Frequently Asked Questions

Visit the Staff Directory to find all department and staff contact information.

The Board of Aldermen's regular meetings are held on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month at 6 p.m., unless cancelled or otherwise scheduled. Additional meetings are scheduled as deemed necessary and posted by the board. The meeting agendas are listed on the City’s website.

Yes. All city of Branson government meetings are open to the public and must abide by all open meeting laws. Notices are posted on a bulletin board in front of City Hall and on the City's website.

Reports may not be available in all circumstances so you are encouraged to call the records office at 417-337-8517 or 417-337-8536 beforehand. For accident reports, you can get copies online at www.docview.us.

A building permit must be obtained prior to commencing any new construction or alterations to an existing structure. This includes, but not limited to, some of the following projects:

• New Building
• Additions
• Renovations
• Demolition
• Prefabricated Structures
• Temporary Buildings
• Electrical Systems
• HVAC Systems
• Plumbing
• Signs
• Landscaping

The plan review process and subsequent inspections protect you, your family, friends, and future owners against the potential hazards of unsafe construction. It also protects your investment, as many insurers do not pay claims on construction performed without the benefit of a building permit, the required inspections, and certificate of occupancy. For more information click here.

The Branson Police Department is located at 1 Justice Street, formerly the White House Theater (2255 Grenta Rd, Branson, MO 65616).

A building permit must be obtained prior to commencing any new construction or alterations to an existing structure. This includes, but not limited to, some of the following projects:

• New Building
• Additions
• Renovations
• Demolition
• Prefabricated Structures
• Temporary Buildings
• Electrical Systems
• HVAC Systems
• Plumbing
• Signs
• Landscaping

The plan review process and subsequent inspections protect you, your family, friends, and future owners against the potential hazards of unsafe construction. It also protects your investment, as many insurers do not pay claims on construction performed without the benefit of a building permit, the required inspections, and certificate of occupancy. For more information click here.

Permit Application Process Flowchart

The Residential Permit Process

The Commercial Permit Process 

All permit requests need to be made through the city’s Citizenserve Portal (www.citizenserve.com/branson).  If you have questions or need any assistance with the process, please contact the Planning & Development Department at (417) 337-8549 during business hours of 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM.

Follow the guide here to request an extension with the Planning & Development Department

For any project, cost is always important. Understanding how permits and plan review fees are calculated will be helpful when bidding or estimating the costs for the permit. Fees are calculated for permit and plan review fees for your project based on the information provided on your application. You can also access our Fees and Guidelines here.

The plan review fee is a non-refundable charge for reviewing plans that are submitted with an Application for Building Permit. The fee is based on the estimated total costs for the construction. The plan review fee is collected at the time an application is submitted.

Yes. All plans, drawings, and documents associated with an application or request need to be submitted electronically through the city’s Citizenserve Portal (www.citizenserve.com/branson). Commercial plans need to be digitally stamped by a Missouri Registered Design Professional architect and/or engineer.

Various plans go through the review process with up to seven departments reviewing your application and plans. As a rule, we expect a residential permit (new construction, additions, and remodels) will receive an initial response letter or approval within five working days or less. Commercial and multi-family (three or more units) will receive an initial response letter or approval within ten working days or less. The potential factors that can create delays are numerous. The most common is failure to submit the required plans for a permit. Obtaining a permit in a timely manner depends heavily on the unique issues of your project, the quality of the submitted plans, and the responsiveness of your representative when a reviewer requests additional information or revisions.

Permit Application Process Flowchart

Once your application has completed the plan review process, you and members of your team will receive a notification from the city’s Citizenserve Portal that your permit is ready for final payment and then download.  The permit will also include the inspection card which will identify the minimum required inspections for your project.  It is not necessary to print off these items, but you may and post them at the jobsite if desired.

Your building permit is valid for 12 months from the date of issuance when the following conditions are met.

1. If the work authorized on the site by such permit has commenced within 180 days of permit issuance.
2. If the work authorized on the site by such permit has resulted in one or more passed, permit specific inspections within 180 days of permit issuance.
3. If the work authorized on the site by such permit is not suspended or abandoned for a period of 180 days after the work is commenced.

*** Work shall be deemed to have been suspended or abandoned if continuous and substantial progress is not made under the terms of the permit during any 180-day period. Substantial progress is determined by one or more of the required permit specific inspections being passed. ***

For a list of the current codes and amendments adopted by the City of Branson, click here.

