Building permits, zoning and land rules in Greeley County, Nebraska
40Index Score / 100 #81 of 93 in Nebraska
Unincorporated Greeley County, Nebraska requires a building and/or zoning permit, issued by the county Zoning Administrator, before a structure is erected, moved, added to or structurally altered1. County zoning covers rural and unincorporated land but not the one-mile planning jurisdictions around the four villages2. Septic permits for every address, village or not, come from the Nebraska onsite wastewater program3.
At a glance
Building permit
Required before erecting, moving, adding to or structurally altering a structure in the county zoning jurisdiction1
Zoning
County districts govern rural and unincorporated land outside the villages' extraterritorial jurisdictions24
Tiny homes
A tiny home treated as a building or structure must meet district zoning and county permit and occupancy requirements5
Septic
Nebraska administers onsite wastewater; systems use either a general permit or construction and operating permits67
Owner-builder
Own-property work is exempt from contractor registration, not from county permits89
Rural home lots
Some single-family homes in the AG-1 and RC districts require at least 3 acres and improved-road access1011
Setbacks
District-specific; AG-1 and RC generally use a 25-foot front setback from the road right-of-way12
Floodplain development
County floodplain provisions apply, and covered construction requires a permit before work begins13
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Do you need a building permit in Greeley County, Nebraska?
Yes. In Greeley County's zoning jurisdiction, a building and/or zoning permit must be issued before a structure is erected, moved, added to or structurally altered; an approved permit allows no more than one year for completion.1 The application requires two identical plan sets with a plot plan and footing, wall, roof and floor details.14 The Zoning Administrator must approve or deny a complete application within 30 days of receipt.15 The county conducts compliance inspections and examines covered buildings, structures or sites before issuing a certificate of occupancy.16 A certificate is required before covered use or occupancy, except for land uses that are primarily agricultural.17 Ask Planning and Zoning for the current fee and inspection sequence.18
Who issues building permits in Greeley County, Nebraska, and how do you reach them?
Greeley County Planning and Zoning is the starting point for county building and zoning applications.1 Call (308) 428-9924, email zoning@greeleycountyne.gov, or write to PO Box 21 Greeley, NE 68842.18 The county publishes applications for building permits, floodplain development, subdivisions, conditional uses, variances and zoning changes.15 For a parcel-specific answer, give the office the legal description and street address; the county uses that information to identify zoning, decide whether a permit is needed and determine the setback.14 Bring two identical sets of the required plans when applying.14 Planning and Zoning also performs the county's compliance inspections and certificate-of-occupancy review.1617 Inside the villages' one-mile planning jurisdictions, county zoning does not apply, so confirm the village office for building and zoning permits there; septic permits remain with the state23.
Does Greeley County, Nebraska have zoning?
Yes. Greeley County zoning covers rural and unincorporated territory except the one-mile extraterritorial planning jurisdictions of the four villages.2 The published districts are AG-1 Agricultural, AG-2 Agricultural, RC Rural Conservation, C Highway Commercial and I Industrial.4 District rules govern the use and alteration of buildings, structures and land.19 For certain single-family dwellings in AG-1 and RC, the minimum lot is three acres and road-access conditions apply.10 AG-1 and RC generally require a front setback of 25 feet from the road right-of-way, but other setbacks vary by district and adjoining use.12 A manufactured home outside a mobile home park must have at least 900 square feet of floor area20 and must meet building-code requirements adopted by Greeley County, although the county regulation does not identify the adopted code edition.21 Nebraska's statewide building code names the 2018 International Building Code and International Residential Code.22
How do septic permits work in Greeley County, Nebraska?
Nebraska's DWEE Onsite Wastewater Program administers septic requirements in Greeley County, although lawfully adopted local requirements may be stricter.6 A private onsite wastewater system must be permitted before nonexempt construction, reconstruction, alteration, modification or repair, and Nebraska lists two routes: a general permit or construction and operating permits.7 Most systems fit the general-permit route, while wastewater quantity or quality and nonconforming site conditions can trigger a site-specific permit.23 For a site-specific permit, the owner submits the state application and requested supporting material; plans and technical documents must be prepared, stamped and signed by a professional engineer.24 Call the program at (402) 471-4285 or email DWEE.onsite@nebraska.gov before fixing the house and drain-field locations.25 Only about 41.9% of mapped county soils are rated without severe limits for a conventional drain field, so test the actual site.26 A development proposing onsite wastewater on any lot smaller than three acres needs state subdivision review before construction.27
Can you live in an RV or tiny home in Greeley County, Nebraska?
