Bolthole Index

Knox County, Ohio

Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Centerburg, Ohio

The Village of Centerburg, Ohio (Knox County) runs its own zoning, with districts set by the village code and approvals handled by the village zoning administrator12. Whether the village issues its own building permits is not confirmed, so ask Village Hall before you plan a build. Septic systems must meet local and state Board of Health rules, and the Knox County Health Department handles septic and well permits in unincorporated Knox County34.

At a glance

Zoning
Village zoning code with named districts (R-1, R-2, CC, VC and others)5
Zoning office
Village of Centerburg zoning administrator2
Building permit
Fee schedule exists; general permit rule not confirmed. Ask Village Hall6
Permit fee (new home)
$0.40 per square foot, $100 minimum6
Septic
Must meet local and state Board of Health rules where sewer is unavailable3
Public sewer
Connection required once sewer is within 200 feet7
R-1 minimum lot
10,000 square feet8
Travel trailers / mobile homes
Do not qualify as permanently sited manufactured homes9

Who to call

Zoning

Village of Centerburg Zoning Administrator

Zoning approvals, zoning inspections and zoning maps inside Centerburg village limits

740-625-7808

adminassist@centerburgoh.org

49 1/2 East Main Street, Centerburg, OH 43011

Septic permits

Knox County Health Department (Knox Public Health), Environmental Health Division

Site evaluations, septic permits and well permits for unincorporated Knox County; ask whether a village lot follows the same steps

740-392-2200

11660 Upper Gilchrist Road, Mount Vernon, OH 43050

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 Village of Centerburg means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

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Does Centerburg, Ohio have zoning, and what does it mean for your lot?

Yes. The Village of Centerburg adopted its own zoning code, which establishes zoning districts for land inside village limits1. The districts include ER, R-1, R-2, R-3, CC, VC, RO, ID, P-I and PD5. Rules differ by district, so find your parcel's district first; the village zoning administrator can tell you2.

In the R-1 Single-Family Residential District, the minimum lot area is 10,000 square feet, with a minimum width of 100 feet on a corner lot and 80 feet on other lots, and a minimum depth of 125 feet8. Setbacks are also set district by district and cannot be reduced below the district dimensions except for nonconforming structures or variances10.

We could not confirm Centerburg's rules for tiny homes, minimum dwelling size, lot coverage or building height. Ask the zoning administrator before you buy.

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

Centerburg publishes a fee schedule for building and zoning permits inside village limits, so permits of some kind are part of building here6. We could not confirm the village's general rule on which projects need a building permit, or whether the village runs its own certified building department. Call Village Hall to ask2.

Under Ohio law, an owner must submit plans to the municipal, township or county building department that has jurisdiction before starting construction on covered buildings11. The zoning administrator handles zoning approvals regardless: the village's own page says to contact the zoning office for proper approval of a project2.

Knox County's 'Steps Required to Build a Home' checklist covers unincorporated Knox County only, so its township zoning and county steps do not describe a lot inside Centerburg12.

What does a building permit cost in Centerburg?

Centerburg charges $0.40 per square foot for residential new construction and additions, counting living space and roofed porches, with a minimum permit fee of $1006. The schedule was adopted by Ordinance 2023-26 in October 2023, and commercial applicants also pay legal and engineering fees6. Confirm the current amount with the village office before you budget.

How do septic permits and sewer connection work in Centerburg?

Where public sanitary sewer is not available, a Centerburg building sewer may connect to a private system that complies with the local and state Boards of Health3. The owner must keep a private system running in a sanitary manner at no expense to the village13.

Where the village sewer is available, connection is required: sewer counts as accessible when it lies within 200 feet of the dwelling, and connection is generally due within 2 years of accessibility7.

Ohio requires a board of health permit to install a sewage treatment system, after a site review that includes a soil evaluation and a system design14. In unincorporated Knox County, the Knox County Health Department issues septic and well permits4. The village code does not say which office issues septic permits for a lot inside Centerburg, so call the health department to confirm15. Knox County soils rarely rate as well suited to a conventional drain field, so expect a site evaluation and possibly an engineered system16.

Can you live in an RV or tiny home in Centerburg?

We could not confirm a Centerburg rule on living in an RV, camping on private land, or occupying a tiny home. Ask the zoning administrator before parking an RV on a lot2.

One rule is clear for manufactured housing: a home must meet Ohio's definition of a permanently sited manufactured home and comply with the single-family zoning requirements of its district. Travel trailers, park trailers and mobile homes do not qualify and are prohibited as permanently sited manufactured homes9. Ohio's campground rules for licensed campgrounds do not answer whether you can live in an RV on your own lot17.

