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Johnson County

Johnson County Planning, Development and Sustainability

In short

Johnson County Planning, Development and Sustainability issues 6 permits we publish for Johnson 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
Electrical, Plumbing and Mechanical Permits (Johnson County Planning, Development and Sustainability)only if it applies to youJohnson County Planning, Development and SustainabilityAs published on the county's Building Permit Fee Schedule page: work related to one- and two-family dwellings and accessory buildings, $50; all other occupancies, including commercial and industrial, by the total value of the work on the same table as building permits: total valuation $1-$500, $50; $501-$2,000, $50 for the first $500 plus $1.40 for each additional $100 or fraction thereof; $2,001-$40,000, $71.00 for the first $2,000 plus $11.33 for each additional $1,000 or fraction thereof; $40,001-$100,000, $501.61 for the first $40,000 plus $9.27 for each additional $1,000; $100,001-$500,000, $1,057.81 for the first $100,000 plus $7.28 for each additional $1,000; $500,001-$1,000,000, $3,969.81 for the first $500,000 plus $5.25 for each additional $1,000; $1,000,001-$5,000,000, $6,594.81 for the first $1,000,000 plus $3.15 for each additional $1,000; $5,000,001 and over, $19,194.81 for the first $5,000,000 plus $1.05 for each additional $1,000 or fraction thereof.as for building permits: work must begin within 180 days of issuance; written 180-day extensions may be granted (Building Permits FAQ)2026-10-14
Site Plan Review (unincorporated Johnson County)only if it applies to youJohnson County Planning, Development and Sustainability$250 per site plan review application, including Administrator-approved site plans, as published on the county's PDS Fee Schedule pageper project2026-10-14
Building Permit (Johnson County Planning, Development and Sustainability)only if it applies to youJohnson County Planning, Development and SustainabilityAs published on the county's Building Permit Fee Schedule page: total valuation $1-$500, $50; $501-$2,000, $50 for the first $500 plus $1.40 for each additional $100 or fraction thereof; $2,001-$40,000, $71.00 for the first $2,000 plus $11.33 for each additional $1,000 or fraction thereof; $40,001-$100,000, $501.61 for the first $40,000 plus $9.27 for each additional $1,000; $100,001-$500,000, $1,057.81 for the first $100,000 plus $7.28 for each additional $1,000; $500,001-$1,000,000, $3,969.81 for the first $500,000 plus $5.25 for each additional $1,000; $1,000,001-$5,000,000, $6,594.81 for the first $1,000,000 plus $3.15 for each additional $1,000; $5,000,001 and over, $19,194.81 for the first $5,000,000 plus $1.05 for each additional $1,000 or fraction thereof. Plan review: projects under the International Residential Code, no plan review fee; projects under the International Building Code, a separate additional fee equal to 10% of the building permit fee; review of changes, additions or revisions to approved plans $50 per hour (half-hour minimum); outside consultants, 100% of actual costs. Renewal of an expired permit $50; retroactive permitting for work started without a permit, equal to the permit fee; temporary certificate of occupancy $50; certificate of occupancy no charge; sign permit $100; re-inspection $50 per hour; inspection outside normal business hours $100 per hour.work must begin within 180 days of issuance and may not be suspended or abandoned for more than 180 days; the building official may grant written extensions of 180 days (Building Permits FAQ)2026-10-14
Change of Occupancy Permit (Johnson County Planning, Development and Sustainability)only if it applies to youJohnson County Planning, Development and Sustainability$50 per change of occupancy permit, as published on the county's Building Permit Fee Schedule page; the certificate of occupancy issued after inspection is listed there at no chargeper change of occupancy; a new certificate of occupancy is issued after the inspection is approved2026-10-14
Conditional Use Permit (Board of Adjustment, unincorporated Johnson County)only if it applies to youJohnson County Planning, Development and Sustainability$250 per conditional use permit application to the Board of Adjustment, as published on the county's PDS Fee Schedule page ($50 more for any modification after publication that requires republication)per application2026-10-14
Home Occupation Approval, Customer Visits (Zoning Administrator, unincorporated Johnson County)only if it applies to youJohnson County Planning, Development and Sustainability$50 per application, listed as "Home Occupation (w/visit by public)" under Zoning Administrator Approval Applications on the county's PDS Fee Schedule pageper approval2026-10-14

