For land outside the cities’ and villages’ zoning areas, Dawson County requires a zoning permit from its Zoning Administrator before a building is put up, moved, enlarged or put to a new use: $100 for a house or other main building and $50 for an accessory building. The county reviews zoning and floodplain rules only and does not inspect construction, and the Administrator must issue or refuse a permit within 15 days of accepting the application.
What needs a Dawson County zoning permit?
Under Section 8.02 of the county’s Zoning Regulations, no one may dig for, build, rebuild, enlarge, alter or move a building or structure, change the use of land or a building, or build a water or sewer connection until the Zoning Administrator has issued a zoning permit. The county’s land use table has no “exempt” column: uses are permitted, conditional, temporary or not allowed.
Primary structure permit ($100)
- Houses, including earth-sheltered and Quonset-style dwellings where the district allows them
- Commercial and industrial buildings
- Moving a main building onto a lot
Accessory structure permit ($50)
- Agricultural buildings, barns and grain bins
- Private garages and carports
- Decks, gazebos and patios
- Fences, freestanding canopies and non-commercial greenhouses
Storage containers are treated as temporary uses: permanent containers are allowed only in the AG, AGR and I-1 districts, on lots over 45,000 sq ft, at least 10 ft from every property line and never in a mapped floodplain. Uses marked “C”, such as the mining and excavation operation on the Planning Commission’s July 28, 2026 agenda, need a conditional use permit.
Who issues permits in Dawson County?
The Zoning Administrator, Mark Christiansen, administers the county regulations from the new Road Department maintenance building. The older permit forms still print a courthouse address (700 N. Washington Street, Room H), but the county’s Planning/Zoning page gives the Taft Street office.
Short on time to read all of this?
Get a free quote →| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Office | Road Department Maintenance Building, 2003 S. Taft Street, Lexington, NE 68850 |
| Phone | 308-324-4256 |
| Hours | Monday to Thursday, 7:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. |
| Planning Commission | Second Tuesday of the month, 7:00 p.m., at the Road Department building |
Cities and villages in Dawson County
County zoning stops where a city or village is exercising zoning jurisdiction, and annexation or a lawful extension of a town’s zoning boundary takes land out of the county’s control.
- Lexington (city): the City’s Development Services Department, at City Hall (406 E. 7th Street, 308-324-2341), issues building permits for the city and the surrounding area shown on its Official Zoning Map.
- Cozad (city): the City’s Building Inspector issues building permits for work inside the city and its extraterritorial zoning area under Chapter 150 of the city code; City offices are at 215 W. 8th Street.
- Gothenburg (city): the City issues its own building, fence, sign, pool and demolition permits under fee Resolution 2025-23 and lists the 2012 International Building and Residential Codes as adopted. Its fee resolution also lists a $35 residential electrical inspection fee and the City lists the 2014 National Electrical Code as adopted, although Gothenburg is not on the State Electrical Division’s list of local programs. City offices are at 409 9th Street.
- Farnam (village): a Site Plan and Building Permit Application goes to the village office at 310 Main Street (308-569-2355); the village board must approve and sign it before work starts, and work must begin within 180 days.
- Eddyville (village): no permit form or ordinance is posted; the village clerk’s number on the village site is 308-858-4900.
- Overton and Sumner (villages): neither publishes a website, code or permit form; contact the village clerk.
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Get a free quote →County permit forms
The county posts three printable forms on its Planning/Zoning page; fill them in and bring them, with the fee, to the zoning office.
- Zoning Permit, Primary Structures ($100): for houses and other main buildings.
- Zoning Permit, Accessory Structures ($50): for garages, sheds, ag buildings, decks and similar structures.
- Conditional Use Permit Application ($500, non-refundable): with the deed, assessor sheet, parcel map and a site plan showing septic and egress. Construction must start within 6 months of approval.
The primary structure form also flags other approvals the office may require: a state Department of Environmental Quality permit on lots under 3 acres, a conditional use permit or variance, approval from the Lakeview Acres or another local association, a Central Nebraska Public Power permit, or a sanitary improvement district (S.I.D.) permit.
Dawson County permit fees
The County Board sets zoning fees by resolution, and they must be paid before the office processes a request. The posted forms list:
| Application | Fee |
|---|---|
| Zoning permit, primary structure | $100 |
| Zoning permit, accessory structure | $50 |
| Conditional use permit | $500, non-refundable |
There is no county plan review or inspection fee. Electrical permits are bought separately from the State Electrical Division.
