Deck Building Ankeny, Iowa
Ankeny reached an estimated 77,833 residents in 2025, and the city wants a permit for every deck, whatever its size. It runs the 2024 residential code with its own changes, including a 42-inch frost line. This page covers those rules first, so you can judge any deck quote against them.
- Ankeny at a glance
Ankeny at a glance before you build a deck
Ankeny had 445 people in 1910 and 67,887 in the 2020 Census. A little over 71 percent of its homes are owner-occupied. Figures come from the Census Bureau, the State Data Center of Iowa and Ankeny’s code.
77,833
2025 Census Bureau estimate
445 to 67,887
Residents, 1910 to 2020
71.3%
Homes that are owner-occupied
2024 IRC
Residential code since July 2025
42 inches
Frost line in Ankeny’s code
12 feet
Open deck reach into rear yard
None
Deck size exempt from permits
$12 per sq ft
City valuation for an open deck
- Permits and rules
Ankeny deck rules: permit, footings and yard limits
Yes, you need a permit for any deck in Ankeny. The city removed the national code’s exemption for small decks, so size does not matter. Below is what the Building Division reviews, how inspections get booked and where a deck may sit on your lot.
Every deck needs a permit
The model residential code exempts some decks of 200 square feet or less. Ankeny deleted that exemption in Section 184.10, so a small landing deck needs a permit too. The same section drops the exemptions for small sheds, fences and sidewalks. If your deck project adds a fence or a sidewalk, each one has a $25 permit.
Plans and the One Stop portal
Your drawings need to show all proposed work and how it meets the building code and zoning rules. Ankeny wants plan files as PDFs, sent by email or through the Ankeny One Stop portal. Contractors get a registration code from city staff before they can file there. The city adds a 3% fee on card payments.
Booking inspections
Call 515-963-3533 with your name, the project address and the type of inspection you need. The city says an inspector can usually come within 24 to 48 hours of the request. If the same items need more than one reinspection, each extra trip costs $50 under the July 1, 2025 fee schedule.
Footings and design loads
Ankeny’s amended design table sets the frost line at 42 inches, so deck footings must reach at least that deep. The same table lists a ground snow load of 33 pounds per square foot (psf) and a 107 mph design wind speed. Those numbers matter most on a covered deck, where the roof has to carry snow.
Where a deck can sit
Ankeny’s zoning code lets an unenclosed deck project up to 12 feet into the required rear yard. A deck under 36 inches tall may reach up to 10 feet into the required front yard. In an R-1 district the required rear yard is 35 feet deep, and the 12 feet comes out of that space.
Roofs, porches and sunrooms
The fee schedule shows how Ankeny sees each step up from an open deck. An open deck is valued at $12 per square foot. A covered porch or gazebo is valued at $20 per square foot. A three or four season porch counts as dwelling space at $169.09 per square foot, the same rate as a new house.
- Our process
How Busy Builders builds your Ankeny deck
We draw the deck to Ankeny’s yard limits and frost line, file the PDF plans through One Stop and call in each inspection. Footings go to 42 inches or deeper. A covered deck has to be designed for the city’s 33 psf snow load. We size posts and beams for it from the first drawing.
Busy Builders is a registered Iowa contractor, DIAL C140184, and has completed more than 1,285 projects across Central Iowa since 2020. A homeowner who had a composite deck built with us in spring 2026 singled out our communication in a review.
- PDF plans filed through Ankeny One Stop
- Footings to the 42-inch frost line
- Each inspection called in to 515-963-3533
From One Stop to final
- Achievement
Trusted Deck Builders in Ankeny
Since 2020, Busy Builders has completed more than 1,285 construction and remodeling projects across Central Iowa.
- Frequently Asked Questions
FAQs About Deck Building in Ankeny
How much does a deck cost in Ankeny?
We do not publish a deck price range, because size, height, stairs and material move the number more than anything else. A low composite deck and a second-story deck with long stairs are very different jobs. We measure, check your yard limits and give you a written estimate. The city’s permit fee is separate and is based on project valuation.
Is a small deck exempt from a permit in Ankeny?
No. Ankeny’s Section 184.10 removes the model code exemption for decks of 200 square feet or less. Every deck needs a building permit, whether it is a small step-down platform or a large raised deck. The same section removes the small-project exemptions for fences, sidewalks and small sheds.
How far can my deck extend into my backyard setback in Ankeny?
An unenclosed deck may project up to 12 feet into the required rear yard under Section 196.03 of the zoning code. In R-1 zoning that rear yard is 35 feet. Many newer Ankeny areas are planned unit developments, where setbacks vary, so we check your plat before we draw.
Can I build a deck in my front yard in Ankeny?
A low one, yes. A deck under 36 inches tall may project up to 10 feet into the required front yard. In R-1 zoning the front yard is 35 feet, and in R-2 and R-3 it is 30 feet. A taller deck does not get that allowance.
How fast can I get a deck inspection in Ankeny?
Usually within 24 to 48 hours. Call 515-963-3533 and give your name, the project address and the inspection type. Plan review for residential permits takes about 5 working days, according to the city’s permit handout. Reinspections past the first on the same items cost $50 each.
Does a covered deck change the permit in Ankeny?
It changes how the city values the project. Ankeny’s fee schedule values a covered porch or gazebo at $20 per square foot, compared with $12 for an open deck. Enclose it as a three or four season porch and the city values it at $169.09 per square foot, like living space. A roof also has to carry the 33 psf snow load.
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