Commercial Compliance Hub
Check requirements

Douglas County

Douglas County Environmental Services

In short

Douglas County Environmental Services issues 3 permits we publish for Douglas 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
Building and Trade Permits (unincorporated western Douglas County; contract permits for Bennington, Waterloo and Valley)only if it applies to youDouglas County Environmental ServicesBase permit by project valuation, valuation = area x $91.00 per sq ft (residential and commercial major construction): $1-$500, $24.00; $501-$2,000, $24 + $3 per additional $100; $2,001-$40,000, $69 + $11 per additional $1,000; $40,001-$100,000, $487 + $9 per additional $1,000; $100,001-$500,000, $1,027 + $7 per additional $1,000; $500,001-$1,000,000, $3,827 + $5 per additional $1,000; $1,000,001-$5,000,000, $6,327 + $3 per additional $1,000; $5,000,001 and over, $18,327 + $1 per additional $1,000. Separate trade permits: electrical branch circuits and feeders $2.00 each, new service $25.00 (1-100 A) to $185.00 (801-1,000 A), above 1,000 A $185.00 + $20.00 per additional 100 A; plumbing $8.00 per fixture; mechanical $5.00-$20.00 per item. Commercial plan review $100 or 25%, whichever is greater; technology fee $25.00 per permit; additional inspection $50.00; starting work without a permit, quadruple the original permit fee.work must begin within six months of issuance and be substantially completed within two years2026-10-12
Sign Permit (Douglas County Environmental Services jurisdiction)only if it applies to youDouglas County Environmental Services$50 per sign permit, plus the schedule's $25.00 technology fee per permit (Permit Fee Schedule, Resolution 2026-R0306, effective July 1, 2026)per sign2026-10-12
Special Use Permit, Rezoning, Variance, Floodplain and Grading Applications (unincorporated Douglas County)only if it applies to youDouglas County Environmental ServicesSpecial Use Permit $500.00; Rezone $350.00; Variance $250.00; Planned Development District $750.00 (revision $300.00); Plat (preliminary and final) $500.00; Floodplain Development Permit $75.00; Grading Permit $500.00 (one acre to less than ten acres) or $1,000.00 (ten acres or more).per application2026-10-12

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

Building and Trade Permits (unincorporated western Douglas County; contract permits for Bennington, Waterloo and Valley)

The Permits and Inspections page of Douglas County Environmental Services states: "The Permits and Inspections Department generally has jurisdiction over those portions of western Douglas County that are unincorporated, as well as certain permits and inspection work on a contract basis with the cities of Bennington and Valley and the Village of Waterloo." For Valley it provides electrical plan review and inspection only (other Valley applications go through the Valley city offices), and applications for building and electrical work in Bennington and Waterloo are made through the county. The page adds that for most residents and businesses in Douglas County the City of Omaha's Planning Department issues the permit, and links a county map tool, "Who Issues My Permit?". The page lists "Any commercial building, commercial addition, or alteration" among the projects that need a permit, and applications are made through the county's SmartGov online permitting portal. The schedule bases the base permit for major construction on project valuation: the division determines the square footage and multiplies it by $91.00 (residential and commercial), then applies the valuation table; its own example is 1,000 sq ft x $91.00 = $91,000, giving a base permit fee of $946.00. Each trade (plumbing, electrical, mechanical) needs its own permit and fees, and contractors doing plumbing or electrical work must be licensed. The schedule lists electrical fees ($2.00 per branch circuit or feeder; new service $25.00 to $185.00 by amperage; pre-connect, temporary pole, outage/reconnect and low voltage $25.00 each), plumbing fees ($8.00 per fixture; sewer tap and groundwork $25.00 per unit; water heaters $10.00; lawn sprinkler and backflow $40.00) and mechanical fees ($10.00 per supply or return duct, $5.00 per gas line, $10.00 per heat pump, fan, compressor or gas manifold, $20.00 per ductless or furnace/AC unit). Commercial plan review is $100 or 25%, whichever is greater; each permit carries a $25.00 technology fee and includes one inspection and one re-inspection, with $50.00 for each additional inspection; demolition is $50.00; starting work without a permit costs quadruple the original permit fee. If construction has begun the full fee is forfeited, and withdrawing a permit before construction carries a 25% cancellation fee. The schedule also lists an Arterial Street Improvement Program fee of 1.83% of construction value for permits in subdivisions platted in rural Douglas County after June 13, 2006. The figures are those of the Douglas County Environmental Services Permit Fee Schedule, "Approved by Board 06.09.26, Effective 07.01.26" (Resolution 2026-R0306), the schedule linked from the Permits and Inspections page. The Permits and Inspections page states: "Work on a permitted project must begin within six months of the issuance of a permit and be substantially completed within two years." Contact Douglas County Environmental Services, Permits & Inspections, 15335 West Maple Road, Suite 201, Omaha, NE 68116, 402-444-7189, dcpermits@douglascounty-ne.gov.

