Building permits, zoning and septic rules in Lancaster County, Nebraska

At a glance

Building permit

Required in Lincoln and within three miles of its limits; ask Building and Safety about land farther out¹

Zoning

Yes; county rules govern use, height, yards and development intensity in the county zoning jurisdiction²

Septic

State-administered; most systems use a General Permit, but some need a Construction Permit³⁴

Campgrounds

Require a special permit in the AG district⁵

Accessory dwelling

One may be approved by special permit on a qualifying AG-zoned lot⁶

Mobile-home size

At least 800 square feet on an individual lot in the applicable district⁷

Owner-builder

Exempt from contractor registration on your own property, but not from applicable permits or codes⁸

Who to call

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 10, 2026.

Do you need a building permit in Lancaster County, Nebraska?

Yes, in the area the county's permit rule covers: construction, alteration, repair, movement, removal, conversion, occupancy change or demolition within the City of Lincoln or within three miles of its corporate limits (outside another organized city or village) needs a building permit, with a separate permit for each building or structure¹. That rule does not by itself establish a permit requirement for every parcel in Lancaster County beyond that area⁹, so ask Building and Safety about land outside the three-mile ring. Nebraska's statewide code uses the 2018 International Building, Residential and Existing Building Codes and the 2018 Uniform Plumbing Code, but local jurisdictions may adopt a generally conforming local code; the specific edition adopted for unincorporated Lancaster County could not be confirmed¹⁰. An owner may perform or arrange work on the owner's own property without contractor registration, but that narrow exemption does not remove applicable building permits, inspections or code requirements⁸. A new or changed land or building use governed by the county zoning resolution cannot be occupied until a certificate of occupancy confirms compliance with zoning, special-permit conditions and the Building Code¹¹.

Who issues Lancaster County building permits, and how do you reach them?

Lincoln/Lancaster County Building and Safety is the first stop for building, electrical, mechanical and plumbing permits in Lincoln and the surrounding county area it serves. The office is at 555 South 10th St, Suite 203 in Lincoln and its main number is 402-441-7521¹². Required inspections can be scheduled at 402-441-5999¹². The county zoning resolution specifically requires Building and Safety to inspect premises covered by a special permit before a certificate of compliance is issued, and a mobile home must be inspected before occupancy¹³. Building and Safety also handles floodplain information; any development in a Nebraska floodplain requires a separate permit, including grading, filling, additions and new structures¹²¹⁴. The county resolution adopting the 2021 International Existing Building Code says enforcement is provided through the City Codes Administration under an interlocal agreement.¹⁵ Permit fees were not confirmed, so ask Building and Safety for the current fee and submittal list for the proposed work.

Does Lancaster County have zoning?

Yes. Lancaster County zoning applies within the county's zoning jurisdiction, principally the unincorporated county, and regulates land and building uses, building height, yards and development intensity². The published resolution includes AG, AGR, R and other districts, each with rules for use, height, yards and development intensity¹⁶. Incorporated municipalities may administer their own zoning, so verify which jurisdiction controls before relying on county rules². The Lincoln/Lancaster County Planning Department can identify a parcel's district; call 402-441-7491¹⁷. In the AG district, one accessory dwelling may be approved by special permit on a lot of at least 20 acres⁶. It is limited to the lesser of 1,000 square feet or 40% of the principal home, may have no more than 2 bedrooms, and must meet owner-occupancy, deed-restriction, access, utility and siting conditions⁶. An individual-lot mobile home in the applicable district must have at least 800 square feet excluding garages⁷. That rule is not a confirmed minimum for every dwelling.

How do septic permits work in Lancaster County?

Nebraska's Onsite Wastewater Program administers septic design standards, professional certification, subdivision review, registration and site-specific permitting in Lancaster County³. Most systems are constructed under a General Permit and do not need a separate state Construction Permit; a system that does not meet the General Permit requirements must receive a Construction Permit before construction, with triggers including wastewater quantity, wastewater quality and site conditions⁴. Off-grid does not mean sanitation-free: any dwelling or other building generating wastewater must use a compliant onsite system, public sewer or other compliant wastewater works, and a system must be registered when it is built or changed¹⁸. Installation and inspection must be performed or supervised by an authorized certified professional, Nebraska-licensed engineer or registered environmental health specialist¹⁹. Only 0.3% of Lancaster County soils rate as free of severe limitations for a conventional drain field, so obtain a site evaluation before treating a standard gravity system as feasible²⁰. The state program can be reached at (402) 471-4285²¹.

Can you live in an RV or tiny home on your land in Lancaster County?

We could not confirm a county rule that generally allows RV living or tiny-home occupancy on private land in Lancaster County. A county-regulated campground requires a special permit in the AG district and must meet campsite, lot-size, access, water, sewage, setback and recordkeeping requirements⁵. That campground rule does not establish permission to occupy an RV as a residence on an ordinary private parcel. Ask the Lincoln/Lancaster County Planning Department whether the parcel's district permits the proposed use, and ask Building and Safety what construction and occupancy approvals apply¹⁷¹². Nebraska may classify a tiny house as a manufactured home, modular unit or recreational vehicle, but that state classification does not override local zoning, building, utility or health requirements²². The county's accessory-dwelling option is narrower: one accessory dwelling may be considered by special permit in the AG district on a qualifying lot⁶. The confirmed 800-square-foot threshold applies to an individual-lot mobile home in the applicable district, not every tiny or site-built home⁷.

