Bolthole Index

Washington County, Iowa

Building permits, zoning and septic rules in Kalona, Iowa

Kalona, Iowa requires a city building permit to erect, move, add to or structurally alter a building or structure inside city limits.1 Kalona administers its own zoning; Washington County Environmental Health handles county private-sewage oversight, while city sanitation rules restrict septic systems to exceptions in the sewer chapters.234 Start with Kalona City Hall for building applications and zoning questions.5

At a glance

Building permits
Required for erection, moving, additions and structural alterations inside Kalona1
Zoning
City zoning and an official zoning map apply26
Septic
City sewer-code exceptions govern whether septic is allowed; county Environmental Health oversees private systems43
Occupancy
Certificate of occupancy required for newly created or changed buildings and premises7
Agricultural district lots
A-1 single-family lots: at least 20,000 square feet and 100 feet wide8
Private wells
Iowa requires private water-supply well construction permits through the county health department for qualifying small systems9

Who to call

Building permits

Kalona City Hall

Building permit applications and the city zoning-map starting point.

319-656-2310

511 C Avenue - PO Box 1213 Kalona, IA 52247

Septic permits

Washington County Environmental Health

County private-sewage and well questions; coordinate any proposed private system with Kalona City Hall.

319-653-7782

Orchard Hill Complex Building #3 2175 Lexington Boulevard Washington, IA 52353

Floodplain permits

Kalona City Hall — Floodplain Development

City floodplain development and building-permit questions.

(319) 656-2310

511 C Avenue - PO Box 1213 Kalona, IA 52247

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 12, 2026.

Off-grid gear

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

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Do you need a building permit in Kalona, IA?

Kalona requires a building permit before a building or other structure is erected, moved, added to or structurally altered inside city limits.1 The Administrative Officer issues the building permit after Building Officials review and accept the plans, and the permit must be posted before work begins.1 Kalona has adopted building codes covering residential construction and related trades, with city administration and enforcement provisions controlling where specified.10 A newly created, converted, altered or enlarged building or premises also needs a certificate of occupancy before use or occupancy.7

Who issues building permits in Kalona, and what do they cost?

Kalona City Hall is the starting point for the city building-permit application, available on the city website or at the counter.5 Call City Hall at 319-656-2310 about the application and zoning for your project.5 The city accepts emailed drawings or site plans but says the application must be an original.5 The city lists a completed-permit turnaround of 3–5 business days.5 Confirm the current building-permit charge with City Hall: the permit webpage states $25, while the published application lists a $35 base fee for construction valued from $1 to $2,000 and says valuation is determined by the Building Official.511

Does Kalona have zoning, lot-size rules and setbacks?

Kalona has its own zoning code and official zoning map; the parcel’s district determines which dimensional rules to use.26 For a single-family dwelling in the A-1 Agricultural district, the minimum lot area is 20,000 square feet and minimum width is 100 feet.8 In the R-1 Single Family Residential district, dwelling yards are at least 25 feet in front and 30 feet behind, with side yards of 5 feet for one-story dwellings or 10 feet for dwellings of two or more stories; corner lots have a 15-foot street-side yard.12 Ask City Hall to identify the district before preparing the lot dimensions, building locations and setbacks required for the building-permit application.513

How do septic permits and private wells work inside Kalona?

Kalona prohibits constructing or maintaining septic tanks, privies, cesspools and other sewage-disposal facilities except as provided in the city sanitary-sewer chapters.4 Iowa also bars installing, repairing or rehabilitating a private sewage system when public treatment is available or a local ordinance requires connection, subject to the administrative authority’s determination.14 Ask Kalona City Hall about the sewer-code exception before pursuing septic, and coordinate private-system inspection questions with Washington County Environmental Health.43 If a private system is allowed, Iowa requires a construction permit before installation or alteration and final inspection of a newly constructed system before backfilling.14 Iowa private water-supply wells also require construction permits, with qualifying small systems permitted by county health departments.9

Can you live in an RV or tiny home on land in Kalona?

We could not confirm Kalona’s specific RV-occupancy, temporary-camping, tiny-home or accessory-dwelling rules; ask City Hall about the proposed use and parcel’s zoning before buying for that purpose.52 Kalona’s mobile-home rule says mobile homes or trailers occupied as a permanent or temporary residence must be in an approved mobile home park, but that provision alone does not settle every RV or tiny-home proposal.15 A tiny home involving a newly erected building must meet Kalona’s building-permit requirement, and newly created or changed premises need the applicable certificate of occupancy.17 We could not confirm a Kalona owner-builder exemption or minimum dwelling-floor-area rule; put those questions to City Hall with your plans.5

What are the steps to build a home in Kalona?

