the county commission of any county of the first class not having a charter form of government, or of any county of the second, third or fourth class may, after approval by vote of the people as provided in section 64.845, regulate and restrict, by order of record, in the unincorporated portions of the county, the height, number of stories, and size of buildings, the percentage of lots that may be occupied, the size of yards, courts and other open spaces, the density of population, the location and use of buildings, structures and land for trade, industry, residence or other purposes.”
    2 more reviewed findings on this topic
  • county building authorityLimited

    County authority to regulate residential construction and issue building permits in unincorporated areas of Missouri.

    • The authority under sections 64.170 to 64.200 applies to counties of the first and second classification.
    • A county that had not adopted a building code before August 28, 2001, must obtain voter approval before adopting one under those sections.
    • Only voters in the area affected by the proposed code may vote; incorporated-territory citizens cannot vote on a code affecting a county.
    • The county commission must hold at least three public hearings and provide the statutory newspaper publication and county posting notices before adoption.
    • Regulations adopted under section 64.180 apply to unincorporated territory, except as otherwise provided.
    • Adopted or amended codes after August 28, 2001, must use a current, calendar year 1999 or later edition of a nationally recognized building code, as amended.
    • A county building ordinance may not conflict with liquefied petroleum gas installations governed by section 323.020.

    public hearings before adoption: >= 3 hearings minimum (Section 64.180(3)) · newspaper notice: >= 15 days (Notice of hearing time and place must be published in at least two newspapers having general circulation within the county) · posted notice: >= 15 days (Notice must be posted in four conspicuous places in the county) · minimum nationally recognized building-code edition: >= calendar year 1999 edition year (Applies after August 28, 2001, under section 64.180)

    “The regulations adopted shall be applicable to the unincorporated territory of the county, except as otherwise provided herein”
    2 more reviewed findings on this topic
    • Limited — County regulation of construction and issuance of building permits for buildings, including residential construction, in Missouri counties, with the practical focus on county-controlled areas outside incorporated territory.
      “the county commission in all counties of the first and second classification [...] is for this purpose empowered [...] to adopt [...] regulations to control the construction”
    • Limited — Missouri counties' authority to require permits and regulate residential construction in unincorporated areas.
      “Before the adoption of such code of regulations, the county commission shall hold at least three public hearings thereon”

Inside cities and towns in Monroe County

Municipal rules found while researching the county. They apply inside that city or town, not to unincorporated land.

  • Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

    Land, buildings, and uses within Monroe City and territory beyond the corporate limits covered by the ordinance's territorial-applicability provision.

    • All new construction or use of land must conform with the use and dimensional requirements for the applicable district.
    • Uses not designated as permitted uses are prohibited except that special or conditional uses are permitted according to additional regulations.
    • Conditional-use applications require written application, a legal description, adjacent-property information, any applicable subdivision restrictions and covenants, a mortgage inspection survey or equivalent, a $190 fee, public notice and hearing, and notice to specified adjoining property owners.
    • The ordinance PDF is an official City of Monroe City publication, but its displayed code references are older; no newer official consolidated zoning text or current zoning map was located during this pass.

    conditional use application fee: 190 USD (per application) · notice distance for conditional uses: 200 feet (property owners within 200 feet and adjacent to all sides, plus property across the street) · special-use or variance application fee: 100 USD (exceptions are stated in Sec. 90-319(c))

    “This chapter shall be known and may be cited as "the zoning ordinance."”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission — ask the county directly.

  • Inspections — General building inspections in Monroe County.
  • Certificate of occupancy — Certificates of occupancy in Monroe County.
  • Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size requirements in Monroe County, including unincorporated areas.
  • Minimum lot size — Minimum lot size requirements for unincorporated land in Monroe County, Missouri.
  • Setbacks — Building setbacks in Monroe County, including unincorporated areas.
9 more unanswered
  • Lot coverage
  • Building height
  • Living in an RV
  • Camping on your land
  • Tiny homes
  • Manufactured homes
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Mandatory utility hookup
  • 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.

Living off-grid in Monroe County, Missouri

Is Monroe County a good place to live off-grid or homestead?

Monroe County scores 69/100 on the Bolthole Index, a strong county profile. Its strengths: manageable long-term carry cost and sparse surroundings — about 6,629 people within a 30-minute drive.

Do you need a building permit in Monroe County, Missouri?

Monroe County generally requires a residential building permit, and it enforces county zoning. Onsite septic is permitted by Monroe County Health Department. Owner-builders may act as their own contractor to build their home. These answers are quoted from official sources and independently re-checked. Rules change and cities within the county differ — always confirm with the county before you buy or build.

How much does land cost in Monroe County, Missouri?

Land in Monroe County runs about $5,186 per acre, based on the latest county data.

What is the water situation in Monroe County?

Monroe County gets about 40.9" of rain a year, with severe drought in roughly 5.8% of years.

How remote is Monroe County?

A representative private-land location has about 6,629 people within a 30-minute drive and 792,211 within two hours. The road-network catchments count population across county lines and clusters of smaller cities; straight-line radius values remain available as a comparison.

How Monroe compares in Missouri

Compare side-by-side →See all 115 Missouri counties ranked →