The Permit Process

Once your drawings, specifications, and permit application have been reviewed and approved, you will be issued a building permit. The review process can take time so submit your application and plans as soon as possible before you plan to begin work. The City attempts to review all plans within fifteen (15) days of receipt. Once you receive the permit, you may start construction of a building project in accordance with the plans you submitted.

The best way to find out if you need a permit is to call the City of Moline Building/Inspections at 524-2370. Discuss your plans with the Code Manager or other relevant inspector (i.e. electrical, plumbing/mechanical, health) before you begin construction to determine whether you need a permit.

Permits are required for the following:

New buildings
Additions (bedrooms, bathrooms, family rooms, etc.)
Residential work (decks, garages, fireplaces, pools, water heaters, etc.)\
Renovations (garage conversions, basement finishing, kitchen expansions, re-roofing, etc.)
Electrical systems
Plumbing systems
HVAC (heating, ventilating and air conditioning systems)

Certificate of Occupancy Deposit:
All building permit applications that involve any new commercial and residential buildings,
additions, remodels or other structures that are intended to be occupied for either private or public
use shall be required to submit a Certificate of Occupancy deposit to the City prior to the issuance
of a building permit. The permit holder is responsible for the Certificate of Occupancy deposit.
All projects within the above scope of work are required to submit a deposit unless otherwise directed by the Code Manager. The Certificate of Occupancy deposit amount shall be equal to 1% of the total valuation of the construction cost of the project or two hundred fifty dollars ($250.00), whichever is greater. A Certificate of Occupancy Bond of equal or greater value may be posted in lieu of a cash deposit. The Certificate of Occupancy deposit shall be returned in full if all required final inspections have been completed and approved, including building, sidewalk, approaches, storm water compliance and landscaping requirements, and a request for a Certificate of Occupancy has been received prior to the building permit’s expiration date. Once the Certificate of Occupancy has been issued prior to expiration of the building permit, the full deposit will be sent by form of a check to the building permit holder. If the permit holder fails to obtain a Certificate of Occupancy prior to the building permit’s expiration date, the deposit shall be forfeited, unless a building permit renewal has been requested and granted prior to the expiration date.

Below are the steps for obtaining a permit and having the project approved by the City.

Step 1: Fill out permit application.

You may obtain an application for a building permit or by picking one up at Building/Inspections located at 3635 - 4th Avenue, Moline.  Fill out the application with as much information as possible about the work being done. For most projects, you should also submit detailed plans for the work to be done. If you have any questions about the application, you may inquire at Building/Inspections or call the Administrative Assistant or Code Manager at 524-2370. For some projects, you may need to contact other departments such as zoning or public utilities.

Step 2: Application and plans are reviewed.

Once your application and detailed plans are submitted, Building/Inspections will review your application and plans. If the application or plans are incomplete, you will be notified by Building/Inspections and informed of what is still needed. Once the complete application and plans are submitted, the City will review the plans and approve them if they meet code requirements. If your plans meet these requirements, a permit is issued. If not, the building official may suggest solutions to help correct the problem.

Step 3: Obtain permit.

Once your plans and application have been approved, you may receive a permit. There are fees associated with permits to cover the cost of the review and inspection process. The current fee schedule is contained in Chapter 8 of the City’s Code of Ordinances.

Separate permits are required for electrical, plumbing, and heating or air conditioning.

After you receive a permit, you must post it in a visible place at the job site at all times.

Step 4: Inspections are done.

Once work has begun, the City’s inspectors will inspect the work to ensure that it is being performed in accordance with the plans submitted and with applicable codes. Building/Inspections will inform you of how many inspections are required for your project. Contractors may schedule inspections by calling Building/Inspections and speaking to office staff or by leaving a message on the appropriate trade inspector’s voicemail. Inspections will be performed the following business day.

Step 5: Construction is approved and certificate of occupancy is issued.

The building official will provide a certificate of occupancy or other certificate when construction is complete and code compliance is determined. This certificate verifies that your project has been completed to code and to the City’s satisfaction

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