Missouri Counties Without Building Codes

Missouri has no statewide building code, and many unincorporated areas in its 114 counties do not adopt residential building codes or require permits. The sources highlight the following Missouri counties as having no building codes for residential construction, particularly in unincorporated areas:

• Buchanan County
• Douglas County
• Jasper County
• Lawrence County (explicitly noted as having no building codes whatsoever)
• Lincoln County
• Newton County
• Texas County
• Vernon County
• Webster County
• Miller County (has building codes, but they are not enforced for residential buildings, with several off-grid families building without permits)
• Scotland County (noted for a village of about 50 people living in tiny houses, indicating relaxed or no code enforcement)
• Appanoose County (listed in one source, but this is in Iowa, not Missouri, so it may be a source error)

Additionally, a forum post states that only 13 of Missouri’s 114 counties (plus St. Louis City) have building codes, leaving many rural counties without codes. The Southern Missouri Ozarks are noted for having several counties with no building codes and inexpensive land.

Other U.S. Places Without Building Codes

Here is a broader list of counties and areas across the U.S. with no or minimally enforced residential building codes, based on the sources:

• Alabama:
  • Counties without local code enforcement: Bibb, Bullock, Chilton, Choctaw, Clarke, Cleburne, Colbert, Conecuh, Coosa, Covington, Crenshaw, Hale, Henry, Lamar, Macon, Marengo, Perry, Pickens, Randolph, Washington, Wilcox, Winston.
  • Note: Alabama has statewide codes, but enforcement is left to counties, and these listed counties do not enforce residential codes. Lamar County, for example, requires a flood permit for structures with utilities but no structural inspections.
• Arizona:
  • Greenlee County: The only county in Arizona with no residential building codes; no recommendations for building loads or inspections.
  • Arcosanti Urban Laboratory: An experimental city with no building codes by law, though engineers follow the teachings of designer Paolo Soleri. It’s unclear if it’s open to public building.
• Colorado:
  • Counties with no building codes: Baca, Custer, Delta (unincorporated areas), Mineral, Montezuma, Phillips, Prowers, Saguache, Sedgwick, Washington.
  • Notes: Delta County requires no permits or certificates of occupancy. Montezuma applies this to residential buildings in unincorporated areas only. Costilla County may require permits but not codes, and Saguache has a high concentration of off-grid builders.
• Illinois:
  • Counties with no building codes: Gallatin, Macoupin, Ogle, Pope, Woodford.
  • Note: Southern Illinois has many areas without codes, but information may not be online, requiring direct contact with counties.
• Kansas:
  • Many counties lack building codes but require permits. Examples include Allen, Anderson, Barber, Barton, Bourbon, and others (see full list in source).
• Mississippi:
  • Counties that opted out of statewide codes: Adams, Warren.
• North Dakota:
  • Counties with no building codes: Burke (except certain cities), Dickey, Emmons, Golden Valley, Logan, Oliver, Sheridan, Slope, Steele, Towner.
• Tennessee:
  • Counties and towns with no codes: Ardmore, Auburntown, Benton County, Carroll County, Cocke County, Decatur County, Dowelltown, Fentress County, Franklin County, Grundy County, Henry County, Houston County, Humphreys County, Huntsville, Jackson County, Lawrence County, Lewis County, Minor Hill, Moore County/Lynchburg, Parrottsville, Perry County, Pickett County, Puryear, Scott County, Slayden, Stewart County, Van Buren County, Vanleer, Wayne County.
    
     
  • Note: Tennessee’s patchwork system allows jurisdictions to opt out, and codes can change frequently.
• Texas:
  • Counties/areas with no building codes: Brewster County, Marfa, Terlingua.
  • Note: Marfa allows rebuilding of ruins without permits, and Terlingua, a mining district, has no codes. Brewster has a low population density and no codes.
• West Virginia:
  • Counties with no codes: Monongalia, Pendleton, Pocahontas, Preston.
• Wyoming:
  • Counties with no codes: Crook, Hot Springs, Johnson, Park, Weston.
• California:
  • Wonder Valley: Has codes but minimal enforcement, with abandoned homesteads often occupied.
• Nevada:
  • Esmeralda County: No building codes, though land is relatively expensive.

Key Considerations

• Verification: Building code status can change, and some counties may adopt codes unexpectedly. Always contact local county planning or building departments to confirm current regulations.
• Permits: Even in areas without building codes, permits for septic, electrical, or plumbing may be required. For example, Colorado’s Delta County has no codes but may require land use permits.
• Risks: Building without codes offers flexibility but carries risks, such as lack of oversight for safety or potential issues with insurance and financing. Some areas may use codes as leverage to bulldoze unpermitted structures.
• Rural Areas: Most places without codes are rural, unincorporated areas with low population density, ideal for off-grid or alternative construction like tiny homes or earthbag houses.

Sources

The information is compiled from the provided web references, including:

• Primal Survivor’s comprehensive list of counties without building codes.
• Natural Building Blog and Off Grid Grandpa for specific counties.
• Upgradedhome.com and Bob Vila for additional counties and context.
• City-Data and Homesteading Forum for Missouri-specific insights.
• InterNACHI Forum for Missouri county statistics.