Administrative overview · FIPS 19175
Union 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
Municipal Fallback
This profile identifies a handoff outside the county’s ordinary structural permitting lane.
Required jurisdiction check
Confirm the controlling local or state authority before filing.
The record is marked Municipal Fallback. That means the county profile should be treated as a routing brief: incorporated municipalities, a state building department, or a state fire marshal may control plan review, permits, and inspections. Contact the named agency below and verify the parcel’s jurisdiction before paying a fee or scheduling field work.
Responsible agency
City of Creston Building and Code Compliance Department; other Union County municipalities for local permitting
For a project in or near Union 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
641-782-2000 option 3 (Creston Public Works/Building); 641-782-7803 (Union County Environmental Health)
Call before mobilizing if the project has a boundary, occupancy, fire, septic, or utility question.
Permit counter
Union County Courthouse, 300 N. Pine Street, Creston, IA 50801; City of Creston, 116 W. Adams Street, Creston, IA 50801
Operating hours
Union County offices: Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m.-4:00 p.m.; City of Creston department hours should be confirmed with Public Works.
Review expectation
N/A. Union County does not publish a countywide building-permit timeline; municipal review times vary. Creston directs applicants to its Building and Code Compliance Department for current processing information.
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 Union County
Who handles permitting for this jurisdiction?
This record is marked Municipal Fallback. Confirm whether a city, state agency, or other local authority controls the parcel 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 641-782-2000 option 3 (Creston Public Works/Building); 641-782-7803 (Union County Environmental Health).
How long might review take?
N/A. Union County does not publish a countywide building-permit timeline; municipal review times vary. Creston directs applicants to its Building and Code Compliance Department for current processing information.
How are inspections scheduled?
For property in Creston, contact Public Works at 641-782-2000 option 3 or the building inspector at 515-850-2980; the City issues and schedules local inspections. For other municipalities, contact the relevant city clerk/building official. County septic, well, and environmental-health inspections are handled by Union County Environmental Health at 705 E. Taylor Street, Creston, 641-782-7803, 8:30 a.m.-4:00 p.m. weekdays.
Which codes and exemptions should I review?
Union County's official department directory does not list a county zoning or general building department, and its ordinances page lists no general county building-code or zoning ordinance. Building permits and inspections therefore fall back to the applicable municipality; Creston's official Building and Code Compliance Department handles construction permits, building codes, inspections, zoning questions, and related approvals within Creston. Countywide environmental-health rules cover septic systems, wells, wastewater, and related public-health matters. Union County separately regulates flood plains, wind/solar facilities, airport height, agricultural-area applications, and certain roads/utilities. No countywide building-permit exemption list was published because Union County does not operate a general county building-permit program. In the principal municipal fallback, Creston says a one-story detached accessory shed/playhouse/tool or storage structure up to 200 square feet may not need a permit if setbacks are met; an above-ground swimming pool may not need a permit, subject to setbacks and barrier rules. Creston requires permits for new buildings, structural changes, major residential remodels, commercial/industrial remodeling, attached decks, and detached decks over 30 inches high or 120 square feet. Other Union County municipalities may differ.