Iowa installation guides.
The Iowa Department of Natural Resources encourages EPA-certified wood stoves and inserts and lists materials never to burn in home heaters. Cities issue building permits, and some counties, including Polk and Linn, run their own air programs.
Iowa DNR: Residential Wood BurningChoose your city.
Ames
Story County / central IowaAmes’ mechanical permit application lists a fuel-burning fireplace, stove or similar appliance as its own line item, and homeowners may pull permits for a primary residence that is not a registered rental.
Read the guideBettendorf
Scott County / Quad Cities (Iowa side)Bettendorf’s amendment to the mechanical code lets an unlicensed owner-occupant do only ductwork and bathroom venting, so a wood stove or insert is work for a licensed contractor.
Read the guideCedar Falls
Black Hawk County / Cedar ValleyCedar Falls’ mechanical permit application lists wood-burning fireplaces as their own line item, and the city enforces the 2021 International Mechanical Code.
Read the guideCedar Rapids
Linn County / Cedar Rapids–Iowa City corridorLinn County’s air ordinance exempts indoor wood stoves and fireplaces from county air permits, but wood-fired residential heaters that heat indirectly, such as boilers, must be registered.
Read the guideCouncil Bluffs
Pottawattamie County / Omaha–Council Bluffs metro (Iowa side)Council Bluffs enforces the 2015 International Residential Code alongside Iowa’s 2024 International Mechanical Code, and requires mechanical contractors to be licensed by the State of Iowa, not Nebraska.
Read the guideDavenport
Scott County / Quad Cities (Iowa side)Davenport’s code lists heating stoves under the mechanical permit, and its homeowner exception does not cover mechanical work, so a licensed contractor pulls the permit.
Read the guideDes Moines
Polk County / Des Moines metroDes Moines adopted the 2024 International Residential Code effective January 1, 2026, alongside Iowa’s state mechanical code based on the 2024 IMC.
Read the guideIowa City
Johnson County / Iowa City–Coralville areaIowa City says no one may install solid-fuel appliances, fireplace inserts or freestanding stoves in the city without a State of Iowa Hearth Systems Specialty License.
Read the guideMarion
Linn County / Cedar Rapids metroMarion’s building permit page names wood stoves outright: all wood- and pellet-burning stoves and fireplaces need a permit from the Building Division before installation.
Read the guideUrbandale
Polk and Dallas counties / Des Moines metroUrbandale still builds to the 2018 International Residential Code, while mechanical work, including stove venting, follows Iowa’s statewide 2024 International Mechanical Code.
Read the guideWaterloo
Black Hawk County / Cedar ValleyWaterloo’s Building Department also issues building permits for unincorporated Black Hawk County, which contracts with the city for that service.
Read the guideWaukee
Dallas County / Des Moines metroWaukee says it has adopted the 2024 International Building and Fire Codes, while its online code library still lists 2018 editions, so confirm the code edition before a stove plan is drawn.
Read the guideWest Des Moines
Polk, Dallas, Warren and Madison counties / Des Moines metroWest Des Moines spans four counties and applies the most restrictive county burning code across the whole city, so Polk County’s rules govern outdoor fires even in Dallas County neighborhoods.
Read the guide
We add guides as local research is completed. Rules and business coverage vary by address. Explore national planning guides for areas not yet covered.