Story County, IA Special Events & Permits: Parade Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit trigger
- events over 4 hours, 250+ people
- Application deadline
- 21 calendar days before event
- Administering office
- Planning and Development Director
- Final approval
- Story County Board of Supervisors
- Exemptions
- conditional-use, family events, funerals, ag use
- Violation penalty
- permit fee plus up to 2x fee
Summary
Anyone holding a parade, race, concert, or other public assembly in unincorporated Story County, on private property, county roads, or county property, needs a special events permit under Code of Ordinances § 83.04 before the event, unless it falls under a listed exemption in § 83.05. A separate application is required for each event, though a multi-day event needs only one permit.
An individual, corporation, partnership, association, or other entity, whether public or private, may not hold a special event without first obtaining a special events permit, subject to exemptions indicated in Section 83.05. A separate special event application shall be submitted for each requested special event. However, for a multi-day special event, only one special event permit is required.
Full Breakdown
01 as any activity lasting more than four hours and drawing more than 250 combined staff, volunteers, participants, and spectators. 02. 27, though the Director has final discretion over whether an event qualifies. 06; the County Sheriff's Office, applicable fire chief, ambulance district, Environmental Health, County Engineer, County Conservation, and Emergency Management Department all review the application. 09, which also authorizes post-permit site inspections.
Violations & Fines
A special event held without a permit, or run outside its approved terms, is a county infraction under Section 83.11, punishable by a citation for the permit fee plus up to twice the permit fee, in place of the $750 penalty set in Section 93.03, with harsher penalties available for repeat offenses. The County Sheriff's Office can stop an ongoing event that lacks a valid permit and can separately cite participants for related violations such as disturbing the peace, public nuisance, failure to disperse, or trespass.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit for a small family gathering?
How far ahead do I need to apply?
Who decides whether my event needs a permit?
What happens if I hold the event without a permit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Story County
Compare Story County to another location·View the Iowa special events & permits overview
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