Zoning permits for unincorporated Madison County come from the Madison/Pierce County Planning Department, 1112 Bonita Drive, Norfolk (402-370-3577), which also handles zoning for Battle Creek, Madison, Newman Grove, Tilden and Meadow Grove. A new house is charged $0.20 per square foot of footprint, garage included, plus a $50 inspection fee, and a permit taken out after construction has started costs five times the normal fee. The City of Norfolk issues its own building permits.
What needs a zoning permit in Madison County?
The department’s FAQ says a zoning permit is required to erect, enlarge, alter or build any structure larger than 100 square feet, including agricultural and portable buildings, with a minimum fee of $50. The 2003 zoning regulations also require one before moving a building, changing the use of a building or land, or connecting to water or sewer.
Zoning permit forms
- Non-agricultural zoning permit (2026): houses, additions, decks, garages, accessory, commercial and industrial buildings
- Grain bin and agricultural building zoning permit (2026)
- Floodplain development permit
- Tower development permit and soil extraction permit
Other approvals
- Conditional use permits, including livestock feeding operations and, where the form calls for it, a house on less than 40 acres
- Variances and appeals to the Board of Adjustment
- Rezoning, subdivisions, lot splits and lot boundary changes
- Shouse projects, which must meet the county’s shouse requirements
Farm buildings: Section 108 of the zoning regulations (amended to 2015) exempts buildings used for agriculture on a farmstead of 20 acres or more that produces at least $1,000 of farm products a year, except that they must still meet road and highway setbacks. The department’s FAQ and its 2026 grain bin and agricultural building form nonetheless call for a $50 zoning permit for agricultural structures.
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Get a free quote →Who issues permits in Madison County?
Madison and Pierce counties created the joint Planning Department by agreement in 2001. It zones property, reviews subdivisions, issues zoning permits and inspects, for the unincorporated parts of both counties and for the Madison County cities of Battle Creek, Madison, Newman Grove and Tilden and the village of Meadow Grove. Zoning Administrator Heather McWhorter runs the office.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Norfolk office | 1112 Bonita Drive, Norfolk, NE 68701 |
| Phone / fax | 402-370-3577 / 402-370-3581 |
| Hours | Tuesday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. in Norfolk; Mondays at the Pierce County Courthouse |
| Pierce County office | 111 W. Court Street, Room 6, Pierce; 402-329-4600 |
| Payments | Checks payable to the Madison County Treasurer |
| Town | Permits |
|---|---|
| Norfolk | City Building Services, 309 N 5th Street (402-844-2060), for the city and two miles beyond its limits |
| Madison | City Clerk’s Office at City Hall for building permit forms and fees; the county department’s zoning permits also apply |
| Battle Creek, Tilden, Newman Grove, Meadow Grove | Zoning permits from the Madison/Pierce County Planning Department |
The county’s permit is a zoning permit. By signing the permit application, the owner states that all applicable building codes have been followed and that compliance is the contractor’s or owner’s responsibility.
Madison County zoning permit fees
Fees come from the county’s fee schedule of March 8, 2021, and the 2026 application forms print the same arithmetic, naming the flat $50 as an inspection fee:
Not sure this scope needs a permit?
Get a free quote →| Project | Fee |
|---|---|
| Any structure under 650 sq ft footprint (decks, small additions, sheds) | $50 |
| House, commercial or industrial building or addition, 650 sq ft or more | $0.20 per sq ft of footprint + $50 |
| Non-agricultural accessory building, 650 sq ft or more | $0.02 per sq ft + $50 |
| Grain bin, elevator leg, bunker silo, shed or barn | $50 |
| Living space inside an agricultural building | $0.20 per sq ft of living space + $50 |
| Commercial wind or solar | $300 per tower |
| Floodplain development permit (non-government) | $75 |
| Conditional use permit, rezoning, variance or appeal | $130 each |
| Conditional use permit for commercial wind | $2,500 |
| Lot split / lot boundary change | $65 / $50 |
| Site plan review (cities only) | $100 |
| Formal complaint | $250 |
For example, a new house with a 2,000 sq ft footprint including the garage costs $450: $400 at $0.20 per square foot plus the $50 inspection fee. Building permits taken out after the fact cost five times the normal fee, and conditional use permits, plats, floodplain permits and variances after the fact cost ten times. Rezoning, conditional use, subdivision and Board of Adjustment applications in Madison County also need a list of owners within 1,000 feet, certified by a registered land abstractor.