A tiny home treated as a building or structure in unincorporated Greeley County must conform to its zoning district, receive a building and/or zoning permit and obtain a certificate of occupancy before occupancy begins.5 Manufactured homes outside mobile home parks must also meet building-code requirements adopted by Greeley County, but the regulation does not name the code edition.21 Nebraska classifies a park-model recreational vehicle as temporary living quarters that cannot be permanently affixed as a dwelling and cannot exceed 400 square feet in setup mode.28 Long-term RV occupancy and temporary camping on private land remain unconfirmed; ask Planning and Zoning what the parcel's district permits.18 Any dwelling generating wastewater needs a compliant onsite system or an approved sewer connection.29
What are the steps to build a home in Greeley County?
Give Planning and Zoning the parcel's legal description and address; confirm the district, allowed use, lot size and setbacks.141012
Confirm access. Certain AG-1 and RC home lots must connect directly or sit adjacent to an improved road.11
Ask whether county floodplain provisions apply and obtain the required floodplain approval before covered construction.13
Contact Nebraska's Onsite Wastewater Program to determine whether the septic system fits the general permit or needs site-specific construction and operating permits.2325
Submit two identical plan sets with the county application.14
Schedule required compliance inspections with Planning and Zoning.16
Obtain the certificate of occupancy before covered use or occupancy begins.17
What should you check before buying land in Greeley County?
Start with the legal description, zoning district and allowed residential use through Greeley County Planning and Zoning.14 Certain homes in the AG-1 and RC districts need at least three acres, improved-road access and other district approvals.1011 A qualifying single-lot subdivision may use an administrative path, but the Zoning Administrator recommends and the County Commissioners give final approval.30 Check floodplain status before choosing a homesite.13 Evaluate septic early: only about 41.9% of mapped soils are rated without severe limitations for a conventional drain field.26 Private-well permitting could not be confirmed, so ask Planning and Zoning which water authority or natural resources district serves the parcel.18 The effective property-tax rate is about 1.6%, and the median annual property-tax bill is about $1,372.3132
Watch-outs
An owner-builder exemption from contractor registration does not cancel Greeley County's zoning/building permit requirement.89
A private onsite wastewater system must follow Nebraska's permit framework; systems outside the general-permit conditions may need site-specific construction and operating permits.723
Tiny homes treated as buildings or structures need district compliance, a county permit and a certificate of occupancy; long-term private-land RV occupancy and private-well rules remain unconfirmed.518
Written October 9, 2026 from the rules quoted below, each taken from an official source and re-checked by an independent reviewer. This is research, not legal advice: rules change, so confirm with the office before you buy or build.
Greeley County highlighted among the Nebraska counties · colored by Index score
How Greeley County scores
Seclusion74100% ev.
Self-Sufficiency1692% ev.
Admin Boringness47100% ev.
Durability37100% ev.
Property Autonomy53100% ev.
Carry Cost6894% ev.
Evidence strength: 98%. This reports direct-source completeness and fallback use; it is separate from the score and is not a confidence interval. How it works →
$225kTypical home
1.6%Property tax
$4,034Land / acre
26.5"Annual rain
20.4% of yrsSevere drought
11.3 / yr (+9.7)Mid-century 100°F days
22.3 daysMid-century dry spell
1.45" (+3.5%)Mid-century 1-day rain
1.57×Wildfire change factor
100%Forward climate coverage
state median fallbackInsurance basis
5,632People within 30 min
434,752People within 2 hr
2,557Radius comparison (15 mi)
3.9People / sq mi
0.2%Federal land
80.8%Land at 15% slope or less
41.9%Soils rated "not limited" for septic (strict USDA rating)
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Cities and towns in Greeley County
Inside a city, town or township here, that government usually sets zoning and may issue its own building permits; the county’s rules above cover land outside them.
Village of Greeley Center · Village of Scotia · Village of Spalding · Village of Wolbach
Answers from the rulebook for Greeley County
What the ordinances and state agencies actually say — one answer per question, each quoted from the official source and independently re-checked.
