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Buffalo County

Buffalo County Zoning & Floodplain Office

In short

Buffalo County Zoning & Floodplain Office issues 3 permits we publish for Buffalo County, last verified 2026-10-12. 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
Zoning Permit (Buffalo County planning jurisdiction)only if it applies to youBuffalo County Zoning & Floodplain Office$200 per permit, non-refundable, payable to Buffalo County (2026 Zoning Administrative Fee Schedule, effective January 1, 2026)per permit; it expires if the work has not commenced within 120 days of issuance, or has not been completed within two years of issuance (Zoning Regulations §10.24)2026-10-12
Special Use Permit, Rezoning and Variance (Buffalo County planning jurisdiction)only if it applies to youBuffalo County Zoning & Floodplain OfficeConditional/special use permit: $410.00 base fee plus $60.00 publishing fee. Rezoning/amendment to zoning map: $330.00 plus $60.00 publishing fee. Appeal/variance to the Board of Adjustment: $285.00 plus $30.00 publishing fee. Postponement of a public hearing: $160.00. All non-refundable (2026 Buffalo County Zoning Administrative Fee Schedule, effective January 1, 2026).per permit; unless otherwise specifically stated, construction shall commence within 120 days after authorization and shall be substantially completed two years after commencement (Zoning Regulations §6.2); the County Board may impose terms and time limitations2026-10-12
Floodplain Development Permit (Buffalo County)only if it applies to youBuffalo County Zoning & Floodplain Office$150 per development permit (2026 Buffalo County Zoning Administrative Fee Schedule; permit form "PERMIT FEE - $150.00 EFFECTIVE 1/1/2026")per building or structure; construction shall be completed within two years from the date of approval (Floodplain Resolution §4.E)2026-10-12

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

Zoning Permit (Buffalo County planning jurisdiction)

Zoning Regulations §10.21 states: "No zoning or other structure shall be erected, moved, added to, demolished, or structurally altered, without a zoning permit first having been issued by the Zoning Administrator." A business building, enlarging or altering premises in the county's planning jurisdiction applies to the Zoning Administrator with a plot plan showing present and proposed structures, parking areas, lot lines and uses (§10.22). Buffalo County Zoning Regulations §1.2 states: "The provisions of this Resolution shall apply within the planning jurisdiction of Buffalo County as established on the map entitled 'The Official Zoning Map of Buffalo County, Nebraska.' The jurisdiction includes the rural and unincorporated areas of Buffalo County." Under Neb. Rev. Stat. 23-114(6), county zoning powers "shall not be exercised within the limits of any incorporated city or village nor within the area over which a city or village has been granted or ceded zoning jurisdiction and is exercising such jurisdiction." The fee is $200.00 per permit; the county's application form states "Filing Fee: $200.00 made payable to Buffalo County." The figure is the 2026 Buffalo County Zoning Administrative Fee Schedule's (adopted by the Board of Commissioners on December 23, 2025 and effective January 1, 2026; "All application fees are non-refundable"). Note 3 of that schedule states: "There shall be a three (3) percent annual increase for one year following the adoption of proposed revisions, along with a $10.00 rounding-up caveat, then the percentage will be re-evaluated based on market conditions on an annual basis." Amounts may therefore change for 2027; confirm the current schedule with the Zoning office. The Zoning Administrator approves or disapproves within 30 days of receipt, with floodplain review in the same timeframe (§10.23); an appeal goes to the Board of Adjustment in writing within 10 days (§10.25). The permit expires if work has not commenced within 120 days of issuance or has not been completed within two years of issuance (§10.24). For a one-story commercial or industrial building with more than 10,000 square feet of above-grade finished space, a height over 30 feet, or room for the employment, housing or assembly of 20 or more persons, §10.22 requires a licensed engineer's or architect's letter of approval and an emergency responder radio coverage test (2012 IFC Section 510) conducted by or through the Buffalo County Sheriff's Office. Section 10.26 states that zoning permits "are not required for buildings utilized for agricultural purposes on a farmstead of twenty acres or more which produces one thousand dollars or more of farm products each year." Contact the Zoning office at 308.236.1998 or zoning@buffalocounty.ne.gov.

