Administrative overview · FIPS 19195
Worth 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
Worth County Planning and Zoning Department
For a project in or near Worth 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
641-324-2316 (building-permit form); 602-206-4730 (Planning and Zoning contact)
Call before mobilizing if the project has a boundary, occupancy, fire, septic, or utility question.
Permit counter
Worth County Planning and Zoning, Worth County Courthouse, 1000 Central Avenue, Northwood, IA 50459
Operating hours
By appointment only; call the Planning and Zoning office before visiting.
Review expectation
N/A. Worth County does not publish a standard permit-review timeline. An issued building permit is valid for one year from the date granted.
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 Worth County
Who handles permitting for this jurisdiction?
Worth County Planning and 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 641-324-2316 (building-permit form); 602-206-4730 (Planning and Zoning contact).
How long might review take?
N/A. Worth County does not publish a standard permit-review timeline. An issued building permit is valid for one year from the date granted.
How are inspections scheduled?
Complete the Application for Zoning Certificate (Building Permit), include the appropriate fee and a site plan showing dimensions and setbacks, and submit it to Planning and Zoning at 1000 Central Avenue or call 641-324-2316. The form flags when septic/well or DNR floodplain permits, special exceptions, or variances may be required, but does not publish a separate building-inspection booking procedure; coordinate state trade inspections separately.
Which codes and exemptions should I review?
N/A. No specific 2026 technical building-code edition was identified. Worth County administers its county-wide zoning ordinance, including district uses, setbacks, site plans, zoning certificates, floodplain review, and water/sewage requirements. Applicable Iowa state electrical, plumbing, mechanical, fire, septic, floodplain, and other construction requirements remain separate. The Worth County zoning ordinance exempts land, farmsteads, farmhouses, farm barns, farm outbuildings, and other structures primarily adapted for agricultural use while so used, subject to proof of agricultural use. The exemption does not apply to structures, dams, obstructions, deposits, or excavations in a river or stream floodplain; the county seeks voluntary compliance with applicable agricultural yard requirements. The building-permit form otherwise covers new buildings, additions, fences, decks, sheds/accessory buildings, remodeling, parking areas, commercial buildings, and signs; confirm any minor/cosmetic-work exemption with the office.