Greeley County rules
Building permitRequired
Buildings and structures in the county zoning jurisdiction.
A building and/or zoning permit must be issued by the Zoning Administrator before erection, movement, addition, or structural alteration.
The permit will not be issued unless the proposed construction or use conforms to county zoning regulations and other applicable codes, regulations, laws, orders, and variances.
Approved permits are valid for no more than one year from the effective date for project completion.
permit approval period: <= 1 year (from the effective date)
“No building or other structure shall be erected, moved, added to, or structurally altered without a building and/or zoning permit first having been issued by the Zoning Administrator. No building and/or zoning permit shall be issued unless the proposed construction or use is in conformance with all of the provisions of this resolution and with all other applicable codes, regulations and laws of Greeley County and with all orders, and variances lawfully issued by the Board of Adjustment.”
Building code adoptedPartial
County building-code requirements expressly referenced for manufactured homes outside mobile home parks in Greeley County's rural and unincorporated planning jurisdiction.
The zoning regulations expressly require manufactured homes outside mobile home parks to meet building-code requirements adopted by the County.
The cited county regulation does not identify the adopted code edition or provide a comprehensive statement covering every building type.
Other applicable county, state, and federal standards may apply where more restrictive.
“8.38 The home must meet building code requirements adopted by the County.”
InspectionsRequired
Buildings, structures, and land uses subject to the county zoning resolution.
The Zoning Administrator conducts inspections to determine compliance.
Before a certificate of occupancy is issued, the Administrator examines buildings, structures, or sites for which a building-permit application was filed.
“Conduct inspections of buildings, structures and uses of land to determine compliance with the provisions of this resolution.”
Certificate of occupancyRequired
Use or occupancy of buildings, structures, and land, and changes in use or occupancy requiring a building permit.
The exception is land use that is primarily agricultural.
A partial certificate may be issued for no more than 90 days if the completed portion can be occupied safely.
An owner, architect, engineer, or construction superintendent must provide an affidavit concerning approved plans and compliance.
“No building, structure or land shall be used or occupied, in whole or in part, nor shall any change made in the use or type of occupancy of an existing building or structure requiring a building permit, nor shall any change be made in the use of land, except to any use which is primarily agricultural, unless a certificate of occupancy shall be issued by the Zoning Administrator in accordance with this resolution.”
County-wide zoningPresent (with conditions)
Rural and unincorporated areas of Greeley County within the county planning jurisdiction.
Excludes the one-mile Extraterritorial Planning Jurisdiction of the four villages.
“The provisions of this Resolution shall apply within the planning jurisdiction of Greeley County as established on the map entitled “The Official Zoning Map of Greeley County, Nebraska”. The jurisdiction includes the rural and unincorporated areas of Greeley County, except for the one-mile Extra-Territorial Planning Jurisdiction of the four Villages.”
Local zoningPresent (with conditions)
County-administered zoning for rural and unincorporated areas of Greeley County within the Official Zoning Map jurisdiction.
The one-mile Extra-Territorial Planning Jurisdiction of the four villages is excluded from this county zoning jurisdiction.
Zoning district-specific requirements apply.
More restrictive municipal, state, or federal standards apply where applicable.
“No building, structure, or land shall hereafter be used or occupied, and no building or structure or part thereof shall hereafter be erected, constructed, moved or structurally altered except in conformity with all of the zoning regulations herein specified for the district in which it is located.”
Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)
County zoning districts in the county planning jurisdiction.
The regulation contains an official zoning map and district regulations.
The four villages' one-mile extraterritorial planning jurisdictions are excluded from the county jurisdiction.
“OFFICIAL ZONING MAP GREELEY COUNTY, NEBRASKA LEGEND AG-1 AGRICULTURAL DISTRICT AG-2 AGRICULTURAL DISTRICT RC RURAL CONSERVATION DISTRICT C HIGHWAY COMMERCIAL DISTRICT I INDUSTRIAL DISTRICT”
Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified
Manufactured homes located outside mobile home parks within Greeley County's rural and unincorporated planning jurisdiction.
The county zoning resolution excludes the one-mile Extra-Territorial Planning Jurisdiction of the four villages.
The manufactured home must be located outside a mobile home park.
The home must have a minimum exterior width of eighteen feet.
