Administrative overview · FIPS 31093
Howard 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
Howard County Planning and Zoning Department
For a project in or near Howard 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
(308) 754-9121; cell (308) 750-0615
Call before mobilizing if the project has a boundary, occupancy, fire, septic, or utility question.
Permit counter
612 Indian St. #2, St. Paul, NE 68873
Operating hours
9:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m., Tuesday and Thursday.
Review expectation
N/A; no general application-review timeline is 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 Howard County
Who handles permitting for this jurisdiction?
Howard 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?
No verified online portal was located in the reviewed public materials. Contact (308) 754-9121; cell (308) 750-0615 and request the current application route before preparing a final submittal.
How long might review take?
N/A; no general application-review timeline is published.
How are inspections scheduled?
The permit application requires Howard Greeley RPPD setback approval at (308) 754-4457 and floodplain review when applicable. The Planning and Zoning Administrator conducts site visits as directed by county commissioners; no online inspection scheduler is published.
Which codes and exemptions should I review?
N/A; Howard County’s zoning materials address land use, setbacks, floodplain, utilities, and state approvals but do not identify a technical 2026 building-code edition. The official forms page provides an Improvement Information Sheet for work when a zoning permit is not required, but does not publish a consolidated list of minor or cosmetic exemptions. The zoning-permit fee is $25.00.