Platte County, Nebraska Building Permit Guide

Platte County is not zoned, so rural land outside the towns’ zoning jurisdictions has no county zoning requirements. The county’s own permit is the floodplain development permit, issued by its Floodplain Administrator at the Highway Department in the courthouse, 2610 14th Street, Columbus (402-563-4909), for any development in a mapped floodplain or floodway, which covers 85,437 acres, over 19% of the county. Columbus controls building within two miles of its limits, and the villages and smaller cities within one mile.

What the county does require

The county defines development broadly, including construction, renovation, repair, the placement of manufactured homes, streets, utilities, filling, grading, excavation, drilling and the storage of equipment or materials.

Who handles permits in Platte County?

Inside a town or its zoning area, the town decides. The county says Columbus, a first-class city, has jurisdiction for two miles, and villages and second-class cities for one mile.

Floodplain permit applications

The county uses the state’s 2025 model forms: a structural application for buildings and a nonstructural application for other development, which asks for items such as a site plan, a floodplain location map and, in a floodway, a no-rise certificate. The floodplain permit is a separate process from any city or village building or zoning permit and must be obtained before applying for those.

• The owner or an authorized representative completes Sections A to C: owner and site details, a project narrative with building type, foundation type and attached documents, and a signed certification.
• The Floodplain Administrator completes Section D, using the FEMA flood zone for the site.
• A permit can be granted when the federal floodplain standards in 44 CFR 60.3(d) are met.
• For an enclosed crawlspace or garage below the base flood elevation, the bottom of each flood opening can be no more than 1 foot above the higher of the finished interior or exterior grade beneath it, so those grades need to be known before the foundation is designed.

Floodplain maps are kept at the Highway Department office and are also published by the Nebraska Department of Natural Resources and FEMA; the Floodplain Administrator can say whether a parcel is in a floodplain or floodway.

County roads, driveways and other local details

Driveways: anyone building, relocating, widening or paving a driveway or field approach onto a county road applies to the County Highway Superintendent on the approach permit form. Mark the proposed location with two flags; a county designee inspects it and sets any culvert requirement. The permit is free, covers one access point, and takes about 10 working days. Commercial accesses need a site plan, and a commercial approach onto a paved road must be paved to the right-of-way line; any driveway approach that is paved must meet the county’s paving conditions, including 24 hours’ notice for an inspection before paving. The county provides an initial driveway only to a parcel of at least 10 acres with no other access, and never builds driveways for subdivisions, mobile home parks or commercial developments.

Electrical: no Platte County town is on the State Electrical Division’s list of local inspection programs, and Columbus refers electrical permits and inspections to the Division.

Septic systems: rural homes off a sewer system need an onsite system meeting the state Title 124 rules, installed or repaired only by a certified professional.

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 Platte County resources

• Platte County planning and zoning status
• Platte County Floodplain Administrator
• Structural floodplain development permit application (2025 model)
• Instructions for the structural floodplain development permit
• Nonstructural floodplain development permit application (2025 model)
• Platte County Highway Department
• Platte County driveway permit policy
• Permit to construct an approach road on county right-of-way
• City of Columbus Community Development
• Village of Platte Center building permits
• Village of Duncan planning and zoning
• State Electrical Division list of local electrical inspection programs

Platte County permit FAQs

Do I need a building permit in rural Platte County?

Platte County is not zoned, so there are no county zoning requirements outside the towns’ zoning areas. A floodplain development permit is required in a floodplain or floodway, and a town’s rules apply inside its zoning area.

How do I know if my land is in a floodplain?

Ask the Floodplain Administrator at 402-563-4909; maps are kept at the Highway Department office in the courthouse.

Is there a fee for a county driveway permit?

No. The permit is free, covers one access point, and review takes about 10 working days.

Who issues permits near Columbus?

The City of Columbus, for the city and two miles beyond its limits.

Who issues electrical permits?

The State Electrical Division, throughout the county.

Simplify Platte County 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 Platte County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.