Building a home in Centerburg: the steps, in order

  1. Ask the village zoning administrator which district your parcel is in and what approvals your project needs2.
  2. Confirm with Village Hall whether the village issues the building permit, and what the fee will be6.
  3. Check whether public sewer is within 200 feet; if so, plan to connect7.
  4. If sewer is unavailable, contact the Knox County Health Department for a site evaluation and septic and well permits15.
  5. If the lot is in a mapped flood hazard area, the Floodplain Administrator must approve or disapprove a complete application within 30 days18.
  6. Ask Village Hall about driveway and curb-cut rules, which we could not confirm.

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

Knox County rules for unincorporated land do not apply inside Centerburg. For land outside village limits, see the Knox County page19.

County-level numbers: Knox County's effective property tax rate is 1.1%20, with a median property tax bill of $2,345 a year21. Farmland averages $7,956 an acre22. The nearest city of 100,000 or more is about 42 miles from the county center23.

Before you buy, confirm the parcel's zoning district, sewer availability, flood status, and which office issues septic and well permits for the lot.

Watch-outs

  • We could not confirm whether the Village of Centerburg runs its own building department or what triggers a building permit; call Village Hall at the zoning office before you buy or build6.
  • Public sewer within 200 feet of a dwelling is treated as accessible, and connection is generally due within 2 years7.
  • Travel trailers and mobile homes cannot qualify as permanently sited manufactured homes inside village limits9.
  • Fee amounts come from a schedule adopted in October 2023, so confirm current fees with the village6.

Sources

  1. 1105.02 Establishment of Zoning Districts (Village of Centerburg), quoted and re-checked
  2. Village of Centerburg Zoning Administrator (centerburgoh.org)
  3. 921.03 Private Sewage Disposal Systems and Required Connection to Public System (Village of Centerburg), quoted and re-checked
  4. Steps Required to Build a Home, quoted and re-checked
  5. 1105.02 Establishment of Zoning Districts (Village of Centerburg), quoted and re-checked
  6. 1307.01 Schedule of Fees (Village of Centerburg), quoted and re-checked
  7. 921.03 Private Sewage Disposal Systems and Required Connection to Public System (Village of Centerburg), quoted and re-checked
  8. 1111.01 Lot and Principal Building Regulations (Village of Centerburg), quoted and re-checked
  9. codelibrary.amlegal.com (Village of Centerburg), quoted and re-checked
  10. codelibrary.amlegal.com (Village of Centerburg), quoted and re-checked
  11. Section 3791.04 | Submission of plan - approvals - prohibition - fine (Ohio statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  12. Steps Required to Build a Home, quoted and re-checked
  13. 921.03 Private Sewage Disposal Systems and Required Connection to Public System (Village of Centerburg), quoted and re-checked
  14. Rule 3701-29-09 | Site review and permits for STS installation and operation (Ohio statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  15. Knox County Health Department (Knox Public Health), Environmental Health Division (co.knox.oh.us)
  16. 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
  17. Rule 3701-26-04 | Campground requirements (Ohio statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  18. codelibrary.amlegal.com (Village of Centerburg), quoted and re-checked
  19. STEPS REQUIRED TO BUILD A HOME, quoted and re-checked
  20. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  21. Median property tax bill: Bolthole Index county data
  22. Farmland value per acre (USDA census): Bolthole Index county data
  23. Straight-line distance from the county center to the nearest city of 100,000+ people: 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 Village of Centerburg

Village of Centerburg’s own rules

  • Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

    Land inside Centerburg village limits.

    • The code establishes zoning districts; uses remain subject to the applicable district and code standards.
    “Districts Established. The Village hereby establishes the following zoning districts to carry out the purposes of this code and to assist in the implementation of plans adopted by the Village.”
  • Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

    Land inside Centerburg village limits.

    • Districts include ER, R-1, R-2, R-3, CC, VC, RO, ID, P-I, and PD.
    • District-specific use and development controls apply.
    “The Village hereby establishes the following zoning districts to carry out the purposes of this code and to assist in the implementation of plans adopted by the Village.”
  • SetbacksDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Structures inside Centerburg village limits, subject to their applicable zoning district.

    • Setbacks cannot be reduced below district dimensions except where otherwise noted, including nonconforming structures or variances.
    • Alley setbacks use the applicable side or rear yard requirement.
    “A setback shall not be reduced in any manner to less than the required dimensions for the district in which it is located, and a setback of less than the required dimensions shall not be further reduced in any manner unless otherwise noted in this code (e.g., nonconforming structures or by variances).”
  • Manufactured homesLimited

    Permanently sited manufactured housing inside Centerburg village limits.

