Homeowner Permit Guide
Permits, step by step.
Building can feel tangled once the city or county gets involved. This guide breaks permitting into simple steps with checkboxes, so you walk in prepared and stay confident.
Please note: requirements vary by city, county, and rural location. This is general information for homeowners, not legal advice. Always confirm with your local office.
1. Why permits matter
- Safety — inspections catch problems while they are still easy to fix.
- Insurance — many insurers ask whether work was permitted and inspected.
- Resale — buyers and appraisers often ask about permits.
- Lenders — construction loans usually need permits, inspections, and often a Certificate of Occupancy.
2. What you may need
Ask your office which of these apply to a new home, addition, or renovation:
- Building permit
- Electrical, plumbing, and mechanical (HVAC)
- Septic or well (common on rural lots)
- Driveway, culvert, or approach
- Zoning, setbacks, or floodplain
- Demolition (if removing structure or gutting)
3. City, county, or rural
Inside city limits, the city usually issues the building permit. Outside, the county may handle zoning, septic, and sometimes building permits. Some rural areas have zoning but limited building inspection. First call: your city building department or county planning/zoning office with your address and project type.
4. What they often ask for
- Site plan (lot, setbacks, driveway, house location)
- Full plan set (floor plans, elevations, sections, notes)
- Energy compliance paperwork
- Structural details your office requires (sometimes a licensed design professional’s stamp)
- Contractor registration or an owner-builder affidavit
- Septic design and well info on rural lots
5. Questions for your first call
- Which office covers my address?
- Which permits do I need?
- What plans and forms, and how many copies?
- Fees and typical review time?
- Who can pull the permit—builder, owner, or either?
- How do I schedule inspections?
- Do I need a Certificate of Occupancy before move-in or the lender’s final draw?
6. Fees and timelines
Varies by location Nebraska has no single statewide residential building-permit fee schedule. Many offices take about 7–15 working days for a typical residential review; fees are often based on project value. Always get the current schedule in writing.
7. Inspection sequence (typical)
- Footing / excavation — before concrete
- Foundation or slab — including under-slab trades if any
- Framing — before interiors close up
- Rough-ins — electrical, plumbing, HVAC before insulation and drywall
- Insulation / energy checks
- Final
- Certificate of Occupancy (when required)
Do not cover work until that stage has passed.
8. Who pulls the permit
Often the builder. Sometimes you, as owner-builder, with an affidavit. Put it in the contract either way, keep approved plans and the permit card on site, and share passed inspections with your lender.
9. Your printable checklist
- Confirmed which office covers my address
- Asked what permits I need
- Got a written fee schedule and review time
- Site plan and full plan set ready
- Energy, septic, well, and driveway items started if needed
- Decided who pulls the permit (in writing)
- Permit issued before work starts
- Inspections scheduled in order
- Final approval or Certificate of Occupancy received
Leave room for “notes for my city” on the printed PDF.