Building Codes and Permits
There are many different codes which apply to construction projects in and around your home. This page should help you to find the information you need to keep your house safe and strong.
You will need to come to our office to take out a building, heating, air conditioning, or electrical self-wire permit. You can look up parcel information and an aerial photograph of your property on Fargo's interactive GIS maps. For remodeling projects, we will need to know some of the following information when you arrive:
- the approximate value of your building project —if you are doing the work yourself we suggest taking the value of the materials and adding an estimate of what you would pay for labor
- the location of your project on your property and how big any new structure, addition, or deck will be—how far from your lot lines, which side of the garage or house, etc.
- any subcontractors you will be hiring to help you
- how a new structure will tie in to the existing building, if at all
- the type and size of mechanical equipment you are installing—how many BTUs, how many gallons your new water heater holds, if it's a 2-ton air conditioner, etc.
For new homes, we require a completed permit application (available as Microsoft Word document or an Adobe Acrobat .pdf file) as well as two sets of plans and a complete set of truss drawings.
We accept cash, checks, or credit cards (Visa, MasterCard, and Discover) for permit fees. If you have any questions or need further information, please feel free to contact the Inspections Department.