Administrative overview · FIPS 17189
Washington 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
Washington County Zoning Office
For a project in or near Washington 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
(618) 327-4800 ext. 345
Call before mobilizing if the project has a boundary, occupancy, fire, septic, or utility question.
Permit counter
Office of the Zoning Administrator, Old Sheriff’s Building, 125 W. St. Louis Street, Nashville, IL 62263
Operating hours
Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-4:00 PM
Review expectation
The ordinary permit form states that a compliant permit will be issued within a few days. For wind/solar special-use projects, applicants have one year after the special-use permit to apply for a building permit and two years thereafter to complete the project.
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 Washington County
Who handles permitting for this jurisdiction?
Washington County Zoning Office 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 (618) 327-4800 ext. 345.
How long might review take?
The ordinary permit form states that a compliant permit will be issued within a few days. For wind/solar special-use projects, applicants have one year after the special-use permit to apply for a building permit and two years thereafter to complete the project.
How are inspections scheduled?
The certificate-of-zoning-compliance form includes inspection-date fields and requires a site plan and property measurements. Call (618) 327-4800 ext. 345 for an appointment; special solar/wind projects also require county review, road approvals, and inspections or third-party engineering as applicable.
Which codes and exemptions should I review?
The current county materials require compliance with the Washington County Zoning Ordinance and applicable local, Illinois, and national construction/electrical codes; no single 2026 edition list was published. The ordinance includes current commercial solar and wind siting requirements. The county states that all construction requires a building permit, including agricultural buildings. Its fee schedule lists agricultural-purpose buildings as ag-exempt from the filing fee and structures under 150 square feet at $0, but these fee exemptions do not state that construction is permit-free.