The Osage County Commission states that for buildings not paid for by county taxpayers the county has no building and zoning ordinance and does not issue occupancy certificates. What the county does enforce everywhere is its Floodplain Management Ordinance: any construction, remodeling, fill or land disturbance in a mapped floodplain needs a permit from the county floodplain administrator (573-897-3927 ext. 218) first. Septic systems are permitted by the state, and Linn and the other towns set their own building rules.
Osage County building department: who handles permitting
The Commission’s September 29, 2026 statement of zoning permit requirements sets out the position. Ordinance No. 12032024 adopts the 2012 International Building Code, but only for projects funded wholly or partly by Osage County taxpayers. Private homes, farm buildings and businesses in the unincorporated county are not covered by any county building code or zoning ordinance, and the county issues no occupancy certificate for them. The Commission meets on Tuesdays from 8 a.m. at 205 E. Main St., Linn (573-897-2497 ext. 115; Commission Clerk 573-291-4913). The Commission sends town residents to their own trustees or aldermen. Town populations are Census Bureau Vintage 2025 estimates for the part of each place in Osage County.
Short on time to read all of this?
Get a free quote →| Place | Who permits building work |
|---|---|
| Linn (1,453) | City of Linn issues building permits ($25) for exterior work that changes a house’s footprint, fences, decks and sheds; new roofs and siding need none. City Hall 573-897-2236 |
| Belle (213; 1,166 in Maries County) | City code adopts the 2006 International Building, Plumbing, Mechanical and Fire Codes and the 2005 National Electrical Code; solar panels need a City permit and Building Inspector approval of the site. City Hall 573-859-3513 |
| Westphalia (404) | The published sources do not say; City phone 573-619-8817 |
| Bland (2; 503 in Gasconade County) | The City Code has zoning and floodplain chapters, and its building chapter adopts only the 2003 International Property Maintenance Code; City Hall 573-646-3252 |
| Freeburg (407) | The Village Code’s buildings chapter holds only the state seismic-design rule and its planning and zoning chapter is empty; placing a mobile home needs a permit from the Board of Trustees (Ordinance 189) |
| Chamois (387), Meta (182), Argyle (143; 2 in Maries County) | The published sources do not say; the county directs residents to the town’s trustees or aldermen |
What needs a county floodplain permit
The floodplain rules apply countywide. A permit from the floodplain administrator is needed before any of these activities in a mapped floodplain:
Not sure this scope needs a permit?
Get a free quote →Buildings
- New buildings, substantial improvements and repairs of substantial damage
- Manufactured (mobile) homes and temporary buildings
- Accessory and agricultural structures
- Subdivision of land
Site work
- Filling, grading, excavating, mining and dredging
- Roads, bridges and culverts
- Stream alteration
- Parking or storing recreational vehicles and storing materials, including gas, liquids, sand and gravel
Work done without the permit is a violation and can bring fines. Because floodplains are not shown on most deeds or plat maps, the county’s emergency management office asks owners to check with it before building anywhere in the county.
Floodplain standards and septic systems
Elevation: under the county’s floodplain fact sheets (2014), the lowest floor of a new home in the special flood hazard area must be at least 1 foot above the base flood elevation unless a Letter of Map Revision based on fill was obtained first, and the utilities serving it must be above the base flood elevation. Every residential project in the floodplain needs a certified elevation certificate, based on the construction drawings, before the permit is issued, and fill in the regulatory floodway needs an engineer’s no-rise certification. The county’s forms include the development permit application, elevation and floodproofing certificates and a substantial damage review application. Osage County is in the National Flood Insurance Program with maps dated September 19, 2012, as are Argyle, Chamois, Linn, Meta and Westphalia.
Rather talk it over?
Call 1-855-478-4290 →Septic systems: the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services is the septic permitting authority for Osage County. Request an application number online or at 573-751-6095 ext. 5 before installing or repairing a system. From August 28, 2026 the state’s septic application fees are suspended until new fees are set under the amended RSMo 701.046.
Roads: the Road & Bridge Department (573-897-3919) maintains county roads; the county Health Department (573-897-3103) administers the county’s food service sanitation ordinance.
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
Osage County permit FAQs
Rather not deal with the Osage County building department?
Get a free quote →Does Osage County regulate building a private house?
The county has no building and zoning ordinance for buildings that are not taxpayer-funded and issues no occupancy certificates for them. A floodplain permit is still needed if the site is in a mapped floodplain.
How do I find out whether my land is in the floodplain?
Contact the county floodplain administrator at 573-897-3927 ext. 218 before you build; floodplains are not shown on most deeds or plats.
How high must a new house in the floodplain be?
The lowest floor must be at least 1 foot above the base flood elevation, with an elevation certificate submitted before the permit is issued.
Who issues septic permits in Osage County?
The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services Onsite Wastewater Program (573-751-6095 ext. 5).
How much is a building permit in Linn?
$25, for footprint changes, fences, decks and sheds; roofs and siding need no permit.
Want this handled start to finish?
Get a free quote →Osage County permit search and official resources
- Osage County zoning permit requirements (September 29, 2026)
- Osage County Commission
- Osage County floodplain forms and ordinance
- Osage County floodplain development permit application
- Osage County fact sheet: new homes in the floodplain
- Missouri DHSS onsite wastewater construction permit process
- FEMA Community Status Book: Missouri
- City of Linn building permit questions
- Belle City Code, Chapter 500 Building Codes
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Read guide →This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Osage County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.