Bolthole Index

Polk County, Iowa

Zoning, building permits and sewer rules in Clive, Iowa

Clive, Iowa administers its own zoning under Title 11 of the city code1, and building permits come from the city's Community Development Department2. Clive is a Polk County city, but the county's rules cover only unincorporated land. Septic systems are mostly barred inside city limits except as the sewer chapter allows3; we could not confirm which office permits the exceptions.

At a glance

Zoning
Clive's own zoning code (Title 11) applies inside city limits1
Building permit
Required from Clive Community Development2
Building code
2021 International Building and Residential Codes, with local amendments4
Smallest residential lot (R-1)
10,000 square feet5
Estate district (RE) lot
4 acres minimum6
Septic
Generally prohibited inside city limits except as the sewer chapter provides3
Permit fees
Set by a council-approved fee schedule7

Who to call

Building permits

Clive Community Development Department

Planning and zoning, building construction and code enforcement inside Clive city limits

(515) 223-6221

[email protected]

1900 NW 114th Street

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 23, 2026.

Off-grid gear

Going off-grid in Clive means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

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Does Clive, Iowa have zoning, and what does it mean for lot size and setbacks?

Yes. Clive administers its own zoning regulations for parcels inside the city limits, and a certificate of zoning compliance is required before a certificate of occupancy issues1. The code publishes a district map and residential districts RE and R-1 through R-58.

Dimensions depend on the district. In the RE estate district, the minimum lot is 4 acres6. In R-1, the minimum lot is 10,000 square feet5. R-1 requires a 35-foot front yard, 35-foot rear yard and 8-foot side yard, with a separate rule for some older narrow lots9, and caps height at 35 feet10. In RE, agricultural accessory buildings must sit at least 25 feet from every property line11 and stay under 25 feet tall12. We could not confirm Clive's rules on RVs, tiny homes, manufactured homes, accessory dwellings or minimum home size; ask Community Development13.

Do you need a building permit in Clive, and who issues it?

Yes. Clive requires a building permit from its Community Development Department before work to repair, add to, alter, relocate or demolish a regulated building2. The city has adopted the 2021 International Building Code and International Residential Code with local amendments4. For a new building, an approved final plat or site plan must come first14, and a structure can be entitled only on a legal platted lot of record14.

Fees follow a schedule the city council approves7. Permits expire if work does not start within 90 days or stops for 60 days, and all permits expire after 365 days unless an extension is requested in writing 14 days earlier15. Contact the department at (515) 223-622113. We could not confirm whether Clive has an owner-builder exemption.

How do septic permits work inside Clive?

Clive's sewer chapter prohibits building or maintaining a privy, septic tank, cesspool or similar facility except as that chapter provides3. Where a public sanitary sewer lies within 100 feet of the property line and can carry sewage by gravity, the owner must connect within 60 days of official notice from the city16.

We could not confirm which lots may use an on-site system, or which office permits one. Clive lies in both Polk and Dallas counties, so call Clive Community Development13 before assuming a septic system is possible on a lot. We also could not confirm well rules inside the city.

Building a home in Clive: the steps, in order

  1. Ask Community Development which zoning district the parcel is in and whether it is a legal platted lot of record14.
  2. Confirm sewer service: if a public sewer is nearby, connection is required16.
  3. Get a final plat or site plan approved before applying for a building permit14.
  4. Apply for the building permit and pay fees from the council's fee schedule7.
  5. Build to the 2021 codes as amended and schedule inspections4.

What stays with Polk County, and what to check before you buy in Clive?

Polk County's building and zoning rules apply only to unincorporated land. For property outside Clive's limits, see the Polk County page. Before buying inside Clive, confirm the district and lot size, sewer availability, and floodplain and lot-coverage limits, none of which we could confirm; Community Development is the office to ask13. Polk County's effective property tax rate is 1.8%17.

Watch-outs

  • Clive's rules differ by district, so check the parcel's district before relying on any lot size or setback figure8.
  • We could not confirm Clive's rules on RVs, tiny homes, accessory dwellings, driveways, floodplain development or short-term rentals; ask Community Development13.

