Polk County

Polk County Public Works — Planning & Development

In short

Polk County Public Works — Planning & Development issues 7 permits we publish for Polk 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
Mobile Food Unit Permit / Food Truck License (unincorporated Polk County)only if it applies to you	Polk County Public Works — Planning & Development	$123 per license, a year (Food Truck License, Polk County Public Works Fee Schedule effective 1/1/2026)	annual; the ordinance states "License must be renewed annually with Polk County Planning and Development"	2026-10-14
Commercial Building Permit (unincorporated Polk County)only if it applies to you	Polk County Public Works — Planning & Development	Set by the valuation of the work under the Building Permit Valuation Table in the Polk County Public Works Fee Schedule effective 1/1/2026; valuation is the actual project value or, for listed building types, Exhibit A (August 2024 ICC Building Valuation Data). Contact Planning & Development (515-286-3705) for the amount for a given project. Commercial plan review: 65% of the building permit fee. 2nd reinspection fee $101.00 per inspection; after-hours inspection $142.00 per inspection.	per permit	2026-10-14
Electrical, Plumbing and Mechanical Permits (unincorporated Polk County)only if it applies to you	Polk County Public Works — Planning & Development	Per the Polk County Public Works Fee Schedule effective 1/1/2026: electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits each carry a Basic Fee of $45.00 plus itemized fees, for example (mechanical) Grease Hood and duct system (Type I) $26.00 each, Exhaust Hood (Type II) $10.30 each; (plumbing) Grease Interceptor (exterior) $23.00; (electrical, flat fee) Commerical Generator $77.00.	per permit	2026-10-14
Site Plan Review — Non-Residential (unincorporated Polk County)only if it applies to you	Polk County Public Works — Planning & Development	Per the Polk County Public Works Fee Schedule effective 1/1/2026, under the schedule's own labels: Site Plan (Detailed) $529.00; Site Plan (Simplified) $335.00; Site Plan (Sketch Plan) $135.00; Site Improvements Permit non-residential $162.00; Grading Plan Review $162.00. Planning & Development (515-286-3705) gives the fee that applies to a given plan.	per project	2026-10-14
Certificate of Occupancy / Change of Use (unincorporated Polk County)only if it applies to you	Polk County Public Works — Planning & Development	Per the Polk County Public Works Fee Schedule effective 1/1/2026: Change of Use $123.00; Temporary Cert of Occ Fee $100.00.	issued for the use approved; a temporary certificate of occupancy runs for no more than six months	2026-10-14
Sign Permit (unincorporated Polk County)only if it applies to you	Polk County Public Works — Planning & Development	Per the Polk County Public Works Fee Schedule effective 1/1/2026: $1.04 per square foot of sign face, minimum fee $96.00; Portable Sign Permit $71.00.	per sign	2026-10-14
Home Occupation Permit (unincorporated Polk County)only if it applies to you	Polk County Public Works — Planning & Development	$110 per permit (Home Occupation, Polk County Public Works Fee Schedule effective 1/1/2026)	per permit, for the approved home occupation	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

Mobile Food Unit Permit / Food Truck License (unincorporated Polk County)

Under the Polk County Zoning Ordinance (Article 4, Division 5, subsection (F)), every Mobile Food Unit operating outside city limits must apply to Polk County Public Works for a permit to operate at least three business days before use, on a county form giving the applicant's details, the food to be sold, the dates, the property and the owner's written authorisation, copies of all required permits and licenses (including the Iowa retail sales tax permit), insurance and how bathroom facilities will be provided. The premises must be in the MU, NB, GC, LI or HI district, have at least three paved off-street parking spaces dedicated to the unit, and provide restroom access by written agreement; a unit may not operate as a standalone use on a vacant lot. Hours are 5:30 a.m. to 1:30 a.m., or 8:00 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. within 125 feet of residentially zoned property. The ordinance states that the license "must be renewed annually with Polk County Planning and Development." Under the Polk County Public Works Fee Schedule headed "Effective 1/1/2026" (linked from the county's Public Works Forms & Resources page as the 2026 Public Works Fee Schedule), the Food Truck License costs $123.00. This county permit stacks on the mobile food unit license from the Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals and Licensing, which is a state record; a unit operating inside a city applies to that city.

