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Permitting Authorities / City of Council Bluffs, Iowa - Building Division

City of Council Bluffs, Iowa - Building Division

Adopted code

The permitting authority for the City of Council Bluffs, Iowa (Pottawattamie County), located across the Missouri River from Omaha, Nebraska. The city's Community Development Department / Building Division issues its own residential building permits; it is a distinct Iowa municipality and not part of any Nebraska or Douglas County, Nebraska authority despite sitting in the Omaha metro area.

Jurisdiction
City of Council Bluffs, Iowa
Jurisdiction type
city
Address
209 Pearl St, Council Bluffs, IA 51503
Contact
  • url: https://www.councilbluffs-ia.gov/2273/Building-Division
  • phone: (712) 890-5276
Permit portal
Permit portal
Roofing permit required
Required
Contractor registration required
Required
Registration details
  • license: STATE LAYER: Iowa Code chapter 91C ("Construction Contractors"), read in full (sections 91C.1 through 91C.9), requires a "contractor" - a person who engages in the business of construction as defined for Iowa employment-security-law purposes, which includes roofing work - to register with the director of the Iowa department of inspections, appeals, and licensing before doing business in the state. A person who earns less than $2,000 annually from construction work, or who performs work only on the person's own property, is exempt. Registration requires proof of workers' compensation coverage (or an exemption statement), an employer account number or special contractor number from Iowa Workforce Development, and, for out-of-state contractors, a $25,000 surety bond or a Department of Transportation prequalification statement. The registration fee is capped by statute at $50 per year (Iowa Code 91C.4). LOCAL LAYER: the City of Council Bluffs's own Contractor Licensing page states "The City of Council Bluffs requires all contractors to maintain a current contractor license and insurance in accordance with the provisions outlined in Chapter 13 of the City Code," and separately identifies plumbing, mechanical and electrical contractors as licensed through the State of Iowa. General contractors (the category that covers residential roofing work) apply for a City of Council Bluffs General Contractor License through the city's own Customer Portal. This is a contractor-specific local license, not a generic business-tax certificate.
Adopted code
The City of Council Bluffs's own Building Code Information page states the city currently enforces the 2015 International Residential Code and 2015 International Building Code, among other 2015/2018/2023/2024-edition trade codes. The city's codified adoption ordinances (Ordinance 6100, amending Municipal Code Chapter 13.06 "Residential Code", and Ordinance 6101, amending Chapter 13.08 "Building Code", both passed November 8, 2010) adopted the 2009 IRC and 2009 IBC by reference and provide that the Council Bluffs Building Code "shall coincide with the State of Iowa Building Code as adopted by the State of Iowa Public Safety Department" under 661 Iowa Administrative Code Chapter 301 (661-301.3(103A)); the state's later code-cycle updates advanced the city's in-force edition to 2015 as reflected on the city's current Building Code Information page. A companion ordinance, Ordinance 6098, enacted Municipal Code Chapter 13.01 ("Uniform Administrative Code") governing permits, inspections and enforcement citywide.
Drip edge
Required — The City of Council Bluffs adopts the 2009 International Residential Code by reference at Municipal Code Sec. 13.06.010 (Ordinance 6100). Ordinance 6100's full amendment section (Municipal Code Sec. 13.06.020 through Sec. 13.06.403.1.4.1, read in full) does not touch IRC Chapter 9 (Roof Assemblies) except to add a roof-drainage/downspout provision (Sec. 13.06.375); it does not address drip edge, so the base IRC drip-edge provision applies unmodified. About drip edge
Impact-resistant roofing
Not required — The City of Council Bluffs's Ordinance 6100 (amending Municipal Code Chapter 13.06, "Residential Code") and Ordinance 6098 (enacting Chapter 13.01, "Uniform Administrative Code"), both read in full, contain no UL 2218 or Class 4 impact-resistance requirement anywhere in their amendment text.
Repair permit threshold
The City of Council Bluffs's Uniform Administrative Code (Ordinance 6098, Municipal Code Sec. 13.01.301.2.1), read in full (its 12-item list of work exempt from a building permit), exempts only "minor repairs of roof damage which does not exceed one square of replacement shingles" (item 12) — a "square" being roofing-industry shorthand for 100 square feet. No other roofing-related item appears on the exemption list, so any re-roofing or roof-repair work exceeding one square of shingles requires a building permit.
Roof layer limit / recover
The City of Council Bluffs adopts the 2009 International Residential Code by reference at Municipal Code Sec. 13.06.010 (Ordinance 6100). Ordinance 6100's full amendment section (Municipal Code Sec. 13.06.020 through Sec. 13.06.403.1.4.1, read in full) does not touch IRC Chapter 9 (Roof Assemblies) except to add a roof-drainage/downspout provision (Sec. 13.06.375); it does not address roof covering layer limits, so the base IRC provisions on roof recovering and layer limits apply unmodified.
Deck & sheathing requirements
The City of Council Bluffs adopts the 2009 International Residential Code by reference at Municipal Code Sec. 13.06.010 (Ordinance 6100). Ordinance 6100's full amendment section (Municipal Code Sec. 13.06.020 through Sec. 13.06.403.1.4.1, read in full) does not touch IRC Chapter 9 (Roof Assemblies) except to add a roof-drainage/downspout provision (Sec. 13.06.375); it does not address roof deck sheathing, so the base IRC provisions on roof deck sheathing apply unmodified.
Sales & use tax
The Iowa Department of Revenue's own published Local Option Sales Tax (LOST) workbook, "LOST by City" tab (effective 7/1/2026), lists Council Bluffs under Pottawattamie County with Local Option Sales Tax = YES at a 1% jurisdiction rate, for a combined total rate of 7% (the state's 6% sales tax plus the 1% local option), with the local option in effect since April 1990. Council Bluffs appears only once in the workbook, under Pottawattamie County.

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