Administrative overview · FIPS 19169
Story 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
Story County Planning and Development Department
For a project in or near Story 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
515-382-7245
Call before mobilizing if the project has a boundary, occupancy, fire, septic, or utility question.
Permit counter
Story County Planning and Development Department, Administration Building (bottom level), 900 Sixth Street, Nevada, IA 50201
Operating hours
Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m.; the department is located in the County Administration Building.
Review expectation
N/A. No standard review timeline for ordinary zoning/building permits was 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 Story County
Who handles permitting for this jurisdiction?
Story County Planning and 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 515-382-7245.
How long might review take?
N/A. No standard review timeline for ordinary zoning/building permits was published.
How are inspections scheduled?
Apply for residential or commercial zoning permits through the Story County GeoPermits portal. Planning and Development performs on-site inspections; foundation-location inspection is required after forms are placed and before concrete, or before site improvements for uses without foundations. Contact Planning and Development at 515-382-7245 or pzweb@storycountyiowa.gov for inspection coordination and permit questions.
Which codes and exemptions should I review?
No separate county-adopted 2026 technical IBC/IRC building-code edition was identified. For unincorporated Story County, Planning and Development enforces the Story County Land Development Regulations, including zoning districts, permitted uses, site planning, subdivision, floodplain management (Chapter 80), signage, grading, and related development standards, and performs on-site zoning inspections. Iowa State electrical permits and inspections are handled by the State, not Story County. Wastewater proposals require Story County Environmental Health review before a zoning permit is issued. Story County states that all new construction and any change in use of land or buildings require a zoning permit, including portable structures, and its page does not publish a broad cosmetic/minor-work exemption list. The Chapter 80 floodplain definition excludes minor projects and routine maintenance of existing structures/facilities from development in the floodplain context. Electrical permitting/inspection is a separate State of Iowa process.