The roof must be pitched with a minimum vertical rise of two and one-half inches for each twelve inches of horizontal run.
Exterior material must be comparable in color, material, and scale to existing residential site-built single-family construction.
The roof must be non-reflective and simulate asphalt or wood shingles, tile, or rock.
Wheels, axles, transporting lights, and removable towing apparatus must be removed.
The regulation does not supersede valid restrictive covenants of record.
The home must meet building-code requirements adopted by the County.
“8.3 MANUFACTURED HOMES: All manufactured homes located outside mobile home parks shall meet the following standards: 8.31 The home shall have no less than nine hundred (900) square feet of floor area.”
Minimum lot sizeSpecified
Single-family dwellings in the AG-1 and RC districts.
AG-1 allows a minimum 3-acre lot subdivided from a quarter section, limits non-farming residences to one per quarter section, requires direct access to an improved road, and requires public-hearing approval.
RC requires 3 acres for a non-farm single-family dwelling, one per 160-acre quarter section, and adjacency to an improved all-weather county road.
Farm single-family dwellings in RC have no stated numerical limit when authorized by the Zoning Administrator.
minimum lot size: >= 3 acres (district and dwelling-type conditions apply)
“Lot Size: A minimum lot size of 3 acres may be subdivided off a (1/4) quarter section of land. There is a limit of (1) one non-farming residence per quarter section. This lot/ residence must have direct access to an improved road.”
SetbacksSpecified
Structures and dwellings in the AG-1 and RC districts.
AG-1 front setback is 25 feet from public-road right-of-way; intersection clear-view setback is 75 feet from both property lines; rear and side setbacks vary based on adjoining residential districts.
RC front setback is 25 feet from the right-of-way; rear and side setbacks are 25 feet when abutting an improved county road, state highway, or federal highway.
The county FAQ states that setbacks differ by zoning district.
front setback: >= 25 feet (from right-of-way) · intersection clear-view setback: >= 75 feet (from both property lines)
“Setbacks are different for each zoning district.”
Tiny homesLimited
Tiny homes qualifying as buildings or structures and proposed for occupancy in the rural and unincorporated areas of Greeley County, outside the four villages' one-mile extraterritorial planning jurisdictions.
The zoning regulations apply within the county's rural and unincorporated areas, except for the one-mile Extra-Territorial Planning Jurisdiction of the four Villages.
No building or structure may be used or occupied unless it conforms to the zoning regulations for its district.
A building and/or zoning permit must be issued first by the Zoning Administrator.
A certificate of occupancy is required before initial and continued occupancy, except for use primarily agricultural.
A temporary partial certificate of occupancy may be issued for no more than 90 days if the completed portion can be occupied safely.
Applications require an owner, registered architect, licensed professional engineer, or superintendent-of-construction affidavit stating that the structure complies with approved plans and applicable local codes and resolutions.
temporary partial certificate of occupancy: <= 90 days (Only upon request and if the completed portion may be occupied safely without endangering life or public welfare.)
“No building, structure or land shall be used or occupied, in whole or in part, nor shall any change made in the use or type of occupancy of an existing building or structure requiring a building permit, nor shall any change be made in the use of land, except to any use which is primarily agricultural, unless a certificate of occupancy shall be issued by the Zoning Administrator in accordance with this resolution.”
Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)
Subdivision of land under Greeley County zoning and subdivision administration.
An administrative single-lot subdivision may apply when it includes an existing single-family dwelling, is 10 acres or less for a rancher or farmer building site, or is for a family member working with the family.
The Zoning Administrator recommends; final approval is by the County Commissioners.
The subdivision application requires an appropriate fee and a list of property owners within 1,000 feet.
notice-owner radius: 1000 feet
“Any single lot subdivision may be done administratively if: 1. It includes an existing single family dwelling. 2. It requires an acreage of 10 acres or less by a lending agency for a building site for a dwelling for a rancher or farmer. 3. It is being divided off for a building site for a family member working with the family. The subdivision is recommended by the Zoning Administrator, with final approval by the Greeley County Commissioners.”
Driveway accessRequired
Single-family dwelling lots in AG-1 and RC districts.
AG-1 requires direct access to an improved road for the described single-lot subdivision.
RC requires the dwelling lot to be adjacent to an improved all-weather county road above minimum-maintenance-road standard.
