Stone County, Missouri Building Permit Guide

On unincorporated land in Stone County, the county’s Planning & Zoning Department, 112 E. 5th St., Galena (417-357-8402), issues the building permit. It is a zoning permit: staff check the use, setbacks and site, and the fee is 20 cents per square foot of footprint with no maximum. Voters chose to keep county planning and zoning on April 7, 2026, and a 12-month moratorium on data centers and large energy projects was enacted on June 4, 2026. Kimberling City, Reeds Spring, Branson West and the other towns run their own permits.

What needs a county permit?

Under the county zoning regulations (effective August 5, 2009), a building permit from the Planning and Zoning Director is needed before any structure is built, moved or rebuilt and before land is improved for a new use. Repair or maintenance needs no permit unless it changes the structure’s height or the ground area it covers. The Director must issue or refuse a permit within ten days of receiving the application, and the permit lapses after six months if work has not started. The regulations and the permit packet adopt no building code, and the only inspection the packet describes is a site visit before construction starts.

Before the building permit, a lot that is not on sewer needs a Stone County Health Department septic permit; a new access from a county road needs a driveway inspection number from the county road foreman, and an access from a state road needs MoDOT. The application asks whether the building will be used as a short-term rental, and tells applicants to contact the Stone County Fire Marshal before building.

Stone County building department: who handles permitting

Planning & Zoning is open 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. weekdays (mailing address P.O. Box 301, Galena); the County Commission is at P.O. Box 19, Galena (417-357-8141). Each town permits work inside its own limits:

County permit fees

The building permit costs 20 cents per square foot of the footprint, counting decks, porches and the garage, with no maximum; the fee doubles if concrete is poured or construction starts before approval. For example, a house with a 1,800 sq ft footprint including its porch and garage pays 1,800 × $0.20 = $360.

Site inspection and setbacks

An inspector visits the property before construction can start; because of demand this can take up to 5 working days, and an unstaked site may add another week. The setbacks on the application are 25 ft from the front and back property lines (measured from the road easement), 10 ft from each side, 25 ft from any Corps of Engineers property line, and 10 ft between a detached building and the main structure. The county permit expires six months from purchase.

Moratorium, zoning changes, septic and floodplain

Planning and zoning vote: a citizen petition with 1,496 signatures put the question “shall county planning and zoning be continued” on the April 7, 2026 ballot; it passed 4,123 to 4,045. The Commission adopted amendments to the zoning and subdivision regulations on July 21, 2026 and accepted draft accessory dwelling unit amendments on September 8, 2026.

Moratorium: on June 4, 2026 the County Commission adopted an order and ordinance placing a moratorium on solar energy, wind energy, battery storage and data-center facilities in unincorporated Stone County while the zoning regulations are amended. No rezoning, conditional use, building permit or variance application for these facilities is accepted or considered. It ends automatically on June 4, 2027 unless the Commission ends it sooner or extends it because the zoning amendments are not finished. Existing facilities and small systems on a property that produce power for the owner’s own use there are not covered.

Septic systems: the Stone County Health Department permits every onsite system, new, repaired or replaced, regardless of lot size (North Office, 109 E. 4th St., Galena, 417-357-6134; South Office, 701 Old Wilderness Rd., Reeds Spring, 417-272-0050). Installers must be registered with the state and the county, a county-registered soil scientist writes the soil report, the installer stakes the system for a pre-site visit, and the permit must be posted and the system left uncovered for the final inspection. Permits are valid for one year. Since July 1, 2009, a property served by a septic system needs a property transfer certificate before it is sold.

Floodplain: the zoning regulations adopt FEMA’s flood regulations by reference, with a copy at the Planning & Zoning office; floodplain questions go to that office, and the Commission appointed an assistant floodplain administrator in August 2026. Stone County’s flood maps are dated August 28, 2024; Crane, Galena, Hurley, Kimberling City, McCord Bend and Reeds Spring take part in the flood insurance program, while FEMA lists Blue Eye, Branson West, Coney Island and Indian Point as not participating.

Town fees: Branson West charges $4 per $1,000 of value; for a one- to four-family home the minimum is $65, plus plan review of 0.125% of value ($40 minimum) and $45 for each inspection visit. Reeds Spring’s Building Inspector collects $35 per inspection and $70 for a sewer connection. Indian Point fines building without a zoning compliance permit $100 a week in residential zones and $250 in commercial zones.

How to get a Stone County permit

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

Stone County permit FAQs

Do I need a building permit in unincorporated Stone County?

Yes. The Planning & Zoning Director must issue a permit before a structure is built, moved or rebuilt; repairs that do not change its height or footprint are exempt.

How much is a Stone County building permit?

20 cents per square foot of footprint, including decks, porches and garage, with no maximum; the fee doubles if work starts first.

Which building code applies on county land in Stone County?

None is adopted in the county regulations or permit packet; the county permit is a zoning permit with a site and setback inspection before work starts.

Is there a data center or solar moratorium in Stone County?

Yes. On June 4, 2026 the County Commission adopted a moratorium on data centers, solar, wind and battery storage facilities that ends on June 4, 2027 unless ended early or extended.

Do large lots need a septic permit in Stone County?

Yes. The county ordinance requires a permit for any new, repaired or modified system regardless of lot size.

Who issues permits in Kimberling City?

City Hall at 34 Kimberling Blvd. (417-739-4903), under the 2021 International Codes; contractors need a city licence.

Stone County permit search and official resources

• Stone County Planning & Zoning
• Stone County residential building permit application
• Stone County Planning & Zoning fee schedule
• Stone County zoning and subdivision regulations
• Stone County Commission minutes
• Stone County Health Department septic information
• Stone County onsite wastewater ordinance
• Missouri DHSS septic (OWTS) permit authority by county
• FEMA Community Status Book: Missouri
• Kimberling City code of ordinances
• City of Reeds Spring code of ordinances
• City of Branson West Building Department
• Village of Indian Point code of ordinances

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