Pulaski County, Missouri Building Permit Guide

Rural Pulaski County has no county building department: the county’s list of offices runs from the assessor to the treasurer and includes emergency management, but no building, planning or zoning office. Inside Waynesville, St. Robert and Dixon, the city issues building permits, and onsite sewage permits anywhere in the county come from the state health department’s onsite program. Building in a mapped flood zone on county land goes through the county’s floodplain administrator at Emergency Management (573-774-8493).

Pulaski County building department: who handles permitting

The County Commission sits in the courthouse at 301 Historic Rt. 66 E., Suite 101, Waynesville (573-774-4701), and meets on Mondays and Thursdays from 9:00 to 10:30 a.m. None of the county offices it lists handles building permits. Fort Leonard Wood, which the county’s own history notes became a permanent military reservation in 1958, is federal land outside the city and county permit offices below. Town populations are Census Bureau Vintage 2025 estimates.

City permit fees in Pulaski County

Waynesville: the City’s General Building Permit Application covers remodels, upgrades, fences and accessory buildings, and a separate New Construction Permit Application covers new homes and commercial buildings. Under section 500.020 of the city code, a one- or two-family home is charged $0.10 per square foot of gross floor area, with a $150 minimum; unfinished basements and garages are not counted. Building without a permit is an ordinance violation with a fine of up to $500.

St. Robert: the Building Department’s fee schedule (Ordinance 2166, last updated December 2023) prices houses and duplexes by total valuation: no fee up to $2,000, $35 up to $10,000, $50 up to $20,000, and above that $50 plus $2 for each additional $1,000. Home plans carry a $10 review fee; plan review for new non-residential buildings is done by the International Code Council at the developer’s expense.

Dixon: the 2024 application lists $25 for most jobs, including remodels, decks, sheds, fences, re-roofing, pools and electrical, plumbing or mechanical work, $100 for new construction, and $250 each for a water or sewer tap. The city may require a performance bond, and structures must sit at least 25 feet from the roadway. Section 500.030 of the city code exempts ordinary repairs and minor alterations that involve no change to major structural parts, or that cost no more than $2,000.

Septic and flood rules on county land

Septic systems: the Pulaski County Health Center (104 Ashley May St., Waynesville; 573-774-3820) takes complaints and questions, but it states that the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services is the regulatory authority for onsite systems in the county. Apply to DHSS directly: request an application number through its online request form, or call 573-751-6095, extension 5. DHSS notes that some single-family residential lots may be exempt from permitting, and that work should not begin until a permit has been issued or the exemption confirmed. DHSS suspended its onsite permit application fees on August 28, 2026, after a change to RSMo 701.046, and has not set an end date; the suspension lasts until new fee standards take effect.

Floodplains: Pulaski County takes part in the National Flood Insurance Program, with maps dated May 3, 2010. SEMA’s directory lists the county floodplain administrator at the courthouse, 301 Historic 66 E., Suite 101 (573-774-8493). Richland, St. Robert and Waynesville also take part and have their own floodplain contacts; FEMA lists Dixon among communities not in the program, and Crocker does not appear.

Building in Pulaski County, step by step

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

Pulaski County permit FAQs

Does Pulaski County issue building permits?

The county lists no building, planning or zoning office. Building permits come from the cities, and on unincorporated land the county role is floodplain review in mapped flood zones.

Who issues septic permits in Pulaski County?

The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, through its onsite wastewater program (573-751-6095, ext. 5). The county health center refers permitting to DHSS.

How much is a building permit for a new house in Waynesville?

$0.10 per square foot of gross floor area, with a $150 minimum. Unfinished basements and garages are left out of the square footage.

Which building code does St. Robert use?

Its city code adopts the 2006 International Building, Residential and Plumbing Codes and the 2005 National Electrical Code. The Building Department is at 194 Eastlawn Ave. (573-451-3319).

Do I need a permit for a small repair in Dixon?

Not for the ordinary repairs and minor alterations exempted by section 500.030 of the city code: work with no change to major structural parts, or costing no more than $2,000. Most other jobs cost $25 on the city’s application.

Does the county handle permits on Fort Leonard Wood?

No. Fort Leonard Wood is a federal military reservation, separate from the county and the cities.

Pulaski County permit search and official resources

• Pulaski County offices and phone numbers
• Pulaski County Health Center onsite wastewater page
• DHSS onsite wastewater construction permit process
• SEMA emergency management and floodplain contacts: Pulaski County
• FEMA Community Status Book: Missouri
• City of Waynesville building code enforcement
• Waynesville Municipal Code (Title V, Building and Construction)
• City of St. Robert Building Department
• St. Robert City Code on eCode360
• City of Dixon building permit
• Dixon City Code on eCode360

Simplify Pulaski 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 Pulaski County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.