Administrative overview · FIPS 29029
Camden 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
Camden County Planning and Zoning
For a project in or near Camden 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
573-317-3860 (Planning and Zoning); 573-346-4440 ext. 1350
Call before mobilizing if the project has a boundary, occupancy, fire, septic, or utility question.
Permit counter
Camden County Planning and Zoning, 182 Ha Ha Tonka Cut Thru, Camdenton, MO 65020; mailing address 1 Court Circle NW, Suite 15, Camdenton, MO 65020
Operating hours
Monday-Friday, 8:00 AM-4:00 PM for Planning and Zoning; general county hours are 8:30 AM-4:30 PM.
Review expectation
The Unified Land-Use Code states a complete permit is issued within a reasonable time after staff review and site visit; no fixed number of days is published. Construction permits are valid for one year, with a single six-month extension available.
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 Camden County
Who handles permitting for this jurisdiction?
Camden County Planning and Zoning 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 573-317-3860 (Planning and Zoning); 573-346-4440 ext. 1350.
How long might review take?
The Unified Land-Use Code states a complete permit is issued within a reasonable time after staff review and site visit; no fixed number of days is published. Construction permits are valid for one year, with a single six-month extension available.
How are inspections scheduled?
Submit a completed application, scaled sketch/site plan, proof of ownership, and applicable fire, water, sewer, MoDOT, MDNR, highway, and wastewater approvals. The county conducts a site visit for setbacks before issuing the permit. The published inspection preparation instructions identify a structure-location survey inspection, foundation inspection after footing excavation/forms, and a substantially-complete structure inspection; contact Planning and Zoning at 573-317-3860 to coordinate field inspection.
Which codes and exemptions should I review?
N/A for a named International Building Code edition. Camden County enforces its current Unified Land-Use Code, including the 2026 revisions, for zoning/construction permits in the county planning jurisdiction. The code requires Planning Administrator approval for all residential, commercial, office, industrial, and non-agricultural structures 400 square feet or larger; agricultural structures are excepted from the construction-permit requirement. A construction permit is not required for agricultural structures. Non-agricultural accessory structures under 400 square feet are outside the listed construction-permit threshold, although other zoning, wastewater, fire-district, floodplain, or land-use requirements may still apply. Agricultural activities and residential site development disturbing less than one acre are exempt from a Land Disturbance Permit; emergency or corrective county work involving public safety is also exempt from that permit.