Pettis County does not post a building code, a building permit application or permit fees for unincorporated land; its Planning & Zoning page says resources are coming and sends questions to the County Commission at the courthouse, 415 S. Ohio, Sedalia (660-826-5000). On county land the approvals that are published are the Road & Bridge driveway and road-cut permits, septic permits from the Pettis County Health Center and floodplain review. Since October 15, 2026 a county moratorium has stopped applications for large economic development projects and data centers.
Pettis County building department: who handles permitting
The county’s Planning & Zoning page describes an office responsible for land use regulations, zoning ordinances and development standards in the unincorporated area, but it has not yet posted any regulations, forms or fees and directs callers to the County Commission office in the courthouse, Suite 212. Inside the cities, building permits come from each city. 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 |
|---|---|
| Sedalia (22,621) | City of Sedalia Community Development Department, 200 South Osage Ave., Office 203; 2021 International Building and Residential Codes; $50 for work up to $1,000 plus $6 per additional $1,000; 660-827-3000 |
| La Monte (1,018) | City of La Monte: a permit from City Hall, 110 East Pine Street, for fences, sheds, buildings and additions; 660-347-5606 |
| Green Ridge (601) | City of Green Ridge zoning administration: a zoning permit, with a map of the lot and buildings, before building, altering, repairing or adding to any structure where the work costs $500 or more |
| Smithton (508) | The published sources do not say; SEMA lists the city’s floodplain contact at 101 W. Washington, 660-343-5444 |
| Houstonia (201) | The published sources do not say; SEMA lists the city’s floodplain contact at 119 N. Walnut Street |
| Hughesville (151) | The published sources do not say; ask the village |
| Windsor (111 here; 2,758 in Henry County) | City of Windsor: building permits from City Hall under the 2021 International Building and Residential Codes and the 2020 NEC; 660-647-3512 |
| Ionia (2 here; 77 in Benton County) | The published sources do not say; ask the town |
| Unincorporated Pettis County | No county building permit is posted; Road & Bridge, Health Center and floodplain approvals apply |
County permits on unincorporated land
Road & Bridge
- Driveway and Entrance Permit for each new driveway or entrance onto a county road
- Right-of-way excavation permit for private residents cutting into or across a county road
- Utility excavation permit
Other county approvals
- Onsite sewage (septic) permit from the Pettis County Health Center
- Floodplain review for building in a mapped flood area
Not sure this scope needs a permit?
Get a free quote →The Road & Bridge Department is at 1511 N. Ohio, Sedalia (660-826-7187). The driveway permit has no fee: staff inspect the flagged location and set the culvert size, the owner buys the culvert, and the county delivers and installs it at no cost. Culverts must be at least 12 inches across and 20 ft long, in reinforced concrete or corrugated metal. A road-cut permit needs Commission approval before any digging, stays valid for 90 days, needs a homeowners association’s written permission inside a subdivision that has one, and its fee is worked out by the Road & Bridge office.
Moratorium, septic and floodplain
Rather talk it over?
Call 1-855-478-4290 →Septic systems: the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services lists the Pettis County Health Center, 911 E. 16th Street, Sedalia (660-827-1130), as the permitting authority, under a county onsite wastewater ordinance that may add to the state minimum standards.
Floodplain: Pettis County is in the National Flood Insurance Program on flood maps dated November 30, 2023, and SEMA lists the county’s floodplain administrator at Emergency Management, Public Safety Building, 1511 N. Ohio Ave. (660-827-4800). Sedalia, Houstonia, La Monte, Smithton and Windsor also take part; Sedalia requires a new home’s lowest floor to be 1 ft above the base flood elevation.
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
Pettis County permit FAQs
Does Pettis County issue building permits?
The county posts no building code, building permit form or fee for unincorporated land. Its Planning & Zoning page refers questions to the County Commission at 660-826-5000.
Do I need a permit for a new driveway on a county road?
Yes. The Road & Bridge Department’s Driveway and Entrance Permit is free; you buy the culvert it specifies and the county installs it.
Rather not deal with the Pettis County building department?
Get a free quote →Who issues septic permits in Pettis County?
The Pettis County Health Center, 911 E. 16th Street, Sedalia (660-827-1130), under the county’s onsite wastewater ordinance.
What does the Pettis County moratorium cover?
Applications to establish or expand economic development projects and data centers of at least 30 unincorporated acres or $5 million in value, from October 15, 2026 until the county’s studies are complete.
Who issues building permits in Sedalia?
The City of Sedalia Community Development Department, 200 South Osage Ave., Office 203 (660-827-3000).
Do I need a permit for a fence in La Monte?
Yes. La Monte requires a building permit from City Hall for installing or replacing fencing, sheds, buildings and additions.
Want this handled start to finish?
Get a free quote →Pettis County permit search and official resources
- Pettis County Planning & Zoning
- Pettis County Road Department and permit forms
- Pettis County Driveway and Entrance Permit (2026)
- Pettis County right-of-way excavation permit for private residents (2026)
- Pettis County Commission Order 10-2026-1899, economic development and data center moratorium
- Pettis County Emergency Management
- Missouri DHSS onsite wastewater permitting authority by county
- SEMA emergency management and floodplain contacts, Pettis County
- FEMA Community Status Book, Missouri
- City of Sedalia permits and licensing
- City of La Monte city services and building permits
- City of Windsor ordinances, including the building code
- City of Green Ridge zoning regulations (Chapter 405)
Inspections are where schedules slip.
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More Missouri permitting guides
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Read guide →This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Pettis County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.