Overview
The City Permit and Development Center handles construction applications. Customer Self Service supports applications, payments and inspections. The City lists its relocated office at 1200 Locust Street.
Authority
City Permit and Development Center
Online services
Customer Self Service: applications, payments and inspections
Trades
Select a trade for its permit path, licensing, code resources, fees and filing pitfalls.
New dwellings and alterations
Des Moines Permit and Development CenterApplicable Code
City-adopted electrical provisions and amendments; verify edition.
License Requirement
Confirm Iowa electrical contractor credentials and City applicant eligibility.
License Fee
Iowa credential schedule; no licensing amount verified.
CEUs
Credential issuer renewal requirements
Permit Fee
January 2026 residential schedule: new dwelling electrical including temporary power $231.75; alterations/additions/accessories $77.25.
Plan Review Time
Coordinate the electrical application with building scope; no fixed duration verified.
Common Pitfalls
- The new-dwelling category includes temporary power; avoid assuming an extra identical category.
- An alteration fee is not the new-house electrical assessment.
Permit-to-closeout workflow
Confirm the site
Check City jurisdiction, zoning and floodplain constraints.
Prepare plans
Use residential instructions and Iowa design-professional requirements.
Apply through CSS
Attach plans and describe the building and trade scope.
Resolve reviews
Answer comments and pay assessed charges before issuance.
Request inspections
Use CSS for required construction and trade stages.
Finish closeout
Clear finals and confirm occupancy/completion requirements.
Permit fees and worked estimates
The City’s currently offered final Permit and Development Center schedule says “New Fees 1-1-26.” The worked example uses that final schedule, not a proposed council packet.
| Trade | Permit fee | License fee |
|---|---|---|
| New dwellings and alterations | January 2026 residential schedule: new dwelling electrical including temporary power $231.75; alterations/additions/accessories $77.25. | Iowa credential schedule; no licensing amount verified. |
| Dwelling plumbing and service work | January 2026 residential schedule: new dwelling plumbing $206; new sewer/water-service-only category $77.25. | State credential schedule |
| Dwelling HVAC and fireplaces | January 2026 residential schedule: new dwelling mechanical $128.75; fireplace-only new construction $77.25; alterations/additions $77.25. | State credential schedule |
| Life-safety and system acceptance | Current project-specific fire-system fee amount not verified; excluded from the worked example. Fire-system assessment was not separately verified; obtain the applicable City schedule before budgeting. | System credential schedule; no amount verified. |
| Residential buildings and additions | January 2026: new single-family dwelling up to 1,200 finished square feet $1,081.50; dwelling renovation $154.50; addition $257.50. | Applicable registration schedule; no amount verified. |
Codes and amendments
Confirm current City-adopted technical codes and amendments for the project. Check zoning, floodplain status and Iowa design-professional requirements before completing drawings.
Submission checklist
Homeowner rules
Ask the Center to confirm the precise owner-applicant and self-performed trade conditions before applying. No general homeowner exception from licensing, permitting or inspections is verified in the reviewed pages.
Inspections and closeout
Request inspections through CSS, prepare approved drawings and accessible work, resolve corrections and confirm all applicable finals and occupancy requirements with the Center.