Lincoln building department

Building and Safety is part of Lincoln-Lancaster County Planning and Development Services. It issues building, electrical, mechanical, plumbing, demolition, sign, and floodplain permits and runs inspections. It also handles rental and property-maintenance enforcement and houses the Bureau of Fire Prevention. Its reach goes past the city limits. The division’s fee areas are divided into the Lincoln city limits, a 3-mile buffer, an 8-mile buffer, and an “8-mile plus” area, all within Lancaster County. Before you apply, check your parcel on the city’s Inspector Areas / Lancaster 3 & 8 Mile Map. The office is open Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

What homeowners need a permit for

According to Building and Safety’s homeowner page, you need a permit to:

• Build a deck, shed, or garage
• Finish a basement
• Put up a fence taller than seven feet
• Remove or add walls
• Build a new building or an addition

Permits make sure the work meets the Lincoln Residential Code and the Zoning Ordinance. Sheds of 120 square feet or less still need a permit, but only a site plan. Any new building, addition, deck, or shed needs a site plan showing where it sits on the lot. Most other projects need full construction drawings. The city says plans should have enough detail for someone else to build from them without talking to whoever drew them. See also do I need a permit to finish a basement.

Electrical, mechanical, and plumbing permits go only to licensed contractors, or to homeowners working on their own primary residence.

Residential submittals

The Residential Building page lists what to upload for each project type:

• New dwellings: an impact fee determination, a curb cut application, Nebraska Energy Code certification, water and wastewater service applications, a site plan, and architectural plans
• Additions: a site plan plus foundation and floor plans, elevations, wall sections, and a window schedule
• Interior alterations: floor plans only
• Accessory structures: call Plan Review at (402) 441-7882 for instructions

Fees

The minimum building permit fee is $65. New-home fees are based on square footage, with a $100 deposit due at application. For other permits, the fee is due after the city reviews the application. Project value includes labor plus building, mechanical, electrical, and plumbing costs.

Adopted codes

Code	Edition
International Building, Existing Building, Residential, Mechanical, Fuel Gas, and Fire Codes	2021, with local amendments
Uniform Plumbing Code	2021, with local amendments
National Electrical Code	2023, with local amendments
International Energy Conservation Code	2018, with local amendments
International Property Maintenance Code	2012, with local amendments

Lincoln also enforces a local Hydronics Code and a Gas Piping and Systems Code. On the state side, the city applies the 2012 Life Safety Code (NFPA 101) and the 2010 ADA Standards. Local amendments are published in the city’s EncodePlus code viewer.

Applying through Citizen Access

Applications go through Accela Citizen Access. Residents register with the contact type “owner.” Online permit types include:

• Residential building
• Commercial building
• Window replacement
• Licensed and non-licensed mechanical, plumbing, and electrical
• Single-fixture plumbing
• Excavation

All documents must be PDFs. Forms upload to Citizen Access, plans upload to ProjectDox, and you pay by credit card. Put the legal description, site number, and owner’s name and contact information in the detailed description. Incomplete submittals have to be resubmitted.

According to the Development Guide, staff complete initial building permit reviews in 10 working days and review revisions in 5 working days. Commercial applicants can use the city’s minimum-requirements checklist, its list of common missing items, and its file-naming rules.

Contractor insurance and bonds

Contractors and subcontractors must register with the Nebraska Department of Labor under the Contractor Registration Act. Lincoln requires a certificate of insurance listing the policy number and naming the City of Lincoln as additional insured. Send it to [email protected].

Trade	Requirement
Demolition, electrical, excavation, house moving, HVAC, plumbing, signs, street use, fire alarm	$500,000 liability per occurrence
Fire sprinkler, wet/dry chemical, fire extinguishing	$1,000,000 liability per occurrence
Excavation, sign, street use	$5,000 one-year license and permit bond
House moving	$25,000 license and permit bond

Scheduling inspections

You can schedule an inspection three ways, all available 24 hours a day:

• The IVR line at (402) 441-5999, using your permit number and inspection code
• SelecTxt, by texting “Hello” to (888) 405-9508
• Citizen Access, under Building > Schedule an Inspection

Same-day inspections, cancellations, and reschedules must be requested before 7:30 a.m. The city has a separate form for after-hours inspection requests. The Inspector Area Map shows which inspector covers your address.

Rentals, certificates, and records

Building and Safety issues certificates of compliance through an online application. Since January 30, 2026, R-2 multifamily buildings with more than 16 units that need a fire alarm system must have electronic monitoring in place at the certificate of compliance inspection.

Historical permits are available through the Building Permit Search and the Index Card Search. Zoning questions go to Planning. Lincoln’s Zoning Ordinance covers all land inside the city and within a 3-mile radius of its boundary.