City of West Des Moines

Permits & Property

Building permits, inspections, planning, zoning, and what you may do on your property.

Building Permits

Development Services issues the permits and reviews the plans. Contractors register with the same office.

Permit portal

Applications, inspections and payments all live in the City's Tyler EnerGov portal. It opens in a new window, and your account and history stay there.

Open the Permit Portal

Inspections

Request an inspection, then check the result. Building Inspection takes questions at 515-222-3630 or bi@wdm.iowa.gov.

Planning and Zoning

The Plan and Zoning Commission reviews development proposals and recommends action to the City Council. Its agendas and minutes are in the same archive as every other City body.

Before you buy or build

Zoning decides what a property may be used for and how close to the line you may build. Check the zoning of an address before a purchase or a plan, and the Planning team will tell you what is allowed on it.

Licenses

The City Clerk issues business and liquor licenses, and licenses dogs.

Right of Way

The strip between your curb and the sidewalk is City right of way. Ask Development Services before you plant, pave, or build in it.

3D diagram of a residential street showing Public Right of Way boundaries, including the sidewalk, curb, and the first expansion joint of a driveway.
A City diagram shows where the public right of way sits between the street and private property.