Des Moines County, IA zoning map, flood zone and property lines by address
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Towns in Des Moines County: Burlington, West Burlington, Mediapolis.
Flood zone by address
ParcelSheet reads FEMA's National Flood Hazard Layer at the lot: the zone, whether it is a high risk area where lenders ask for flood insurance, and the base flood elevation where FEMA lists one. FEMA's countywide study for Des Moines County has 95 FIRM panels, the newest effective May 2026; no coastal V zones are mapped in it.
The official panel and any Letter of Map Amendment are at FEMA's Map Service Center. An elevation certificate for a Des Moines house comes from a licensed surveyor and is often on file with the county or city building office.
Property lines
The parcel outline, parcel number and mapped size come from the Iowa county parcel layers (each county publishes its own), so a Des Moines lot shows the same lines the county assessor draws. Des Moines County covers about 266,323 acres of land and 8,733 acres of water.
Mapped lines are approximate. The Des Moines County assessor keeps the parcel record (Des Moines County website); a licensed surveyor sets the true corners.
Zoning
Des Moines County zones its unincorporated land, and Burlington, West Burlington, Mediapolis each zone the land inside their limits. ParcelSheet shows the use the county assessor lists for the lot and links the county zoning office for the district, the uses it allows and the lot size it needs.
ADU and guest houses
Under Iowa's county zoning law (Iowa Code Chapter 335), local governments can allow an accessory dwelling unit on a lot with a house. Whether a Des Moines lot can add one depends on its district; the county zoning office has the rule. ParcelSheet shows the mapped lot size and the ground's slope, the first two things the question turns on.
Septic and soil
ParcelSheet reads the USDA soil survey at the lot: the soil's name, its septic absorption rating and whether it is prime farmland. Des Moines County is soil survey area IA057, Des Moines County, Iowa, last updated September 2026, on Web Soil Survey.
A new or changed septic system in Des Moines County needs a permit from the Des Moines County environmental health department (county board of health, under Iowa Department of Natural Resources rules).
Setbacks
Setbacks in Des Moines County come from the zoning district: the front, side and rear distances a house must keep. ParcelSheet does not draw setback lines; the county zoning office gives them for the lot's district, and Burlington, West Burlington, Mediapolis for land inside their limits.
Hazards that apply
- Wetlands and wildfire. ParcelSheet shows the National Wetlands Inventory near a Des Moines lot and the Forest Service wildfire hazard rating at it.
Questions
Is my house in a flood zone in Des Moines County?
Type the address in the box above and ParcelSheet reads FEMA's flood zone at the lot's center. FEMA's countywide flood map for Des Moines County has 95 panels, the newest effective May 2026. A lender or insurer uses the official FIRM panel; FEMA's Map Service Center has it.
How do I find property lines in Des Moines County?
Open the Iowa map, type the address, and the parcel outline from the Des Moines County assessor shows on the map with its parcel number and mapped size. Mapped lines are approximate; only a licensed surveyor sets the true corners.
What is my property zoned in Des Moines County?
Zoning in Des Moines County is set by the county for unincorporated land and by each city (such as Burlington, West Burlington) inside its own limits. ParcelSheet shows the use code the county assessor lists and links the office that sets the zoning; the planning office has the final word.
Can I build an ADU in Des Moines County?
Under Iowa's county zoning law (Iowa Code Chapter 335), counties and cities can allow an accessory dwelling unit, and each sets its own rules. In Des Moines County ask the zoning office for the lot's district first; ParcelSheet shows the lot size as mapped so you can see the room you have.
Do I need a septic permit in Des Moines County?
Yes. A new or changed septic system in Des Moines County needs a permit from the Des Moines County environmental health department (county board of health, under Iowa Department of Natural Resources rules). ParcelSheet shows the USDA soil survey's septic rating at the lot, from survey area IA057 (Des Moines County, Iowa).
What can I build on 5 acres in Des Moines County?
Zoning in Des Moines County is set by the county for unincorporated land and each city inside its own limits (such as Burlington, West Burlington). The zoning district decides the uses, how many homes and the smallest lot it allows on 5 acres. ParcelSheet shows the lot size as mapped and the use code on the parcel record; the planning office has the district and its rules. See the Des Moines County website.
What are the residential setbacks in Des Moines County (2026)?
Setbacks in Des Moines County come from the zoning code of the county, or of the city when the lot is inside city limits: the front, side and rear distances depend on the lot's district. ParcelSheet does not draw setback lines or give a number it did not read; the zoning office gives them for the district. See the Des Moines County website.
Next to Des Moines County: Henry County, Lee County, Louisa County.
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