In rural Walsh County the building permit is a county zoning permit: you file the county’s one-page Building Permit Form with the County Auditor’s office at the courthouse in Grafton (701-352-2851). The fee is $50 for work valued up to $25,000, $100 up to $150,000 and $200 above that; starting work before the permit is issued brings a penalty of twice the permit cost. Grafton, Park River and Minto run their own permits inside city limits.
What needs a permit in Walsh County?
The county’s Land Development Code treats the following as development that needs a building permit before work starts:
Permit required
- Every house, including a farm residence
- Enlarging or rebuilding a building, or changing how it is used
- Demolishing a structure
- Excavating a lot where a structure may be built
- Excavating for pipelines or setting utility poles
- Depositing fill, refuse or waste on a parcel
- Restarting a use that has been abandoned for 24 months
- Shelter belts planted within 200 feet of a road centerline
No county permit
- Farm buildings other than the residence, when farm exempt
- Lawn sheds
- Interior work and exterior decoration that do not change the building’s size or use
- Road, railroad and utility maintenance inside an existing right-of-way
Building in a floodway or floodplain needs a conditional use permit from the Planning & Zoning Commission, and no permit is issued for a lot in a new subdivision until the county has accepted the street that serves it.
Who issues building permits in Walsh County?
County zoning is run by the Walsh County Planning & Zoning Commission and a Zoning Administrator it appoints, who issues the permits and inspects buildings for compliance. The code names the County Auditor as Code Administrator, and the permit forms are posted on the Auditor’s Planning & Zoning Documents page. The county rules cover land outside the zoning jurisdiction that cities and townships have taken on themselves, so a parcel near a city may fall under that city’s zoning instead.
Short on time to read all of this?
Get a free quote →| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| County permits | Zoning Administrator, through the County Auditor’s office |
| Address | Walsh County Courthouse, 600 Cooper Avenue, Grafton, ND 58237 |
| Phone | 701-352-2851 (County Auditor/Treasurer) |
| Hours | Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. |
| Septic permits | Walsh County Health District, 701-352-5139 |
The 13 incorporated cities answer differently:
| City | Building permits |
|---|---|
| Grafton (pop. 4,023) | City permit. Grafton contracts True Check LLC for building official services; Building Official Greg Hufnagle, 218-201-2587. City Hall: 5 East 4th Street, 701-352-1561. |
| Park River (pop. 1,363) | City permit under Ordinance 4.a, signed by the City Building Inspector. City office: 701-284-6150. |
| Minto (pop. 610) | City permit, reviewed by the Planning and Zoning Commission and the City Council. City office: 701-248-3858. |
| Hoople, Pisek | Each city has a website, but neither posts permit rules or forms; ask the city auditor. Pisek’s city building is at 76 Lovcik Ave (info@piseknd.gov), and Hoople’s site lists the city at 222 2nd St. |
| Adams, Ardoch, Conway, Edinburg, Fairdale, Fordville, Forest River, Lankin | The published sources do not say; ask the city auditor before you build. |
County forms and approvals
- Walsh County Building Permit Form: the county’s permit application, with the fee bands printed on the back.
- Application for Zoning Ordinance Variance: for relief from a setback or other dimensional rule. The Walsh County Zoning Board grants a variance only when the property has unusual features, the rule causes undue hardship, neighbors and the public are not harmed and the owner could not otherwise get a reasonable return.
- Conditional use permit: decided by the Planning & Zoning Commission after a public hearing advertised at least one week ahead in the county newspaper. Floodplain building, non-farm homes on agricultural land and similar uses go this way.
- Subdivision plats: a preliminary and a final plat, each reviewed for $100, with a pre-application meeting with the Commission first.
Not sure this scope needs a permit?
Get a free quote →Walsh County permit fees
The county board’s Resolution to Amend Building Permit Fees (May 2020) sets the fee by the total value of the project, counting labor, materials, wiring, heating and plumbing.
| Project value | County fee |
|---|---|
| $1 to $25,000 | $50 |
| $25,001 to $150,000 | $100 |
| $150,001 and up | $200 |
| Construction started before the permit | Penalty of twice the permit fee |
A $180,000 house therefore pays $200. If construction starts before the permit is issued, the penalty is twice the cost of the permit, which for that house is $400. The Land Development Code itself still lists a flat $25 development fee; the 2020 resolution is the newer figure. City permits in Grafton, Park River and Minto have their own fees.