Sources

  1. Clive Code of Ordinances, Title 11 Zoning Regulations, Chapter 1 Administration and Enforcement (American Legal Publishing) (Clive), quoted and re-checked
  2. Clive Code of Ordinances, Title 10 Building Regulations, Chapter 4 Energy Conservation Code (American Legal Publishing) (Clive), quoted and re-checked
  3. Clive Code of Ordinances, Title 8 Public Utilities, Chapter 2 Sanitary Sewer System (American Legal Publishing) (Clive), quoted and re-checked
  4. Clive Code of Ordinances, Title 10 Building Regulations, Chapter 1 Building Code (American Legal Publishing) (Clive), quoted and re-checked
  5. Clive Code of Ordinances, Title 11 Zoning Regulations, Chapter 6 Residential Districts (American Legal Publishing) (Clive), quoted and re-checked
  6. Clive Code of Ordinances, Title 11 Zoning Regulations, Chapter 6 Residential Districts (American Legal Publishing) (Clive), quoted and re-checked
  7. Clive Code of Ordinances, Title 10 Building Regulations, Chapter 4 Energy Conservation Code (American Legal Publishing) (Clive), quoted and re-checked
  8. Clive Code of Ordinances, Title 11 Zoning Regulations, Chapter 6 Residential Districts (American Legal Publishing) (Clive), quoted and re-checked
  9. Clive Code of Ordinances, Title 11 Zoning Regulations, Chapter 6 Residential Districts (American Legal Publishing) (Clive), quoted and re-checked
  10. Clive Code of Ordinances, Title 11 Zoning Regulations, Chapter 6 Residential Districts (American Legal Publishing) (Clive), quoted and re-checked
  11. Clive Code of Ordinances, Title 11 Zoning Regulations, Chapter 6 Residential Districts (American Legal Publishing) (Clive), quoted and re-checked
  12. Clive Code of Ordinances, Title 11 Zoning Regulations, Chapter 6 Residential Districts (American Legal Publishing) (Clive), quoted and re-checked
  13. Clive Community Development Department (cityofclive.com)
  14. Clive Code of Ordinances, Title 11 Zoning Regulations, Chapter 1 Administration and Enforcement (American Legal Publishing) (Clive), quoted and re-checked
  15. Clive Code of Ordinances, Title 10 Building Regulations, Chapter 4 Energy Conservation Code (American Legal Publishing) (Clive), quoted and re-checked
  16. Clive Code of Ordinances, Title 8 Public Utilities, Chapter 2 Sanitary Sewer System (American Legal Publishing) (Clive), quoted and re-checked
  17. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data

Written October 23, 2026 from the rules quoted below, each taken from an official source and re-checked by an independent reviewer. This is research, not legal advice: rules change, so confirm with the office before you buy or build.

Answers from the rulebook for Clive

Clive’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    Repair, addition, alteration, relocation, demolition or change of occupancy of buildings regulated by the energy code, inside Clive city limits (issued by the Community Development Department)

    • Permit must be secured before the work, under Section 10-4-8(1)
    • Permits issue only after proper application and full staff review, in the name of the property owner or a registered firm (Section 10-4-8(2))
    • Building permits for new construction also require an approved final plat or site plan (Section 11-1-3(6))
    • Section 10-1-8, the building-code permit section, was not retrieved
    “any owner or authorized agent who intends to repair, add to, alter, relocate, demolish, or change the occupancy of a building of which is regulated by this energy conservation code, or to cause any such work to be done, shall not do so without first securing a building permit from the community development department.”
  • Building code adoptedAdopted

    Construction of buildings and structures inside Clive city limits

    • Adopted with deletions, modifications and amendments as stated in the code (Sections 10-1-12 through 10-1-15 were not retrieved)
    • Section 10-1-5 says the building code refers to the IBC 2021 edition; the IRC 2021 edition is also adopted

    international building code edition: 2021 (adopted with local deletions and amendments) · international residential code edition: 2021 (adopted with local deletions and amendments)

    “the international building code, 2021 edition, and the international residential code, 2021edition, published by the international code council, inc., are adopted in full except for such portions as may be hereinafter deleted, modified, or amended”
  • InspectionsRequired

    Energy-code work under a permit inside Clive city limits

    • Covered energy conservation requirements must be inspected and approved before concealment (Section 10-4-10)
    • The building official may inspect any building at any time after notice (Section 10-4-9)
    • Building-code inspection under Section 10-1-10 was not retrieved
    “no person shall cover or conceal, or cause to be covered or concealed, any mandatory energy conservation requirement, for which a permit has been issued, until such requirements have been inspected and approved as required by this code.”
  • Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

    Land inside Clive city limits: Clive administers its own zoning regulations (Title 11) for development of parcels within the corporate limits

    • Zoning compliance is required before a certificate of zoning compliance or certificate of occupancy issues (Section 11-1-3(5))
    • Section 11-1-3(1) states the chapter applies to parcels inside the corporate limits and outside them as provided by law; the outside-limits reach is not analyzed here
    “the regulations of this chapter apply to development of any parcel of land located within the corporate limits of the city or outside the corporate limits of the city, as provided by law.”
  • Zoning districtsPublished

    Zoning districts inside Clive city limits

    • The code lists Chapter 5 zoning districts and map, Chapter 5a text and map amendments, and Chapter 6 residential districts (RE, R-1 through R-5 per the Chapter 6 dimension table)
    • Commercial, town center, PUD, industrial and flood control districts are listed in Chapters 7 through 11 and were not retrieved
    “chapter 5 zoning districts and map chapter 5a zoning map and text amendments chapter 6 residential districts”
  • Minimum lot sizeSpecified

    R-1 residential district lots inside Clive city limits (principal single-family residences)