Sign Permit (Douglas County Environmental Services jurisdiction)

A business putting up a sign at premises within Douglas County Environmental Services' permitting jurisdiction obtains a sign permit. The Permits and Inspections page of Douglas County Environmental Services states: "The Permits and Inspections Department generally has jurisdiction over those portions of western Douglas County that are unincorporated, as well as certain permits and inspection work on a contract basis with the cities of Bennington and Valley and the Village of Waterloo." For Valley it provides electrical plan review and inspection only (other Valley applications go through the Valley city offices), and applications for building and electrical work in Bennington and Waterloo are made through the county. The page adds that for most residents and businesses in Douglas County the City of Omaha's Planning Department issues the permit, and links a county map tool, "Who Issues My Permit?". The schedule lists the Sign Permit Fee at $50.00 and a Technology Fee of $25.00 per permit, assessed "to help offset permit processing costs and technology upgrades". Its footnote to the sign fee states: "If electrical work is associated with the sign, a separate permit must be obtained by a licensed electrician", so an illuminated sign also carries an electrical permit under the schedule's electrical fees. The figures are those of the Douglas County Environmental Services Permit Fee Schedule, "Approved by Board 06.09.26, Effective 07.01.26" (Resolution 2026-R0306), the schedule linked from the Permits and Inspections page. Contact Douglas County Environmental Services, Permits & Inspections, 15335 West Maple Road, Suite 201, Omaha, NE 68116, 402-444-7189, dcpermits@douglascounty-ne.gov.

Special Use Permit, Rezoning, Variance, Floodplain and Grading Applications (unincorporated Douglas County)

A business whose use, site or project in unincorporated Douglas County needs a zoning action applies to Douglas County Environmental Services' Planning and Zoning section. The county's Planning and Zoning Fees page, "Effective December 3, 2024", lists a Special Use Permit at $500.00, a Rezone at $350.00, a Variance at $250.00, a Planned Development District at $750.00 (revision $300.00), a Plat (preliminary and final) at $500.00, a Floodplain Development Permit at $75.00, and a Grading Permit at $500.00 for projects larger than one acre and less than ten acres or $1,000.00 for ten acres or more; the Permit Fee Schedule of Resolution 2026-R0306 (effective July 1, 2026) lists the same floodplain and grading figures. The Permits and Inspections page states that a grading permit is needed "when disturbing more than 1 acre" and a floodplain development permit "when doing work in the floodplain including grading", and that floodplain development and grading permits for Valley, Bennington and Waterloo are available through those municipalities' offices. Floodplain applications are uploaded to the county's SmartGov portal. Contact the Planning and Zoning Coordinator at 402-444-7924, or the Stormwater and Floodplain Specialist at 402-444-4590, Douglas County Environmental Services, 15335 West Maple Road, Suite 201, Omaha, NE 68116.

Contact

Jurisdiction
Douglas County
Phone
402-444-7189

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. Douglas County Environmental Services Permit Fee Schedule (Resolution 2026-R0306, effective July 1, 2026)Douglas County Environmental Services · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-12
  2. Permits / InspectionsDouglas County Environmental Services · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-12
  3. Planning and Zoning Fees (effective December 3, 2024)Douglas County Environmental Services · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-12

Other offices serving Douglas County

The full permit list for this jurisdiction

Industry permit lists that include this agency

Nebraska jurisdictions

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