Davenport building department

Davenport’s Development and Neighborhood Services Department runs building permits, plan review, inspections, zoning, and code enforcement inside Davenport city limits. The building counter is at the Davenport Public Works Center, 1200 E 46th Street, open Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., except holidays. Property in unincorporated Scott County or in neighboring cities is permitted by those jurisdictions, not Davenport.

What needs a permit in Davenport

The city’s published list (not exhaustive) requires permits for additions, decks, fireplaces, garages, new construction, pools, remodels, roofing, siding, and windows; all new or altered electrical, plumbing, and heating/air-conditioning work; driveways, excavation, porches, sewer and water lines, sidewalks, signs, and wireless towers; and alarm systems, demolition, fill, flammable-liquid tanks and pumps, dumpsters or pods in the right-of-way, mobile homes, and temporary heat.

Common exemptions

Work	No building permit needed when
Shed, playhouse, or similar detached accessory building	One story, roof area 120 sq ft or less, placed in compliance with zoning and setback rules
Fence on residential property	6 ft high or less
Retaining wall	4 ft or less from bottom of footing to top of wall, not supporting a surcharge or impounding flammable liquids
Platform, deck, walk, or driveway on private property	30 in. or less above grade, does not serve a door, not attached to a structure, not over a basement or story below
Prefabricated pool (R-3)	Less than 24 in. deep and 5,000 gallons or less (fencing and enclosure rules still apply)
Window awning (R-3 and U occupancies)	Projects 54 in. or less from the wall
Finish work	Painting, papering, carpet, resilient flooring, and similar

An exemption does not waive zoning. The city notes that fences are generally permit-free but must meet placement rules, and fences that do not comply may be ordered moved. Extra permits can apply on floodplain lots, landmark or National Register properties, and when more than one acre will be disturbed.

How to apply

Contractors apply online through the city’s Action Center at request.davenportiowa.com. There is a dedicated Roofing, Siding, Windows & Doors application (replacements only) and a general Building Permit Application for everything else, plus separate electrical, mechanical, plumbing, and excavation forms. Each asks for the city-issued contractor ID number. Staff review the application, email an invoice for the fees, and issue the permit after payment.

Homeowners must pull permits in person at the Public Works Center counter rather than through the contractor-only online form; the roofing/siding/windows form lets homeowners enter contractor number 1000 and “Homeowner.” Bring the completed application, plans, and supporting documents; payment is due at submission (cash, check, Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover). Many homeowner permits are issued the same day.

Multi-family, commercial, and industrial projects, and anything requiring a site plan, must be submitted through E-Plan, the city’s electronic plan review portal (obweb02.davenportiowa.com/planreview). Review, correspondence, approval, and payment all happen in E-Plan, and the E-Plan project number is then entered on the building permit application. File rules: unsecured PDFs only; drawings as individual vector PDFs; reports and calculations as searchable multi-page PDFs; revised files must keep the exact same file name; names may not exceed 100 characters or contain a period. Separate permits are needed for land disturbance over 5,000 sq ft, right-of-way work, sewer connections, and trade work.

Before applying, use the parcel map on the Building and Land Development page to see whether zoning, floodplain, historic, or design-district approvals apply. Preliminary approvals go to the Plan and Zoning Commission (rezoning, final development plans), the Zoning Board of Adjustment (variances, special use permits), the Design Review Board, or the Historic Preservation Commission. Planning questions: (563) 326-6198.

Adopted codes

Davenport codifies these model codes with local amendments in its City Code:

Code	City Code chapter
2021 International Building, Existing Building, and Residential Codes	15.12
2021 International Fire Code	15.32
2024 International Mechanical Code	15.24
2024 State of Iowa Uniform Plumbing Code	15.28
2023 National Electrical Code (with state and local amendments)	15.16

Energy conservation follows Iowa rule 661-303, and fuel gas follows the current NFPA 54. Projects may also need approval from the Scott County Board of Health and the Iowa State Fire Marshal.

Fees

The building permit fee depends on valuation. The city’s fee schedule starts at $15.50 for work valued up to $500; for example, a $10,000 job is $121.25 and a $50,000 job is $431.25. Projects over $100,000 pay $668.75 plus $3.75 for each additional $1,000. Other listed fees: reinspection $77.00, after-hours inspection $77.00 per hour, extra plan review for revisions $44.00 per hour, demolition $77.00 (up to 3,000 sq ft) or $140.00 (over 3,000 sq ft), moving a building $140.00, and temporary structures $110.00.

Contractor licensing and homeowner work

Davenport licenses contractors under City Code 15.30. Licenses go to individuals, who can then pull permits and supervise work for a company. General and specialty contractors must pass an ICC or Prometric exam with a score of at least 70%, pay $300 (commercial), $200 (residential), or $100 (sub-specialty), and post an original $25,000 surety bond. Electrical, HVAC, and plumbing contractors need a State of Iowa license and a $5,000 bond, with no city license fee. Plumbing and electrical work must be done by or under a licensed journeyman employed by the licensed contractor.

Owners holding title to a single-family home may do their own new construction, remodeling, or renovation without a contractor license. This exception does not cover mechanical, electrical, or plumbing work.

Inspections and permit history

The city tells permit holders to call for the appropriate inspections as work is completed; the building staff line is (563) 326-7745. A certificate of occupancy follows final approval on new construction. The Building Permit Inquiry System holds building permit history going back to 1919; the city lists Public Works at (563) 326-7923 for search questions. The search system was down for scheduled maintenance when checked on October 21, 2026.