Des Moines, Iowa Building Permit Cost Calculator

Des Moines charges flat residential building permit fees rather than valuation based fees. Newly built single family homes are priced in three brackets by total finished floor area, with basement and garage areas left out of the calculation, and new townhouses and two family homes are priced per unit in the same three brackets. Additions to dwellings and renovations to dwellings each carry their own flat amount. Commercial building permits are calculated from total valuation in tiers, with a plan checking fee set at a share of the permit fee and an energy review fee set at a smaller share with a stated minimum. The schedule took effect January 1, 2026. Re-verified 2026-09-14 from the cited PDF, which heads "Des Moines Permit and Development Center Permit Fees - New Fees 1-1-26", so the schedule is current as of January 1, 2026. Every stored amount was found on its own line, including the new single-family bands $1,081.50 / $1,390.50 / $1,802.50, townhouse and two-family $1,339.00 per unit, accessory housing unit $515.00, additions $257.50, renovations $154.50, the $77.25 charge that covers decks, fences, retaining walls, pools, hot tubs and other accessory structures as one line, new detached sheds and garages $180.25, the electrical unit fees ($10.50 meter setting, $4.25 per circuit, $1.25 per added opening, $6.75 per fixed appliance, $0.75 per fixture, $51.50 starting permit, $15.50 de-energization), the plumbing lines ($206.00 new dwellings, $77.25 alterations, $7.75 per commercial fixture) and the $51.50 certificate of occupancy.

Decks are charged a flat residential building permit fee under the Other Building Permits heading of the adopted permit fee schedule, grouped with fences, retaining walls, swimming pools, hot tubs and other accessory structures. Alterations, repairs and additions to accessory structures carry the same flat amount. The schedule took effect January 1, 2026. Re-verified 2026-09-14 from the cited PDF, which heads "Des Moines Permit and Development Center Permit Fees - New Fees 1-1-26", so the schedule is current as of January 1, 2026. Every stored amount was found on its own line, including the new single-family bands $1,081.50 / $1,390.50 / $1,802.50, townhouse and two-family $1,339.00 per unit, accessory housing unit $515.00, additions $257.50, renovations $154.50, the $77.25 charge that covers decks, fences, retaining walls, pools, hot tubs and other accessory structures as one line, new detached sheds and garages $180.25, the electrical unit fees ($10.50 meter setting, $4.25 per circuit, $1.25 per added opening, $6.75 per fixed appliance, $0.75 per fixture, $51.50 starting permit, $15.50 de-energization), the plumbing lines ($206.00 new dwellings, $77.25 alterations, $7.75 per commercial fixture) and the $51.50 certificate of occupancy.

Des Moines charges flat residential electrical permit fees. Electrical work tied to construction of a new dwelling carries one flat amount that also covers the temporary power pole, while electrical work tied to alterations and additions at an existing dwelling or accessory structure carries a lower flat amount. Commercial electrical permits work differently: a base fee applies and unit fees are added on top of it for meter settings, circuits, openings added to existing circuits, fixed appliances, fixtures, baseboard heating by the kilowatt, and motors grouped by horsepower. The schedule took effect January 1, 2026. Re-verified 2026-09-14 from the cited PDF, which heads "Des Moines Permit and Development Center Permit Fees - New Fees 1-1-26", so the schedule is current as of January 1, 2026. Every stored amount was found on its own line, including the new single-family bands $1,081.50 / $1,390.50 / $1,802.50, townhouse and two-family $1,339.00 per unit, accessory housing unit $515.00, additions $257.50, renovations $154.50, the $77.25 charge that covers decks, fences, retaining walls, pools, hot tubs and other accessory structures as one line, new detached sheds and garages $180.25, the electrical unit fees ($10.50 meter setting, $4.25 per circuit, $1.25 per added opening, $6.75 per fixed appliance, $0.75 per fixture, $51.50 starting permit, $15.50 de-energization), the plumbing lines ($206.00 new dwellings, $77.25 alterations, $7.75 per commercial fixture) and the $51.50 certificate of occupancy.

Fences are charged a flat residential building permit fee under the Other Building Permits heading of the adopted permit fee schedule, grouped with decks, retaining walls, swimming pools, hot tubs and other accessory structures. The schedule took effect January 1, 2026. Re-verified 2026-09-14 from the cited PDF, which heads "Des Moines Permit and Development Center Permit Fees - New Fees 1-1-26", so the schedule is current as of January 1, 2026. Every stored amount was found on its own line, including the new single-family bands $1,081.50 / $1,390.50 / $1,802.50, townhouse and two-family $1,339.00 per unit, accessory housing unit $515.00, additions $257.50, renovations $154.50, the $77.25 charge that covers decks, fences, retaining walls, pools, hot tubs and other accessory structures as one line, new detached sheds and garages $180.25, the electrical unit fees ($10.50 meter setting, $4.25 per circuit, $1.25 per added opening, $6.75 per fixed appliance, $0.75 per fixture, $51.50 starting permit, $15.50 de-energization), the plumbing lines ($206.00 new dwellings, $77.25 alterations, $7.75 per commercial fixture) and the $51.50 certificate of occupancy.

