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§ IN St. Joseph County
County building permits

Unincorporated St. Joseph County

How to apply for a building permit in unincorporated St. Joseph County, Indiana. Permit authority, application steps, fees, and inspection requirements.

Min. permit fee
$60.00
Last verified
April 2026
On this page 6
§ 01

Permit authority

St. Joseph County/South Bend Building Department; Area Plan Commission of St. Joseph County

Street address
Building Department, 215 S. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Suite 100, South Bend, IN 46601; Area Plan Commission, County-City Building, 227 W. Jefferson Blvd., Suite 1400, South Bend, IN 46601
Phone
Building Department 574-235-9554; Area Plan Commission 574-235-7800
Email
building@southbendin.gov
Coverage
Building Department jurisdiction includes all unincorporated St. Joseph County locations with 5 digit addresses. The Area Plan Commission serves unincorporated county zoning, subdivision, and variance matters. County Public Works separately handles driveway permits.
Online portal
South Bend Building Department Permits
Jotform application links and Dropbox upload
Website
Department website
Additional resources
§ 02

When a permit is required

Permit triggers and exempt work for St. Joseph County

Permits apply to all new construction and all alterations, repairs, and remodeling. Examples include new homes, additions, accessory buildings over 120 sq ft, remodeling over $500 including roofing, siding, windows, doors and interior remodeling, roofed decks or porches, decks at or above 30 inches, enclosed porches, fences, pools, demolition, tents over 120 sq ft, signs over 2 sq ft, and electrical, HVAC, or plumbing work.

Painting
Tiling
Carpeting
Cabinets
Countertops
Landscaping
Similar minor nonstructural finish work
  • Exempt Painting
  • Exempt Tiling
  • Exempt Carpeting
  • Exempt Cabinets
  • Exempt Countertops
  • Exempt Landscaping
  • Exempt Similar minor nonstructural finish work

Note: Confirm edge cases with the Building Department before proceeding.

Required documents
  • Permit application
  • Scaled site plan
  • Construction drawings
  • Trade contractor information
  • Any prerequisite APC, Public Works, Health Department, floodplain, or other outside approvals
Building code
2020 Indiana Residential Code based on the 2018 International Code. Building, electrical, plumbing, and HVAC codes enforced.
Owner-builder
A residential owner occupant may perform their own work without contractor registration or licensing.
Contractor requirements
All contractors and subcontractors must be registered or licensed with the Building Department before working in county jurisdiction.

Source: St. Joseph County/South Bend Building Department; Area Plan Commission of St. Joseph County ↗

§ 03

Application process

Application → plan check → issuance → inspection → final

  1. 01
    Confirm the parcel is in unincorporated county jurisdiction and check buildability, zoning, floodplain, and any needed APC approvals.
  2. 02
    Obtain any required county approvals before permit intake, especially driveway approval from St. Joseph County Public Works and septic or health approvals where applicable.
  3. 03
    Prepare the permit application, scaled site plan, construction drawings, and supporting trade information.
  4. 04
    Submit through the Building Department online links, by email, by mail, or in person at the City Service Center.
  5. 05
    Respond to plan review comments or requests for additional approvals.
  6. 06
    Pay permit fees after approval and post the permit on site.
  7. 07
    Schedule required inspections and close out the permit with final approvals.

Source: St. Joseph County/South Bend Building Department; Area Plan Commission of St. Joseph County ↗

§ 04

Fee schedule

St. Joseph County building permit fees

Fee type
Amount
01
Minimum permit fee
$60.00
02
Permit fee formula
Mixed. New construction and additions use Cost per Square Foot times Total Square Footage times a Local Variable Factor of 0.00098. Remodeling, alterations, repairs over $500, fences, in ground pools, communication towers, and utilities use valuation bands.
03
Reinspection fee
$60 for commercial and industrial reinspections; $80 for each additional final inspection after failed final. County Public Works driveway reinspection is $450.
04
Penalty (no permit)
Triple permit fees for work without a permit

County Public Works states driveway permit invoices are emailed once the fee is determined

Fees change periodically. Confirm at the official fee schedule ↗ before budgeting.

§ 05

Required inspections

Scheduling and sequence

How to schedule
Inspection hours
Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:15 p.m.

Source: St. Joseph County/South Bend Building Department; Area Plan Commission of St. Joseph County ↗

§ 06

Frequently asked

Common questions about unincorporated St. Joseph County permits

01 Do I need a building permit in unincorporated St. Joseph County, IN? ▸
Permits apply to all new construction and all alterations, repairs, and remodeling. Examples include new homes, additions, accessory buildings over 120 sq ft, remodeling over $500 including roofing, siding, windows, doors and interior remodeling, roofed decks or porches, decks at or above 30 inches, enclosed porches, fences, pools, demolition, tents over 120 sq ft, signs over 2 sq ft, and electrical, HVAC, or plumbing work.
02 How much does a building permit cost in unincorporated St. Joseph County, IN? ▸
Building permit fees in unincorporated St. Joseph County, IN are set by the local building department and vary by project type and valuation. The minimum permit fee is $60.00. Fees are calculated as: Mixed. New construction and additions use Cost per Square Foot times Total Square Footage times a Local Variable Factor of 0.00098. Remodeling, alterations, repairs over $500, fences, in ground pools, communication towers, and utilities use valuation bands..
03 How do I apply for a building permit in unincorporated St. Joseph County, IN? ▸
To apply for a building permit in unincorporated St. Joseph County, IN, follow these steps: 1. Confirm the parcel is in unincorporated county jurisdiction and check buildability, zoning, floodplain, and any needed APC approvals. 2. Obtain any required county approvals before permit intake, especially driveway approval from St. Joseph County Public Works and septic or health approvals where applicable. 3. Prepare the permit application, scaled site plan, construction drawings, and supporting trade information. 4. Submit through the Building Department online links, by email, by mail, or in person at the City Service Center. 5. Respond to plan review comments or requests for additional approvals. 6. Pay permit fees after approval and post the permit on site. 7. Schedule required inspections and close out the permit with final approvals.
04 What work is exempt from building permits in unincorporated St. Joseph County, IN? ▸
Not all construction work requires a permit in unincorporated St. Joseph County, IN. The following work is generally exempt: Painting; Tiling; Carpeting; Cabinets; Countertops; Landscaping; Similar minor nonstructural finish work. Note: Confirm edge cases with the Building Department before proceeding. When in doubt, confirm with the local building department before starting work.
05 How do I schedule a building inspection in unincorporated St. Joseph County, IN? ▸
Once your permit is issued and work reaches an inspection milestone, you can schedule a building inspection in unincorporated St. Joseph County, IN via: Building Department.
last verified April 2026 source St. Joseph County/South Bend Building Department; Area Plan Commission of St. Joseph County ↗ entry id permits/indiana/st-joseph/unincorporated
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Educational reference. Permit rules and fees change — confirm current requirements directly with St. Joseph County/South Bend Building Department; Area Plan Commission of St. Joseph County before applying. Jaspector is not legal advice.

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