Special Use Permit, Rezoning and Variance (Buffalo County planning jurisdiction)

Uses listed as special uses in the Buffalo County Zoning Regulations need a special use permit under Article 6 before they operate. In the AG Agriculture District (§5.14) the list includes "Animal hospitals" (item 3), "Day Care Centers" (item 10) and agriculture service establishments including "farm equipment services and repair" (item 1). In the C Commercial District (§5.54) it includes "Automobile/Truck wash services" (item 4) and "Recreational facilities or entertainment facilities and/or areas not owned or operated by public agencies, when abutting and having access to a paved road" (item 13); whether a particular business falls within a listed use is the Zoning Administrator's determination. Under §6.2 the application is filed with the Zoning Administrator, who forwards it to the Planning Commission; the Planning Commission and the County Board each hold a public hearing, and the County Board may allow or deny it and impose restrictions, terms and time limitations. Unless otherwise stated, construction shall commence within 120 days after authorization and be substantially completed two years after commencement. Per the 2026 fee schedule the special use permit costs $410.00 plus a $60.00 publishing fee; rezoning is $330.00 plus $60.00; an appeal or variance before the Board of Adjustment is $285.00 plus $30.00; postponing a public hearing is $160.00. The figure is the 2026 Buffalo County Zoning Administrative Fee Schedule's (adopted by the Board of Commissioners on December 23, 2025 and effective January 1, 2026; "All application fees are non-refundable"). Note 3 of that schedule states: "There shall be a three (3) percent annual increase for one year following the adoption of proposed revisions, along with a $10.00 rounding-up caveat, then the percentage will be re-evaluated based on market conditions on an annual basis." Amounts may therefore change for 2027; confirm the current schedule with the Zoning office. Contact the Zoning office at 308.236.1998.

Floodplain Development Permit (Buffalo County)

Section 4 of the Buffalo County Floodplain Resolution states: "No person, firm or corporation shall erect, construct, enlarge or improve any building or structure or make other developments, as defined in the definitions section of this resolution, in the County, or cause the same to be done without first obtaining a separate development permit for each building or structure." Within Zone A on the official Flood Insurance Rate Map, separate development permits are required for all new construction, substantial improvements and other developments (§4.A). A business building or improving premises in the identified floodplain files the county's Development Permit/Application with plans, the location and intended use, and, in flood-prone areas, lowest-floor elevations (§4.B); a nonresidential building must be elevated or floodproofed at least one foot above the base flood elevation, per the permit form. The fee is "established by Buffalo County Board" (§4.C); the 2026 fee schedule lists "Development Permit (Flood Plain)" at $150.00 and the county's form states "PERMIT FEE - $150.00 EFFECTIVE 1/1/2026". The figure is the 2026 Buffalo County Zoning Administrative Fee Schedule's (adopted by the Board of Commissioners on December 23, 2025 and effective January 1, 2026; "All application fees are non-refundable"). Note 3 of that schedule states: "There shall be a three (3) percent annual increase for one year following the adoption of proposed revisions, along with a $10.00 rounding-up caveat, then the percentage will be re-evaluated based on market conditions on an annual basis." Amounts may therefore change for 2027; confirm the current schedule with the Zoning office. Construction must be completed within two years of approval (§4.E), and the applicant notifies the Floodplain Administrator on completion for inspection and sign-off (§4.F). Contact the Floodplain Administrator at 308.236.1999 or floodplain@buffalocounty.ne.gov.

Contact

Jurisdiction
Buffalo County
Phone
308.236.1998

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. Application for Special Use PermitBuffalo County Zoning Administrator · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-12
  2. Application for Zoning PermitBuffalo County Zoning Administrator · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-12
  3. Buffalo County Zoning Administrative Fee Schedule (adopted December 23, 2025; effective January 1, 2026)Buffalo County Board of Commissioners · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-12
  4. Buffalo County Zoning Regulations (updated January 15, 2026)Buffalo County, Nebraska · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-12
  5. Development Permit/Application (floodplain), "Permit Fee - $150.00 Effective 1/1/2026"Buffalo County Floodplain Administrator · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-12
  6. Floodplain ResolutionBuffalo County, Nebraska · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-12
  7. Neb. Rev. Stat. 23-114, County planning and zoning; powersNebraska Legislature · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-12
  8. Zoning & Floodplain pageBuffalo County Zoning & Floodplain · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-12
  9. Zoning Forms pageBuffalo County Zoning & Floodplain · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-12

Other offices serving Buffalo County

The full permit list for this jurisdiction

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Nebraska jurisdictions

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