“This lot/ residence must have direct access to an improved road. These single lot subdivisions must be brought before the Planning and Zoning Board and Board of Commissioners, as a public hearing, for approval.”
Building in a floodplainRequired
Development and construction subject to county floodplain provisions, including seasonal dwellings in the RC district.
No structure may be placed in the RC district without conformance with Greeley County floodplain provisions.
For seasonal dwellings in RC, floodplain permits, sanitary waste permits, and construction permits must be obtained from the Zoning Administrator before construction.
“Floodplain permits, sanitary waste permits and construction permits shall be obtained from the Zoning Administrator prior to any construction.”
Permit processPublished (with conditions)
County planning, zoning, building, subdivision, floodplain, variance, and related applications.
The county publishes applications for building permits, floodplain development, subdivisions, administrative conditional use, variances, and zoning changes.
The FAQ requires two identical sets of plans, including a plot plan, footing detail, wall detail, roof detail, and floor plan.
The Zoning Administrator must approve or disapprove building and/or zoning permit applications within 30 days of receipt.
application decision period: <= 30 days (from receipt of application)
“The Zoning Administrator shall examine all applications for building and/or zoning permits, including plans, specifications and documents filed therewith and shall either approve or disapprove such application within thirty (30) days of receipt of same.”
Nebraska rules that apply here
Owner-builder exemptionAvailable
A person performing work or having work performed on the person's own property under Nebraska's Contractor Registration Act.
The exemption means the person is not a contractor for purposes of the Contractor Registration Act.
The exemption applies to work on the person's own property.
The statute separately states that a person earning less than five thousand dollars annually for construction services is also not a contractor for purposes of the Act.
The exemption does not exempt a contractor from withholding requirements under the Nebraska Revenue Act of 1967.
This is a contractor-registration exemption and does not establish exemption from applicable building permits, inspections, building codes, electrical requirements, or other local or state approvals.
annual construction-services earnings threshold: < 5000 USD (Separate statutory basis for not being a contractor under the Act; the own-property exemption has no stated dollar threshold.)
“Any person who performs work or has work performed on his or her own property or any person who earns less than five thousand dollars annually for construction services is not a contractor for purposes of the Contractor Registration Act.”
Camping on your landLimited
Temporary camping on state or county public highways, roadside areas, parks, and other property acquired for highway or roadside park purposes in Nebraska.
Camping is unlawful except at places designated as campsites by the Department of Transportation, the county, or another governmental entity owning or controlling the property.
The statute excludes certain lands transferred or leased to the Game and Parks Commission and other lands controlled by the Game and Parks Commission or a natural resources district, which are governed under separate statutes.
Camping includes temporary lodging out of doors in a sleeping bag, tent, trailer, station wagon, pickup camper, camper-bus, or other vehicle.
Violation is a Class V misdemeanor and may require reimbursement for campsite damage.
penalty: Class V misdemeanor
“It shall be unlawful to camp on any state or county public highway, roadside area, park, [...] except at such places as are designated campsites”
Who permits septicState
Private onsite wastewater treatment systems in Greeley County.
Nebraska Title 124 allows general permits for qualifying systems and construction/operating permits for other systems.
More stringent local requirements may apply.
“A private onsite wastewater treatment system is to be permitted by the Department before any construction, reconstruction, alteration, modification, or repair not exempted in Chapter 2 is performed or the system is operated. The two procedures designed to cover all onsite wastewater treatment systems under these regulations are as follows:”
2 more reviewed findings on this topic
State (with conditions) — Onsite wastewater systems in Nebraska, including Greeley County.
“The Nebraska Onsite Wastewater Program administers regulations meant to protect surface water and groundwater as well as public health and welfare through the use of standardized design requirements, the certification of onsite professionals, the review of plans for subdivision development and the permitting of systems that because of large size, handling of non-domestic wastes, or siting issues require a site specific evaluation.”
Mixed (with conditions) — Onsite wastewater treatment systems statewide in Nebraska, including septic systems, holding tanks, lagoons, mound systems, and other decentralized systems.
“Any local requirements (city, county) are separate from and in addition to the requirements found in Title 124 that apply statewide.”
Septic permitLimited
Onsite wastewater systems statewide where system size, non-domestic waste handling, or siting issues require a site-specific evaluation and permitting; ordinary systems also remain subject to applicable Title 124 compliance and registration rules.