Rather talk it over?
Call 1-855-478-4290 →How to get a Madison County zoning permit
Look up the parcel on the county GIS, which covers all of Madison County except Norfolk, and check the 2026 land use matrix for your use.
Lot splits must be at least 3 acres. Buildings sit 50 feet from the right-of-way or 83 feet from the road center, with 15-foot side and 25-foot rear setbacks; parcels under 20 acres use a 50-foot front setback and 10-foot side and rear setbacks.
Use the non-agricultural or the grain bin and agricultural building application, with a site plan showing lot dimensions, the building size and every setback; a new house also needs its main floor plan.
A new house on less than 40 acres, or a business in the building, may need a conditional use permit from the County Board before the zoning permit.
The department asks for at least two weeks; the regulations give the Zoning Administrator 15 days from acceptance to issue or deny the permit, and a denial can be appealed to the Board of Adjustment within 15 days.
Contact the department to schedule an inspection before the building is used, and receive the certificate of zoning compliance.
The 2026 forms say a permit is valid for one year from approval. The 2003 regulations add that, without a written extension, a permit expires if work has not begun within 90 days.
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Get a free quote →Local Madison County rules
Shouses: a combined shop and house needs at least 600 square feet of habitable space, a kitchen, a full bathroom, finished walls separating the living area from the shed, a permanent foundation, and a sketch of the layout. Once built, the whole structure is no longer treated as an agricultural building.
Floodplains: the department checks each application against the February 2005 Madison County Flood Insurance Study and FEMA maps. A new or substantially improved house in the floodplain must have its lowest floor, basement included, at least 1 foot above the base flood elevation.
Assessor visits: by signing a zoning permit application the owner agrees to let the county assessor inspect the property under Neb. Rev. Stat. 77-1311.03.
Electrical and septic: the State Electrical Division lists Norfolk as the only local electrical inspection program in the county; elsewhere electrical permits and inspections come from the Division. The permit forms ask whether a septic system, lagoon or well is being added or changed; state Title 124 rules require certified professionals for septic installation and repair.
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 Madison County resources
- Madison/Pierce County Planning and Zoning
- Non-agricultural zoning permit application (2026)
- Grain bin and agricultural building zoning permit application (2026)
- Madison County planning fee schedule (March 2021)
- Madison County planning and zoning FAQs
- Madison County Zoning and Subdivision Regulations
- Madison County land use matrix (2026)
- Madison County shouse requirements
- Floodplain development permit application
- City of Madison licenses and permits
- City of Norfolk Building Services
- State Electrical Division list of local electrical inspection programs
- Nebraska DWEE onsite wastewater guidance
Madison County permit FAQs
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →How much is a zoning permit for a new house in Madison County?
$0.20 per square foot of footprint, including the garage, plus a $50 inspection fee; a 2,000 sq ft footprint costs $450.
Do I need a permit for a shed or grain bin?
Yes, for any structure over 100 square feet, agricultural buildings included. Grain bins, sheds and barns pay the $50 minimum.
What if I build without a permit?
You will be asked to apply, the fee is five times the standard amount, and a building that breaks the zoning rules may have to be moved or removed.
How long does a zoning permit take?
The department asks applicants to allow at least two weeks.
Does the county inspect for building code compliance?
The county issues a zoning permit and a certificate of zoning compliance. On the application the owner signs that all applicable building codes have been followed and are the owner’s or contractor’s responsibility.
Who issues permits in Norfolk?
The City of Norfolk’s Building Services, for the city and two miles beyond its limits.
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More Nebraska permitting guides
This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Madison County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.