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

Electrical, Plumbing and Mechanical Permits (Johnson County Planning, Development and Sustainability)

Electrical, plumbing and mechanical (HVAC) work needs a trade permit from Johnson County Planning, Development and Sustainability (PDS). The county's Building Permits FAQ lists the trade codes enforced as the 2023 National Electrical Code, the 2024 International Mechanical Code and the 2024 Uniform Plumbing Code, each as adopted by the State of Iowa. As published on the county's Building Permit Fee Schedule page, a trade permit for work related to one- and two-family dwellings and accessory buildings costs $50, and fees for all other occupancies, including commercial and industrial, follow the total value of the work on the same valuation table as building permits (from $50 for $1-$500, $71.00 plus $11.33 per additional $1,000 for $2,001-$40,000, and so on). A restaurant, salon, shop or other business fit-out therefore pays by the value of its electrical, plumbing or mechanical work. The state licenses that electricians, plumbers and mechanical contractors hold are separate state records. PDS can be reached at (319) 356-6085. A business inside one of the county's incorporated cities also checks with that city, which runs its own business license, building and zoning rules.

Site Plan Review (unincorporated Johnson County)

Johnson County's Unified Development Ordinance (UDO), the county's zoning and development code for the unincorporated areas of Johnson County, provides in §8:1.26(A)(1) that "No building permit shall be issued for a new structure or addition in the RR, C, CH, AG-T, C-AG, ML, MH, or SWDRR districts which has not been shown on an approved Site Plan," and in §8:1.26(A)(3) that "No use shall be established in the C, CH, C-AG, ML, MH, or SWDRR districts which has not been shown on an approved Site Plan." Under the "Structure Remodel" exception in §8:1.26(A)(5), a building permit application in those districts is exempt from site planning where the proposed permits do not increase the footprint of the existing structures and the applicant shows that the parking required for the proposed occupancy is already provided. The UDO states that site plan review exists to provide a uniform set of requirements for the development of commercial, industrial and agritourism properties. As published on the county's PDS Fee Schedule page, a site plan review application, including an Administrator-approved site plan, costs $250. Planning, Development and Sustainability takes the application at 913 S Dubuque St, Iowa City. A business inside one of the county's incorporated cities also checks with that city, which runs its own business license, building and zoning rules.

Building Permit (Johnson County Planning, Development and Sustainability)

Johnson County Planning, Development and Sustainability (PDS) issues building permits under the Johnson County Building Code. The county's Building Permits FAQ lists the codes enforced as the 2024 International Residential Code, the 2024 International Building Code, and the 2023 National Electrical Code, 2024 International Mechanical Code, 2024 Uniform Plumbing Code and 2012 International Energy Conservation Code as adopted by the State of Iowa, and says permits are usually required for new buildings, additions, renovations, electrical, plumbing and HVAC systems and demolition. As published on the county's Building Permit Fee Schedule page, the fee follows the total valuation of the work, from $50 for $1-$500 up to $19,194.81 plus $1.05 per additional $1,000 above $5,000,000; projects under the International Building Code pay a separate plan review fee equal to 10% of the building permit fee, and residential-code projects pay no plan review fee. The same page lists a $100 sign permit, $50 to renew an expired permit, a retroactive fee equal to the permit fee for work started without a permit, $50 for a temporary certificate of occupancy and no charge for a certificate of occupancy. The FAQ states that work must begin within 180 days, may not stop for more than 180 days, that written 180-day extensions may be granted, and that an application may take 5 to 10 working days to process. PDS can be reached at (319) 356-6085. A business inside one of the county's incorporated cities also checks with that city, which runs its own business license, building and zoning rules.

