The City of Hastings Development Services Department at 615 W. 3rd Street issues building, electrical, plumbing, gas and other construction permits for the city and for its zoning area up to 2 miles outside the city limits, and applications are filed in the City’s iWorQ Citizen Portal. A house valued at up to $250,000 pays 0.56% of its valuation plus a 5% plan review fee, and permits for one- and two-unit dwellings are usually issued in 5 to 7 business days.
What requires a building permit in Hastings?
City code requires a building permit before any building or structure is erected, built, rebuilt, moved or altered, with a separate permit for each building. The rule covers the city and the area within 2 miles of the city limits where Hastings exercises its zoning jurisdiction.
Permit needed
- New buildings, additions, alterations and remodeling
- Awnings, unless the awning is a sign (then a sign permit applies)
- Mobile or manufactured homes placed in a mobile home park
- Demolition, including foundations or slabs left after a building is moved
- Moving a building
- Roof replacement and new or replacement siding
- Fences, signs, dumpsters on city streets and portable storage units
- Electrical, plumbing and gas work, and new or changed driveway curb cuts
No permit, per the City
- Repairing a roof leak or damaged siding
- Electrical repairs and maintenance, or work involving 3 devices or fewer
- Clearing a drain stoppage, repairing a water leak, or replacing faucets, valves or fixtures without changing the drainage system
- Repairing a gas leak
Solar panel systems need both a building permit and an electrical permit, and work that changes the use or occupancy of a building needs a Certificate of Occupancy before anyone moves in.
Who issues permits in Hastings?
Development Services handles planning, zoning, plan review, permits, inspections and code enforcement. Its building division reviews plans against the City’s adopted codes, and three inspectors cover building, electrical, plumbing and gas work. The department routes applications to other City offices as needed: Fire & Rescue, Hastings Utilities, the Street Department, the stormwater staff in Engineering and Parks & Recreation for street trees. Kevin Kubo is the Development Services Director and Danny Graves is the Chief Building Official.
Hastings runs its own electrical inspection program, listed with the State Electrical Division, so electrical permits and inspections inside the City’s jurisdiction come from Development Services rather than the state inspector. Outside the 2-mile area, Adams County’s zoning office handles zoning permits.
Short on time to read all of this?
Get a free quote →| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Office | Development Services, 615 W. 3rd Street, Hastings, NE 68901 |
| Main line and inspection requests | (402) 461-2331 |
| Chief Building Official | (402) 461-2301 |
| Electrical inspector | (402) 461-2340 |
| Online filing | iWorQ Citizen Portal (Development Permits section) |
| Contractor licensing questions | devservlicensing@cityofhastings.org |
Hastings permit types and the online portal
All permit applications go through the City’s iWorQ Citizen Portal. Choose the permit under Development Permits, fill in every field and upload the plans and documents before you submit. You will need the permit number to look up an existing permit, upload more documents or pay.
The portal lists separate applications for building, roofing, siding, fence, sign, moving, demolition, street access, dumpster, electrical, mechanical or gas, and plumbing permits. For all of these except building and roofing permits, the fee is paid when you submit. The Planning and Land Use section of the portal holds zoning permits, zoning verification letters, plat applications and administrative permits (temporary use, home occupation, change of use and Micro-TIF).
Electrical, plumbing and gas permits must be pulled by a tradesperson registered with the City. Electricians register with a current State of Nebraska electrical licence, and contractors in electrical, gas fitting, plumbing, lawn sprinkler, water conditioner and utility work pay an annual $100 occupation tax and file a certificate of liability insurance. All City licences and registrations expire on December 31.
Hastings permit fees
Fees come from the 2026–2027 Annual Fee Resolution, adopted by City Council as Resolution No. 2026-53 on September 14, 2026. The building permit fee is based on valuation, which the City calculates as the building area multiplied by the square-foot value in the latest ICC Building Valuation Data table.
| Project | Fee |
|---|---|
| Residential, valuation up to $250,000 | Valuation × 0.0056 |
| Residential, $250,001 to $500,000 | $900 + (valuation − $250,000) × 0.0056 |
| Residential, over $500,000 | $2,050 + (valuation − $500,000) × 0.0056 |
| Commercial | Valuation × 0.0056 |
| Plan review | 5% of the building permit fee (residential); 25% (non-residential) |
| Occupancy deposit, refunded when the Certificate of Occupancy is issued | $2,500 new residential structure; $5,000 new commercial structure; $2,500 commercial addition or change of use |
| Roofing | $50 residential; $250 non-residential |
| Siding | $50 |
| Fence | $30 |
| Sign | $0.50 per sq ft, $50 minimum |
| Moving or demolition | $25 small and accessory buildings; $100 houses and commercial buildings |
| Dumpster or roll-off on a street | $25 |
| Re-inspection | $50 |
Not sure this scope needs a permit?
