Des Moines, IA
Des Moines building permit cost
A Des Moines building permit is priced by which side of the Permit and Development Center's schedule answers the job.
New single-family dwellings pay a flat fee by finished floor area — $1,050.00 up to 1,200 sq ft, $1,350.00 from 1,201 to 2,000, $1,750.00 above — with basements and garages excluded from the measurement, and additions ($250.00) and renovations ($150.00) flat whatever they cost. Commercial construction pays a six-band valuation ladder that rounds the excess up to the whole $1,000 in every band ('or fraction thereof'), plus a plan checking fee of 65% of the permit fee for buildings valued over $1,000 and an energy review of 2% (minimum $21.00) for heated or cooled space.
How this fee is calculated
These are the components the schedule defines for this permit, as they applied on 2026-09-28. A component only applies to your project if its conditions match — read that column before assuming a figure. Want a figure for your own project? Estimate this fee with the permit fee calculator.
| Component | Formula | Applies when | Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Commercial building permit, valuation band 1Permit fee | $64.38 + $9.06 per $1,000 of project valuation above $2,000, or fraction thereof | Occupancy is not residential and Project valuation over $2,000 and Project valuation up to $25,000 | — |
| Commercial building permit, valuation band 2Permit fee | $271.88 + $7.75 per $1,000 of project valuation above $25,000, or fraction thereof | Occupancy is not residential and Project valuation over $25,000 and Project valuation up to $50,000 | — |
| Commercial building permit, valuation band 3Permit fee | $465.00 + $6.44 per $1,000 of project valuation above $50,000, or fraction thereof | Occupancy is not residential and Project valuation over $50,000 and Project valuation up to $100,000 | — |
| Commercial building permit, valuation band 4Permit fee | $786.88 + $3.88 per $1,000 of project valuation above $100,000, or fraction thereof | Occupancy is not residential and Project valuation over $100,000 and Project valuation up to $500,000 | — |
| Commercial building permit, valuation band 5Permit fee | $2,331.25 + $2.63 per $1,000 of project valuation above $500,000, or fraction thereof | Occupancy is not residential and Project valuation over $500,000 | — |
| Commercial building permit, valuation under $2,000 — $64.38Permit fee | $64.38 flat fee | Occupancy is not residential and Project valuation up to $2,000 | — |
| Additions to dwellings — $250.00Permit fee | $250.00 flat fee | Occupancy is residential and Work type is addition | — |
| New single-family dwelling, greater than 2,000 sq ft — $1,750.00Permit fee | $1,750.00 flat fee | Occupancy is residential and Work type is new construction and dwelling type is single family and Project area over 2000 | — |
| New single-family dwelling, 1,201–2,000 sq ft — $1,350.00Permit fee | $1,350.00 flat fee | Occupancy is residential and Work type is new construction and dwelling type is single family and Project area over 1200 and Project area up to 2000 | — |
| New single-family dwelling, finished floor area 1,200 sq ft or less — $1,050.00Permit fee | $1,050.00 flat fee | Occupancy is residential and Work type is new construction and dwelling type is single family and Project area up to 1200 | — |
| Renovations to dwellings — $150.00Permit fee | $150.00 flat fee | Occupancy is residential and Work type is one of remodel, alteration, repair | — |
| Plan checking fee — 65% of building permit feePlan review | 65% of calculated permit fee | Occupancy is not residential and Project valuation over $1,000 | — |
| Energy review fee — 2% of building permit fee, $21.00 minimumOther fee | 2% of calculated permit fee | energy reviewed is true | min $21.00 |
A real permit fee is these components added together. The department’s final calculation is the one that applies — this is the schedule it will be based on.
A worked example
Follow the arithmetic by hand. Every line is produced by the engine from the rules above, so the total cannot drift away from the schedule behind it.
Worked example
A new commercial build-out in Des Moines with a declared total valuation of $52,500 — no energy review selected.
| Input | Value |
|---|---|
| Project valuation | $52,500 |
| Occupancy class | Commercial |
Example total
$799.13
An estimate, not an official fee. It is calculated from the published fee schedule as it applied on 2026-09-28. The permit office’s own calculation is the one that applies, and your project may fall under rules this schedule does not describe.