The official program page identifies permitting for systems requiring site-specific evaluation because of large size, handling of non-domestic wastes, or siting issues.
A system constructed, reconstructed, altered, modified, or otherwise changed must be registered with the Department.
Local city or county requirements may apply separately.
“Most onsite wastewater systems in Nebraska are constructed under “Authorization by Rule” which does not require a construction permit [...] However, some systems will require a permit”
2 more reviewed findings on this topic
Limited — Onsite wastewater systems in Greeley County.
“Most onsite wastewater systems in Nebraska are constructed under a General Permit, which does not require a construction permit from the State of Nebraska. However, some systems will require a permit as a result of the quantity or quality of the wastewater generated or site conditions that do not meet General Permit requirements.”
Required — Private onsite wastewater systems in Nebraska, including Greeley County.
“A private onsite wastewater treatment system is to be permitted by the Department before any construction, reconstruction, alteration, modification, or repair not exempted in Chapter 2 is performed or the system is operated.”
Septic inspectionLimited
Inspection of private onsite wastewater treatment systems statewide in Nebraska.
Inspection must be carried out or supervised by a certified professional, a Nebraska-licensed professional engineer, or a Nebraska-registered environmental health specialist.
The statute allows the Director by contract to delegate onsite wastewater inspection and registration to a governmental subdivision with a sufficiently stringent program and enforcement authority.
“A private onsite wastewater treatment system shall not be [...] inspected [...] unless the [...] inspection [...] is carried out or supervised by either a certified professional”
Off-grid sanitationAllowed (with conditions)
Off-grid wastewater sanitation using an onsite wastewater treatment system, including septic systems, holding tanks, lagoons, or mound systems, statewide in Nebraska.
The onsite system must comply with Title 124.
Only a properly certified professional may inspect, repair, pump, or install an onsite septic system.
The wastewater directed to the onsite system is limited to domestic wastewater.
Any local city or county requirements apply separately.
“households depend on septic systems [...] for wastewater treatment. [...] the Nebraska Department [...] regulates these systems through Title 124”
Well permitLimited
Construction or modification of water wells in Nebraska groundwater management areas, on land owned or controlled by the person constructing the well.
Before commencing construction, the applicant must apply to the district in which the well will be located, using district forms.
No permit is required for test holes or dewatering wells intended for use for ninety days or less.
No permit is required for a single water well designed and constructed to pump fifty gallons per minute or less.
A district may exempt replacement water wells by rule and regulation.
A district may require a permit for a well designed and constructed to pump fifty gallons per minute or less when it is commingled, combined, clustered, or joined with another well or water source, excluding a water source used to water range livestock; combined wells are treated as one well and their combined capacity is used as the rated capacity.
In groundwater management areas where regulations have been imposed to control declining groundwater levels, a district may require permits for each well or categories of wells designed and constructed to pump fifty gallons per minute or less, except water sources required for human needs relating to health, fire control, or sanitation and water sources used to water range livestock.
The district must review the application and issue or deny the permit within thirty days after filing.
The application requires a fifty-dollar filing fee payable to the district.
The application must include the applicant's name and post-office address, proposed use, intended location, size, type and description, estimated depth if known, estimated capacity in gallons per minute, irrigation acreage and legal description if applicable, non-irrigation use description if applicable, replacement-well registration number if applicable, and other information required by the district.
A person who failed to obtain a required permit must apply for a late permit, accompanied by a two-hundred-fifty-dollar fee and the same information required for an ordinary application.
A person must apply before modifying a well that was previously exempt into one for which a permit would otherwise be required.
pump capacity threshold: <= 50 gallons per minute (Single wells at or below this threshold are exempt unless a district rule requires a permit under the statutory exceptions.) · ordinary application filing fee: 50 USD (Payable to the district.) · late permit application fee: 250 USD (Applies when a required permit was not obtained.) · district decision deadline: 30 days (Measured after the application is filed.) · dewatering intended-use period: <= 90 days (Test holes and dewatering wells intended for use for ninety days or less do not require a permit.)
“shall, before commencing construction, apply with the district in which the water well will be located for a permit on forms provided by the district”
Mandatory utility hookupConditional
Wastewater service for dwellings and non-dwellings generating wastewater statewide in Nebraska.