Get a free quote →For example, a house valued at $200,000 under the ICC table has a building permit fee of $1,120 and a plan review fee of $56, and the builder also posts the $2,500 occupancy deposit. The deposit is forfeited if the house is occupied before the Certificate of Occupancy is issued. The commercial formula can be adjusted when a project needs a third-party inspector.
Starting work before the permit is issued triples the permit fee under city code. If you cancel a permit, the City refunds 80% of the permit fee, less the plan review fee and one hour each of permit technician and inspector time. The portal’s fee schedule link still opens the 2025–2026 schedule; its building permit formula and plan review percentages are the same as in the adopted 2026–2027 resolution.
Electrical, plumbing and gas permits in Hastings
| Permit | Fee |
|---|---|
| Electrical, estimated cost $0–$1,000 | $30 |
| Electrical, $1,001–$10,000 | $50 |
| Electrical, $10,001–$20,000 | $75 |
| Electrical, $20,001–$25,000 | $100 |
| Electrical, $25,001–$30,000 | $200 |
| Electrical, $30,001–$40,000 | $250 |
| Electrical, $40,001–$50,000 | $300 |
| Electrical, $50,001–$75,000 | $350 |
| Electrical, over $75,000 | Add $7 for every $1,000 (or fraction) of estimated cost over $75,000, as the resolution words it |
| Gas | $50 for the first unit, $10 for each additional unit |
| Plumbing | $50 for the first fixture, $10 for each additional fixture |
Rather talk it over?
Call 1-855-478-4290 →Hastings adopts the 2023 National Electrical Code, but keeps the 2017 edition’s rules for a few sections, including some GFCI and surge-protection requirements. Plumbing follows the 2018 International Plumbing Code, and mechanical work follows the 2018 International Mechanical Code. All wiring must be inspected before it is covered.
Hastings Fire & Rescue reviews fire code items for $5 per $5,000 of estimated project cost or valuation, whichever is higher, with a $50 minimum; adding 50% guarantees a 5-business-day review. Alarm systems are $125, sprinkler or standpipe systems $100 per riser, and commercial kitchen hoods $100. Commercial projects also need State Fire Marshal plan review, which the owner applies for directly because the City does not submit plans to state agencies.
What to submit and how long review takes
New house
- Site plan with setbacks from the property pins, driveway approach, easements, lot and sidewalk dimensions, and any well, septic or geothermal well
- Floor plans with room uses, door swings, smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, ventilation and one-line electrical, plumbing and HVAC layouts
- Construction details: footings, stairs, wall and roof framing, braced wall panels and radon system
- Window and door schedule and all four elevations
- ResCheck energy compliance report
Commercial and demolition
- Drawings that include all trades (mechanical, electrical and plumbing) for plan approval
- State Fire Marshal plan review, applied for by the owner
- Demolition: site plan with an erosion control plan, the cash or surety bond, proof the water service is capped at the main, and an asbestos-free certification
- Stormwater Notice of Intent and erosion and sediment control plan for an individual lot where required
The City’s Contractors Handbook says permits for one- or two-unit dwellings on a single lot are usually issued in 5 to 7 business days when the application is complete. Commercial projects, including group housing sites, average 2 to 3 weeks. Phased permits and deferred submittals (for example sprinkler, alarm or truss drawings) are possible for commercial work.
Rather not deal with the building department?
Get a free quote →How to get a Hastings building permit
Check that the site is inside Hastings or within its 2-mile zoning area; beyond that, Adams County handles zoning permits.
Development Services offers a meeting with staff to talk through the scope of larger projects before plans are drawn.
Pick the permit type, complete every field and upload the plans, site plan and supporting documents.
The application is routed to the building division and, as needed, to Fire, Utilities, Streets, stormwater and Parks; all must approve before the permit issues.
