Administrative overview · FIPS 29019
Boone 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
Boone County Resource Management — Planning, Inspection, and Engineering Services
For a project in or near Boone 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
573-886-4330 (Resource Management); 573-886-4339 (Inspections)
Call before mobilizing if the project has a boundary, occupancy, fire, septic, or utility question.
Permit counter
Boone County Government Center, 801 East Walnut Street, Room 315, Columbia, MO 65201-7732
Operating hours
Monday-Friday, 8:00 AM-5:00 PM.
Review expectation
No general permit-review timeline is published. Temporary and final Certificates of Occupancy are generally processed within three business days; inspections require at least 24 hours' notice.
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 Boone County
Who handles permitting for this jurisdiction?
Boone County Resource Management — Planning, Inspection, and Engineering Services 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 573-886-4330 (Resource Management); 573-886-4339 (Inspections).
How long might review take?
No general permit-review timeline is published. Temporary and final Certificates of Occupancy are generally processed within three business days; inspections require at least 24 hours' notice.
How are inspections scheduled?
Submit the online permit application with all required information and a site drawing; incomplete submissions are not processed. New construction requires a site/setback inspection before permit issuance effective June 1, 2026. After the application and payment are processed, call the Inspections office at 573-886-4339 to schedule; the county requires at least 24 hours' notice and does not schedule inspections by email. A Certificate of Occupancy is required before occupancy, and the county says temporary/final certificates generally take three business days to process.
Which codes and exemptions should I review?
2015 International Codes for Boone County, including the 2015 International Building, Residential, Mechanical, Plumbing, and related codes with Boone County addenda; the inspection page states these codes apply to permits issued on or after April 1, 2017. County jurisdiction is primarily the unincorporated area; Columbia has its own building office, while the county has agreements with Centralia, Sturgeon, Harrisburg, Hallsville, Hartsburg, and Rocheport. Cosmetic work does not require a building permit. The county does not require a demolition permit, although the Fire Protection District or Health Department may have separate requirements. The county's published permit list generally requires permits for commercial or industrial structures, single-story residential/accessory structures over 160 square feet, structural/electrical/plumbing/HVAC/insulation work, homes and additions, re-roofing, mobile/modular homes, garages, carports, sheds, barns, workshops, pools, greenhouses, fences over 12 feet, retaining walls over 4 feet, and towers.