Change of Occupancy Permit (Johnson County Planning, Development and Sustainability)

The county's Change of Occupancy Permits page states that whenever the use of any part of a building changes from one occupancy classification to another, a Change of Occupancy Permit is required, giving as examples changing a store (M occupancy) into a day care center (E occupancy) and enlarging restaurant seating from fewer than 50 (B occupancy) to more than 50 (A-2 occupancy); the building must then meet all current code requirements for the new use. The page describes the permit as a building permit, requiring two sets of plans (a site plan and floor plans showing the proposed use of each room, exits and seating) and a building permit application. PDS reviews the site for compliance with the Unified Development Ordinance, verifies that the site is zoned for the intended use and has the required parking, and reviews egress, fire separation and accessibility. The page states that inspections are required "even if no actual work is to be done"; once approved, a new Certificate of Occupancy is issued. As published on the county's Building Permit Fee Schedule page, the change of occupancy permit is $50 and the certificate of occupancy carries no charge. A business inside one of the county's incorporated cities also checks with that city, which runs its own business license, building and zoning rules.

Conditional Use Permit (Board of Adjustment, unincorporated Johnson County)

Where Johnson County's Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) lists a use as conditionally permitted in a zoning district of the unincorporated area, the use needs a conditional use permit from the Board of Adjustment before it is established. Whether a particular business is permitted outright or conditional depends on the district and the UDO's use table, so the property's zoning is checked with Planning, Development and Sustainability (PDS) first. One example from the UDO: under §8:1.24(S)(1), home businesses and home industries (larger than a home occupation) are "conditionally permitted through the Board of Adjustment." As published on the county's PDS Fee Schedule page, a conditional use permit application costs $250, and any modification to an application after its official publication that requires republication costs $50. The same page lists higher amounts only for Tier 2 battery energy storage systems and utility-scale solar, which are not business-licensing uses. A conditional use may also need site plan review under UDO §8:1.26 before a building permit is issued. A business inside one of the county's incorporated cities also checks with that city, which runs its own business license, building and zoning rules.

Home Occupation Approval, Customer Visits (Zoning Administrator, unincorporated Johnson County)

Johnson County's Unified Development Ordinance §8:1.24(S)(1) states: "Home occupations where customers or members of the public visit the site are subject to approval by the Zoning Administrator." The same subsection says no-impact home-based businesses and home occupations where no customers or members of the public visit the site are allowed as accessory uses and "are not subject to permitting," and that home businesses and home industries are conditionally permitted through the Board of Adjustment. For a home occupation, the UDO also states: "Applicant shall reside on the parcel." A home salon, a personal training studio, a home shop or a contractor's home office that customers visit therefore needs Zoning Administrator approval in the unincorporated area. As published on the county's PDS Fee Schedule page, the Zoning Administrator approval application for a "Home Occupation (w/visit by public)" costs $50. Planning, Development and Sustainability, 913 S Dubuque St, Iowa City, takes the application. A business inside one of the county's incorporated cities also checks with that city, which runs its own business license, building and zoning rules.

Contact

Jurisdiction
Johnson County
Phone
319-356-6085

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.

  1. Building Permit Fee Schedule pageJohnson County, Iowa, Planning, Development and Sustainability · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-14
  2. Building Permits FAQJohnson County, Iowa, Planning, Development and Sustainability · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-14
  3. Building Services pageJohnson County, Iowa, Planning, Development and Sustainability · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-14
  4. Change of Occupancy Permits pageJohnson County, Iowa, Planning, Development and Sustainability · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-14
  5. Johnson County Code of Ordinances, Unified Development Ordinance for the Unincorporated Areas of Johnson County (2020 ed., 2025 recodification, adopted 1-30-25), §§8:1.24(S), 8:1.26Johnson County, Iowa · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-14
  6. PDS Fee Schedule page (zoning, Board of Adjustment, site plan and Zoning Administrator applications)Johnson County, Iowa, Planning, Development and Sustainability · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-14

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