The most common activities requiring a permit include, but are not limited to, the construction or installation of a new sign, changing the size or location of an existing sign, upgrading signs from static displays to electronic or digital displays, and adding or changing sign lighting.  Any sign permit requests need to be made through the city’s Citizenserve Portal (www.citizenserve.com/branson).  If you have questions or need any assistance with the process, please contact the Planning & Development Department at (417) 337-8549 during business hours of 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM.

General maintenance or upkeep of signs may be completed without a sign permit, provided no modifications are made to the sign or sign structure. Painting a sign structure is a common type of maintenance that can be performed without a permit. However, if the sign must be disassembled, either partially or totally, a permit request will need to be made through the city’s Citizenserve Portal (www.citizenserve.com/branson).  If you have questions or need any assistance with the process, please contact the Planning & Development Department at (417) 337-8549 during business hours of 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM.

No. A sign permit is no longer needed for refacing an existing sign.  For any other modifications to an existing sign, a permit request will need to be made through the city’s Citizenserve Portal (www.citizenserve.com/branson).  If you have questions or need any assistance with the process, please contact the Planning & Development Department at (417) 337-8549 during business hours of 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM.

There are many parameters and conditions that are involved in calculating allowed signage, the placement of signs, and the types of signs. Please contact the Planning & Development Department at (417) 337-8549 during business hours of 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM. 

There are many parameters and conditions that are involved in changing an existing on-premise sign to an off-premise sign. Please contact the Planning & Development Department at (417) 337-8549 during business hours of 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM.

Any sign that is placed on public property, such as city and state right-of-ways or easements, or has been attached to a utility pole, road sign, utility equipment cabinets, etc., will be removed by city code enforcement personnel. All approved signs must be properly located on private property only.

Landscaping requirements were developed and have evolved over the years because of the many benefits associated with appropriate uses of landscaping within a community. Carefully designed landscaping can preserve the aesthetic character of communities or even improve the aesthetic quality of the built environment. It can also deter erosion, promote native wildlife, allow for infiltration of surface water into groundwater resources and reduce the quantity and improve the quality of storm water discharge. You can access the city's landscaping regulations here.

The Board of Aldermen's regular meetings are held on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month at 6:00 p.m., unless cancelled or otherwise scheduled. Additional meetings are scheduled as deemed necessary and posted by the Board. The meeting agendas are listed on the City’s website.

The regular meetings are held in the council chambers at City Hall, located at 110 W. Maddux Street. Specially scheduled meetings could be held in various other locations and the meeting agendas will state the location.

Yes. All City of Branson government meetings are open to the public and must abide by all open meeting laws. Notices are posted on bulletin boards at City Hall and on the City's website.

Regular Board of Aldermen Meeting

 a. Call to Order.

 The Mayor will call the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. 

b. Roll Call.

The City Clerk will call the roll to establish a quorum in order to have an official business meeting.

c. Pledge of Allegiance 

 The Pledge of Allegiance is led by the Mayor 

d. Invocation.

A staff or board member will give the invocation. 

 e. Public Comment

The purpose of Public Comment is to accommodate citizens who have comments regarding City business that the Board of Aldermen has jurisdiction. There is a 5 minute limit for comments unless 10 or more speakers sign up, then the time will be reduced to a 3 minute limit.

f. Consent agenda.

Consent Agenda items are routine items that the Board will vote on with one motion. There is no discussion on these items. They may be removed from the Consent Agenda at the request of a Board member for further discussion if needed.

g. Regular Agenda.

These items are the regular business items of the Board in the form of an ordinance or resolution. They may include presentations, annexations, codebook updates, zoning changes, bid awards and Board appointments. There is time allotted for public discussion for each item on the Regular Agenda.

h. Reports

Any reports by the Mayor, Board of Aldermen or City Administrator are given at this time.

 i. Adjournment. 

Certain items by law are required to have a public hearing for public input. Public hearings are always advertised in the paper prior to the meeting. Anyone is allowed to speak at a public hearing and there is no requirement to sign-up prior to the hearing in order to speak.

The Missouri Sunshine Law has specific reasons why a Board can go into Executive Session. When the Board makes the motion to go into Executive Session it must state for what reasons under the Sunshine Law they are going into Executive Session. The only issues that can be discussed in the Executive Session are items that are stated in the motion.

Yes. The regular meetings are live streamed and the recording is available on the city's website.

The City of Branson has all of its codes listed in a Municipal Codebook which is available on the City's Website.