Rather talk it over?
Call 1-855-478-4290 →Electrical, septic and floodplain in rural Dawson County
The county does not issue electrical, plumbing or mechanical permits; its permit form puts the duty on owners and contractors to meet building codes and the State Fire Marshal, environmental and electrical rules. No Dawson County jurisdiction appears on the State Electrical Division’s list of local electrical inspection programs, so electrical permits and inspections on rural county land come from the Division (Dawson County is in its District 9).
New permanent buildings in a designated floodplain need a Flood Plain Development Permit under the county’s flood ordinance (Ordinance 2011-11) before the zoning permit, and the zoning office checks each application against it.
What the county needs with an application
The county will not accept a zoning permit application without a blueprint and site plan (or the sketch page on the form) showing all six of these:
- The shape and dimensions of the lot lines, with a north arrow
- Where the structure will sit on the property
- Distances from the structure to the front, rear and side yards and every adjacent road, measured to eaves and equipment for a main building
- The ground area in acres or square feet
- The height and bulk of all existing and proposed structures, additions, parking areas and site improvements
- Distances between existing and proposed structures, including those on neighboring lots within 35 ft for a main building
Also attach the deed and give the legal description (section, township, range and quarter), the contractor, estimated cost including labor, building type, use, dimensions, height and square footage including any basement.
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Get a free quote →How to get a Dawson County zoning permit: 5 steps
Check that the land is outside the zoning area of Lexington, Cozad, Gothenburg or a village, and note its county zoning district.
Lots on roads classified as minimum maintenance or unimproved cannot get permits for houses, commercial or industrial buildings, and floodplain sites need a Flood Plain Development Permit first.
Use the primary or accessory structure form, attach the deed and a site plan meeting all six criteria, and list any other approvals the project needs.
Bring the form and fee to the zoning office on South Taft Street; the Administrator has 15 days from acceptance to approve or deny it in writing.
Start within 6 months and finish within 2 years of the permit, and re-apply if the design changes.
Inspections and enforcement
The county makes no construction inspections. By signing the form, the owner lets the Zoning Administrator, and anyone with him, enter the property during working hours to review the application. Electrical work is inspected by the State Electrical Division.
Building without a permit is a Class III misdemeanor, each day after notice can count as a separate offense, and an error in the application or an unapproved change to the plans can lead to the permit being revoked.
Local Dawson County details
August 2026 amendments: on August 14, 2026 the County Board adopted Resolution 2026-18, amending the comprehensive plan and zoning regulations with battery energy storage system rules, storage container rules and other corrections; the revised regulations are posted on the Planning/Zoning page.
Airports: the regulations include height and use zones around the Lexington, Cozad and Gothenburg airports.
Lots: each new building must be on a lot of record, normally with one main building per lot, and new non-farm houses must keep the separation distances in Section 8.08 from existing agricultural operations and livestock feeding operations.
Want this handled start to finish?
Get a free quote →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
- Dawson County Planning/Zoning
- Dawson County Zoning Regulations, revised August 14, 2026
- Dawson County Zoning Permit, Primary Structures
- Dawson County Zoning Permit, Accessory Structures
- Dawson County Conditional Use Permit Application
- Dawson County Board minutes, August 14, 2026 (Resolution 2026-18)
- Nebraska State Electrical Division: local electrical inspection programs
Dawson County permit FAQs
Do I need a building permit in rural Dawson County?
The county issues a zoning permit, not a building code permit, for work outside the cities’ and villages’ zoning areas. It is required before you build, move or enlarge any structure.
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →How much is a zoning permit in Dawson County?
$100 for a house or other primary structure and $50 for an accessory structure. A conditional use permit is $500.
Do farm buildings and fences need a county permit?
Yes. Agricultural buildings, barns, fences, decks and garages are all listed as permitted uses, which still need a zoning permit; the county regulations have no exempt category.
How long does the county take?
The Zoning Administrator must issue the permit or a written denial within 15 days of accepting the application.
Where is the Dawson County zoning office?
In the Road Department maintenance building at 2003 S. Taft Street, Lexington, open Monday to Thursday from 7:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.; phone 308-324-4256.
Who permits in Lexington, Cozad and Gothenburg?
Each city issues its own building permits: Lexington through its Development Services Department and Cozad through its Building Inspector, both for the city and its zoning area, and Gothenburg through City Hall.
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More Nebraska permitting guides
This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Dawson County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.