  1. Start at Kalona City Hall to identify the parcel’s zoning district and obtain the building-permit application.56
  2. Resolve sewage disposal with the city before designing around septic, and ask Washington County Environmental Health about any eligible private system.43
  3. Prepare the required plans, lot dimensions, existing-building locations, proposed uses and setbacks for city review.13
  4. Obtain and post the building permit before starting work; obtain the special city floodplain development permit if the project is in the floodplain.116
  5. Obtain the required certificate of occupancy before using or occupying the newly created home.7

For land outside Kalona, read the Washington County guide: the county does not require a general building permit in unincorporated areas, but nearby city jurisdiction and other approvals can still matter.1718

Watch-outs

  • Kalona’s city building-permit and zoning rules differ from Washington County’s absence of general county building permits and county zoning in unincorporated areas.121719
  • Kalona requires a special permit for floodplain development; ask City Hall before planning work on a floodplain parcel.16
  • An off-grid plan inside Kalona must account for the city’s restrictions on private sewage disposal and Iowa’s public-sewer availability rule.414

Sources

  1. codelibrary.amlegal.com (Kalona), quoted and re-checked
  2. Chapter 165 Zoning Regulations (Kalona), quoted and re-checked
  3. Private Onsite Septic Systems, quoted and re-checked
  4. Section 95.04 Prohibited Acts (Kalona), quoted and re-checked
  5. Kalona City Hall (cityofkalona.org)
  6. Zoning Ordinance (Kalona), quoted and re-checked
  7. codelibrary.amlegal.com (Kalona), quoted and re-checked
  8. cityofkalona.org (Kalona), quoted and re-checked
  9. Private Well Construction Permits (Iowa statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  10. Section 152.02 Building Codes (Kalona), quoted and re-checked
  11. Building Permit Application (Kalona), quoted and re-checked
  12. cityofkalona.org (Kalona), quoted and re-checked
  13. codelibrary.amlegal.com (Kalona), quoted and re-checked
  14. Chapter 69 — Private Sewage Disposal Systems (Iowa statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  15. cityofkalona.org (Kalona), quoted and re-checked
  16. Kalona City Hall — Floodplain Development (cityofkalona.org)
  17. Rural Building & Development Permits, quoted and re-checked
  18. Rural Building & Development Permits, quoted and re-checked
  19. Rural Building & Development Permits, quoted and re-checked

Written October 12, 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 Kalona

Kalona’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    Buildings and structures erected, moved, added to, or structurally altered inside Kalona city limits.

    • Permit issuance follows plan review and acceptance by Building Officials.
    • Applications must include required plans and zoning information.
    • The permit must be posted before work begins; work must cease if the permit was not obtained and posted.
    • Exigent circumstances may waive certain procedures, but not application or inspection requirements.
    “No building or other structure shall be erected, moved, added to, or structurally altered without a permit issued by the Administrative Officer after plan review and acceptance by the Building Officials.”
  • Building code adoptedAdopted

    Construction inside Kalona city limits.

    • The adopted codes exclude administration and enforcement provisions superseded by Chapter 152 and provisions conflicting with the city ordinance.
    • The listed codes include the 2018 International Building Code, International Residential Code, International Plumbing Code as amended by Iowa, National Electric Code as amended by Iowa, International Mechanical Code as amended by Iowa, International Property Maintenance Code, International Swimming Pool and Spa Code, International Existing Building Code, and International Energy Conservation Code as amended by Iowa.
    “The City Council of Kalona herein by reference adopts the following codes”
  • Certificate of occupancyRequired

    Buildings or premises newly created, erected, changed, converted, altered, or enlarged inside Kalona city limits.

    • The certificate must be issued by the Administrative Officer and approved by Building Officials.
    • The certificate states that the proposed use conforms to Chapter 152.
    “It shall be unlawful to use or occupy or permit the use or occupancy of any building or premises [...] until a certificate of occupancy shall have been issued”
  • Local zoningPresent

    Land inside Kalona city limits; Kalona administers its own zoning code.

    • The zoning code includes amendments and an official zoning map.
    “The Zoning Code of the City of Kalona, Iowa [...] are a part of this Code of Ordinances and are in full force and effect.”
  • Zoning districtsPublished

    Zoning districts inside Kalona city limits.

    • The ordinance identifies A-1 Agricultural, R-1 Single Family Residential, R-2 Two Family Residential, R-3 Multi-family Residential, R-4 Mobile Home Residential, C-1 Highway Professional, C-2 Highway Commercial, C-3 Central Business District, M-1 Light Industrial, M-2 Heavy Industrial, and PAD Planned Area Development.
    • District boundaries are shown on the official zoning map.
    “The town is hereby divided into districts which shall be designated as follows: A-1 -- Agricultural R-1 -- Single Family Residential”
  • Off-grid sanitationProhibited

    Privies, privy vaults, septic tanks, cesspools, and other sewage-disposal facilities inside Kalona city limits, except as provided in the sanitary-sewer chapters.

