Administrative overview · FIPS 19015
Boone 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
Boone County Planning & Development Department
For a project in or near Boone 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
515-433-0550
Call before mobilizing if the project has a boundary, occupancy, fire, septic, or utility question.
Permit counter
Boone County Planning & Development, Boone County Courthouse, 201 State Street, Second Floor, Boone, IA 50036
Operating hours
Monday-Friday 8:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m., closed holidays
Review expectation
N/A; the county publishes application and meeting lead times for conditional-use and variance matters, but no general zoning/building permit review time was identified.
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 Boone County
Who handles permitting for this jurisdiction?
Boone County Planning & Development 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 515-433-0550.
How long might review take?
N/A; the county publishes application and meeting lead times for conditional-use and variance matters, but no general zoning/building permit review time was identified.
How are inspections scheduled?
Apply through the county's electronic permitting system and contact Planning & Development at 515-433-0550 for permit review and inspection requirements. A new rural E911 address requires a zoning permit first; driveway, floodplain, county-tile, well, and septic approvals may be separate.
Which codes and exemptions should I review?
Boone County Zoning Ordinance No. 88 as amended, including all-county zoning, district setbacks, land-use controls, subdivision and floodplain requirements, plus applicable Iowa state trade and electrical codes. The reviewed county materials do not identify a specific 2026 model technical building-code edition. The county requires building permits for all buildings in the county. Iowa Code Chapter 335's agricultural exemption applies to farm land, farm houses, farm barns, farm outbuildings, and other structures primarily adapted for agricultural use while so used; it exempts county zoning only. Floodplain, county-tile, well, septic, E911, driveway-access, and other permits may still be required. No broad cosmetic exemption list was published.