The property must have an onsite wastewater treatment system complying with Title 124, or be connected to a public sewer system or other wastewater works.
Local city and county requirements are separate from and in addition to statewide Title 124 requirements.
“A dwelling or non-dwelling that generates wastewater must have an onsite wastewater treatment (OWT) system [...] or be connected to a public sewer system”
Agricultural exemptionAvailable (with conditions)
County zoning regulations and permit requirements for agricultural-purpose buildings on qualifying Nebraska farmsteads, and county zoning treatment of residences on farmsteads.
For purposes of the statute, nonfarm buildings are all buildings except buildings utilized for agricultural purposes on a farmstead of twenty acres or more that produces one thousand dollars or more of farm products each year.
The county board may decide whether buildings located on farmsteads used as residences are subject to county zoning regulations and permit requirements.
The exemption concerns county zoning and permit requirements; other applicable state, local, health, septic, floodplain, or safety requirements are not resolved by this statute.
The statute requires county zoning regulations to be adopted or amended only after adoption of a county comprehensive development plan and receipt of specific planning-commission recommendations.
qualifying farmstead size: >= 20 acres (farmstead used for agricultural purposes) · annual farm products: >= 1000 USD (farmstead must produce at least this amount of farm products each year)
“buildings utilized for agricultural purposes on a farmstead of twenty acres or more which produces one thousand dollars or more of farm products each year.”
One more reviewed finding on this topic
Available (with conditions) — Agricultural buildings on farmsteads of at least 20 acres producing at least $1,000 of farm products annually, in the context of county zoning regulations and permit requirements.
“For purposes of this section and section 23-114.04, nonfarm buildings are all buildings except those buildings utilized for agricultural purposes on a farmstead of twenty acres or more which produces one thousand dollars or more of farm products each year.”
Short-term rentalsLimited
Short-term lodging operations in Nebraska, including hotels, tourist homes, private homes rented in whole or in part, campgrounds, and RV pads or hookups.
A separate lodging tax permit is required for each hotel.
The permit is issued only after examination and approval.
The permit is not assignable and is valid only for the named operator, location, and transaction of business.
The permit must be conspicuously displayed.
Operating without a permit or after suspension is a misdemeanor; conviction may result in a fine up to $500 per day.
The cited state rule addresses lodging-tax permitting and does not establish statewide zoning approval for short-term rentals.
maximum fine for operation without permit after conviction: <= 500 USD per day
“Every person engaged in the business of operating a hotel in this state where the public may, for a consideration, obtain sleeping accommodations, must file an application with the Nebraska Department of Revenue for a Nebraska lodging tax permit.”
Permit feesPublished (with conditions)
Nebraska DWEE air-quality construction permit applications.
The fee is non-refundable.
The fee is based on facility-wide potential to emit and the applicable pollutant thresholds.
Submit the fee with the completed construction permit application.
Payment must be by check or money order payable to the Nebraska Department of Water, Energy, and Environment; electronic payments are not currently accepted.
fee: 250 USD (Facility-wide PTE less than 50 tons per year of any listed air pollutant, or less than 2.5 tons per year of any single HAP, or less than 10 tons per year of any combination of HAPs.) · fee: 1500 USD (Facility-wide PTE is 50 or more but less than 100 tons per year of any listed air pollutant, or 2.5 or more but less than 10 tons per year of any single HAP, or 10 or more but less than 25 tons per year of any combination of HAPs.) · fee: 3000 USD (Facility-wide PTE is 100 tons or more per year of any listed air pollutant, or 10 tons or more per year of any single HAP, or 25 tons or more per year of any combination of HAPs.)
“Chapter 3, Section 002.01 of Nebraska Administrative Code Title 129 – Nebraska Air Quality Regulations requires that each air quality construction permit application be accompanied by a non-refundable fee.”
county zoning authorityGeneral
Nebraska county boards adopting zoning resolutions for county territory outside incorporated cities and villages and outside areas where a city or village has been granted or ceded zoning jurisdiction and is exercising that jurisdiction.
The county board may adopt a zoning resolution having the force and effect of law.
The zoning resolution may regulate buildings, structures, lot coverage, setbacks, yards, population density, building uses, and land uses for agriculture, forestry, recreation, residence, industry, and trade in the unincorporated area of the county.
