County Building Permits
Lafayette County, MO - 2026 Building Permit Guide
How to apply for a building permit in unincorporated Lafayette County, Missouri. Permit authority, application steps, fees, and inspection requirements.
Permit Authority
County FAQ states this office only has jurisdiction in unincorporated Lafayette County; properties inside city limits should contact the local city hall for planning or zoning questions
- Department
- Lafayette County Planning and Economic Development
- Address
- Lafayette County Courthouse, 1001 Main St., Lexington, MO 64067
- Phone
- (660) 259-4439
Online Permit Portal
Platform: Revize document center and web forms page • Account required: No • Submission: In-person only
Application Process
- Confirm the parcel is in unincorporated Lafayette County and review zoning or floodplain constraints with Planning and Economic Development
- Call (660) 259-4439 to schedule an appointment; county FAQ says permits are issued by appointment only
- Prepare a site plan and project description; county FAQ says you will need both and staff will walk applicants through the rest
- Use the county Applications and Permits page to obtain the applicable building, septic, floodplain, sign, site plan, or land-division form
- Submit the application and supporting documents to Planning and Economic Development before starting work
- Pay the applicable fee by cash, check, or credit/debit card. County notes a processing fee applies to card payments
- Await county review and then complete required inspections, including septic or floodplain reviews where applicable
Typical processing time: No public general building permit turnaround posted; issuance is by appointment and project-specific review
General Requirements
County says building permits are required for all structures that constitute development under the Land Development Code, including dwellings and other buildings involving structural construction, foundations, utilities, or occupancy, regardless of property size
Required Documents
- When a permit is required: County says building permits are required for all structures that constitute development under the Land Development Code, including dwellings and other buildings involving structural construction, foundations, utilities, or occupancy, regardless of property size
- Required documents: Site plan and project description at minimum; additional form-specific materials depend on permit type
- Permit validity/expiration: No public countywide building permit expiration rule found on the reviewed pages
- Owner-builder rules if available: No public owner-builder rule found on the reviewed county pages
- Contractor license requirements: No public county contractor license rule found on the reviewed county pages
- Building code adopted: Lafayette County Land Development Code adopted December 31, 2016; reviewed county pages did not specify an IRC or IBC edition
- Permit validity
- No public countywide building permit expiration rule found on the reviewed pages
- Building code
- Lafayette County Land Development Code adopted December 31, 2016; reviewed county pages did not specify an IRC or IBC edition
- Owner-builder
- No public owner-builder rule found on the reviewed county pages
- Contractor requirements
- No public county contractor license rule found on the reviewed county pages
Fees
- Minimum permit fee
- Residential building permit $300; commercial building permit $400; accessory residential building permit $300; accessory commercial building permit $400
- Plan check fee
- No separate plan check fee publicly listed
- Permit fee formula
- Flat fees by permit type on the county applications page
- Reinspection fee
- Additional septic inspection $100; county FAQ also warns starting work before permit approval can trigger enforcement or added costs, but no public building reinspection line item was found
- Payment note
- Cash, check, and credit/debit accepted; card processing fee applies
Fees change. Verify current amounts at the official fee schedule.
Work That Does NOT Require a Permit
Contact the Lafayette County Planning and Economic Development to confirm whether your project requires a permit before starting work.
Inspections
How to Schedule
- By appointment through Planning and Economic Development at (660) 259-4439 ()
- Inspection hours
- Appointment only; no dedicated inspection window published
Typical inspection sequence: Project-specific; septic fees expressly include two inspections, and floodplain or other development reviews may apply depending on site conditions
Additional Resources
- Building code: Lafayette County Land Development Code adopted December 31, 2016; reviewed county pages did not specify an IRC or IBC edition
- Zoning information: View zoning info
- lafayettecountymo.gov
- lafayettecountymo.gov
- License lookup guide: Missouri Contractor License Requirements
- Contract template: Missouri Homeowner-Contractor Agreement
- Missouri hub: Missouri Contractor License & Permit Hub
Information on this page was last verified: March 2026. Permit rules and fees change — confirm current requirements directly with the Lafayette County Planning and Economic Development before applying.
Frequently Asked Questions
Lafayette County Building Permit FAQ
- Do I need a building permit in unincorporated Lafayette County, MO?
- County says building permits are required for all structures that constitute development under the Land Development Code, including dwellings and other buildings involving structural construction, foundations, utilities, or occupancy, regardless of property size
- How much does a building permit cost in unincorporated Lafayette County, MO?
- The minimum permit fee is Residential building permit $300; commercial building permit $400; accessory residential building permit $300; accessory commercial building permit $400. Fees are calculated as: Flat fees by permit type on the county applications page. Plan check fee: No separate plan check fee publicly listed.
- How do I apply for a building permit in unincorporated Lafayette County, MO?
- 1. Confirm the parcel is in unincorporated Lafayette County and review zoning or floodplain constraints with Planning and Economic Development 2. Call (660) 259-4439 to schedule an appointment; county FAQ says permits are issued by appointment only 3. Prepare a site plan and project description; county FAQ says you will need both and staff will walk applicants through the rest 4. Use the county Applications and Permits page to obtain the applicable building, septic, floodplain, sign, site plan, or land-division form 5. Submit the application and supporting documents to Planning and Economic Development before starting work 6. Pay the applicable fee by cash, check, or credit/debit card. County notes a processing fee applies to card payments 7. Await county review and then complete required inspections, including septic or floodplain reviews where applicable
- How long does it take to get a building permit in unincorporated Lafayette County, MO?
- Typical processing time is No public general building permit turnaround posted; issuance is by appointment and project-specific review.
- What work is exempt from building permits in unincorporated Lafayette County, MO?
- The following work is generally exempt: No public exempt-work list was found on the reviewed county pages.
- How do I schedule a building inspection in unincorporated Lafayette County, MO?
- Inspections can be scheduled via: By appointment through Planning and Economic Development at (660) 259-4439.
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