BUILDING & CONSTRUCTION PERMITS

PERMITS & INSPECTIONS SERVICES

The Building & Construction Division helps to ensure a safe, secure, and stable built environment for Muscatine through the enforcement of building and related codes for all building construction work conducted within City limits. It is the responsibility of the Building & Construction Division to determine and enforce compliance with the applicable building codes throughout all the construction phases. All phases of construction, from the permit application submittal through the plan review to the inspections and final approval of the building for occupancy, are required to be reviewed and/or inspected by one of the certified inspectors for compliance with the applicable building codes.

In addition to code enforcement, the Building & Construction Division also provides public education and assistance with deciphering the requirements or standards designated within the building and related codes. The Building & Construction Division is here to help with any construction project, large or small, and guide you through the permitting process so you can successfully complete your project.

THE NEW COMMUNITY PORTAL IS NOW AVAILABLE TO SERVE ALL YOUR BUILDING & CONSTRUCTION PERMIT NEEDS COMPLETELY ONLINE!

APPLY ONLINE NOW

The Community Portal is here to serve all your permit needs as it allows you to accomplish the permitting process completely ONLINE from the comfort of your own home or office. The new online functions include:

Customized Permit Applications & Plans/Documents Submittal Requirements:

Building & Construction

• Residential: Building, Electrical, Mechanical, Plumbing or Demolition

• Commercial: Building, Electrical, Mechanical, Plumbing, Demolition, Cell Towers or Signs

Public Works – Right of Way & Streets: Curb Cut, Excavation or Sidewalk

NOTE: It was determined that the wide scope of the work the previous permit application types covered was too broad and caused delays in the permitting process due to work specific information/plans not being identified or requested until an Inspector began the review process. As such, you will notice a much wider variety of options for the permit application types as the applications have been customized to request the appropriate information and plans based on the scope of work.

View Permit Status: Track your permit through the permitting process including when the review is started.

Pay Permit Fees: Online payment options include Credit/Debit Card and eCheck. Most permit fees will become immediately available for online payment upon submittal of the completed application.

Request Inspections: Community Development must confirm your requested date and time, an email notification will be sent with the confirmation. Cutoff time is 4:00PM for the next available date.

View or Download Permit Documents: All documents related to your permit will be available online which may include the Permit, Permit Card, Inspection Placard, Submittal Deficiency Notices, Inspection Results, Temporary Certificate of Occupancy and Certificate of Occupancy.

Email Notifications: Receive automatic email notifications anytime your permit is updated which will be viewable on the Community Portal.

Permit applications cannot be submitted until all the requirements including documents/plans designated on the application have been satisfied, incomplete applications will be saved on your portal account for you to complete and submit at a later time. The review time for most permit types is approximately 10 business days from the date of application submittal.

Do I Need a Permit?

The vast majority of work requires some type of a permit but some work is exempt and does NOT require a permit. A list of permit exempt work can be found here.

The main purpose of permits is to ensure safety but they also benefit the homeowner in other ways as they are valuable if you sell your home in the future and they help keep your insurance valid. Permits are valuable if you perform renovations on your home and then sell it in the future as potential buyers will want you to provide legal proof of the proper permits to ensure all the renovation work was performed in accordance with the code standards. Not having this legal proof can cause a delay in selling your house and lead to extra costs when a permit is pulled after the fact. Also, if you build something without a permit and make a mistake or sustain an injury your insurance may not cover it without a valid permit.