Fee schedule as of 2026-09-28Rules applied 2Rules considered 13
| Component | How it is calculated | Amount |
|---|---|---|
Commercial building permit, valuation band 3Permit fee"More than $50,000 but no more than $100,000: $465 for the first $50,000 plus $6.44 for each additional $1,000 or fraction thereof."Show the working
| $465.00 + $6.44 per $1,000 of project valuation above $50,000, or fraction thereof, in $1,000 steps | $484.32 |
Plan checking fee — 65% of building permit feePlan review"Plan Checking Fee for buildings with value greater than $1,000.00: 65% of building permit fee." The line sits in the commercial block of the schedule; the residential flat-fee rows carry no plan-check percentage, so the rule answers commercial permits only.Show the working
| 65% of calculated permit fee | $314.81 |
| Total | $799.13 |
Fees that do not apply here
Listed so you can see what was considered and left out, rather than wondering whether something is missing. A rule can also be left out because it is not published for this permit at all, and that is stated where it matters.
- Commercial building permit, valuation band 1 — This fee does not apply to the inputs provided.
- Commercial building permit, valuation band 2 — This fee does not apply to the inputs provided.
- Commercial building permit, valuation band 4 — This fee does not apply to the inputs provided.
- Commercial building permit, valuation band 5 — This fee does not apply to the inputs provided.
- Commercial building permit, valuation under $2,000 — $64.38 — This fee does not apply to the inputs provided.
- Additions to dwellings — $250.00 — This fee does not apply to the inputs provided.
- New single-family dwelling, greater than 2,000 sq ft — $1,750.00 — This fee does not apply to the inputs provided.
- New single-family dwelling, 1,201–2,000 sq ft — $1,350.00 — This fee does not apply to the inputs provided.
- New single-family dwelling, finished floor area 1,200 sq ft or less — $1,050.00 — This fee does not apply to the inputs provided.
- Renovations to dwellings — $150.00 — This fee does not apply to the inputs provided.
- Energy review fee — 2% of building permit fee, $21.00 minimum — This fee does not apply to the inputs provided.
Assumptions
- Calculated from 2 fee rules in effect on 2026-09-28.
- Amounts are rounded to the nearest cent, once, at the end of each component.
Two lines — the band row and the plan check — total $799.13.
Band 3: $52,500 falls in 'More than $50,000 but no more than $100,000'. The band base is $465.00 and the excess is $2,500 — three whole $1,000 steps ('or fraction thereof') at $6.44, $19.32. Band total: $465.00 + $19.32 = $484.32.
Plan check: 65% of the building permit fee, charged in addition — 0.65 × $484.32 = $314.808, which rounds to $314.81.
Total: $484.32 + $314.81 = $799.13. The plan check is a charge, not a credit: the schedule lists it under 'Other associated fees' beside the permit fee, so both lines land in this total.
What moves it: $50,000 of valuation exactly pays $465.00 with no steps; $50,001 already rounds up to a full step. A residential version of the same job would pay a flat $150 renovation or $250 addition row regardless of cost, and no plan check.
What is different in Des Moines
The flat residential rows mean a bigger *budget* never changes a dwelling's building permit — only finished floor area does, and only in three bands. The commercial ladder is the opposite: every band's excess is rounded up to the whole $1,000, so $50,001 of valuation pays the $50,000 band's base plus a full $6.44 step for the single dollar.
The plan check's own words scope it to buildings 'with value greater than $1,000.00', and it sits in the commercial block of the schedule; the residential flat rows carry no plan-check percentage, so this site charges the 65% on commercial permits only.
Des Moines publishes two City fee documents: the PDC's consolidated 'New Fees 2-1-25' and the Building Division's older 01-02-2025 sheet, whose valuation ladder differs. These pages charge the PDC schedule — the newer, consolidated instrument — and the older document is recorded as superseded in the research file.