Electrical, plumbing and septic
The county permit does not cover trade work. Electrical and plumbing installations in rural Walsh County go through the North Dakota State Electrical Board and State Plumbing Board. The county form asks whether the building will have running water or restrooms; if it will, a septic system permit is required. Septic permits are issued by the Walsh County Health District (638 Cooper Avenue, Suite 3, Grafton; 701-352-5139) on its Application for Permit, which lists a non-refundable $250 onsite sewer permit fee and a $20 tank permit fee; the permit is issued once the district approves the application. Grand Forks Public Health’s regional environmental health staff (701-787-8100) carry out the onsite sewer inspections.
Rather talk it over?
Call 1-855-478-4290 →What goes on the county application
- Owner and contractor names and mailing addresses
- Legal description, parcel number and a plat map of the property
- Whether the use is residential, commercial, industrial or agricultural, and whether the site is in a flood plain
- Height, length, width and stories of each building and accessory structure
- New construction, alteration, addition or moving, with the total project value
- A sketch to scale showing the exact location of the building, access to the lot, its size and the section and township
How to get a Walsh County permit
Inside Grafton, Park River or Minto, apply to the city. Elsewhere, ask the County Auditor’s office whether the county or a city or township zones the land.
Floodplain construction needs a conditional use permit first, and a lot in a new subdivision needs a county-accepted street.
If the building will have water or a restroom, contact the Walsh County Health District before you file.
Complete the form with the plat map and scaled sketch, and pay the $50, $100 or $200 fee at the courthouse.
A county permit expires one year after it is issued.
The building may not be occupied until the Code Administrator issues it.
Inspections and occupancy
The Zoning Administrator, assisted by the Planning & Zoning Commission, inspects buildings for compliance with the zoning rules, and no new or altered building may be occupied until the Code Administrator has issued a Certificate of Compliance. Breaking the county’s zoning rules is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $100 for each day it continues.
Rather not deal with the Walsh County building department?
Get a free quote →City rules that differ
Grafton: the city enforces the State Building Code and a city floodplain ordinance. A permit is needed for new construction, remodels that remove or build walls or rebuild two or more wall surfaces, other work over $2,000, larger or egress windows, sheds, decks, fences, sidewalks or driveways on the public way, manufactured home placement, and re-roofing or re-siding (repairs to under 25% of the roof or wall area are exempt). Applications go to City Hall in person, by mail to P.O. Box 578 or by email to the building official. Work started without a permit is charged a penalty equal to the fee, and a permit can lapse if work does not start within 180 days.
Park River: any structure costing more than $500, including sheds, garages, fences, decks, gazebos and pergolas, needs a city permit. The lot must be staked and approved by the City Building Inspector, and nothing is issued or built until 72 hours after the application unless the inspector approves sooner. Residential fees run from $25 for work up to $10,000 to $150 above $100,000; commercial fees run from $50 to $250, and a moving permit is $25.
Minto: fees since September 1, 2022 are $25 up to $25,000, $50 up to $150,000 and $100 above that, with a $25 maximum for non-profits. Every storage building and fence needs a permit, and work must be finished within one year.
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
Official resources for Walsh County
These are the primary sources behind this guide. Codes, fee schedules and procedures change — confirm the position for your filing date.
Want this handled start to finish?
Get a free quote →- NDCC chapter 54-21.3, State Building Code
- North Dakota Department of Commerce, building codes
- Walsh County Zoning Manual and Land Development Code
- Walsh County Planning & Zoning Documents
- Walsh County building permit fees, May 2020 resolution
- Walsh County Building Permit Form
- Walsh County Health District environmental health and septic
- Walsh County Health District septic permit application
- City of Grafton building permits
- City of Park River ordinances and fee schedule
- City of Minto building permits
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →Walsh County permit FAQs
Do I need a county permit to build a house in rural Walsh County?
Yes. Under the county’s May 2020 resolution every house needs a permit, even a farm residence. Other farm-exempt buildings and lawn sheds do not.
How much is a Walsh County building permit?
$50 for projects valued up to $25,000, $100 from $25,001 to $150,000 and $200 above $150,000. Starting before the permit is issued brings a penalty of twice the permit cost.
Where do I apply?
At the County Auditor’s office in the courthouse, 600 Cooper Avenue, Grafton (701-352-2851, weekdays 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.), using the Walsh County Building Permit Form.
How long is a county permit good for?
One year from the date it is issued.
Who issues building permits in Grafton?
The City of Grafton, through its contracted building official, True Check LLC (218-201-2587). Applications go to City Hall at 5 East 4th Street.
Who issues septic permits in Walsh County?
The Walsh County Health District (701-352-5139): $250 for an onsite sewer permit and $20 for a tank permit. Grand Forks Public Health’s regional environmental health staff do the inspections.
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More North Dakota permitting guides
This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Walsh County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.