Papillion, Nebraska Building Permit Guide

Papillion’s Building & Fire Safety Department issues building, electrical, mechanical and plumbing permits for the city and the land within two miles of its limits, and applications are filed in the City’s Accela portal. Fees follow the Master Fee Schedule adopted by Resolution R26-0152 on August 4, 2026: a project valued at $300,000 carries a $2,456.85 building permit fee, and plan review adds 70% of that when plans are reviewed.

What needs a permit in Papillion?

Papillion re-adopted its building codes with local amendments in Ordinance No. 2087, passed on third reading on June 16, 2026. The amendments rewrite the residential code’s list of work that needs no permit, and the City publishes submittal lists for each common project in its portal.

Who issues permits in Papillion?

The Building & Fire Safety Department handles plan review, inspections and code enforcement for Papillion and its two-mile extraterritorial jurisdiction; Brad Sojka is the Director of Building & Fire Safety. The department also enforces the NFPA 101 Life Safety Code and other state-adopted fire codes as the State Fire Marshal’s delegated authority. Land in Sarpy County beyond Papillion’s two-mile line is the Sarpy County Planning and Building Department’s unless another city’s zoning area covers it.

Papillion online filing and forms

All building permits go through the Accela portal: create an account, submit the application and documents, and pay there. Some simple permits are issued automatically; others go to plan review, and staff call the contact on the permit once plans are approved. The permit is issued when payment is received, by card in the portal (3% convenience fee, $1 minimum) or by cash or check at the office or by mail.

The forms page and the portal’s submittal pages cover new single-family homes, residential additions and remodels, accessory uses (fence, shed, deck, re-roof, pool, garage), commercial and multifamily buildings, change of occupancy, electrical, mechanical, plumbing, fire sprinkler and alarm, grading, moving, demolition and signs. New homes and commercial buildings need the Nebraska Energy Code Certification form, and commercial jobs add a Papillion Fire Review Form.

Papillion permit fees

The building permit fee is based on the total value of the work, including site work, foundations and all trades but not land. Staff compare the declared value with the adopted ICC Building Valuation Data table and charge on whichever is greater. Rates come from Table 3-A of the Master Fee Schedule (Resolution R26-0152, adopted August 4, 2026).

For example, a project valued at $300,000 has a building permit fee of $1,162.85 plus 200 × $6.47, or $2,456.85. Where plans go to review, the plan review fee of 70% is paid when the construction documents are submitted. The City refunds 90% of a permit fee if work has not started and the refund is requested within six months of issue.

Development charges on new homes: the schedule’s latest Arterial Street Improvement Program column (FY 2025–2026) charges 77.9 cents per total square foot for single-family homes, townhouses and duplexes, counting above-grade floors, the basement and the garage. A capital facilities charge of $1,675 (north of the ridgeline) or $3,500 (south) per equivalent residential unit applies by water pressure zone. Sewer connection is $1,300 per single-family unit in the City’s outfall areas; in Sarpy County outfall areas the county collects it, and proof of payment is needed before a building permit for a new primary structure.

Electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits in Papillion

Papillion runs its own electrical inspection program and appears on the State Electrical Division’s list of municipal programs, so electrical permits and inspections inside its jurisdiction are the City’s. Electrical contractors must hold a State of Nebraska licence. A homeowner who lives in a single-family house may wire it after signing the Homeowner Verification form at the office; that permit is valid for 180 days. Only a resident homeowner may act as the contractor on mechanical and electrical permits.

Fire sprinkler and alarm systems need their own permit; residential fire sprinkler plan review and fire alarm plan review are $50 each, and commercial sprinkler review starts at $100 for 1–20 devices.

What to submit for a new house

• Three sets of legible, scaled drawings: elevations, footing and foundation details, framing and beam locations, stairs, guards and decks, and trade layouts for a cursory review
• Three site plans and three surveyor’s certificates (a surveyor’s certificate is required for any work on a new or vacant lot)
• Three REScheck reports or IECC compliance, plus one Nebraska Energy Code Certification form
• Gross areas for each floor, garage and finished and unfinished basement
• The application with owner, contractor and building value; the older submittal sheet says to leave site work out, but the current Permit Fees page counts site work in the valuation used for the fee

Accessory projects need a site plan with setbacks to the rear and side lot lines and the house; separate permits cover any electrical, mechanical or plumbing work. Commercial and multifamily jobs follow the City’s Minimum Standards for Site and Building Plans and civil site plan guidance.

How to get a Papillion permit

Papillion inspections

Request inspections through Accela, by email or on the hotline at 402-597-2072, by 4:30 p.m. the day before. Inspections are scheduled between 8:30 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday to Friday; footing, foundation and sewer inspections get a set time, and the rest follow the day’s schedule. Give your name, phone, job address, the type of inspection and, for commercial work, the permit number.

Inspection types include footing, foundation wall, groundwork plumbing, rough-in framing, electrical, mechanical and plumbing, sewer connection, temporary power poles, electrical pre-connection and final. A house built with an optional fire sprinkler system needs a third-party inspection certificate at final.

Local Papillion details

Optional home sprinklers: Ordinance 2087 makes the IRC sprinkler section optional at the applicant’s choice; it sets installation rules only for owners who choose a system.

Frost depth and site work: the amended IRC table uses a 42-inch frost line, and new or vacant lots need a surveyor’s certificate with the site plan.

Construction address sign: permitted additions, alterations and repairs must show a rigid address sign readable from the street for the whole job.

Zoning changes: Ordinance 2093, a rewrite of the zoning chapter to allow “Missing Middle” housing, is on the October 20, 2026 council agenda for third reading.

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 Papillion resources

• Papillion Building & Fire Safety Department
• Papillion Accela permit portal
• Papillion permit applications and forms
• Papillion Master Fee Schedule, Resolution R26-0152 (PDF)
• Papillion building code amendments, Ordinance 2087 (PDF)
• Papillion current codes
• Papillion inspection requests
• Papillion submittal requirements for dwellings (PDF)
• Nebraska State Electrical Division: municipal inspection programs

Papillion permit FAQs

Who issues building permits in Papillion?

The Building & Fire Safety Department at City Hall, 122 E. Third Street, for the city and its two-mile extraterritorial jurisdiction. Call 402-597-2029.

How much is a building permit in Papillion?

It follows the valuation table in Resolution R26-0152. A $300,000 project pays $2,456.85, plus 70% of that for plan review when plans are reviewed.

Do I need a permit for a shed in Papillion?

Sheds go on the Accessory Use application. The IRC exemption for one-story sheds up to 200 sq ft applies in Papillion only when the shed is in the rear yard and under 10 feet tall; any other shed needs a permit.

Do I need a permit to replace my roof?

Yes when the work covers 50% or more of a roof side or of the whole roof; smaller repairs and siding replacement are exempt.

Can I do my own electrical work in Papillion?

Only in a single-family house you own and live in, after signing the Homeowner Verification form at the Building Department.

How do I schedule an inspection?

Through Accela, by email to inspections@papillion.org or on 402-597-2072, by 4:30 p.m. the day before.

Simplify Papillion 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.

This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Papillion permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.