Commercial Building Permit (unincorporated Polk County)

Under §20.1.2 of the Polk County Construction Code (Chapter 20, effective September 2, 2024), no person may undertake development activity subject to the code without first obtaining a permit from the Building Official, who is appointed by the Board of Supervisors or the Public Works Director. The Public Works FAQ states that "the Polk County Zoning Ordinance and Comprehensive Plan apply only to properties located outside of cities," and the Polk County Construction Code applies "within unincorporated Polk County" (§20.1.3); a business inside one of the county's 17 cities applies to that city instead. The code replaces the International Building Code's fee section with the "Fee Schedule as adopted by Polk County Board of Supervisors resolution." Under the Polk County Public Works Fee Schedule headed "Effective 1/1/2026" (linked from the county's Public Works Forms & Resources page as the 2026 Public Works Fee Schedule), the permit fee follows the valuation of the work, using the schedule's Building Permit Valuation Table; valuation is the actual value of the project or, for building types the schedule refers to Exhibit A, the August 2024 ICC Building Valuation Data. Planning & Development (515-286-3705) gives the amount for a given project. The same schedule sets commercial plan review at 65% of the building permit fee, a 2nd reinspection fee of $101.00 per inspection and an after-hours inspection fee of $142.00 per inspection. Electrical, plumbing and mechanical work takes separate trade permits, and a new use or a change of use needs a certificate of occupancy; both are separate records. Building inspection staff are at 5885 NE 14th Street, Des Moines.

Electrical, Plumbing and Mechanical Permits (unincorporated Polk County)

Electrical, plumbing and mechanical work on a business premises in unincorporated Polk County is permitted by Planning & Development under the Polk County Construction Code (Chapter 20, effective September 2, 2024), whose §20.1.2 requires a permit from the Building Official before development activity the code covers. The Public Works FAQ states that "the Polk County Zoning Ordinance and Comprehensive Plan apply only to properties located outside of cities," and the Polk County Construction Code applies "within unincorporated Polk County" (§20.1.3); a business inside one of the county's 17 cities applies to that city instead. Under the Polk County Public Works Fee Schedule headed "Effective 1/1/2026" (linked from the county's Public Works Forms & Resources page as the 2026 Public Works Fee Schedule), each electrical, plumbing and mechanical permit carries a Basic Fee of $45.00, plus itemized fees for the work. Items a restaurant, coffee shop or other commercial premises commonly meets include, as the schedule prints them, Grease Hood and duct system (Type I) $26.00 each and Exhaust Hood (Type II) $10.30 each on the mechanical permit, Grease Interceptor (exterior) $23.00 on the plumbing permit, and Commerical Generator $77.00 as an electrical flat fee. The full itemized list (meters, circuits, fixtures, water and sewer services, gas piping, furnaces and air handlers) is in the schedule; Planning & Development (515-286-3705) gives the total for a given job. The building permit is a separate record.

Site Plan Review — Non-Residential (unincorporated Polk County)

Article 16 of the Polk County Zoning Ordinance (most recently amended October 14, 2024) provides for three kinds of site plan for non-residential development outside city limits. A major site plan is submitted before the building permit application, "with the appropriate review fee as prescribed by the Board of Supervisors," and may be approved by the Zoning Administrator upon concurrence of all appropriate agencies. A minor site plan may be filed for an addition to an existing non-residential building, an expansion of a non-residential use, or a new non-residential use where a change of use permit is required. A sketch plan is permitted only for a change of use where no exterior site improvements are required other than possibly landscaping or parking lot striping, and for certain other minimal changes. The Public Works FAQ states that "the Polk County Zoning Ordinance and Comprehensive Plan apply only to properties located outside of cities," and the Polk County Construction Code applies "within unincorporated Polk County" (§20.1.3); a business inside one of the county's 17 cities applies to that city instead. Under the Polk County Public Works Fee Schedule headed "Effective 1/1/2026" (linked from the county's Public Works Forms & Resources page as the 2026 Public Works Fee Schedule), the fees are listed under the schedule's own labels: Site Plan (Detailed) $529.00, Site Plan (Simplified) $335.00, Site Plan (Sketch Plan) $135.00, Site Improvements Permit non-residential $162.00 and Grading Plan Review $162.00. Planning & Development (515-286-3705) tells an applicant which fee applies to a given plan.

