Black Hawk County

Black Hawk County Board of Supervisors and County Auditor

In short

Black Hawk County Board of Supervisors and County Auditor issues 3 permits we publish for Black Hawk County, last verified 2026-10-14. Each carries the fee as the agency publishes it, with a link to the schedule it was read from.

What this agency issues

Permits required, with issuing agency, fee, renewal term and the date each record was last verified against its source
Permit	Issuing agency	Fee	Renews	Last checked
Retail Alcohol License — Board of Supervisors Approval (premises outside city limits)only if it applies to you	Black Hawk County Board of Supervisors and County Auditor	The license fee is set by Iowa Code 123.36 and paid to the state with the application; for premises outside a city it equals the fee charged in the nearest incorporated city, as determined by the address assigned by the United States Postal Service. The amount depends on the license class and premises; contact the Iowa Alcoholic Beverages Division or the Black Hawk County Auditor for the current amount.	annual	2026-10-14
Retail Cigarette, Tobacco, Nicotine and Vapor Permit — County Approval (outside city limits)only if it applies to you	Black Hawk County Board of Supervisors and County Auditor	$50 statutory amount under Iowa Code 453A.13(3)(b)(1), "In places outside any city, fifty dollars", for a permit granted in July, August or September; three-fourths if granted October to December, one-half January to March and one-fourth April to June (453A.13(3)(c)); paid to the Iowa Department of Revenue	expires June 30 each year (Iowa Code 453A.13(3)(a))	2026-10-14
Certificate of Insurance Before Building Work (unincorporated Black Hawk County)only if it applies to you	Black Hawk County Board of Supervisors and County Auditor	BHCC chapter 15.10 sets insurance limits of not less than $300,000 combined single limit to any person and $100,000 property damage; the chapter sets no filing fee. Contact the Black Hawk County Auditor (319-833-3002) for filing arrangements.	annual: issued by December 31 each year and refiled on or before that date for each following year (BHCC 15.10.020(A))	2026-10-14

Fees shown as a range or formula are set that way by the issuing agency — we do not average them into a single number.

About each permit

Retail Alcohol License — Board of Supervisors Approval (premises outside city limits)

Under Iowa Code 123.32(1)(a), an application for a retail alcohol license for premises located outside the corporate limits of a city is filed with the county board of supervisors, so in unincorporated Black Hawk County the Board of Supervisors is the local authority. Under 123.32(2) the local authority "shall either approve or disapprove the issuance of a retail alcohol license, shall endorse its approval or disapproval on the application, and shall forward the application with the necessary fee and bond, if required, to the department." The county's inspection report form for beer and liquor permits, linked from the Auditor's Applications page, is marked for new or renewal applications and states: "THIS FORM MUST BE COMPLETED BEFORE APPLICATION WILL BE SUBMITTED TO THE BLACK HAWK COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS"; it is signed off by the Black Hawk County Health Department, a fire inspection and the Sheriff before Board action. Iowa Code 123.36 sets the fee, which for premises outside a city equals that of the nearest incorporated city as determined by the U.S. Postal Service address. Under 123.36(2) the department "shall remit to the appropriate local authority a sum equal to sixty-five percent of the fees collected for each class "B", class "C", or class "F" license except special class "C" licenses or class "E" licenses" and "a sum equal to seventy-five percent of the fees collected for each special class "C" license"; fees for each class "E" license "shall be credited to the beer and liquor control fund". Under 123.36(3), "no portion of the surcharges collected under this subsection shall be remitted to the local authority." A business inside a city applies to that city.

Retail Cigarette, Tobacco, Nicotine and Vapor Permit — County Approval (outside city limits)

Under Iowa Code 453A.13(2)(a), county boards of supervisors may approve retail permit applications for applicants with a place of business in the county outside the corporate limits of cities; once a city or county approves an application, the Iowa Department of Revenue issues the permit to the applicant on behalf of the city or county, and the city or county processes applications through the department's electronic portal. The permit covers retailers of cigarettes, alternative nicotine products and vapor products. The fee is the statutory amount set by 453A.13(3)(b)(1): "In places outside any city, fifty dollars" for a permit granted in July, August or September, reduced under 453A.13(3)(c) to three-fourths for a permit granted in October, November or December, one-half in January, February or March and one-fourth in April, May or June. Under 453A.13(3)(a) all permits expire on June 30 each year and the fees are paid to the department. The county Auditor's Applications page links the state application. A business inside a city applies to that city, whose statutory fee differs.

Certificate of Insurance Before Building Work (unincorporated Black Hawk County)

Black Hawk County Code 15.10.020(A) requires any person desiring to construct, reconstruct, remodel or repair any building or structure within the unincorporated area of the county first to file with the Auditor, or an intergovernmental agency the Auditor designates, a certificate of insurance from a company authorised in Iowa, "in limits of not less than $300,000 combined single limit to any person and $100,000 property damage", with an endorsement naming Black Hawk County, Iowa, and its employees as additional insured and a condition holding the county harmless. The certificate "shall be issued by the thirty-first day of December of each year, and shall be refiled on or before said date for each subsequent year" and must stay in continuous force. Under 15.10.020(C) the county is party to reciprocal agreements with the cities and towns in the county for filing one certificate with the Iowa Northland Regional Council of Governments (INRCOG), and filing with INRCOG counts as compliance. Under 15.10.030, "Homeowners working on their principal residence shall be exempt from filing said certificate." Chapter 15.10 states no filing fee.

Contact

Jurisdiction: Black Hawk County
Phone: 319-833-3072
Website: www.blackhawkcounty.iowa.gov/160/Applications

Contact details are taken from the agency’s own site or its published fee schedule. Where we have not verified a phone number we leave it blank rather than guess.

Sources

Every fee and term above was read from one of these government pages on the date shown.

Auditor's Applications page (alcohol and tobacco applications)Black Hawk County, Iowa · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-14
Black Hawk County Code chapter 15.10, Certificate of Insurance (Ord. 35, 1995)Black Hawk County, Iowa (codified by Code Publishing Company) · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-14
Inspection Report / Black Hawk County, Application for Beer and/or Liquor PermitBlack Hawk County, Iowa · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-14
Iowa Code §123.32, Action by local authoritiesIowa Legislature · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-14
Iowa Code §123.36, Retail alcohol license feesIowa Legislature · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-14
Iowa Code §453A.13, Permits; fees; expirationIowa Legislature · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-14

Other offices serving Black Hawk County

The full permit list for this jurisdiction

Business licenses in Black Hawk County

Industry permit lists that include this agency

Iowa jurisdictions

Commercial Compliance Hub publishes information, not legal advice. Requirements change — confirm anything you rely on with the issuing agency before you file.