Every town writes its own rules, and Des Moines's live in its municipal code — 81 chapters covering day-to-day questions like fences, parking, pets, permits and property upkeep. Below is the full map of what the code covers.
Ask Des Moines's code a questionWhat's in the Des Moines code
- Ch 1 — GENERAL PROVISIONS
- Ch 2 — ADMINISTRATION
- Ch 3 — ADMINISTRATIVE HEARING PROCESS
- Ch u4 — Chapters 4, 5 - RESERVED
- Ch 6 — ADVERTISING
- Ch u6 — Chapters 7—9 - RESERVED
- Ch 10 — ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES
- Ch u8 — Chapters 11—13 - RESERVED
- Ch 14 — AMUSEMENTS AND ENTERTAINMENTS
- Ch u10 — Chapters 15—17 - RESERVED
- Ch 18 — ANIMALS
- Ch u12 — Chapters 19—21 - RESERVED
- Ch 22 — AVIATION
- Ch u14 — Chapters 23—25 - RESERVED
- Ch 26 — BUILDINGS AND BUILDING REGULATIONS
- Ch u16 — Chapters 27—29 - RESERVED
- Ch 30 — BUSINESSES
- Ch u18 — Chapters 31—33 - RESERVED
- Ch 34 — CEMETERIES
- Ch u20 — Chapters 35—37 - RESERVED
- Ch 38 — EMERGENCY SERVICES
- Ch u22 — Chapters 39—41 - RESERVED
- Ch 42 — ENVIRONMENT
- Ch u24 — Chapters 43—45 - RESERVED
- Ch 46 — FIRE PREVENTION AND PROTECTION
- Ch u26 — Chapters 47—49 - RESERVED
- Ch 50 — FLOODPLAINS
- Ch u28 — Chapters 51—53 - RESERVED
- Ch 54 — HEALTH AND SANITATION
- Ch u30 — Chapters 55—57 - RESERVED
- Ch 58 — HISTORICAL PRESERVATION
- Ch 59 — RESERVED
- Ch 60 — RENTAL PROPERTY MAINTENANCE AND BLIGHTED PROPERTY CODE
- Ch 61 — PROPERTY MAINTENANCE
- Ch 62 — HUMAN RIGHTS
- Ch u36 — Chapters 63—65 - RESERVED
- Ch 66 — LIBRARY
- Ch u38 — Chapters 67—69 - RESERVED
- Ch 70 — OFFENSES AND MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS
- Ch u40 — Chapters 71—73 - RESERVED
- Ch 74 — PARKS AND RECREATION
- Ch u42 — Chapters 75—77 - RESERVED
- Ch 78 — PEDDLERS AND SOLICITORS
- Ch u44 — Chapters 79—81 - RESERVED
- Ch 82 — PLANNING
- Ch u46 — Chapters 83—85 - RESERVED
- Ch 86 — POLICE
- Ch u48 — Chapters 87—89 - RESERVED
- Ch 90 — PUBLIC HOUSING
- Ch u50 — Chapters 91—93 - RESERVED
- Ch 94 — PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS
- Ch u52 — Chapters 95—97 - RESERVED
- Ch 98 — SOLID WASTE
- Ch u54 — Chapters 99—101 - RESERVED
- Ch 102 — STREETS, SIDEWALKS, SKYWALKS AND OTHER PUBLIC PLACES
- Ch u56 — Chapters 103—105 - RESERVED
- Ch 106 — SUBDIVISIONS
- Ch u58 — Chapters 107—109 - RESERVED
- Ch 110 — TELECOMMUNICATIONS
- Ch u60 — Chapters 111—113 - RESERVED
- Ch 114 — TRAFFIC AND VEHICLES
- Ch u62 — Chapters 115—117 - RESERVED
- Ch 118 — UTILITIES
- Ch u64 — Chapters 119—121 - RESERVED
- Ch 122 — VEGETATION
- Ch u66 — Chapters 123—125 - RESERVED
- Ch 126 — VEHICLES FOR HIRE
- Ch u68 — Chapters 127—129 - RESERVED
- Ch 130 — WATERWAYS
- Ch u70 — Chapters 131—133 - RESERVED
- Ch 134 — ZONING ORDINANCE
- Ch 135 — PLANNING AND DESIGN ORDINANCE
- Ch A — CITY BOUNDARIES
- Ch B — ELECTION PRECINCTS AND WARDS
- Ch C — ELECTRIC FRANCHISE
- Ch D — GAS FRANCHISE
- Ch E — TAX INCREMENT ORDINANCES
- Ch F — HOTEL AND MOTEL TAX
- Ch G — SEWER DISTRICTS
- Ch H — CABLE FRANCHISE AGREEMENT
- Ch I — IOWA REINVESTMENT DISTRICTS