Building permits, zoning and septic rules in Des Moines County, Iowa

Des Moines County has not confirmed a general countywide residential building permit for ordinary private construction¹. The firm local requirement is a zoning permit for almost all new construction and development in the county zoning jurisdiction near Burlington, obtained before construction begins². Qualifying agricultural uses are exempt from that zoning rule, although work in a Special Flood Hazard Area may still need floodplain approval². Iowa's state building code applies only in specified circumstances, including state projects, certain state-funded construction, factory-built structures and governmental subdivisions that adopt it⁷. Ask the Land Use Department whether the exact parcel needs zoning or floodplain approval and whether any building-code inspection or certificate of occupancy applies⁸.

The Des Moines County Land Use Department is the first call for county zoning permits, floodplain permits and subdivision questions for land outside city limits; the county contracts with Southeast Iowa Regional Planning Commission to provide that service⁸. Call 319-753-4313, email zjames@seirpc.com or visit 211 N. Gear Ave⁸.. For land outside city limits, the published zoning-permit fee is $25 for accessory use only or $40 when a principal use is included, while a floodplain development permit is $25⁹. Subdivision review applies throughout unincorporated Des Moines County, and final plats must be recorded within 6 months after Board of Supervisors approval or they become void¹⁰. Des Moines County Public Health separately handles septic permits, review and inspections at 319-753-8290, and that stays with the county even for addresses inside a city⁴. For a new entrance tied to a subdivision on a county road, contact Des Moines County Roads at 319-753-8241 or office@dmcroads.org^10,11.

Des Moines County zoning is not countywide: it applies in a limited area near Burlington, while the remaining unincorporated county has no county zoning ordinance¹. Rules inside the zoned area depend on district and use². An A-1 single-family dwelling generally needs 2 acres and 150 feet of lot width, with exceptions for certain existing lots and farmstead splits². A-1 principal uses are limited to 2 full stories or 35 feet and have 30-foot front and rear setbacks plus a 15-foot side setback². On R-1 lots under 40,000 square feet, maximum lot coverage is 25%². Burlington administers its own zoning, and the county directs applicants in Burlington, West Burlington, Mediapolis, Danville and Middletown to the relevant city for permit information³.

Des Moines County Public Health Environmental Health reviews septic plans and sites, issues permits, and inspects new and reconstructed systems⁴. A construction permit from the administrative authority is required before installing or altering a private sewage system; repairs that do not change treatment or disposal are exempt⁵. A private system generally cannot be installed when public sewer is available, with the administrative authority making the final determination⁵. In the Burlington-area zoning jurisdiction, County Health must approve the proposed sewer system before a zoning permit can issue for a new building needing wastewater treatment². Only 0.1% of county soils avoid severe limitations for a conventional drain field, so obtain site approval before relying on a conventional design¹². Iowa requires the administrative authority to inspect every newly constructed private system before it is backfilled, and to keep a final as-built drawing with the construction permit¹³. Iowa also generally requires a private sewage system serving 1–4 dwelling units to be inspected before an ownership transfer, subject to statutory exceptions¹⁴.

The Des Moines County zoning ordinance covers only a limited area near Burlington; the remaining unincorporated county has no county zoning ordinance¹. We could not confirm a county rule on temporary camping, RV occupancy or tiny-home occupancy outside that area, so ask the Land Use Department to locate your parcel and say what applies before you park an RV or place a tiny home⁸. Inside the zoning area, recreational vehicle parks are defined as overnight or temporary lodging where vehicles are not used as a dwelling or permanent residence, so do not assume a vehicle can serve as a home there². Inside incorporated cities, the city's rules control³. Iowa also prevents a county from rejecting a residence solely because it is a manufactured home, but county zoning may apply the same permanent-foundation, setback and minimum-square-footage standards imposed on a site-built single-family dwelling on the same lot¹⁵. Septic, floodplain, road-access and deed-restriction requirements apply regardless of zoning; any new or altered private sewage system still needs the required construction permit⁵.

1. Confirm whether the parcel is inside a city, in the county zoning area near Burlington or elsewhere in unincorporated Des Moines County³.
2. If county zoning applies, obtain the district, setbacks, height and lot standards from the Land Use Department^2,8.
3. Have County Public Health review the wastewater site and obtain the construction permit before installing or altering a private system^4,5.
4. Submit a site plan and applicable floor plans with the zoning-permit application when county zoning applies².
5. Ask Land Use about floodplain approval and County Roads about a new entrance associated with a subdivision^8,10.
6. If you build it yourself, Iowa's contractor-registration exemption for work on your own property does not exempt you from zoning, septic, building-code or other permits¹⁶.
7. Confirm whether a building-code inspection or certificate of occupancy applies, because the county has not confirmed those requirements for ordinary residential work¹.

Start with jurisdiction: confirm whether the parcel is inside a city, in the county zoning area near Burlington or in the unzoned remainder of unincorporated Des Moines County³. Order septic feasibility work before closing because only 0.1% of county soils avoid severe limitations for a conventional drain field¹². Verify floodplain status and legal road access with Land Use and County Roads before choosing a house site^8,10. Ask Public Health about private-well siting and inspection; the county describes inspection but does not confirm whether a well permit is required⁴. If the purchase creates a new parcel, confirm subdivision approval and the deadline for recording the final plat¹⁰. Des Moines County's effective property-tax rate is about 1.5%, and its median annual property-tax bill is about $2,097¹².