    • Column alignment follows the 11-6-7 header order RE, R-1, R-2, R-3, R-4, R-5 as printed on the page; the flattened table was read in that order
    • R-1 lot-area row value is 10,000 square feet

    minimum lot area: >= 10000 square feet

    “lot area 4 acres 10,000 square feet 8,500 square feet for sf, 10,000 square feet for dp 7,500 square feet”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
  • SetbacksSpecified

    R-1 residential district lots inside Clive city limits

    • Side-yard reduction for pre-1963 narrow lots in R-1, R-2 and R-3 is in Section 11-6-10(2)
    • Zero-lot-line layouts and attached units follow the notes to the dimension table (Section 11-6-7 notes 1 and 2)
    • Front yard 35 feet, rear yard 35 feet, side yard 8 feet are read from the R-1 column

    minimum front yard depth: >= 35 feet · minimum rear yard depth: >= 35 feet · minimum side yard: >= 8 feet (see Section 11-6-10(2) for pre-1963 lots)

    “side yard 8 feet 8 feet, see subsection 11-6-10(2) of this chapter”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
  • Building heightSpecified

    R-1 residential district buildings inside Clive city limits

    • Height is read from the R-1 column of the Section 11-6-7 table

    maximum height: <= 35 feet

    “maximum height 35 feet 35 feet 35 feet 45 feet 35 feet 35 feet”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
  • Off-grid sanitationLimited

    Privies, septic tanks, cesspools and other disposal facilities inside Clive city limits

    • Constructing or maintaining such facilities is prohibited except as provided in Chapter 2 of Title 8 (Section 8-2-4(5))
    • The exception route (Chapter 2C on-site wastewater systems) was not retrieved, so which lots may use an on-site system is unknown
    “construct or maintain any privy, privy vault, septic tank, cesspool, or other facility intended or used for the disposal of sewage except as provided in this chapter.”
  • Mandatory utility hookupSewer (with conditions)

    Houses and buildings for human occupancy inside Clive city limits that abut a street, alley or right-of-way with a public sanitary or combined sewer

    • Connection is required only where the public sewer is within 100 feet of the property line and can convey sewage by gravity (Section 8-2-5)
    • Owners must complete the connection within 60 days after official notice from the city (Section 8-2-5)
    • Water connection requirements were not retrieved (Title 8 Chapter 1)

    distance from property line to public sewer: <= 100 feet (and the sewer must receive and convey the sewage by gravity) · connection deadline after official notice: 60 days

    “such compliance to be completed within 60 days after date of official notice from the city to do so, provided that said public sewer is located within 100 feet of the property line of such owner and is of such design as to receive and convey by gravity such sewage as may be conveyed to it.”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Land inside Clive city limits, for building permits on new lots and plats

    • No building permit issues until a final plat, site plan, site plan amendment, or administratively approved site plan amendment has been approved (Section 11-1-3(6))
    • A structure entitlement issues only for a legal platted lot of record (Section 11-1-3(4))
    • Title 12 Subdivision Regulations exists; Section 12-3-9 (plats where public sewer cannot reasonably serve must show percolation test results) was seen only in a search snippet and not opened
    “an entitlement to construct a structure on any land shall only be issued for a legal platted lot of record.”
  • Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

    Building permit and inspection fees inside Clive city limits

    • Fees are set by a fee schedule that the council establishes and approves from time to time (Section 10-4-8(3))
    • The adopted fee schedule itself was not retrieved; re-issuance and expired-permit fees also refer to it (Section 10-4-8(4))
    “permit fees and fees for other inspections shall be set forth in a fee schedule established and approved, from time to time, by the council.”
  • Permit processPartial

    Building permit application and issuance inside Clive city limits

    • Permits issue after proper application and full staff review, in the name of the property owner or a firm registered with the state (Section 10-4-8(2))
    • Permits expire if work does not start within 90 days, or if work stops for 60 days, and all permits expire after 365 days unless an extension is requested in writing 14 days before expiry (Section 10-4-8(4))
    • No permits issue to anyone with outstanding fees or violations (Section 10-4-8(2))

    permit commencement deadline: <= 90 days · permit expiration: <= 365 days (unless extended in writing 14 days before expiry)

    “b. all permits shall expire after 365 days unless an extension is requested in writing to the construction services administrator 14 days prior to expiration of said permit.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Clive or Polk County directly.

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder permit exemption inside Clive city limits
  • Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling unit floor area inside Clive city limits
  • Lot coverage — Lot coverage for residential lots inside Clive city limits
  • Living in an RV — RV occupancy on private land inside Clive city limits
  • Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land inside Clive city limits
11 more unanswered
  • Tiny homes
  • Manufactured homes
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Who permits septic
  • Septic permit
  • Septic inspection
  • Well permit
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Driveway access
  • Building in a floodplain
  • Short-term rentals

Each answer was extracted from an official source and independently re-checked against that source by a second reviewer. That is an evidence check, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with the authority before you buy or build.

Unanswered questions are usually a sign that Clive publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Polk County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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