Building a home in Lancaster County, Nebraska: the steps, in order

1. Ask the Lincoln/Lancaster County Planning Department to confirm the parcel's jurisdiction, zoning district and allowed use¹⁷¹⁶.
2. If the proposal needs a county special permit, file the application and plot plan with Planning; the County Board refers it to the Planning Commission, which holds a public hearing, and its action may be appealed to the County Board²³.
3. Establish wastewater service through a compliant onsite system, public sewer connection or other compliant wastewater works; contact the state program about registration, General Permit eligibility and any required Construction Permit¹⁸⁴.
4. Apply to Lincoln/Lancaster County Building and Safety for the required building and trade permits, and confirm first whether the parcel falls within the permit area¹¹².
5. Get a county driveway permit for any access to a Lancaster County road, and obtain any separate floodplain permit or state-highway driveway permit that the site requires²⁴¹⁴²⁵.
6. Complete required inspections, then obtain the certificate of occupancy when the project creates or changes a use or occupancy classification governed by county zoning¹³¹¹.

What should you check before buying land in Lancaster County?

Start with jurisdiction and zoning because a municipality may control a parcel that appears rural, while county zoning governs principally unincorporated territory². Budget for a site-specific wastewater evaluation: only 0.3% of county soils rate as free of severe limitations for a conventional drain field²⁰. Check flood maps before planning grading, access or structures because all Nebraska floodplain development requires a permit¹⁴. A driveway permit is required for any access to a Lancaster County road; the applicant provides the property's legal description and marks the driveway location with two wire flags, county engineering staff check sight distance and drainage, there is no charge, and review takes about 10 working days.²⁴ A new, relocated or altered connection to a state highway requires a state permit instead.²⁵ Private-well permitting also could not be confirmed, so identify the water source and ask Planning which authority must approve it¹⁷. The median property-tax bill is about $4,055 a year and the effective rate is about 1.6%, but verify the actual parcel assessment before closing²⁶²⁷.

Watch-outs

• A county special permit follows a public process through Planning and the Planning Commission; do not assume a building-permit application alone approves a special use²³.
• A certificate of occupancy is required before a new or changed use or occupancy classification governed by the Lancaster County zoning resolution may be occupied¹¹.
• The confirmed 800-square-foot minimum applies to an individual-lot mobile home in the applicable district, not to every dwelling in Lancaster County⁷.
• The county's building-permit rule is confirmed for Lincoln and the area within three miles of its limits outside other cities and villages; for parcels beyond that, ask Building and Safety before assuming either way.⁹

Sources

1. Resolution R-10-0052: Building Code Amendments (2026 county census)
2. Lancaster County Zoning Resolution, quoted and re-checked
3. Onsite Wastewater Program, quoted and re-checked
4. Onsite Wastewater Treatment Facilities: Construction/Operating Permits, quoted and re-checked
5. Lancaster County Campground Regulations, quoted and re-checked
6. Accessory Dwelling Unit Resolution, quoted and re-checked
7. Lancaster County Zoning Resolution, quoted and re-checked
8. Nebraska Revised Statute 48-2104 — Registration required (Nebraska statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
9. Resolution R-10-0052: Building Code Amendments, quoted and re-checked
10. Nebraska Revised Statute 71-6403: State building code; adopted; amendments (Nebraska statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
11. Lancaster County Zoning Resolution, Article 20, quoted and re-checked
12. Lincoln/Lancaster County Building and Safety (lincoln.ne.gov)
13. Lancaster County Zoning Resolution, Article 20, quoted and re-checked
14. Floodplain Management Q&A: Permits (Nebraska statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
15. Resolution R-26-0043: 2021 International Existing Building Code, quoted and re-checked
16. Lancaster County Zoning Resolution, quoted and re-checked
17. Lincoln/Lancaster County Planning Department (lincoln.ne.gov)
18. Onsite Wastewater Program, quoted and re-checked
19. Nebraska Revised Statute 81-15,248 (Nebraska statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
20. Share of soils USDA rates "not limited" for a conventional septic drain field (SSURGO). A strict rating: the median county is about 6% and a tenth of counties are 0%, so a low figure means most lots need a site evaluation or an engineered system, not that septic is impossible. Cite it only with that caveat: Bolthole Index county data
21. Nebraska Department of Water, Energy and Environment (DWEE), Onsite Wastewater Program (dee.nebraska.gov)
22. Housing and Recreational Vehicle (Nebraska statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
23. lancaster.ne.gov, quoted and re-checked
24. Driveway Permits, quoted and re-checked
25. Title 410, Chapter 2 - Driveway and Approach Road Permits (Nebraska statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
26. Median property tax bill: Bolthole Index county data
27. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data

Written October 10, 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.