Administrative overview · FIPS 19093
Ida 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
Ida County Zoning Administrator / Zoning Commission
For a project in or near Ida 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
712-364-2920
Call before mobilizing if the project has a boundary, occupancy, fire, septic, or utility question.
Permit counter
Ida County Zoning Office/Engineer’s Office, 1703 West Sixth Street, Ida Grove, IA 51445; county courthouse and Auditor’s Office: 401 Moorehead Street, Ida Grove, IA 51445
Operating hours
Monday-Friday 8:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m.; confirm Zoning Office hours before visiting
Review expectation
The ordinance states that an approved Certificate of Zoning Compliance is issued within seven days after the lawful erection or alteration of the building is completed. It does not publish a general pre-construction permit review timeline; conditional uses, variances, and amendments depend on Board of Adjustment and public-hearing schedules.
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 Ida County
Who handles permitting for this jurisdiction?
Ida County Zoning Administrator / Zoning Commission 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?
No verified online portal was located in the reviewed public materials. Contact 712-364-2920 and request the current application route before preparing a final submittal.
How long might review take?
The ordinance states that an approved Certificate of Zoning Compliance is issued within seven days after the lawful erection or alteration of the building is completed. It does not publish a general pre-construction permit review timeline; conditional uses, variances, and amendments depend on Board of Adjustment and public-hearing schedules.
How are inspections scheduled?
File the Certificate of Zoning Compliance application on the official county form with a plan showing lot dimensions, the proposed building’s size, shape and location, required yards, parking, and open spaces. The certificate is issued by the Zoning Administrator after lawful erection or alteration; the ordinance states that an approved certificate is issued within seven days after completion. No online inspection-scheduling portal was found. Contact the Zoning Office at 712-364-2920 and coordinate health review for water and sewage systems.
Which codes and exemptions should I review?
Ida County Ordinance No. 2 governs zoning in the unincorporated area and was included in the county’s 2022 readopted code under Ordinance No. 33. A Certificate of Zoning Compliance is required before land or a building may be occupied or used, and no permit for excavation, erection, or alteration of a building may be issued before the certificate application is made. Water-supply and sewage-disposal plans must be approved by the County Health Department before a permit for a use is issued. No specific 2026 county technical building-code edition was identified; applicable Iowa State Building Code, electrical/plumbing/mechanical, septic, well, floodplain, health, and municipal requirements remain separate. The county ordinance states that no permit is required for agricultural uses. This is subject to other applicable requirements, including floodplain and health rules. No separate minor/cosmetic exemption list was located; non-agricultural construction, structural alteration, and changes of use should be confirmed with the Zoning Administrator.