The powers may not be exercised within incorporated cities or villages or within an unincorporated area over which a city or village has been granted or ceded zoning jurisdiction and is exercising it.
A city or village zoning ordinance or amendment controlling an unincorporated area supersedes the county resolution or regulation.
If a zoning resolution or regulation affects the Niobrara scenic river corridor, the Niobrara Council must act as provided in section 72-2010.
A county board may not prohibit a qualifying manufactured home solely because it is manufactured, but may impose the listed installation and design standards and may not impose additional standards unless uniformly applied to all single-family dwellings in the zoning district.
Special districts or zones may be established in areas subject to seasonal or periodic flooding.
“to adopt a zoning resolution, which shall have the force and effect of law;”
county building authorityGeneral
Nebraska counties adopting, administering, enforcing, and requiring permits under local building or construction codes for buildings, including residential construction, in unincorporated areas.
A county may enact, administer, or enforce a local building or construction code only if it adopts the state building code or adopts a building or construction code that conforms generally with the state building code.
A local code may include special or differing standards only within the statutory conformity rules, including standards addressing construction costs, safety, durability, efficiency, best practices, or special local conditions.
A local code must be regularly updated; generally, the most recently enacted state building code or a conforming code must be adopted within two years after an update to the state building code.
If a county does not adopt a code as authorized within two years after an update to the state building code, the state building code applies in the county, except that it does not apply to construction on a farm or for farm purposes.
A county may adopt administrative amendments concerning enforcement organization, staff qualifications, plan examination, inspections, appeals, permits, and fees, and may publish those amendments separately from the code.
Under section 23-172, county-adopted codes and the building-permit or occupancy-permit requirements imposed by those codes or sections 23-114.04 and 23-114.05 apply throughout the county except within incorporated cities or villages and except within an unincorporated area where a city or village has been granted zoning jurisdiction and is exercising that jurisdiction.
Under section 23-114.04, permits are required before erection, construction, reconstruction, alteration, repair, or conversion of a nonfarm building or structure within a zoned area; a permit may be withheld when the proposed purpose conflicts with applicable district zoning regulations.
Section 23-114.04 permits reasonable county permit-fee schedules and requires written plans, including sanitation, plumbing, and sewage-disposal information, that fully conform to zoning regulations before permits issue.
Section 23-172 states that nothing in that section creates an obligation for the county to inspect plumbing work to determine compliance with the plumbing code.
“Any county, city, or village may enact, administer, or enforce a local building or construction code if or as long as such county, city, or village:
(i) Adopts the state building code; or
(ii) Adopts a building or construction code that conforms generally with the state building code.”
Set by your township or city, not the county
In Nebraska, zoning is adopted by each township or city, so Greeley County has no county-wide answer on these. Find your township or city in the list of places on this page, or call its clerk or zoning administrator.
Lot coverage
Building height
Living in an RV
Manufactured homes
Accessory dwellings
Each answer was extracted from an official source and independently re-checked against that source by a second reviewer. That is an evidence check, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with the authority before you buy or build.
Living off-grid in Greeley County, Nebraska
Is Greeley County a good place to live off-grid or homestead?
Greeley County scores 40/100 on the Bolthole Index, a marginal county profile. Its strengths: sparse surroundings — about 5,632 people within a 30-minute drive and manageable long-term carry cost. Watch-outs: workable self-sufficiency basics (26.5″/yr rainfall) and elevated current hazard exposure.
Do you need a building permit in Greeley County, Nebraska?
Greeley County generally requires a residential building permit, and it enforces county zoning. Onsite septic is permitted by Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy (NDEE / DWEE), Onsite Wastewater Program. Owner-builders may act as their own contractor to build their home. These answers are quoted from official sources and independently re-checked. Rules change and cities within the county differ — always confirm with the county before you buy or build.
How much does land cost in Greeley County, Nebraska?
Land in Greeley County runs about $4,034 per acre, based on the latest county data.
What is the water situation in Greeley County?
Greeley County gets about 26.5" of rain a year, with severe drought in roughly 20.4% of years.
How remote is Greeley County?
A representative private-land location has about 5,632 people within a 30-minute drive and 434,752 within two hours. The road-network catchments count population across county lines and clusters of smaller cities; straight-line radius values remain available as a comparison.
