Administrative overview · FIPS 19121
Madison 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
Madison County Zoning Department
For a project in or near Madison 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
515-462-2636; fax 515-462-5002
Call before mobilizing if the project has a boundary, occupancy, fire, septic, or utility question.
Permit counter
Madison County Annex - Lower Level, 201 West Court, Winterset, IA 50273
Operating hours
Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
Review expectation
N/A. No general review timeline was published. Zoning Commission meetings, when requests are pending, are normally the third Thursday of each month at 6:30 p.m.; Board of Adjustment meetings, when requested, are normally the first Tuesday at 7:00 p.m.
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 Madison County
Who handles permitting for this jurisdiction?
Madison County Zoning 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 515-462-2636; fax 515-462-5002.
How long might review take?
N/A. No general review timeline was published. Zoning Commission meetings, when requests are pending, are normally the third Thursday of each month at 6:30 p.m.; Board of Adjustment meetings, when requested, are normally the first Tuesday at 7:00 p.m.
How are inspections scheduled?
Apply through the county-linked GeoPermits portal or contact the Zoning Department at 515-462-2636. The department coordinates review by county departments and outside agencies and processes zoning, site-plan, subdivision, conditional-use, floodplain, and building-permit matters for unincorporated areas. The official page does not publish a separate inspection booking schedule.
Which codes and exemptions should I review?
N/A for a separately published 2026 technical IBC/IRC edition. The County Zoning Department states that it enforces the adopted Madison County zoning, subdivision, signage, and floodplain codes for unincorporated areas, regulating the design, construction, use and occupancy, location, and alteration of buildings and structures. The zoning page does not identify a current technical building-code edition; state and other applicable requirements remain separate. Agricultural uses are expressly exempt from the county zoning district regulations. No general cosmetic or minor-work exemption list was published on the official zoning page. Floodplain, environmental-health, driveway, septic, well, and other specialized approvals may still apply depending on the project.