City Building Permits
1) Union County unincorporated area, IA - 2026 Building Permit Guide
How to apply for a building permit in 1) Union County unincorporated area, Iowa. Permit authority, application steps, fees, and inspection requirements.
Permit Authority
County environmental health and septic/well oversight for the county; the county floodplain ordinance governs floodplain development. The county site does not publish a general building department for unincorporated areas.
- Department
- Union County Environmental Health
- Address
- 705 E. Taylor Street, Creston, IA 50801
- Phone
- (641) 782-7803
- unioncountyeh@gmail.com
Online Permit Portal
Platform: Not published • Account required: No • Submission: In-person only
Application Process
Typical processing time: Septic guide and floodplain ordinance say permit or review occurs after submission and review within a reasonable time; no published service level found
General Requirements
Septic construction requires a permit; floodplain development requires a permit before any man-made change in the floodplain; county does not publish a general building permit program for unincorporated areas
Required Documents
- Septic application, site and soil analysis or perc test, and engineer design if required; floodplain application must include work description, site description, location and dimensions of buildings/additions, intended use, base flood elevation, lowest floor elevation, estimated cost for improvements/rebuilds, and other information the administrator deems necessary
- Permit validity
- Not published for county septic permits; floodplain permit validity/expiration not published
- Building code
- No countywide general building code found for unincorporated areas; floodplain ordinance references state and federal floodplain standards and Iowa Administrative Code Chapter 69 for onsite wastewater systems
- Owner-builder
- Owner can self-install septic only if they sign the ownership conditions, accept liability, follow state code and local policy, pay extra inspection fees if needed, expose all system parts for inspection, and show proof of at least 6 credit hours in onsite wastewater systems within the last 12 months before construction begins
- Contractor requirements
- Septic contractors must be registered with Union County Environmental Health; the county maintains a contractor registration form
Fees
- Minimum permit fee
- Septic construction permit $200
- Plan check fee
- Not published
- Reinspection fee
- Additional septic inspections are $50 each beyond the two included inspections; floodplain penalty/reinspection fees not published
Fees change. Verify current amounts at the official fee schedule.
Work That Does NOT Require a Permit
- Thin data for county general building work. Published county materials only clearly identify septic, well, and floodplain regulated work
- Floodplain ordinance does not describe a simple exempt-work list on the pages reviewed
Inspections
How to Schedule
- Septic permit states the health office must be notified 24 hours in advance for final inspection (phone)
- Inspection hours
- Office hours 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, hours may vary
Typical inspection sequence: Soil analysis or perc test, site evaluation, permit issuance, pre-construction meeting if needed, construction, inspection, approval, and as-built drawing/letter
Extra inspection charge is $50 each if more than the two included inspections are needed
Additional Resources
- Building code: No countywide general building code found for unincorporated areas; floodplain ordinance references state and federal floodplain standards and Iowa Administrative Code Chapter 69 for onsite wastewater systems
- License lookup guide: Iowa Contractor License Requirements
- Contract template: Iowa Homeowner-Contractor Agreement
- Iowa hub: Iowa Contractor License & Permit Hub
Information on this page was last verified: March 2026. Permit rules and fees change — confirm current requirements directly with the Union County Environmental Health before applying.
Frequently Asked Questions
1) Union County unincorporated area Building Permit FAQ
- Do I need a building permit in 1) Union County unincorporated area, IA?
- Septic construction requires a permit; floodplain development requires a permit before any man-made change in the floodplain; county does not publish a general building permit program for unincorporated areas
- How much does a building permit cost in 1) Union County unincorporated area, IA?
- The minimum permit fee is Septic construction permit $200. Plan check fee: Not published.
- How long does it take to get a building permit in 1) Union County unincorporated area, IA?
- Typical processing time is Septic guide and floodplain ordinance say permit or review occurs after submission and review within a reasonable time; no published service level found.
- What work is exempt from building permits in 1) Union County unincorporated area, IA?
- The following work is generally exempt: Thin data for county general building work. Published county materials only clearly identify septic, well, and floodplain regulated work; Floodplain ordinance does not describe a simple exempt-work list on the pages reviewed.
- How do I schedule a building inspection in 1) Union County unincorporated area, IA?
- Inspections can be scheduled via: Septic permit states the health office must be notified 24 hours in advance for final inspection.
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