Outside Mandan and the other cities, Morton County’s Building Department issues building permits and inspects the work. Download the application the county introduced on August 5, 2026, then mail, deliver or email it to the courthouse at 210 2nd Ave NW, Mandan (701-667-3325). The fee is based on the total value of the work and is quoted by phone, and zoning, floodplain, road approach and septic approvals have to be in place first.
What needs a Morton County building permit?
The county building permit page quotes the International Building Code: anyone who intends to build, enlarge, alter, repair, move, demolish or change the occupancy of a building, or to install or change regulated electrical, gas, mechanical or plumbing systems, applies to the building official first. The county application covers new buildings, additions, alterations and replacements, and demolition has its own application.
County approvals before building
- Zoning for the lot under the Land Use Code
- Road approach permit for any new rural residence, even one using an existing approach
- Septic permit, on a lot of at least one acre
- Floodplain development permit and elevation certificate in a mapped flood area
Exempt from county rules
- Farm and ranch buildings on a farm of at least 150 contiguous acres under common ownership or operation, used for farming or ranching (any building people live in or the public uses still needs a building permit and an occupancy permit, whatever the farm’s size)
- Zoning rules do not restrict farming or ranching uses of land, except under the floodplain rules
- Utility poles, wires and similar distribution equipment
- County stormwater management requirements, for single-family homes
Who issues permits in Morton County?
Two county offices are involved. The Building Department at the courthouse issues building and demolition permits, takes payment and carries out inspections; the county’s rural guide sends applicants to the Tax Equalization Department, and applications can be emailed to the Morton County Tax mailbox. The Planning and Zoning Department administers the Land Use Code for unincorporated land, supports the Planning and Zoning Commission and handles floodplain permits outside incorporated cities and townships.
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Get a free quote →| Office | Contact |
|---|---|
| Building Department | Morton County Courthouse, 210 2nd Ave NW, Mandan, ND 58554; 701-667-3325; mortoncountytax@mortonnd.gov; Monday to Friday 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. |
| Planning and Zoning | 2916 37th St NW, Mandan; 701-667-3361 |
| Highway Department (approach permits) | 701-667-3346 |
| Septic permits | Western Plains Public Health, 701-667-3370 |
Cities and their fringe: land inside a city’s extraterritorial zoning area has no county zoning district, the county does not issue building permits there, and the county’s rural guide tells owners within about a mile of a city to talk to the city first.
| City | Who permits |
|---|---|
| Mandan (pop. 25,061) | City Building Inspection, for the city and its extraterritorial area; 205 Second Avenue NW, 701-667-3230 |
| New Salem (pop. 1,082) | City building inspector; applications go to the Auditor’s Office, 400 Main Avenue, 701-843-7828 |
| Hebron (pop. 792) | City Building Inspector under the city building code; zoning reaches one mile past city limits. City office 701-878-4600 |
| Glen Ullin (pop. 708) | The city’s website posts no permit rules; ask the city office, 701-348-3683 (weekdays 8:30 to 11:30 a.m.). |
| Flasher (pop. 230), Almont (pop. 93) | The published sources do not say; ask city hall before you build. |
Morton County applications
- Application for Building Permit (new form as of August 5, 2026): building, construction type, foundation, square footage by floor, garage, deck and outbuilding, construction value, a site plan and an energy code compliance sheet.
- Application for Demo Permit.
- Unified Development Application: the Planning and Zoning form for subdivisions, rezonings, variances and special use permits.
- Floodplain Development Permit Application and Temporary Use Permit Application.
Building permit fees can be paid online by card through the county’s payment link, and the department posts an annual Building Permit Report of the permits it has issued.
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The building permit fee is based on the total value of new construction, additions, alterations and replacements, counting the basement and attached garages. The county does not post its building fee table; call 701-667-3325 for a quote. Planning and zoning fees are set in Section 10-100 of the Land Use Code (amended as of September 10, 2026) and are paid when you apply:
| Application | Fee |
|---|---|
| Floodplain development permit | $200 |
| Variance | $200 |
| Administrative variance | $50 |
| Zoning map amendment | $200 |
| Temporary use permit | $50 |
| Short-form subdivision | $200 |
| Long-form subdivision | $400 for 2–10 lots, $600 for 11–20, $800 for 21 or more |
| Administrative review of an exempt land division | $50 |
| Special use permit | 0.1% of total project cost or $300, whichever is greater |
For a special use permit, $1,000 is paid with the application and the rest of the 0.1% fee before final occupancy permits are issued; if the whole fee is $1,000 or less it is all paid up front. Fees are non-refundable unless the county commission authorizes a refund, and each permit in a combined request is charged separately.
Plumbing, electrical, gas and septic
The county building permit does not cover the trades. Plumbing, heating, electrical and gas installations need separate applications to the State Plumbing Board (701-328-9979) and the State Electrical Board (701-328-9522) before any work is done, and those boards make the plumbing and electrical inspections. Western Plains Public Health issues septic permits and inspects septic systems in Morton County (701-667-3370).
