Outside Broken Bow, Arnold, Ansley and the county’s other towns, construction in Custer County needs a zoning permit from the county Zoning Administrator before a building is erected, moved, added to or structurally altered. The permit (with its Certificate of Zoning Compliance) costs $50, the office wants two identical sets of plans, and floodplain sites need a $25 floodplain development application approved first. The county enforces no building code; electrical permits come from the State Electrical Division.
What needs a Custer County zoning permit?
The county lists houses, home-based and commercial businesses, bulk plants, grain storage, feedlots and confined feeding facilities, signs and towers, and additions to any of these as needing permits, and says other uses and structures need them too. Section 9.04 of the regulations covers any building or structure that is erected, rebuilt, enlarged, moved or structurally altered.
Zoning permit required
- Single-family houses
- Agricultural buildings and grain bins
- Private garages
- Decks, gazebos and patios
- Solar panels under 25 kW (larger systems need a conditional use permit)
- Commercial buildings, signs and towers
Exempt from a permit
- Agricultural operations (farming itself)
- Fences
A farm building that houses a commercial, industrial or other non-farm use is not treated as a farm building, and an agricultural building on a parcel that does not meet the regulations’ definition of a farm is treated as a non-farm building; both need a zoning permit. Any construction or development in a floodplain, including repairing disaster damage, needs a floodplain permit.
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Get a free quote →Who issues permits in Custer County?
The county Zoning Administrator, Darci Tibbs, runs the Planning and Zoning office in the courthouse and also staffs the Planning Commission and the Board of Zoning Adjustment. The county’s zoning covers all land outside the jurisdiction state law gives to cities and villages, including unincorporated communities zoned in the Village Area Development (VAD) district.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Office | Custer County Courthouse, 431 S. 10th Avenue, Broken Bow, NE 68822 |
| Phone | 308-872-2410 |
| zoning@custercountyne.gov | |
| Hours | 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday to Friday |
Cities and villages in Custer County
- Broken Bow (city): the City’s Planning and Zoning Department issues zoning permits inside the city and up to 1 mile beyond it, for homes, commercial buildings, demolition, signs, fences and accessory buildings. Applications go to City Hall, 314 S. 10th Avenue (308-872-5831), open weekdays 8:00 to 12:00 and 1:00 to 5:00.
- Arnold (village): the village’s zoning ordinance, adopted in October 2024, requires village zoning permits, and building moves need a permit from the Village Clerk; the village office is at 209 W. First Avenue.
- Ansley (village): has its own zoning regulations and map (Ordinance 477) and fence regulations; contact the village clerk at 308-935-1467.
- Sargent (city) and the villages of Anselmo, Berwyn, Callaway, Comstock, Mason City, Merna and Oconto: none publishes a permit process, ordinance or form online; ask the town clerk which permits apply.
County permits and how they are issued
Pick up permit forms at the Zoning Office in the courthouse. The office makes two copies of each application, marks one approved or denied with a dated signature and returns it to you, with written reasons if it is denied, and sends a copy of approved building permits to the County Assessor.
Not sure this scope needs a permit?
Get a free quote →- Zoning permit and Certificate of Zoning Compliance: the permit lets you build; the certificate is needed before a new or changed use is occupied.
- Floodplain development application: approved by the county’s floodplain administrator before any zoning permit is issued.
- Conditional use permit: decided by the Board of Supervisors after Planning Commission review.
- Variance and administrative appeal: heard by the Board of Zoning Adjustment.
Custer County zoning fees
| Application | Fee |
|---|---|
| Zoning permit / Certificate of Compliance | $50 |
| Floodplain development application | $25 |
| Variance | $65 |
| Floodplain variance | $65 |
| Administrative appeal | $50 |
| Conditional use permit | $225 |
| Amendment to the comprehensive plan or zoning regulations | $80 |
| Commercial wind energy conversion system | $1,000 per turbine |
A new house on a floodplain parcel would pay $25 for the floodplain application and $50 for the zoning permit, $75 in all, before the separate state electrical permit.