Certificate of Occupancy / Change of Use (unincorporated Polk County)

Under the Polk County Zoning Ordinance, no structure or premises that is created, erected, changed, converted, enlarged or moved may be used "until a Certificate of Occupancy shall have been issued by the Zoning Administrator," and a Certificate of Occupancy also includes a Certificate of Use and Change of Use. The Polk County Construction Code amends IBC §111.1 so that a building may not be used or occupied, and its use classification may not be changed, until the appropriate permits have been pulled and the building official has issued a certificate of occupancy. A temporary certificate of occupancy may be issued by the Zoning Administrator for no more than six months, after the owner signs a Temporary Certificate of Occupancy Agreement. The Public Works FAQ states that "the Polk County Zoning Ordinance and Comprehensive Plan apply only to properties located outside of cities," and the Polk County Construction Code applies "within unincorporated Polk County" (§20.1.3); a business inside one of the county's 17 cities applies to that city instead. Under the Polk County Public Works Fee Schedule headed "Effective 1/1/2026" (linked from the county's Public Works Forms & Resources page as the 2026 Public Works Fee Schedule), a Change of Use costs $123.00 and a Temporary Cert of Occ Fee is $100.00. A business moving into an existing building in the unincorporated area for a different use should expect this step; Planning & Development (515-286-3705) handles it.

Sign Permit (unincorporated Polk County)

The Polk County Zoning Ordinance states: "No person shall erect, alter, or relocate any sign within the unincorporated areas of the County without first obtaining approval of a Sign Permit." Repainting, changing parts and preventive maintenance of signs on the site are not alterations that need a permit. The Public Works FAQ states that "the Polk County Zoning Ordinance and Comprehensive Plan apply only to properties located outside of cities," and the Polk County Construction Code applies "within unincorporated Polk County" (§20.1.3); a business inside one of the county's 17 cities applies to that city instead. Under the Polk County Public Works Fee Schedule headed "Effective 1/1/2026" (linked from the county's Public Works Forms & Resources page as the 2026 Public Works Fee Schedule), a sign permit costs $1.04 per square foot of sign face with a minimum fee of $96.00, and a Portable Sign Permit costs $71.00. Planning & Development (515-286-3705) reviews sign applications against the ordinance's size and placement rules for the zoning district.

Home Occupation Permit (unincorporated Polk County)

The Polk County Zoning Ordinance states that "All home occupations must complete a Home Occupation Application provided by the County, pay the appropriate fee, obtain approval of Home Occupation Permit from the Zoning Administrator" and meet its criteria. The business must be conducted by a resident of the dwelling, with no employees other than immediate family members living there; only one home occupation is allowed per parcel; no odour, noise, vibration, dust or electrical interference may be detectable at the property line; and automobile dealers and other retail uses that require outdoor display are not permitted. Additional standards apply to all home occupations except child care homes: no more than 20 percent of the dwelling's floor area, no outdoor storage, no significant increase in traffic and no more than two customers at one time. A child care home still needs the permit. The Public Works FAQ states that "the Polk County Zoning Ordinance and Comprehensive Plan apply only to properties located outside of cities," and the Polk County Construction Code applies "within unincorporated Polk County" (§20.1.3); a business inside one of the county's 17 cities applies to that city instead. Under the Polk County Public Works Fee Schedule headed "Effective 1/1/2026" (linked from the county's Public Works Forms & Resources page as the 2026 Public Works Fee Schedule), the Home Occupation permit costs $110.00.

Contact

Jurisdiction: Polk County
Phone: 515-286-3705
Website: www.polkcountyiowa.gov/public-works/divisions/planning-development/

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.

Polk County Construction Code, Chapter 20 (effective September 2, 2024), §§20.1.2-20.1.4 and IBC amendments §§109.2, 111.1Polk County, Iowa · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-14
Polk County Public Works Fee Schedule, Effective 1/1/2026Polk County, Iowa, Public Works · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-14
Polk County Zoning Ordinance (most recently amended October 14, 2024): home occupations, mobile food units, site plans, signs, certificates of occupancyPolk County, Iowa · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-14
Public Works FAQsPolk County, Iowa, Public Works · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-14
Public Works Forms & Resources page (2026 Public Works Fee Schedule link)Polk County, Iowa, Public Works · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-14

Other offices serving Polk County

The full permit list for this jurisdiction

Business licenses in Polk 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.