The City of Branson is a Fourth Class City created under Missouri Statutes in 1912. All laws for the City are created by ordinances, which the City codifies into a user-friendly format. An ordinance originates through citizen, Board, or City staff ideas for reasons such as public safety, problem solving, or other concerns. An ordinance starts out as a bill prepared by staff and is placed on the Board’s regular agenda. The bill is available for public viewing on the internet and at City Hall before each meeting. At the meeting, the bill is read by title by the City Clerk, and citizens along with the Board may discuss issues relevant to the bill. A bill becomes an ordinance after it passes by a majority vote of the elected Board on second reading and takes effect once signed into law by the Mayor. The City contracts with a company to codify ordinances into a book that is indexed for easy look-up of the laws. The City’s codebook is available on our website. The Board of Aldermen can also pass resolutions, hold public hearings, and approve appointments to committees and advisory boards.

The City has several boards, commissions & committees that citizens are active on.

Administrative Committees:

 • Human Resource Committee

 • Finance Committee

 Advisory Boards: 

• Advisory Park Board 

• Planning and Zoning Commission 

Limited Not-for Profit Corporations:

• Industrial Development Authority

Quasi-Judicial Boards: 

• Board of Adjustment

• Building Code Board of Appeals

 Special Purpose District or Board: 

• Transportation Development District

 For more information on the Board or Committee or on how to get involved, please click here.

The City of Branson's website is designed to help answer citizens’ questions. It’s a great resource for answers to many questions. Also available on the website are email addresses of City staff that can assist in answering your questions. 

No, this free service is not required, but, it is highly recommended when opening a business in the City of Branson

Contact the Planning and Development Department at 417-337-8549 to visit with a staff representative who will be happy to assist in providing information about Open for Business. Staff will assist in answering questions and determine if an OFB meeting is right for you. 

Click here for a contact information list.

Fees are based on the highest expected number of employees in the Branson business. The business license application registration fee is due at the time the application is submitted to the Finance Department.

For further assistance, contact 417-337-8551.

Contact the Planning and Development Department at 417-337-8549 to speak with a Planner. They will be happy to assist you with questions pertaining to a preliminary site plan, parking, setbacks, and easements.

Yes, with an approved permit.

Your business is allowed a banner, yard or a-frame sign based on the requirements within your zoning district. On-premise temporary signs may be displayed a maximum of 30 days per year. The permitted display duration shall be restarted for an additional 30 days when a business at a specific address changes ownership within a given year.

You can download a business license application form or you may pick up a form at the Finance Department at City Hall located at 110 W. Maddux Street, Suite 200, Branson, MO 65616. Please submit your application form to the Finance Department.

A building permit must be obtained prior to commencing any new construction or alterations to an existing structure. This includes, but not limited to, some of the following projects:

• New Building
• Additions
• Renovations
• Demolition
• Prefabricated Structures
• Temporary Buildings
• Electrical Systems
• HVAC Systems
• Plumbing
• Signs
• Landscaping

The plan review process and subsequent inspections protect you, your family, friends, and future owners against the potential hazards of unsafe construction. It also protects your investment, as many insurers do not pay claims on construction performed without the benefit of a building permit, the required inspections, and certificate of occupancy.

Applications for permits are submitted through Citizenserve

Branson Board of Alderman review water and sewer rates annually, with a study done every 5 years.

Air can become trapped in water distribution lines after repairs have been performed due to line breaks. To remove the air from your service line, run the taps in your home for several minutes to see if the white color dissipates. If the problem persists, contact the Utilities Department at 417-243-2731.

Several factors can play a role in creating taste and odors in drinking water. Some of the most common are:

• If the taste is chlorine, it is usually one of two reasons, either the chlorine levels in the tap water are too low, most common, or too high.
• If your drinking water has an organic or earthy taste it is normally caused by algae bloom in source surface water. Since Branson uses about 94% surface water from Lake Taneycomo for our water supply there are periods of time during the year where this taste is very noticeable. Although it is a nuisance, the water is still completely safe to drink.
• If you have a rotten egg smell especially in your hot water lines, the problem is usually formed in a water heater. Bacteria may form and grow especially if there is low water usage through the unit. Flushing water through the water heater periodically will usually eliminate the problem.

For further assistance with, or more information about any of these conditions, call the Utilities Department at 417-243-2731.

In 2024 Branson water facilities produced over 1,261,824,500 gallons of potable water. (1.261 Billion Gallons)

Branson water treatment facilities are manned 24 hours per day 7 days a week. Parameters for process control are continuously monitored at several locations throughout each treatment facility. Frequent scheduled sampling is performed throughout the entire water distribution system to verify that the water produced continuously meets stringent Missouri DNR and Federal EPA public health requirements. Tests which are most critical to public health are performed by a third party laboratory contracted by DNR and EPA. Combined results of water testing throughout the year can be found in the City of Branson Consumer Confidence Water Quality Report or you may call 417-243-2731 for more detailed information about the water in your specific area of the City.