    • Exceptions may exist under the city sanitary-sewer chapters.
    “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 these chapters.”
  • Building in a floodplainLimited

    Land in a proposed Kalona subdivision located within a FEMA DFIRM Flood Hazard Area adopted by the City.

    • The land must use the regulations and guidelines in Chapter 160 Floodplain Management.
    • The quoted rule is limited to areas in a proposed subdivision and does not establish a blanket requirement for every parcel outside that context.
    “Any area of land in a proposed subdivision which is detailed within the Flood Hazard Area on a FEMA Digital Flood Insurance Rate Map (DFIRM) adopted by the City shall utilize the land use regulations and guidelines as provided in the Floodplain Management Ordinance as adopted by the City.”
  • Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

    Building permits inside Kalona city limits.

    • The city code states fees are set by separate City Council resolution.
    • The city application publishes a fee schedule and states that valuation is determined by the Building Official.
    • The application’s valuation examples expressly reference 2019 data.

    base permit fee: 35 USD (for construction cost from $1.00 through $2,000.00) · water meter fee: per 275 USD (per living unit) · water tap-on fee: 100 USD · sewer tap-on fee: 100 USD

    “$1.00 - $2,000.00 $35.00 [...] Water Meter Fee $275.00 per living unit [...] Water Tap On Fee $100.00 [...] Sewer Tap On Fee $100.00”
  • Permit processPublished (with conditions)

    Building permit applications inside Kalona city limits.

    • Applications require plans if applicable, lot dimensions and shape, existing building locations, setbacks, proposed building dimensions, proposed uses, and other information required by officials.
    • Plans are reviewed and marked approved or disapproved.
    • The permit must be posted before work begins.
    • Permits expire after 180 days if work has not begun; substantial-completion limits are one year for one- and two-family dwellings and 18 months for multifamily, industrial, and commercial buildings, subject to stated extension provisions.
    “All applications for building permits shall include plans, if applicable, in duplicate drawn to an appropriate scale”

Rules another office applies inside Kalona

Kalona does not set these itself; the county, a health district or the state does, and they apply to every address inside its limits.

  • Minimum lot sizeSpecified

    Single-family dwellings in Kalona’s A-1 Agricultural district.

    minimum lot area: >= 20000 square feet · minimum lot width: >= 100 feet

    “Minimum Lot Areas and Width -- Single family residential -- Area, 20,000 sq. ft.; Width, 100 feet.”
  • SetbacksSpecified

    Dwellings in Kalona’s R-1 Single Family Residential district.

    front yard: >= 25 feet · rear yard: >= 30 feet · side yard, one story: >= 5 feet · side yard, two or more stories: >= 10 feet · street-side yard, corner lot: >= 15 feet

    “Dwellings -- Front, 25 feet; Rear, 30 feet; Side, one story 5 feet, two or more stories 10 feet; Street side, corner lot, 15 feet.”
  • Building heightSpecified

    Buildings in Kalona’s A-1 Agricultural district.

    maximum height: 2 1/2 stories or 35 feet

    “Maximum Height -- 2 ½ stories or 35 feet.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • Specified — Buildings in Kalona’s R-1 Single Family Residential district.
      “Maximum Height -- 2 ½ stories or 35 feet.”
  • Manufactured homesLimited

    Manufactured or mobile homes in Kalona’s R-4 Mobile Home Park district.

    • The use is limited to mobile homes in mobile home parks.
    • Density is limited to 10 mobile homes per acre.
    • At least 30 feet of clearance is required between mobile homes, except end-to-end units may have 15 feet.
    • Setbacks are 25 feet from the front street, 5 feet from the parking pad, and 5 feet from a utility shed.
    • Each mobile-home site must have at least 4,200 square feet.

    density: 10 mobile homes per acre · mobile-home site area: >= 4200 square feet

    “Mobile homes or trailers occupied as a permanent or temporary place of residence shall be located only in an approved mobile home park.”

Still unanswered

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

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builders inside Kalona city limits.
  • Minimum dwelling size — Single-family dwellings inside Kalona city limits.
  • Lot coverage — Lot coverage inside Kalona city limits.
  • Living in an RV — RV or travel-trailer occupancy inside Kalona city limits.
  • Camping on your land — Temporary camping inside Kalona city limits.
9 more unanswered
  • Tiny homes
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Who permits septic
  • Septic permit
  • Septic inspection
  • Well permit
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Driveway access
  • 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 Kalona publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Washington County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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