Wayne County has adopted a comprehensive plan but no zoning regulations, so there is no county zoning permit. What the county calls a building permit for rural land is the state Improvement Information Statement, which owners who improve property outside the towns file with the County Assessor at 510 Pearl Street, Wayne (402-375-1979), by December 31 of the year the work takes place. Wayne, Winside, Carroll, Hoskins and Wakefield issue building permits at their own offices.
What has to be filed in rural Wayne County?
The county asks anyone making an improvement to property to file what it calls a building permit: the Nebraska Improvement Information Statement, available online or at the Assessor’s Office. The statement goes to the Assessor, whose office values property, and it covers construction, repair, alteration and other improvements.
County filings and approvals
- Improvement Information Statement to the Assessor, by December 31 of the year of the work
- Roads Office review before building in a floodplain
- Driveway permit to occupy county right-of-way with a culvert
- Permit to construct utilities in county road right-of-way
- County Board permission to move a building on county roads
- A rural 911 address for a new house, issued by the Roads Office
Not required by the county
- A county zoning permit: the county has no zoning regulations, and its Planning and Zoning Commission is not drafting any
Short on time to read all of this?
Get a free quote →Who handles permits in Wayne County?
| Office | Role and contact |
|---|---|
| County Assessor | Improvement Information Statements; 510 Pearl Street, Wayne, NE 68787; 402-375-1979; Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. |
| Roads Office | Floodplain building, driveways, utilities in the right-of-way, building moves and rural 911 addresses; 510 Pearl Street, Suite 5; 402-375-1153; Monday to Thursday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. |
| County Board of Commissioners | Decides applications to move a building on county roads |
Inside the towns and their zoning areas, the town decides. The county says the City of Wayne zones within two miles of the city and the villages of Carroll, Hoskins and Winside within one mile.
Not sure this scope needs a permit?
Get a free quote →| Town | Who issues building permits |
|---|---|
| Wayne | City Building Inspector; applications at City Hall, 306 Pearl Street; 402-375-1733; zoning reaches two miles beyond the city |
| Carroll | The village office, 402-649-5477; zoning one mile beyond the village |
| Winside | The village office, 402-286-4422; zoning one mile beyond the village |
| Hoskins | Village building permit, $25, on the village form (revised 9/2024), with questions to the village Zoning Administrator; the Village Board acts on permits at its monthly meetings; allow up to 30 days, and work must start within a year of approval; 402-565-4479; one-mile zoning area |
| Wakefield (part) | The City of Wakefield (402-287-2080), which publishes its building permit applications and Chapter 9 building regulations |
| Sholes | Not on the county’s list of towns with their own permits; the county says all other permits are filed at the Assessor’s Office |
County forms
- Improvement Information Statement: the state form the county links from its Building Permits page; the Assessor’s Office also has copies.
- Application for Driveway Permit: to occupy the county right-of-way with a culvert, signed off by the Highway Superintendent under the county’s driveway policy resolution. The ditch and road shoulder must be restored, which may mean compaction, grading and gravel, and the applicant calls Diggers Hotline before digging.
- Permit to Construct Utilities on County Right of Way: for utility lines in county roads.
- Move a House: an application to the County Board with the route, the load and axle weights, two photographs of the building, proof of $1,000,000 liability insurance naming Wayne County, a $1,000 cashier’s check or money order as a damage deposit, state permission if a state highway is used, and agreements with the owners of affected power lines.
Rather talk it over?
Call 1-855-478-4290 →Electrical and septic work
No Wayne County town appears on the State Electrical Division’s list of local electrical inspection programs, so electrical permits and inspections, in the towns and in the countryside, go through the Division. The City of Wayne’s own building codes include the 2017 electrical code, and the city keeps a list of electricians and plumbers licensed to work there.
Rural homes and buildings without sewer service need an onsite wastewater system that meets the state’s Title 124 rules, installed, repaired, pumped or inspected only by a certified professional; any local rules are additional.
Local Wayne County details
Floodplains: because the county has no zoning code, applications to build in a floodplain are reviewed by the Roads Office. The village of Hoskins points residents to the state’s new interactive floodplain maps.
Lot lines: inside the City of Wayne, the city office at 306 Pearl Street helps owners find property lines; outside the city, the Assessor’s Office helps with the records it holds.
Rather not deal with the Wayne County building department?
Get a free quote →City of Wayne codes: under Ordinance 2021-8 the city enforces the 2018 International Building, Residential, Plumbing, Mechanical, Energy Conservation and Property Maintenance Codes, with copies at its Building Inspector’s office and the public library.
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 Wayne County resources
- Wayne County building permits and information statements
- Wayne County zoning status
- Nebraska Improvement Information Statement (form)
- Wayne County Roads Office
- Wayne County roads forms: driveway, utilities and house moving
- City of Wayne building permits
- City of Wayne adopted building codes
- City of Wakefield documents and forms
- State Electrical Division list of local electrical inspection programs
- Nebraska DWEE onsite wastewater guidance
Want this handled start to finish?
Get a free quote →Wayne County permit FAQs
Do I need a building permit in rural Wayne County?
The county requires an Improvement Information Statement filed with the County Assessor by December 31 of the year the work is done; there is no county zoning permit.
Does Wayne County have zoning?
No. It has a comprehensive plan but no zoning regulations, and its Planning and Zoning Commission is not drafting any.
Where do I get a permit inside the City of Wayne?
At City Hall, 306 Pearl Street, from the city Building Inspector (402-375-1733). The city’s rules also reach two miles beyond its limits.
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →Who approves a new driveway onto a county road?
The Wayne County Roads Department, on its driveway permit application (402-375-1153).
Who issues electrical permits?
The State Electrical Division; no town in the county runs its own electrical inspection program.
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More Nebraska permitting guides
This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Wayne County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.