Linn County has no county building, planning or zoning office and is not in the National Flood Insurance Program; on county land the approval the state lists is the septic permit from the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services. Building permits come from the cities: Brookfield’s Code Enforcement Officer (116 West Brooks; 660-258-3377) and Marceline City Hall (660-376-3528), where a permit for work valued at $4,000 or more is $25 plus $5 per additional $1,000.
Linn County building department: who handles permitting
Linn County runs no building, planning, zoning or floodplain office: the state septic directory names DHSS as the permitting authority, and FEMA lists the county as not participating in the flood insurance program. The county seat is Linneus. For a parcel outside the cities, ask the County Commission at the courthouse in Linneus whether anything beyond the state septic permit applies.
Brookfield and Marceline publish building permit programs on their own sites. Populations below are Census Bureau Vintage 2025 estimates.
Short on time to read all of this?
Get a free quote →| Place | Who permits building work |
|---|---|
| Brookfield (4,083) | City of Brookfield Code Enforcement Officer: plan review, permits and inspections for building, plumbing, mechanical and electrical work; 116 West Brooks, 660-258-3377, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. |
| Marceline (2,112 in Linn County; 4 in Chariton County) | City of Marceline, City Hall, 116 N. Main Street, 660-376-3528, Monday to Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; separate forms for new construction and general building permits |
| Meadville (413) | The published sources do not say; ask City Hall |
| Bucklin (410) | The published sources do not say; City Hall 660-695-3221 |
| Laclede (300) | The published sources do not say; ask City Hall |
| Linneus (277) | The published sources do not say; ask City Hall |
| Browning (161 in Linn County; 55 in Sullivan County) | The published sources do not say; ask City Hall |
| Purdin (138) | The published sources do not say; ask City Hall |
| Unincorporated Linn County | No county building permit office; septic permits from Missouri DHSS |
Building permit fees in Marceline
Marceline posts its building permit fees, set in Title V, Chapter 500 of the city code (updated December 18, 2018), on its building permits page:
Not sure this scope needs a permit?
Get a free quote →| Project value or permit | Fee |
|---|---|
| Building work under $250 | No fee |
| $250 to $1,000 | $15 |
| $1,000 to $4,000 | $25 |
| $4,000 and over | $25 plus $5 per $1,000 over $4,000 |
| Change of use or occupancy | $25 |
| Conditional use, special use, variance or zoning amendment | $25 each |
| Demolition | No fee |
For example, a $100,000 addition in Marceline would cost $25 plus 96 x $5, or $505. Marceline requires permits for new buildings, additions, structural alterations, and garages, sheds and other accessory buildings over 120 sq ft. Brookfield prints no fee on its permit form; ask the Code Enforcement Officer.
How permits work in Brookfield
Brookfield’s Code Enforcement Officer enforces the city’s building, plumbing, mechanical, electrical and zoning codes. The city’s page lists the 2006 International Building, Residential, Mechanical and Plumbing Codes and the 2005 National Electrical Code as its adopted codes, and in December 2024 the city adopted the 2015 International Fire Code (Ordinance 24-15).
Rather talk it over?
Call 1-855-478-4290 →Print the building permit form, and the right-of-way permit form for work in a street, from the city’s Zoning/Building Permit/Code page.
The form asks for the zoning district, parcel ID, lot size, the structure’s width, length, height, type, use and foundation, and all four setbacks.
Deliver the completed form to the Code Enforcement Officer at 116 West Brooks, or scan and email it.
Display the weatherproof permit placard on the property.
Footings, drain tile, foundation and basement walls before backfill; framing after fire stopping and the electrical, plumbing and mechanical rough-ins; and the final. Reinforced concrete is also inspected after the steel is placed and before the pour.
Septic and floodplain in Linn County
Septic systems: the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) is the permitting authority for on-site wastewater systems in Linn County. Start by submitting the state’s OWTS Application Number Request Form for an application number, then file the construction permit with DHSS, 930 Wildwood Drive, Jefferson City (573-751-6095, ext. 5).
Flood insurance: FEMA’s Community Status Book lists Linn County, Laclede, Meadville and Purdin in its section of communities not in the National Flood Insurance Program. Brookfield, Browning, Linneus and Marceline participate, and SEMA lists floodplain administrators only for those four cities. Bucklin is not listed by FEMA.
Rather not deal with the Linn County building department?
Get a free quote →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
Linn County permit FAQs
Does Linn County issue building permits?
No. Linn County has no county building, planning or zoning office; building permits come from the cities that run a program, such as Brookfield and Marceline. Ask the County Commission in Linneus about a rural parcel.
Who issues building permits in Brookfield?
The City of Brookfield’s Code Enforcement Officer at 116 West Brooks (660-258-3377), who reviews plans, issues permits and carries out at least three inspections on new buildings, additions and alterations.
How much is a building permit in Marceline?
Nothing under $250 of work, $15 up to $1,000, $25 up to $4,000, and $25 plus $5 per $1,000 above $4,000.
Who issues septic permits in Linn County?
The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services directly (573-751-6095, ext. 5), after an application number request.
Can I buy flood insurance in rural Linn County?
FEMA lists Linn County among communities not in the National Flood Insurance Program; Brookfield, Browning, Linneus and Marceline participate.
Want this handled start to finish?
Get a free quote →Linn County permit search and official resources
- Missouri DHSS onsite wastewater permitting authority by county
- FEMA Community Status Book, Missouri
- SEMA Linn County emergency and floodplain contacts
- City of Brookfield Zoning/Building Permit/Code
- City of Brookfield building permit form
- City of Marceline building and demolition permits
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More Missouri permitting guides
Barton County
Read guide →Montgomery County
Read guide →Wayne County
Read guide →Livingston County Building Permit Guide
Read guide →Macon County Building Permit Guide
Read guide →Madison County Building Permit Guide
Read guide →This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Linn County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.