County Building Permits
Union County, OH - 2026 Building Permit Guide
How to apply for a building permit in unincorporated Union County, Ohio. Permit authority, application steps, fees, and inspection requirements.
Permit Authority
county building department for unincorporated Union County and for most municipalities in the county by agreement. Union County states it provides commercial and residential building code enforcement except Unionville Center, Plain City incorporated areas, and the City of Dublin. Marysville, Richwood, Milford Center, and Magnetic Springs are contracted with Union County for building code services.
- Department
- Union County Engineer, Division of Building Regulations / Union County Building Department
- Address
- 233 West 6th Street, Marysville, OH 43040
- Phone
- 937-645-3018 (Building Regulation); 937-645-3021 (Engineer)
Online Permit Portal
Platform: OpenGov • Account required: Yes • Submission: In-person only
Application Process
Typical processing time: plan-set permits must be reviewed within 30 days by state law; no-draw permit applications are typically issued within one week
Source: Union County Engineer, Division of Building Regulations / Union County Building Department
General Requirements
county FAQ says permits are required before demolition or construction work begins unless the work is exempt or an emergency repair
Required Documents
- permit application, construction drawings and specifications when required, zoning approval from the applicable township or municipality as required, Union County Health Department approval as required
- Permit validity
- permit or plan approval becomes invalid if work does not commence within 12 months of approval or if work is delayed or suspended for more than 6 months; extension requests must be submitted at least 10 days before expiration
- Building code
- Ohio Building Code / Residential Code of Ohio, administered locally by the county and based on the state code framework
- Owner-builder
- a permit may be issued to the owner or the owner’s agent, such as the architect, contractor, subcontractor, or other person responsible for the work
- Contractor requirements
- county pages do not publish a general contractor license requirement; Ohio does not have a statewide general contractor license. State-licensed trades include electricians, plumbers, and HVAC mechanics through OCILB
Fees
- Minimum permit fee
- application fee $35.00 for all permit applications
- Plan check fee
- residential plan review $105.00 for new/addition/alteration/accessory building work; commercial plan review $255.00 plus $40.00 per 1000 square feet for new/addition/alteration/accessory building work
- Permit fee formula
- residential building permit fee is $95.00 plus $10.00 per 100 square feet for new/addition/alteration/accessory building work; commercial building permit fee is $255.00 plus $100.00 per 1000 square feet for new/addition/alteration/accessory building work
- Reinspection fee
- residential re-inspection/additional inspection fee $65.00; commercial re-inspection/additional inspection fee $130.00; work without permit fee $250.00 in both schedules; after-hours/overtime inspection $150.00 per hour with a 2-hour minimum per inspector
Fees change. Verify current amounts at the official fee schedule.
Work That Does NOT Require a Permit
- Decks are exempt only if they are less than 30 inches above grade, not connected to the house structure, less than 200 square feet, and not located at the required egress door
- Fences require a permit only when needed for a swimming pool barrier or if over 6 feet in height
- Residential sheds are exempt if 200 square feet or less
- Commercial sheds are exempt if 120 square feet or less
- Patios do not require a building permit, though zoning approval may still be required
- Agricultural buildings are exempt from building code regulation if the township zoning inspector determines the use is agricultural rather than residential accessory or commercial storage
- Manufactured home installation is governed by the Ohio Department of Commerce Manufactured Homes Program rather than the county building department
Inspections
How to Schedule
- OpenGov inspection request or call 937-645-3019 (online)
- Inspection hours
- OpenGov same-business-day requests have a 7:00 AM cutoff; phone scheduling can take up to two business days; inspectors may provide approximate timing by phone between 7:30 AM and 8:00 AM at 937-645-3018 when time requests qualify
Typical inspection sequence: inspections are scheduled after permit issuance and during construction; final plans must be on site for field inspection
missing approved plans on site can trigger additional inspection fees; address must be posted during construction
Additional Resources
- Building code: Ohio Building Code / Residential Code of Ohio, administered locally by the county and based on the state code framework
- Building department FAQ
- Residential information
- Commercial information
- OpenGov user guide
- License lookup guide: Ohio Contractor License Requirements
- Contract template: Ohio Homeowner-Contractor Agreement
- Ohio hub: Ohio 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 Engineer, Division of Building Regulations / Union County Building Department before applying.
Frequently Asked Questions
Union County Building Permit FAQ
- Do I need a building permit in unincorporated Union County, OH?
- county FAQ says permits are required before demolition or construction work begins unless the work is exempt or an emergency repair
- How much does a building permit cost in unincorporated Union County, OH?
- The minimum permit fee is application fee $35.00 for all permit applications. Fees are calculated as: residential building permit fee is $95.00 plus $10.00 per 100 square feet for new/addition/alteration/accessory building work; commercial building permit fee is $255.00 plus $100.00 per 1000 square feet for new/addition/alteration/accessory building work. Plan check fee: residential plan review $105.00 for new/addition/alteration/accessory building work; commercial plan review $255.00 plus $40.00 per 1000 square feet for new/addition/alteration/accessory building work.
- How long does it take to get a building permit in unincorporated Union County, OH?
- Typical processing time is plan-set permits must be reviewed within 30 days by state law; no-draw permit applications are typically issued within one week.
- What work is exempt from building permits in unincorporated Union County, OH?
- The following work is generally exempt: Decks are exempt only if they are less than 30 inches above grade, not connected to the house structure, less than 200 square feet, and not located at the required egress door; Fences require a permit only when needed for a swimming pool barrier or if over 6 feet in height; Residential sheds are exempt if 200 square feet or less; Commercial sheds are exempt if 120 square feet or less; Patios do not require a building permit, though zoning approval may still be required; Agricultural buildings are exempt from building code regulation if the township zoning inspector determines the use is agricultural rather than residential accessory or commercial storage; Manufactured home installation is governed by the Ohio Department of Commerce Manufactured Homes Program rather than the county building department.
- How do I schedule a building inspection in unincorporated Union County, OH?
- Inspections can be scheduled via: OpenGov inspection request or call 937-645-3019.
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