Ames, IA Building Safety: Building Permits (2026)

Ames Municipal Code Sec. 5.103 requires any owner or authorized agent who intends to construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move, demolish or change the occupancy of a building or structure, or to erect, install, alter or replace any electrical, gas, mechanical or plumbing system regulated by the code, to first apply to and obtain a permit from the Building Official; performing that work without first obtaining the permit is expressly declared a violation. Contractors performing permitted work must hold a valid State Division of Labor registration and Commercial General Liability Insurance of at least $500,000, with exceptions for a homeowner working on a primary residence; homeowners instead obtain a homeowner permit under subsection (4) and their work is still inspected for code compliance.

Applications must identify the work, describe the property, state proposed use and total construction cost, and be accompanied by construction documents under Sec. 5.110. A permit is treated as abandoned if no work occurs within 365 days, and every issued permit expires if work is not completed within 365 days, though the Building Official may grant a permit extension with a fee equal to half the original permit fee or $25, whichever is greater, after 30 days' written notice. Permit fee schedules for building work are set in Appendix L of the Ames Municipal Code.