Des Moines publishes no fee specific to roofing. Reroofing that leaves the roof sheathing, decking and framing members untouched is exempt from permit altogether under the city minor repair permit exemption policy, which took effect July 1, 2023. Roof work that goes beyond that and does need a permit is charged under the Other Building Permits heading of the fee schedule, where renovations to dwellings carry a flat amount. The fee schedule took effect January 1, 2026. Re-verified 2026-09-14 from the cited PDF, which heads "Des Moines Permit and Development Center Permit Fees - New Fees 1-1-26", so the schedule is current as of January 1, 2026. Every stored amount was found on its own line, including the new single-family bands $1,081.50 / $1,390.50 / $1,802.50, townhouse and two-family $1,339.00 per unit, accessory housing unit $515.00, additions $257.50, renovations $154.50, the $77.25 charge that covers decks, fences, retaining walls, pools, hot tubs and other accessory structures as one line, new detached sheds and garages $180.25, the electrical unit fees ($10.50 meter setting, $4.25 per circuit, $1.25 per added opening, $6.75 per fixed appliance, $0.75 per fixture, $51.50 starting permit, $15.50 de-energization), the plumbing lines ($206.00 new dwellings, $77.25 alterations, $7.75 per commercial fixture) and the $51.50 certificate of occupancy.

Retaining walls are charged a flat residential building permit fee under the Other Building Permits category of the adopted permit fee schedule effective January 1, 2026. Re-verified 2026-09-14 from the cited PDF, which heads "Des Moines Permit and Development Center Permit Fees - New Fees 1-1-26", so the schedule is current as of January 1, 2026. Every stored amount was found on its own line, including the new single-family bands $1,081.50 / $1,390.50 / $1,802.50, townhouse and two-family $1,339.00 per unit, accessory housing unit $515.00, additions $257.50, renovations $154.50, the $77.25 charge that covers decks, fences, retaining walls, pools, hot tubs and other accessory structures as one line, new detached sheds and garages $180.25, the electrical unit fees ($10.50 meter setting, $4.25 per circuit, $1.25 per added opening, $6.75 per fixed appliance, $0.75 per fixture, $51.50 starting permit, $15.50 de-energization), the plumbing lines ($206.00 new dwellings, $77.25 alterations, $7.75 per commercial fixture) and the $51.50 certificate of occupancy.

New detached sheds and garages are charged a single flat residential building permit fee under the Other Building Permits heading of the adopted permit fee schedule. Alterations, repairs and additions to an existing accessory structure are charged a lower flat amount, and an accessory structure containing living quarters is charged a higher one. The schedule took effect January 1, 2026. Re-verified 2026-09-14 from the cited PDF, which heads "Des Moines Permit and Development Center Permit Fees - New Fees 1-1-26", so the schedule is current as of January 1, 2026. Every stored amount was found on its own line, including the new single-family bands $1,081.50 / $1,390.50 / $1,802.50, townhouse and two-family $1,339.00 per unit, accessory housing unit $515.00, additions $257.50, renovations $154.50, the $77.25 charge that covers decks, fences, retaining walls, pools, hot tubs and other accessory structures as one line, new detached sheds and garages $180.25, the electrical unit fees ($10.50 meter setting, $4.25 per circuit, $1.25 per added opening, $6.75 per fixed appliance, $0.75 per fixture, $51.50 starting permit, $15.50 de-energization), the plumbing lines ($206.00 new dwellings, $77.25 alterations, $7.75 per commercial fixture) and the $51.50 certificate of occupancy.

Replacing a water heater in Des Moines requires a plumbing permit, which a homeowner may obtain for work on their own residence; otherwise a state licensed plumbing or mechanical contractor is required. The work is charged the flat residential plumbing permit fee for alterations and additions to existing dwellings and accessory structures. Commercial plumbing permits instead use a base fee plus a unit fee for each fixture. The schedule took effect January 1, 2026. Re-verified 2026-09-14 from the cited PDF, which heads "Des Moines Permit and Development Center Permit Fees - New Fees 1-1-26", so the schedule is current as of January 1, 2026. Every stored amount was found on its own line, including the new single-family bands $1,081.50 / $1,390.50 / $1,802.50, townhouse and two-family $1,339.00 per unit, accessory housing unit $515.00, additions $257.50, renovations $154.50, the $77.25 charge that covers decks, fences, retaining walls, pools, hot tubs and other accessory structures as one line, new detached sheds and garages $180.25, the electrical unit fees ($10.50 meter setting, $4.25 per circuit, $1.25 per added opening, $6.75 per fixed appliance, $0.75 per fixture, $51.50 starting permit, $15.50 de-energization), the plumbing lines ($206.00 new dwellings, $77.25 alterations, $7.75 per commercial fixture) and the $51.50 certificate of occupancy.