How to Obtain a Howard County Building Permit

With more people taking the opportunity to work from home, many have considered doing some home renovations and add-ons. One often overlooked aspect of doing home remodels is the need for an official Howard County Building Permit. Failing to get the correct permit may result in pricey fines from the government.

Luckily for you, we can show you how to get a building permit in Howard County, Indiana. Not to mention our helpful resources for learning the basics about building permits.

The following guide will show you how to get a on your own and when a permit is necessary.

When Is It Necessary to Get Howard County, Indiana Building Permits?

Howard County only requires a permit if a new structure is erected or installed. This includes homes, garages, and mobile homes. However, the City of Kokomo has additional permit requirements. Kokomo residents must have building permits for:

Building a new home or garage
Developing or remodeling a commercial structure
Making any structural modifications
Adding an addition to an existing structure
Upgrading or modifying electrical services
Installing a hot tub or swimming pool
Any new or re-taps into Kokomo's sanitary sewer
Any removal of an existing structure
Any installation or replacement of a driveway or sidewalk

How Can I Get a Howard County Building Permit?

Applications must be submitted to the Howard County Plan Commission. This can be done at the Howard County Administration Center in Kokomo. The application will need to include:

Address of property where construction will take place
Property location lot or legal description
Current use of property
Proposed use
Zoning classification
Township
If the property is located on a floodplain
The estimated cost of construction
Lot Dimensions
Specifications of new building size, including height and square footage
Residents in Kokomo may need to submit additional information. Such as type of construction and if any new electrical or sewage taps will be needed.

What Fees Are Associated With Getting a Howard County Building Permit?

Howard County Improvement Location Permit Fees are as follows:

Types of Fees	Amount
For Each $1,000 of Estimated Construction Cost ($100 minimum; $1,000 maximum)	$1
Temporary Sign Permit	$75
Certificate of Occupancy Fee	$50 for residential; $75 for non-residential
Exceeded Budget Fee	$10 fee for every $1,000 over the original budget
Temporary Mobile Home Permit	$250
Temporary Mobile Home Permit Extension	$250

Kokomo Permit Fees (Applies to All Additions, Alterations, and Remodeling)

$75 fee for construction costs under $15,000
$150 fee for construction costs between $15,001 and $50,000.
$200 fee for construction costs between $50,001 and $100,000.
$500 fee for construction costs over $100,001. An additional $0.50 fee per $1,000 of construction costs thereafter.

Kokomo inspection fees are $25. Certain projects mandate a minimum number of inspections. They are as follows:

New house - 4 inspections ($100 total)
New garage - 3 inspections ($75 total)
New swimming pool or hot tub - 2 inspections ($50 total)
Remodeling - 4 inspections ($100 total)
Porch or carport - 2 inspections ($50 total)

Additional permit fees are applicable in Kokomo for new electrical work, sewage taps, and other miscellaneous permit fees. The full Kokomo fee schedule is available online.

Submitting Your Application for a Howard County Building Permit

After completing your application and paying the association fees, the application needs to be submitted to the Howard County Administration Center. The Plan Commission will then review your proposal. If rejected, applicants are eligible to appeal.

If this whole process sounds complex, that's because it is. There is an easier way with DoNotPay. DoNotPay can assist you in obtaining a .

DoNotPay Can Help You Get a Howard County Building Permit

If you want to quickly apply for a building permit in Howard County using DoNotPay, simply follow these 6 easy steps:

Go to the Planning Permissions product on DoNotPay.
Choose one of the following options:
1. Check whether your project needs a building permit or if it's exempt
2. Generate a permission request letter to send to your HOA
3. Generate a guide on how to complete the building permit application
Choose the focus of your project (new ADU, pool, shed, fence, etc.) and answer a few questions about your plans, including the size of the structure and estimated cost.
Indicate whether you're hiring a contractor and include the estimated start date and timeline for the project.
Indicate whether any public sidewalk/street space will be used during construction.
And that's it! DoNotPay will help guide you through the building permit process by checking if your project needs a building permit, contacting any HOAs you're a part of to request building permission, or generating detailed instructions on how to start and complete your building permit application process.

Why Use DoNotPay to Get a Howard County Building Permit

Fast - You don't need to spend hours completing building permit applications. DoNotPay can get it done much quicker.
Easy - Instead of bouncing around different government websites, DoNotPay is a single location to fulfill your building permit needs in Howard County.
Successful - DoNotPay started as a way for people to fight parking tickets. We have a proven track record of working with county and city governments.