Rather talk it over?
Call 1-855-478-4290 →Electrical and other trade work
The zoning regulations state that they create no building, plumbing or electrical code, and the county issues no trade permits. No Custer County jurisdiction appears on the State Electrical Division’s list of local electrical inspection programs, so electrical permits and inspections come from the Division; the county is in its inspection District 2.
The zoning application must show water supply and sewage disposal locations, along with erosion control and soil conditions where relevant.
What to bring
- Two identical sets of plans, including a plot plan, footing detail, wall detail, roof detail and floor plan
- A plot plan showing the real dimensions and shape of the lot, existing and proposed parking, and the well and septic locations
- The legal description and address of the property
- Existing and proposed uses of the land and buildings, and the number of households on the premises
- A floodplain development application if the site is in a mapped floodplain
The office needs the legal description and address to answer questions about zoning, setbacks or whether a permit is needed, so have them ready when you call.
Rather not deal with the Custer County building department?
Get a free quote →How to get a Custer County zoning permit: 5 steps
Make sure the site is outside Broken Bow’s 1-mile zoning area and the other towns’ jurisdictions, and find its zoning district.
Lots on minimum maintenance or unimproved roads cannot get permits for houses, manufactured homes or livestock facilities without an agreement, and floodplain sites need floodplain approval first.
Get the zoning permit form at the Zoning Office and complete the plot plan and two sets of plans.
Submit the application with the $50 fee (plus $25 for a floodplain application) and receive your signed copy.
Begin within 180 days and finish within 2 years, then get the Certificate of Zoning Compliance before occupying a new use.
Inspections and permit limits
The county does not inspect construction against a building code, but a permit authorizes only the use and layout on the approved plot plan. If work strays from it, the Zoning Administrator revokes the permit and issues a written stop work order, and will not issue the Certificate of Zoning Compliance until the problem is fixed.
Permits expire if work has not started within 180 days or is not finished within 2 years; where a state or federal permit is also needed, work must start within 60 days of that approval.
Pending Custer County changes
The Planning Commission held public hearings on September 23, 2026 on new data center regulations and a temporary moratorium on battery energy storage systems, and the Board of Supervisors held its own hearings on September 29, 2026, where the Zoning Administrator described a 12-month moratorium. The Board’s October 13, 2026 agenda lists Resolution 77Z-26 (data center regulations) and Resolution 78Z-26 (battery storage moratorium) for approval; the minutes of that meeting are not yet posted.
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
Want this handled start to finish?
Get a free quote →Official resources
- Custer County Planning and Zoning
- Custer County zoning fees
- Custer County Zoning Regulations (updated May 27, 2025)
- Custer County Planning and Zoning FAQs
- Custer County Planning Commission and Board of Adjustment meetings
- City of Broken Bow Planning and Zoning
- Nebraska State Electrical Division: local electrical inspection programs
Custer County permit FAQs
Do I need a building permit in rural Custer County?
You need a county zoning permit, not a building code permit, before you erect, move, add to or structurally alter any building outside the towns’ jurisdictions.
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →How much does a Custer County zoning permit cost?
$50 for the zoning permit and Certificate of Compliance. A floodplain development application adds $25, and a conditional use permit is $225.
Do I need a permit for a fence or a farm building?
Fences are exempt. Agricultural buildings and grain bins are permitted uses that still need a zoning permit.
What plans does the county need?
Two identical sets, including a plot plan, footing detail, wall detail, roof detail and floor plan.
Who handles permits in Broken Bow?
The City of Broken Bow’s Planning and Zoning Department, for land inside the city and up to 1 mile outside it; call 308-872-5831.
Who inspects electrical work?
The State Electrical Division; Custer County has no local electrical inspection program.
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More Nebraska permitting guides
This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Custer County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.