County Building Permits
Henry County Building Permit Guide (Unincorporated Area)
How to apply for a building permit in unincorporated Henry County, Illinois. Permit authority, application steps, fees, and inspection requirements.
Permit Authority
Responsible for land use, zoning, and building safety in all unincorporated areas of Henry County.
- Department
- Henry County Zoning and Building Department
- Address
- 307 West Center Street, Cambridge, IL 61238
- Phone
- (309) 937-3419
- zoning@henrycty.com
Online Permit Portal
Platform: Direct download / Email submission • Account required: No • Submission: In-person only
Additional resources:
Application Process
- Obtain Building Permit Application from the website or office.
- Submit completed application with a legal description of the property.
- Provide a Plot Plan showing all structures and distances from property lines (setbacks).
- Provide one set of detailed building plans.
- If using a well or septic, obtain permits from the Henry & Stark County Health Department (309-852-0197) first.
- Department reviews plans for compliance with zoning and building codes.
- Permit is issued upon payment of fees.
Typical processing time: 5-10 business days
General Requirements
Any construction, enlargement, alteration, repair, moving, demolition, or change of occupancy of any building or structure.
Required Documents
- Building Permit Application
- Legal description of the property
- Plot Plan showing all structures and setbacks
- Detailed building plans
- Health Department permits if applicable
- Permit validity
- 1 year from date of issuance
- Building code
- International Building Code (IBC) 2000; transitioning to 2021 standards per Public Act 103-0510
- Owner-builder
- Homeowners may perform their own work but must comply with all codes and inspections.
- Contractor requirements
- Roofing and Plumbing contractors must be state-licensed.
Fees
- Minimum permit fee
- $50.00
- Plan check fee
- Varies by project size
- Permit fee formula
- Combination of flat fees and valuation-based fees
- Trade permit fee
- Included in permit fee
- Reinspection fee
- $50.00 per reinspection
- Payment note
- Cash or check payable to Henry County Treasurer
Fees change. Verify current amounts at the official fee schedule (effective March 2026).
Work That Does NOT Require a Permit
- Agricultural buildings (except for setback requirements)
- Small sheds under 120 sq ft (must still meet setbacks)
- Painting, papering, tiling, carpeting, cabinets, counter tops and similar finish work
Important: Exempt from building permit does not mean exempt from zoning and setback requirements. Confirm with the Henry County Zoning and Building Department before proceeding.
Inspections
How to Schedule
- (309) 937-3419 (phone)
- Scheduling deadline
- 24-hour notice required
- Inspection hours
- Monday - Friday, 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Typical inspection sequence: Typical sequence: Footing, Framing (pre-insulation), Final
Additional Resources
- Building code: International Building Code (IBC) 2000; transitioning to 2021 standards per Public Act 103-0510
- Verify contractor license: Illinois Secretary of State Contractor License Lookup
- Zoning information: View zoning info
- Henry & Stark County Health Department
- License lookup guide: Illinois Contractor License Requirements
- Contract template: Illinois Homeowner-Contractor Agreement
- Illinois hub: Illinois Contractor License & Permit Hub
Information on this page was last verified: March 2026. Permit rules and fees change — confirm current requirements directly with the Henry County Zoning and Building Department before applying.
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