The City of Branson collects sewer from residential and commercial business customers inside the city limits and numerous developments surrounding the City. The wastewater is collected through a gravity sewer line and sewer pump station system. Sewer pump stations are used to pump sewer over the hilly terrain to the wastewater treatment plants. In 2024 over 1,537,830,000 gallons (1.53 Billion Gallons) of wastewater was treated at Branson’s two wastewater plants. As a result of that treatment over 667 tons of solids were captured and removed from the sewer stream before letting the water back into Lake Taneycomo. The treatment system also removed over 1,152 tons of phosphorus from the water before it was put back in the lake. Branson’s state of the art wastewater facilities are capable of removing better than 99% of the waste in the sewer coming onto the facilities.    

Every four to five years.

The Branson RecPlex is located at 1501 Branson Hills Parkway, Branson, MO  65616.

The CoxHealth Fitness Center Branson is located on the 2^nd floor of the Branson RecPlex.  Membership from three months to one year is available, as well as daily, weekly, and monthly passes.  Call CoxHealth Fitness Center Branson at (417)348-0060 for prices or visit their web site for more information.  

The Branson AquaPlex is open 7 days a week from Memorial Day to Labor Day.  For hours of operation, click here.

To view the open gym calendar for the Branson RecPlex, click here.

The Branson RecPlex has both party and meeting rooms available to choose from.

Pavilions are available to reserve in several city parks.  Click here for descriptions and reservation fee information.  

Access to the Dog Park requires membership, which ensures that all dogs have current vaccinations. The Dog Park is located at Stockstill Park. Click here for more information and to access an application.

You can find your ward by looking at out Ward Map. You can find additional information about your address using our "Branson Address Search."

Flock Safety is a public safety operating system that helps cities, businesses, schools and law enforcement in thousands of communities work together to stop crime, protect privacy, and mitigate bias. They build hardware and write software that captures the objective evidence police need to solve crimes.

ALPR stands for Automatic License Plate Readers. ALPR cameras have long helped law enforcement solve crimes.

Flock Safety products can be used by anyone who wants to reduce crime in their community. Flock Safety products are useful for neighborhood HOA boards, police officers, business owners, community improvement districts (CIDs), business improvement districts (BIDs), neighborhood associations, property management, property developers, and any other community members who want to eliminate crime.

Flock Safety technology is purpose-built to remove human bias from crime-solving. The ALPR cameras and machine learning technology are engineered to capture vehicle characteristics, types, and license plates, which are then checked against state and federal records to ensure accuracy and minimize errors. 

Because license plate readers do not collect information on who is driving or riding in the vehicle, it is not considered Personally Identifiable Information (PII). The Flock Safety technology does not capture images of pedestrians or passersby. The ALPR cameras take still images of cars passing through the lens (not video) and cannot follow or track vehicles once they leave the camera’s view.

 Flock Safety will never record names, phone numbers, or addresses and doesn’t mark specific locations where people have been. There is no capability in the system to mark or annotate the locations of passersby. 

Finally, Flock Safety is built to enable and encourage transparency, with several features that create robust audit capability. Both private and law enforcement customers must enter a reason for each search made through the Flock Safety system.

Flock Safety camera footage is stored then deleted after 30 days for privacy and security purposes. It is stored using the Amazon Web Services cloud where all data is fully encrypted at rest. No Personally Identifiable Information is collected or stored.

: Flock Safety helps solve and reduce all types of violent and non-violent crime. Some of the main types of property crime Flock Safety addresses include mail and package theft, home invasions, vandalism, illegal dumping, trespassing and burglary. The system regularly helps solve violent crimes as well, including assault, kidnappings, shootings, and homicides. 

The system Alerts additionally notify law enforcement of vehicles that are in local, state and national databases associated with crimes such as sex offenders, stolen vehicles, stolen plates, warrants, and missing people. The system is not used for minor traffic offenses and parking. 

License plate numbers and Flock’s Vehicle Fingerprint technology give law enforcement the objective, actionable leads needed to solve investigations. It can help pinpoint a subject’s last known location, which narrows down the search radius and time to solve crime.

Branson PD has specific policies in place to prevent misuse of the system. Searches of the system require a specific case number and reason for use. All reasons provided are able to be audited and our agency Flock Administrators conduct regular audits of the system searches.

: Branson PD received a local violent crime prevention grant for about $23,800 to cover the installation cost and our current cameras for 1 year. Annual costs associated with the camera program, and potentially growing the program, will be included in future police operating budgets and/or grant funded. 

