Administrative overview · FIPS 17073
Henry County permit authority
The first compliance decision is jurisdictional: identify the office with statutory authority over your parcel, then use its filing and inspection sequence to keep the project moving.
Jurisdictional status
County
This county profile is the primary starting point for unincorporated-area permitting.
Responsible agency
Henry County Zoning & Building Department
For a project in or near Henry County, this office is the identified point of contact for permit intake, statutory code enforcement, plan review coordination, and inspection release conditions. Confirm the parcel’s boundary and project type before relying on the county lane.
Direct contact
309-937-3419
Call before mobilizing if the project has a boundary, occupancy, fire, septic, or utility question.
Permit counter
Henry County Zoning & Building Office, Henry County Courthouse, 307 West Center Street, Cambridge, IL 61238
Operating hours
Monday-Friday, 8:00 AM-4:30 PM; call for inspector availability
Review expectation
N/A for building permits. Zoning applications are usually processed monthly with a 15th-of-the-month deadline; no fixed building-permit review time is published.
Compliance workbench
Choose the next project decision.
Apply online
Open the verified digital gateway, application form, and review timeline.
Open guide →Fees & penalties
Understand fee schedules, enforcement exposure, and stop-work liabilities.
Open guide →Codes & exemptions
Read the code framework, minor-work exemptions, and inspection lane.
Open guide →Agency website
Visit the primary public source for current notices and contact changes.
Open guide →Source trail
Official sources for this profile
Use these direct agency or licensing links to confirm current instructions before you file, pay, or schedule work. External pages control if their information differs from this directory.
Project questions
Frequently asked questions for Henry County
Who handles permitting for this jurisdiction?
Henry County Zoning & Building Department is the identified county-level authority for this profile. Confirm that the property is in its service area before filing.
How should I begin an application?
Begin with the online permit gateway listed in the application guide. If the portal does not recognize the address or project type, contact 309-937-3419.
How long might review take?
N/A for building permits. Zoning applications are usually processed monthly with a 15th-of-the-month deadline; no fixed building-permit review time is published.
How are inspections scheduled?
The owner or contractor must call for footing/foundation, frame, and final inspections and notify the building official at least 24 hours in advance. Work may not proceed beyond an inspection stage without approval; do not occupy or use the structure before final inspection approval. Private plumbing inspections are requested through Illinois requirements and well/septic approvals through the Henry County Health Department.
Which codes and exemptions should I review?
Henry County's official instructions identify the International Building Code 2000 Edition for unincorporated areas and state that the County does not enforce mechanical, plumbing, or electrical codes. Illinois Plumbing Code and Illinois State Fire Marshal requirements apply where indicated; no current 2026 county code edition was identified. Illinois law exempts agricultural buildings and structures from Henry County zoning regulations except minimum setbacks from road rights-of-way, and the official county instructions state agricultural buildings/structures are exempt from the county building-code regulations. Other construction, additions, alterations, repairs, moves, demolitions, and occupancy changes require a building permit.