What this figure does not include
Impact fees, utility connections and other departments’ permits are the usual omissions, and in some jurisdictions they are larger than the permit fee itself.
Not included in these figures
This is the PDC's building permit fee — the residential flat rows or the commercial ladder, plus the plan check and energy review when the schedule's own conditions apply. It excludes:
- Mechanical, electrical and plumbing trade permits, priced separately on their own pages.
- Demolition ($50 dwelling / $250 conventional / $500 explosives) and sewer/water disconnects ($75).
- Right-of-way obstruction permits, wireless towers, permit extensions and reinstatements, overtime inspections and temporary certificates of occupancy — administrative or event fees.
- Engineering (35%/20%) and Fire (15%) review factors from the superseded Building Division sheet — the consolidated schedule prints no such factors and neither does this total.
What you need before applying
- Commercial permits are priced on declared total valuationRequired
The commercial ladder reads 'Total valuation of building' through six bands, each band's excess rounded up to the whole $1,000 ('or fraction thereof'). Valuation is fair market value of materials and labor as declared on the application and subject to the Building Official's review.
- Residential area excludes basement and garageRequired
The flat residential rows key on 'Total finished floor area' — 'Basement and garage areas do not contribute to this calculation.' Enter habitable above-grade area only.
Common questions
How much is a building permit for a new house in Des Moines?
It is a flat fee based on total finished floor area, with basements and garages excluded: $1,050.00 up to 1,200 sq ft, $1,350.00 from 1,201 to 2,000 sq ft, and $1,750.00 above 2,000 sq ft. New townhouses and two-family dwellings pay per unit — $1,300, $1,500 or $1,900 by the same three area bands.
How is a commercial building permit calculated?
From total valuation through six bands: $64.38 under $2,000; $64.38 + $9.06 per additional $1,000 or fraction to $25,000; $271.88 + $7.75 to $50,000; $465 + $6.44 to $100,000; $786.88 + $3.88 to $500,000; $2,331.25 + $2.63 above. Every band's excess rounds up to the whole $1,000.
Does Des Moines charge a plan review fee?
Yes — a Plan Checking Fee of 65% of the building permit fee applies to buildings with value greater than $1,000. It appears in the commercial block of the PDC schedule; the residential flat-fee rows print no plan-check percentage. There is also an energy review fee of 2% of the permit fee (minimum $21.00) for buildings with enclosed heated or cooled space.
Which fee schedule is in force — the PDC's or the Building Division's?
The Permit and Development Center's consolidated schedule ('New Fees 2-1-25', effective February 1, 2025). The Building Division's separate sheet effective January 2, 2025 (DMMC 14.01.090) prints an older valuation ladder with different rates; this site charges the PDC figures and records the Division document as superseded.
What does an addition or remodel cost to permit?
Additions to dwellings are $250.00 and renovations to dwellings are $150.00 — flat, regardless of project value. New detached sheds and garages are $175.00, and decks, fences, retaining walls, swimming pools, hot tubs and other accessory structures are $75.00.
What is the minimum commercial building permit fee?
The smallest printed amount is $64.38 for commercial work valued under $2,000 — the schedule states no other minimum for the ladder, and the first band's base is the floor the arithmetic lands on.
Source and verification
The documents behind every figure on this page, with the dates that make them checkable.
- Fee schedule (PDF)CityPrimary source
Des Moines Permit and Development Center Permit Fees — New Fees 2-1-25 (4 pp.)
Read 2026-09-26 from the City's CMS host (cms2.revize.com serves the PDF unguarded; HEAD-verified HTTP 200 application/pdf). Contains the residential flat building rows by finished floor area, the six-band commercial valuation ladder (every band printing 'or fraction thereof'), plan check 65% of the building permit fee, energy review 2% with a $21 minimum, demolition, residential trade flats ($225/$75 electrical, $200/$75 plumbing, $125/$75 mechanical) and the commercial trade base-plus-unit price lists.
Verification
Last verified against the official source in Sep 2026.