Pay the permit and plan review fees and, for a new building, the refundable occupancy deposit.
A permit lapses if work does not begin within 180 days, or if more than 180 days pass between inspections; extensions can be requested in writing.
Book each inspection by phone; the Certificate of Occupancy is signed by the building inspector and the fire chief.
Hastings inspections
Schedule inspections by calling Development Services at 402-461-2331 or the inspector for your trade; the City notes that inspections may need 24 hours’ notice. Work must stay exposed until it is approved.
Required inspections are footings, framing, underground or rough-in for every trade before cover, insulation, fire-resistive construction, fire walls (by the Fire Inspector, 402-462-7155) and a final for the general contract and each trade. A $50 re-inspection fee can be charged when the work is not ready, the inspection card or approved plans are not on site, or the inspector cannot get in. A Temporary Occupancy Permit can be issued once the Building Official and Fire Department have signed off.
Local Hastings details
Two-mile area: city zoning, the building permit requirement and every code the City adopts (IBC, IRC, IMC, IECC, IEBC and the National Electrical Code) apply up to 2 miles beyond the city limits, so a rural lot near Hastings is permitted by the City, not Adams County.
Demolition: a $5,000 cash bond ($500 for a residential accessory building) is posted with the City Clerk, and the work must be finished by the date on the permit, no more than 180 days after issue. Hastings Utilities needs at least 2 weeks’ notice to remove gas, electric and water services, and water and sewer lines must be capped and inspected before backfill.
Want this handled start to finish?
Get a free quote →Solar: upload plans with the building permit 60 days before installation, sign an interconnection agreement with Hastings Utilities, and have the Building Inspector, Electrical Inspector and Hastings Utilities inspect before the system is energized.
Floodplain and streets: the City’s Engineering and Street Department fees include a $30 floodplain development permit, a $30 street access permit and curb cutting at $4.50 per foot ($45 minimum).
Utilities: Hastings Utilities, 1228 N Denver Ave (402-463-1371), provides water, electricity and natural gas and reviews permits for conflicts with its lines.
Building codes adopted in Hastings
Chapter 8 of the Hastings City Code adopts the 2018 International Building, Residential, Mechanical, Energy Conservation, Existing Building and Plumbing Codes, and the 2023 National Electrical Code (Ordinance 4768, 2024). Each of these codes applies inside the city and throughout its 2-mile extraterritorial zoning area.
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 Hastings resources
- Hastings Development Services
- Hastings iWorQ Citizen Portal (permit applications)
- Hastings 2026–2027 Annual Fee Resolution
- Hastings Contractors Handbook (May 2025)
- Hastings Building Permit Guidelines for dwellings
- Hastings Demolition Permit Guidelines
- Hastings Solar Energy System procedures
- Hastings City Code Chapter 8, Buildings and Building Regulations
- Hastings Development Services staff directory
- State Electrical Division list of local electrical inspection programs
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →Hastings building permit FAQs
Who issues building permits in Hastings?
The City’s Development Services Department at 615 W. 3rd Street, (402) 461-2331. It covers the city and the area within 2 miles of the city limits.
How much is a building permit for a new house in Hastings?
For a house valued at up to $250,000 under the ICC valuation table, 0.56% of the valuation plus a 5% plan review fee, and a $2,500 occupancy deposit that is refunded with the Certificate of Occupancy. A $200,000 valuation gives a $1,120 permit fee and a $56 plan review fee.
How long does a Hastings building permit take?
About 5 to 7 business days for a one- or two-unit dwelling with a complete application, and 2 to 3 weeks on average for commercial projects.
Do I need a permit to replace my roof or siding in Hastings?
Yes. A roof replacement needs a roofing permit ($50 for a home) and new or replacement siding needs a $50 siding permit. Repairing a leak or damaged siding does not.
Do I need a fence permit in Hastings?
Yes. Fence permits cost $30 and are applied for and paid in the iWorQ portal.
Who can pull an electrical or plumbing permit in Hastings?
The City’s Contractors Handbook says a licensed electrician, plumber or gas fitter registered with the City applies for the permit on the owner’s behalf, and the City’s solar procedures say all electrical work must be done by a licensed electrician.
How do I schedule an inspection in Hastings?
Call Development Services at 402-461-2331 or your inspector directly, and allow up to 24 hours’ notice.
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More Nebraska permitting guides
This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Hastings permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.