In unincorporated Box Butte County, a new non-farm building needs a county placement permit before it is built or moved in; the application goes through the Zoning Administrator and is signed by the chair of the County Board of Commissioners. The county has no building code inspections, and the zoning office has no walk-in location: it answers by phone at 308-763-8348. Alliance permits its own work in the city and 2 miles beyond it, and Hemingford issues village building permits.
What needs a county permit in Box Butte County?
Section 20.02 of the county’s zoning resolution says no building or other structure may be erected, built, rebuilt, moved or structurally altered without first obtaining the permit the county’s resolutions require. The permit form the county posts for this is the Application for Placement of a Non-Farm Building Permit.
County applications
- Placement of a non-farm building
- Conditional use permit
- Zone change
Exempt from the resolution
- Utility poles, wires, pipes, mains and similar distribution equipment (but not substations)
- Public signs put up by a government body
The resolution divides the rural county into agricultural, three residential, commercial and industrial districts, shown on the county zoning map.
Short on time to read all of this?
Get a free quote →Who issues permits in Box Butte County?
The county’s Zoning Administrator works by phone only, with no public counter: call 308-763-8348 during office hours or write to the county’s mailing address. The resolution gives the Administrator the job of receiving applications, collecting fees, making inspections, issuing zoning permits and stopping work that breaks the rules, while the placement permit itself is approved and signed by the County Board chair.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Phone | 308-763-8348 |
| PO Box 678, Alliance, NE 69301 | |
| Hours | 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday to Friday |
| Electrical permits | Nebraska State Electrical Division, 402-471-3550 |
Alliance and Hemingford
- Alliance (city): the City’s Community Development (Building and Zoning) department at 324 Laramie Avenue (308-762-5400, weekdays 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.) issues building permits. Its 2018 International Building and Residential Codes and its plumbing code apply in the city and its 2-mile extraterritorial zoning jurisdiction, and contractors need a City contractor licence.
- Hemingford (village): the village issues its own building permits on an application approved by the chair of the Village Board and the village clerk; the form also records zoning district, setbacks and sanitary facilities.
Not sure this scope needs a permit?
Get a free quote →The county resolution applies only outside the zoning jurisdiction of these municipalities.
Box Butte County fees
Under Section 20.03, permit fees are set by the County Board of Commissioners, and the office enters the fee on the non-farm building form when the application is processed; call the Zoning Administrator for the current amount before you apply. There is no county plan review or inspection fee, and electrical permits are paid to the State Electrical Division.
Electrical and other trade work
The county issues no electrical, plumbing or mechanical permits. No Box Butte County jurisdiction appears on the State Electrical Division’s list of local electrical inspection programs, so rural electrical work, and work in Alliance and Hemingford, is permitted and inspected by the Division; the county is in its inspection District 3.
What the non-farm building application needs
- Applicant name, address and phone number
- The legal description of the property
- The zoning district the lot is in
- The proposed use of the building
- A separate map drawn to scale showing the names and locations of adjacent roads, the size and location of all existing and proposed buildings on the parcel, the dimensions of the parcel, and the distance from the proposed building to the property line
Rather talk it over?
Call 1-855-478-4290 →How to get a non-farm building permit: 4 steps
Check the county zoning map to be sure the land is outside Alliance’s 2-mile area and Hemingford’s jurisdiction, and note the district.
Confirm setbacks, the fee and how to deliver the application, since the office has no walk-in counter.
The application is reviewed and then approved or disapproved, with reasons, and signed by the County Board chair.
The placement permit is in effect for one year from issue, and changes to the approved plans need County Board approval.
Inspections
The county does not inspect construction against a building code. The Zoning Administrator may make the inspections needed to enforce the zoning resolution and can order work stopped by written notice. Electrical inspections are booked with the State Electrical Division.
Changes under way in Box Butte County
New zoning regulations: the current resolution dates from 2001, with amendments in 2003 and 2004. On July 1, 2026 the County Board approved Zoning Regulations Agreement 2026-20 with Ayers Associates to write updated regulations.
Rather not deal with the Box Butte County building department?
Get a free quote →Energy moratorium: on March 18, 2026 the Board extended its moratorium on commercial energy production development through March 18, 2028, or until the new zoning regulations are completed.
Nebraska building code
Nebraska's state building code applies by default where a city, village or county has adopted none; local codes must conform generally, and the energy code is mandatory statewide. Nebraska rules
Official resources
- Box Butte County Planning and Zoning
- Box Butte County Application for Placement of a Non-Farm Building Permit
- Box Butte County Zoning Resolution
- Box Butte County zoning map
- Box Butte County Board minutes, March 18, 2026 (energy moratorium)
- City of Alliance Building and Zoning (Community Development)
- Village of Hemingford forms, including the building permit application
- Nebraska State Electrical Division: local electrical inspection programs
Want this handled start to finish?
Get a free quote →Box Butte County permit FAQs
Do I need a building permit in rural Box Butte County?
A non-farm building needs the county’s placement permit, signed by the County Board chair. The county does not enforce a building code or inspect construction.
How do I reach the Box Butte County zoning office?
By phone at 308-763-8348, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on weekdays, or by mail to PO Box 678, Alliance, NE 69301; there is no walk-in office.
How long is a non-farm building permit good for?
One year from the date it is issued.
Who issues building permits near Alliance?
The City of Alliance, for land in the city and within its 2-mile extraterritorial zoning jurisdiction, where its building codes apply.
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →Can I build a commercial energy project in Box Butte County now?
Not during the moratorium, which the County Board extended through March 18, 2028 or until new zoning regulations are completed.
Simplify Box Butte County permitting with Alliance Permitting
Alliance Permitting is a permit documentation and submission company in Nebraska. 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.
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More Nebraska permitting guides
This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Box Butte County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.