Building permits in Des Moines, Iowa
Of the 12 common home projects we have verified in Des Moines, 8 need a permit outright and 4 depend on size or scope. Click any project for the full rule, fee, and how to apply.
By Mario Bailey Last checked · 2 official sources
Verified against official sources- Project types verified
- 13
- in Des Moines
City of Des Moines Development Services Department, Permit and Development Center
- T.M. Franklin Cownie City Administration Building (City Hall), 1200 Locust St., Des Moines, IA 50309
- Phone: 515-283-4200
- Email: permits@dmgov.org
- Official permit page
- Permit portal
- Official fee schedule
Look up a permit in Des Moines
Des Moines permit records are public, and you can check a property's permit history by address or permit number online.
What needs a permit in Des Moines
Of the 12 common home projects we have verified in Des Moines, 8 need a permit outright and 4 depend on size or scope. Click any project for the full rule, fee, and how to apply.
| Project | Permit needed? | Threshold | Typical fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bathroom Remodel Permit | It depends | When the remodel removes and replaces finishes on an entire wall or ceiling, alters... | "Renovations to dwellings: $154.50" for the building permit, plus $77.25 each for... |
| Deck Permit | Permit required | Any size | ...retaining walls, swimming pools, hot tubs, and other accessory structures: $77.25"... |
| Electrical Permit | Permit required | Any size | ...alterations and additions to existing dwellings and accessory structures:... |
| EV Charger Permit | Permit required | Any size | ...alterations and additions to existing dwellings and accessory structures: $77.25"... |
| Fence Permit | It depends | Height above which a fence needs a permit for fences other than chain-link; chain-link fences need one above 4 feet | ...retaining walls, swimming pools, hot tubs, and other accessory structures: $77.25"... |
| HVAC Permit | Permit required | Any size | ...alterations and additions to existing dwellings and accessory structures:... |
| Patio Permit | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | Not published |
| Plumbing Permit | Permit required | Any size | ...alterations and additions to existing dwellings and accessory structures:... |
| Pool Permit | Permit required | Any size | ...retaining walls, swimming pools, hot tubs, and other accessory structures: $77.25"... |
| Roof Replacement Permit | It depends | Today: only when roof sheathing, decking or framing (rafters) is repaired or replaced | ...residential building permit lines (for example "Renovations to dwellings: $154.50")... |
| Shed Permit | It depends | Floor area of a one-story detached storage shed, playhouse or similar accessory building | "New detached sheds and garages: $180.25" (City of Des Moines PDC Permit Fee Schedule... |
| Solar Permit | Permit required | Any size | ...alterations and additions to existing dwellings and accessory structures: $77.25"... |
| Water Heater Permit | Permit required | Any size | ...alterations and additions to existing dwellings and accessory structures: $77.25"... |
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Schedule an inspection in Des Moines
Permitted work is not finished until it passes inspection. Inspections are requested from the permit's page in the Customer Self Service portal (DSM.city/css). New homes, basement finishes and additions use the Residential Combination Inspection program, one inspector for all trades. Electrical inspections staff: 515-283-4925.
Schedule or request a Des Moines inspection
When the portal will not take the date you need, the office still books by phone: 515-283-4200.
Checked . If the office has changed its process, report it.
Des Moines permit fees compared with nearby Iowa localities
| Iowa locality | Deck Permit | HVAC Permit | Electrical Permit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Des Moines | ...hot tubs, and other accessory structures: $77.25"... | ...existing dwellings and accessory structures:... | ...existing dwellings and accessory structures:... |
Each cell is the opening clause of that Iowa jurisdiction's own fee schedule; the full wording and source sit on each permit page.
Des Moines permit questions, answered from the data
- Do you need a permit in Des Moines?
- For most projects, yes. Of the 13 permit types we have verified for Des Moines, 8 always require a permit (for example a deck permit), 4 depend on size or scope (a bathroom remodel permit, for instance). Each Des Moines permit type's page states the exact rule and its source.
- How much does a permit cost in Des Moines?
- Des Moines publishes a fee for 12 of the 13 permit types we cover, each quoted on its page from the jurisdiction's own schedule (linked on every page that carries one). Fees are set by City of Des Moines Development Services Department, Permit and Development Center; we do not estimate or mark them up.
- Where do you apply for a permit in Des Moines?
- City of Des Moines Development Services Department, Permit and Development Center issues permits in Des Moines, with an online portal for applications, plan uploads and status checks, and takes questions at 515-283-4200. The Des Moines official page and portal are linked in the office section above.
How the Des Moines pages were verified. 13 permit types, 12 distinct official sources, most recently checked . Every rule is read from City of Des Moines Development Services Department, Permit and Development Center or the applicable code and cited on its page; anything we could not confirm for Des Moines is marked rather than estimated. How we verify.
Permitting activity in Des Moines
In 2025, Des Moines authorized permits for 1,676 new residential housing units (221 single-family, 1,455 in multi-family buildings), valued at $410M , up from 618 the year before. That works out to about 7.9 permits per 1,000 residents. It is a useful gauge of how busy the local permit office is.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2025 annual data · population 212,082.