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Call 1-855-478-4290 →What to submit with a Morton County application
- Site address, parcel ID, legal description and zoning code
- Owner, contractor and billing contacts
- Floor plans, which are required
- Whether you have the approach permit and septic permit, and whether the property is in a flood plain; if it is, an elevation certificate
- A site plan showing the new and existing buildings, distances to property lines, between buildings and to the road centerline, water, gas and electric lines, the septic tank and drain field, and utility and drainage easements
- The energy code sheet with insulation R-values for roof, walls, slab, floor, rim joist and basement walls
A survey is not usually required, but the building inspector can require one before construction if the property lines are uncertain. By signing, the owner or contractor certifies the lot lines, utilities, easements and covenants have been checked.
How to get a Morton County building permit
Within about a mile of a city, ask the city first; otherwise the county’s Land Use Code applies.
A platted lot or 35 or more acres of agricultural land is the simplest case; a smaller new lot needs a short-form subdivision and usually a rezoning, which takes about 45 days with hearings.
Apply to the Highway Department; once the County Engineer approves the access, an address is generated for the property.
Apply to Western Plains Public Health before construction.
Send the August 2026 application with floor plans and site plan to the courthouse, and pay the fee.
Book each inspection a day ahead; a new home needs a final inspection and certificate of occupancy before you move in.
Morton County inspections
Call the building inspections office at 701-667-3325 at least a day ahead. The mandatory county inspections are the footing (before concrete, with trench, rails and rebar in place; setbacks and easements are also checked), the foundation (before walls or piers are poured), the framing (after structural work and rough-ins, before insulation or drywall, including stair headroom, rise, run and railings) and the final. A new home cannot be occupied until it passes the final inspection, and lenders need the certificate of occupancy; railings must be installed and bedrooms and halls need working smoke detectors. Additions, alterations, garages and shops do not need a certificate of occupancy. Finishing a structure without the required inspections brings a penalty fee, and a permit lapses if work does not start within 180 days or stops for 180 days.
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Hearing calendar: the 2026 Application Timing Calendar sets monthly deadlines. An application filed by October 26, 2026 goes to the Planning and Zoning Commission on November 18 and the County Commission on November 24; the next deadline, November 23, leads to hearings on December 16 and January 14, 2027.
Recent code changes: since March 2025 new homes in the floodplain must be elevated 2 feet above the base flood elevation and a lot may hold one residence plus one accessory dwelling unit. A July 2026 amendment set a 20-foot rear setback for accessory buildings in all but the industrial districts, and the September 10, 2026 amendment added data center standards and cut the arterial road setback from 150 to 135 feet.
Manufactured homes: no mobile or modular home built before January 1, 1980 may be placed on any lot or tract in the county.
Rural sites: a second home sharing agricultural land needs at least 70 acres and a special use permit, and a home site within half a mile of an operating feedlot may need a variance.
New Salem: under Resolution R 6-16 (effective June 14, 2016) the minimum permit fee is $40; work valued from $2,001 to $500,000 pays $50 plus $4.50 per $1,000, and the city also issues gas, plumbing and septic permits. Its Planning and Zoning Committee meets on the third Tuesday of each month at 7:00 p.m.
Hebron: a city permit is needed to erect, structurally change or move a building, and for siding or other improvements costing more than $300. City Hall is open 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. on weekdays.
North Dakota building code
North Dakota has one State Building Code, but enforcing it is a local choice: where no city, township or county enforces it, there is no building code permit for private work, though a zoning permit may still apply. North Dakota rules
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Get a free quote →Official resources for Morton County
These are the primary sources behind this guide. Codes, fee schedules and procedures change — confirm the position for your filing date.
- NDCC chapter 54-21.3, State Building Code
- North Dakota Department of Commerce, building codes
- Morton County Building Permits & Inspections
- Morton County Application for Building Permit (August 2026)
- Morton County Building Guidelines (adopted codes)
- Morton County Planning and Zoning Department
- Morton County Land Use Code, amended September 10, 2026
- Morton County Rural Development Guide
- Morton County 2026 Application Timing Calendar
- Western Plains Public Health onsite septic program
- City of Mandan Building Inspection
- City of New Salem forms, including the building permit
- City of Hebron ordinances
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →Morton County permit FAQs
Who issues building permits in rural Morton County?
The Morton County Building Department at the courthouse, 210 2nd Ave NW, Mandan (701-667-3325). Mandan, New Salem and Hebron issue their own permits inside their limits.
How much is a Morton County building permit?
It is based on the total value of the work, including basement and attached garage. The county quotes the fee by phone at 701-667-3325.
What codes does Morton County use?
The 2024 International Building, Residential, Mechanical, Fuel Gas, Energy Conservation and Existing Building Codes.
Do I need a road approach permit for a new rural house?
Yes. Every new residence outside city limits needs one from the Highway Department, even when it uses an existing approach.
Who inspects plumbing and electrical work?
The State Plumbing Board (701-328-9979) and State Electrical Board (701-328-9522), which need their own applications before work starts.
Do farm buildings need a county building permit?
Not if they are used for farming or ranching on a farm of at least 150 contiguous acres. A house or any building the public uses always needs a building permit and an occupancy permit.
How long is a Morton County permit valid?
It becomes void if construction does not start within 180 days or stops for 180 days.
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More North Dakota permitting guides
This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Morton County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.