Madison County government in Fredericktown lists no building, planning or zoning department among its offices, and its applications page offers an address request form but no building permit. On rural land the steps that apply are a 911 address from Madison County Emergency Communications, a floodplain permit from the county floodplain administrator (573-944-4122) in mapped flood areas, and a septic permit from the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services. Inside Fredericktown, the City’s zoning, inspection and permits office issues building permits under the 2015 International Codes.
Madison County building department: who handles permitting
The county’s departments are the elected offices, Road & Bridge (573-783-2984), the E911 office and the juvenile office. The courthouse is at 1 Courthouse Square, Fredericktown (573-783-2176). The State Emergency Management Agency lists the 2nd District county commissioner, at 2135 W. Highway 72, Fredericktown, as the county floodplain administrator.
| Place | Who permits building work |
|---|---|
| Fredericktown (4,584) | City zoning, inspection and permits office at City Hall, 124 W. Main St.; 573-783-3683, Monday to Friday 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. 2015 International Codes and 2017 National Electrical Code |
| Marquand (190) | The city has posted no permit rules; City Hall, 119 S. Harding St., 573-783-7780 |
| Cobalt (264), Junction City (287) | Neither village publishes a building code or permit form online; ask the village before building |
Short on time to read all of this?
Get a free quote →Fredericktown permits and fees
Fredericktown’s permit area is its city limits plus the Fredericktown Municipal Airport. Permits are needed for new and remodeled buildings, portable buildings, moving a building, carports, electrical, mechanical and plumbing work, fences, signs and swimming pools; ordinary repairs that do not touch walls, beams, chimneys or other structural parts are exempt. The city code also requires site plans sealed by a Missouri-registered architect or engineer with every application for a new or remodeled residential, commercial or industrial building. Forms are returned to City Hall in person or by email.
| Permit | Fee |
|---|---|
| Single- or two-family home, with detached garage and accessory buildings | $0.07 per sq ft of gross floor area, basement excluded; $30 minimum |
| Multifamily building | $0.08 per sq ft of gross floor area |
| Commercial or industrial new construction | $50 minimum permit fee. Plan review: a $50 base fee (not charged for buildings over 10,000 sq ft) plus the estimated review cost paid with the plans; the City Engineer reviews the plans and the applicant pays the actual review cost |
| Portable building or carport | $30 |
| Electrical permit / fence permit | $30 each |
| Scheduled inspections | No charge |
| Re-inspections | First free, second $50, third and later $100 each |
Not sure this scope needs a permit?
Get a free quote →For a 1,800 sq ft house with no basement, the building permit is $126 (1,800 × $0.07). A permit lapses if work has not started within 6 months or is not finished within 2 years, and the zoning administrator can extend it for 90 days.
Rural Madison County: address, flood and septic rules
911 addresses: Madison County Emergency Communications, 124 N. Main St., Fredericktown (573-783-2192), assigns and verifies physical addresses. Its request form asks for GPS coordinates of both the driveway and the structure, the parcel ID number and the nearest existing address.
Floodplains: Madison County, Fredericktown, Cobalt and Marquand take part in the National Flood Insurance Program, with flood maps dated August 2, 2012; FEMA lists Junction City among communities not in the program. Before building or filling in a mapped flood area outside the cities, contact the county floodplain administrator (573-944-4122); the State Emergency Management Agency posts the sample floodplain development permit and floodway no-rise certificate forms communities use.
Rather talk it over?
Call 1-855-478-4290 →Septic systems: Madison County has no local septic program, so permits come from the state health department’s Onsite Wastewater Treatment Program (573-751-6095 ext. 5), starting with its online application number request. Some single-family lots can be exempt under state rules; the department asks owners to start work only once it has issued a permit or confirmed the exemption. The department stopped charging its septic application fees on August 28, 2026, after RSMo 701.046 was amended, until new fees are set.
Steps for a new home outside the towns
Send the 911 address request form with GPS points for the driveway and house site.
If any part of the site is in a mapped flood area, get the county floodplain administrator’s permit first.
Request a state application number and submit the system design, or have the department confirm that a single-family lot is exempt, before installation.
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
Rather not deal with the Madison County building department?
Get a free quote →Madison County permit FAQs
Do I need a building permit in rural Madison County, Missouri?
The county lists no building or zoning office and offers no building permit; rural projects need a 911 address, a floodplain permit in mapped flood areas and a state septic permit.
How much is a building permit for a house in Fredericktown?
$0.07 per sq ft of gross floor area, not counting the basement, with a $30 minimum; scheduled inspections are free.
Does Fredericktown require sealed plans for a house?
Yes. Its code requires site plans sealed by a Missouri-registered architect or engineer with every new or remodeled residential, commercial or industrial building permit application.
Who issues septic permits in Madison County?
The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services directly, because the county has no local septic program.
How do I get a 911 address?
Send the county’s address request form to Madison County Emergency Communications, 124 N. Main St., Fredericktown (573-783-2192).
Want this handled start to finish?
Get a free quote →Madison County permit search and official resources
- Madison County departments and phone numbers
- Madison County 911 physical address request form
- SEMA emergency and floodplain contacts, Madison County
- SEMA floodplain development permit forms
- FEMA Community Status Book: Missouri
- Missouri DHSS septic (OWTS) permit process
- City of Fredericktown zoning, inspection and permits
- City of Fredericktown building permit application
- City of Fredericktown code of ordinances
Simplify Madison County permitting with Alliance Permitting
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →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.
Ready to break ground in Madison County sooner?
Let Alliance prepare, file, and track your Madison County permits while your crew stays on the job.
More Missouri permitting guides
Pemiscot County
Read guide →Osage County
Read guide →Douglas County
Read guide →Marion County Building Permit Guide
Read guide →Marshall Building Permit Guide
Read guide →Maryville Building Permit Guide
Read guide →This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Madison County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.