No.  If you don’t want them to count towards the 20 included swimmers, then they would be charged the $4.00 group rate fee.  The renter would need to be in charge of paying for each of the spectators.

Party package rentals are allowed to bring in either a cake or cupcakes for the party. Concessions are available for purchase throughout the day. MEGA Birthday Party reservations may bring outside food and drink for their party.

Yes.  The party package price includes admission into the pool.  If you have the 12:15 party, you will need to vacate the pavilion after the 1.5 hours but can remain in the facility to continue swimming.  If you have one of the later party times (2:15 or 4:15) and wish to come to the facility before the scheduled time to swim, then the renter will need to arrive at the facility and request the wristbands at that early time.  We will not hand out individual wristbands to party guests.  This will be the responsibility of the renter to coordinate these efforts.  The only way a person will be admitted into the pool will be by paying the daily fee or having a wristband from their associated party.

We do not supply decorations as part of the package.  Guests are allowed to bring in their own decorations (balloons, happy birthday sign).  Please do not bring in confetti or small decorations that could end up in the pool.  You will be responsible for the clean-up of any decorations from your party.  No staples allowed.

In the event of inclement weather preventing the use of the Branson AquaPlex, every effort will be made to accommodate or reschedule your event, including using indoor facilities when available.  Weather decisions will be made by staff no more than 2 hours in advance of a scheduled rental.  If the facility is closed, and rescheduling the event is not possible, a refund will be issued. 

Conveniently located near Historic Downtown Branson, our RV park sits along the scenic shores of Lake Taneycomo and is just steps away from the popular Branson Landing shopping and dining district.

We are located next door to the Branson Landing Entertainment District and .7 miles from Historic Downtown Branson. Enjoy the convenience of a free trolley!

Yes! And we offer a discounted rate in January and February for our snowbirds!

Yes, our showers, restrooms, and water hookups at the campsites are fully operational and accessible year-round. The restrooms are equipped with both heating and air conditioning for your comfort.

Yes, you can for an additional fee (subject to availability). Otherwise, you may only pick a site type. Refer to our reservation policy for details.

Yes, we do sell propane at the campground.  

We have 5 fishing docks located in the campground. Boat rentals and fishing supplies are available at Scotty’s Trout Dock.

We offer a 10% discount to Veterans and for those who are part of our Loyalty Program.  

Fire pits are provided on select sites as well as our premium and deluxe patio sites. You are welcome to bring your own fire pit with legs. We sell firewood at the campground for your convenience.

Branson's Municipal code defines land disturbance as: "any activity that exposes soil including clearing, grubbing, grading, excavating, filling, and other related activities"

A land disturbance permit is required for land disturbance sites that disturb one or more acres, or disturb less than one acre when part of a common plan of development or sale that will disturb a cumulative total of one or more acres over the life of the project.

Municipal separate storm sewer system or MS4 is a public conveyance or system of conveyances (including roads with drainage systems, municipal streets, catch basins, curbs, gutters, ditches, manmade channels, or storm drains that are 1.) designed or used for collecting and/or conveying stormwater, 2.) not a combined sewer, and 3.) not part of a publicly owned treatment works (POTW).

Any surface or shallow subsurface flow, runoff, or drainage consisting entirely of water from rainstorm or frozen precipitation events is considered stormwater

For stormwater purposes, a BMP orBest Management Practiceis any physical, chemical, or managerial practice that reduces soil erosion or reduces the amount of sediment or other pollutants discharging to the municipal seperate storm sewer system (MS4) or off the permitted property.

A Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan or SWPPP is a plan to establish controls to limit erosion and transport of sediment and other pollutants from the site.

ALL projects disturbing soilmust implement stormwater Best Management Practices (BMPs)

Projects with a land disturbance permit are required to submit and follow a SWPPP.

By adopting the ICC Building Valuation Data and flat fees for stand-alone permits, the City is ensuring greater accuracy, fairness, and transparency in how fees are assessed. This approach mirrors the structure already used by most communities across the United States.

• Applicants will submit project details, including square footage, occupancy group, and construction type.
• Fees for most building permits will be automatically calculated using ICC standards and the City’s multiplier.
• Certain stand-alone permits (like fences, pools, decks, or demolitions) will follow a flat-fee schedule, rather than square-foot calculations

The new permit fee structure is effective October 15, 2025.

For more information or questions, please contact the City of Branson Planning & Development Department at 417-337-8549.

The full ordinance can be viewed here.

Not every project requires a square-footage calculation. Some permits, like those for decks, fences over 7’, pools, solar panels, hot tubs, or demolitions, are covered by flat-rate stand-alone permit fees. This provides predictability and simplifies the process for homeowners and contractors.