    • Housing must meet the Ohio Revised Code definition of a permanently sited manufactured home.
    • Housing must comply with all single-family dwelling zoning requirements in the applicable district.
    • Travel trailers, park trailers, and mobile homes do not qualify as permanently sited manufactured homes and are prohibited.
    “The housing shall meet the definition of a permanently sited manufactured home as established in the ORC. [...] The housing shall comply with all zoning requirements of a single-family dwelling in the applicable zoning district. [...] Travel trailers, park trailers, and mobile homes, as defined in Section 4501.01 of the ORC, do not qualify as a permanently sited manufactured home and shall be prohibited.”
  • Who permits septicMixed (with conditions)

    Private sewage disposal systems inside Centerburg village limits where public sanitary sewer is not available.

    • The private system must comply with local and state Boards of Health requirements.
    • The ordinance preserves requirements imposed by state or local health departments.
    “Where a public sanitary sewer is not available, the building sewer may be connected to a private sewage disposal system complying with the requirements of the local and state Boards of Health.”
  • Off-grid sanitationLimited

    Private sewage disposal systems inside Centerburg village limits where public sanitary sewer is unavailable.

    • A private sewage disposal system must comply with local and state Boards of Health requirements.
    • The owner must operate and maintain private wastewater treatment facilities in a sanitary manner and at no Village expense.
    “Where a public sanitary sewer is not available, the building sewer may be connected to a private sewage disposal system complying with the requirements of the local and state Boards of Health. [...] The owner shall operate and maintain any private wastewater treatment facilities in a sanitary manner at all times, at no expense to the Village.”
  • Mandatory utility hookupSewer (with conditions)

    Dwelling houses or structures containing a sanitary sewer system inside Centerburg village limits.

    • Public sanitary sewer is deemed accessible when located not more than 200 feet from the dwelling or structure.
    • Connection generally is due within two years of accessibility.
    • For an annexed single-family residence existing at annexation, connection is due within three years after Council approves annexation or two years after accessibility, whichever is later; earlier connection is required for a health hazard or change to a non-single-family use.

    public-sewer accessibility distance: <= 200 feet (Distance from a dwelling house or other structure.) · standard connection deadline: 2 years (From public-sewer accessibility.)

    “Every person owning or having control of any dwelling house or structure containing a sanitary sewer system shall provide for the connection of such sanitary sewer system with the public sanitary sewer system, where the same is accessible, within two years from the date of accessibility of the public sanitary sewer system; [...] Whenever a public sanitary sewer system is located not more than 200 feet from a dwelling house or other structure, such sanitary sewer system shall be deemed accessible under the terms of this section.”
  • Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

    Building and zoning permit applications inside Centerburg village limits.

    • Residential new construction and additions are charged per square foot, subject to the stated minimum fee.
    • Commercial applicants also pay legal and engineering fees.
    • The schedule was adopted by Ordinance 2023-26, passed October 2, 2023.

    residential housing/new construction/addition fee: per 0.4 USD per square foot (Minimum permit fee is $100.00.) · minimum permit fee: 100 USD

    “Residential Housing both New Construction and Additions $0.40 per Ft 2 * Includes all Living Spaces and porches with roofs [...] * Minimum Permit Fee $100.00”
  • Permit processPartial

    Floodplain development inside identified special flood hazard areas in Centerburg village limits.

    • A complete application must be submitted before review.
    • The Floodplain Administrator approves or disapproves within 30 days after receiving a complete application.
    • A permit is conditioned on commencement within one year and expires after one year unless work has substantially begun and is pursued to completion.

    decision period: <= 30 days (Measured after receipt of a complete application.)

    “Within thirty (30) days after the receipt of a complete application, the Floodplain Administrator shall either approve or disapprove the application. If an application is approved, a floodplain development permit shall be issued.”

Rules another office applies inside Village of Centerburg

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

  • Minimum lot sizeSpecified

    R-1 Single-Family Residential District inside Centerburg village limits.

    • Table 1111-1 establishes requirements unless otherwise specifically stated in the code.

    minimum lot area: 10000 square feet · minimum lot width, corner lot: 100 feet · minimum lot width, other lot: 80 feet · minimum lot depth: 125 feet

    “R-1 | 10,000 | 100 | 80 | 125 R-2 | 8,000 | 85 | 65 | 120”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Village of Centerburg or Knox County directly.

  • Building permit — Residential building work inside Centerburg village limits.
  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential construction inside Centerburg village limits.
  • Building code adopted — Building construction inside Centerburg village limits.
  • Inspections — General residential building construction inside Centerburg village limits.
  • Certificate of occupancy — Occupancy of buildings inside Centerburg village limits.
12 more unanswered
  • Minimum dwelling size
  • Lot coverage
  • Building height
  • Living in an RV
  • Camping on your land
  • Tiny homes
  • Septic permit
  • Septic inspection
  • Well permit
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Subdividing land
  • Driveway access

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 Village of Centerburg publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Knox County’s page lists the county offices to call.

← All of Knox County: county rules, score and offices