Cedar County, Missouri Building Permit Guide

Cedar County is a third-class county with no countywide planning and zoning and no county building permit. Stockton and El Dorado Springs each run their own permits and inspections. On unincorporated land, a 12-month moratorium adopted September 8, 2026 stops permits for data centers and for solar, wind and battery storage facilities, and the Cedar County Health Department permits septic systems.

Cedar County building department: who handles permitting

The County Commission meets every Monday at the courthouse, 113 South St., Stockton (417-276-6700 ext. 221), and its minutes are published in the local newspapers. The state emergency agency lists the presiding commissioner at the courthouse as the county floodplain administrator. Four towns lie in the county:

City permit fees in Stockton and El Dorado Springs

Stockton charges by project cost under a table adopted March 24, 2025 (City Code Sec. 500.080), paid to the City Clerk when you apply:

For example, a $20,000 project falls in the $19,001–$20,000 row and pays $126.50. Starting without a permit carries a $250 fine, and the Building Inspector will not issue a permit for a structure without access to City sewer or water.

El Dorado Springs charges $10 for work up to $500 and $12 up to $1,000, then $6 per $1,000 up to $10,000 and $5 per $1,000 above that (City Code Sec. 8-22). For new construction the cost used is at least $65 per sq ft of floor area, $40 for a basement and $50 for a garage. Remodeling that touches no wiring, plumbing, structure or roof needs no permit; other fees include $20 minimum electrical, $30 trailer hook-up, $30 demolition and $20 to move a building.

Moratorium, septic and floodplain

Energy and data-center moratorium: the County Commission’s order of September 8, 2026 bars building, starting, operating or expanding data centers, solar and wind energy systems and battery storage facilities in unincorporated Cedar County, including issuing any permits for them, for 12 months from adoption. The Commission may end it early or extend it once by up to six months. Projects already operating, or where foundation or other permanent work (not just grading) began before the order, are exempt, and the solar and battery limits do not cover on-site systems of 25 kilowatts or less. A data center here means a facility of 2,500 sq ft or more or with 250 kilowatts or more of IT power. The Commission holds a public forum on November 2, 2026 at 7 p.m. at the Family Life Center, 1607 S. Park St., El Dorado Springs.

Septic systems: the state health department lists the Cedar County Health Department, 1317 S. Hwy 32, Suite B, El Dorado Springs (417-876-5477), as the permitting authority under a county ordinance; it also keeps Monday hours at 807 Owen Mill Rd., Stockton. The state says its onsite application fees are on hold from August 28, 2026 under the amended section 701.046 RSMo; ask the Health Department what it charges.

Floodplain: Cedar County takes part in the National Flood Insurance Program with flood maps dated January 6, 2011, as do El Dorado Springs and Stockton.

Starting a project in Cedar County

Missouri building code

Missouri has no mandatory statewide building code for private construction: a county, fire protection district or municipality may adopt one (usually by reference under RSMo 67.280), and in parts of the state none has. Building codes in Missouri

Cedar County permit FAQs

Does Cedar County, Missouri require a building permit?

No. The county has no countywide zoning or building code; Stockton and El Dorado Springs permit work inside their limits.

Is there a data center or solar moratorium in Cedar County?

Yes. The order of September 8, 2026 halts data centers, solar, wind and battery storage facilities on unincorporated land for 12 months, with one possible extension of up to six months.

How much is a building permit in Stockton?

$17.25 for work up to $1,000, rising by cost to $270.25 at $50,000; a $20,000 project pays $126.50.

Which codes does Stockton use?

The 2018 International Building, Residential, Plumbing and Mechanical Codes and the 2017 National Electrical Code.

Who permits septic systems in Cedar County?

The Cedar County Health Department in El Dorado Springs (417-876-5477), under a county ordinance.

Cedar County permit search and official resources

• Cedar County Commission
• Cedar County temporary moratorium order (September 8, 2026)
• Cedar County public forum on data centers and renewable energy
• Cedar County Health Department
• Missouri DHSS septic (OWTS) permit authority by county
• SEMA emergency and floodplain contacts, Cedar County
• FEMA Community Status Book: Missouri
• City of Stockton code of ordinances
• City of El Dorado Springs code, Chapter 8 Buildings
• City of El Dorado Springs contacts

Simplify Cedar County permitting with Alliance Permitting

Alliance Permitting is a permit documentation and submission company in Missouri. We prepare your paperwork, file it correctly and coordinate with the permitting authority through issuance. We are not a contractor and we do not perform licensed plan review or inspections; that work stays with your licensed team and the jurisdiction.

This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Cedar County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.