Bolthole Index

Big Stone County, Minnesota

Building permits, zoning and septic rules in Big Stone County, Minnesota

58Index Score / 100
#41 of 87 in Minnesota

Big Stone County, Minnesota requires a county land-use permit for new construction and moved or replaced structures outside municipal limits1. The Environmental Office administers county zoning and regulates septic systems throughout Big Stone County, including within cities23. A separate county building-code permit or inspection process could not be confirmed, so ask the Environmental Office whether one applies.

At a glance

Building permit
Required for new construction and moved or replaced structures outside municipal limits through the county Environmental Office1
Zoning
County zoning districts and an Official Zoning Map are published; confirm whether county or city rules govern an incorporated parcel4
Septic permits
Required countywide through the Big Stone County Environmental Office, based on a design from a licensed designer35
Owner-builder
Statewide exemption from Minnesota's residential contractor license if you occupy the home or keep it as a rental, not for resale or speculation67
Published permit fees
$100 for an accessory building, $200 for a dwelling or commercial building, and $750 for a conditional-use application in the 2025 schedule8
Statewide building code
Applies statewide for the type of structures it governs, but generally enforced by a locally adopting municipality with a certified building official910
County-road driveway
Approval and a permit are required before work begins on an access to a county highway11
Septic soil difficulty
Only 13.6% of county soils are free of severe limits for a conventional drain field12

Who to call

Building permits

Big Stone County Environmental Office

Land-use permits for all new construction, moved or replaced structures, septic systems, and excavations, outside incorporated municipalities in Big Stone County

(320) 839-6376

843 O’Neill Street, Ortonville, MN 56278

Online permits →

Zoning

Big Stone County Environmental Office (Planning & Zoning)

County Planning Commission staff support, zoning district administration, conditional use permits, subdivisions, and floodplain administration for Big Stone County

(320) 839-6376

843 O’Neill Street, Ortonville, MN 56278

Septic permits

Big Stone County Environmental Office

Septic (SSTS) permit review and final inspections under MN Rules Chapter 7080, plus property-transfer septic inspection compliance for Big Stone County, including land inside city limits

(320) 839-6376

843 O’Neill Street, Ortonville, MN 56278

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on September 29, 2026.

Do you need a building permit in Big Stone County, Minnesota?

Yes. Outside municipal corporate limits, Big Stone County requires a land-use permit for new construction, moved or replaced structures, individual septic systems, and excavations over 50 cubic yards, or 10 cubic yards in shoreland areas1. The Big Stone County Environmental Office is the permit contact13. The county's 2025 schedule lists $100 for an accessory-building permit, $200 for a dwelling or commercial-building permit, and $750 for a conditional-use application8. Minnesota's State Building Code applies statewide to the structures it governs, with limited exceptions including many agricultural buildings9. Big Stone County's published material does not identify county building-code adoption, a certified building official, general building inspections, or certificates of occupancy. Ask the Environmental Office whether separate building-code plan review and inspections apply before starting work.

Who is the Big Stone County building department, and how do you reach them?

The confirmed county contact is the Big Stone County Environmental Office at 843 O'Neill Street, Ortonville, MN 56278, phone (320) 839-6376, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.13. The Environmental Office handles county land-use permits for listed work outside municipal corporate limits113. Planning and Zoning staff support the County Planning Commission, which reviews conditional-use permits, subdivisions, ordinance amendments, and zoning-classification amendments before recommending action to the County Board1415. The same Environmental Office reviews septic designs, issues septic permits, and performs final septic inspections516. Big Stone County does not identify a separate county building-code office in the published material, so use the Environmental Office as the first call and ask who handles any additional building-code review.

Does Big Stone County have zoning?

Yes. Big Stone County administers land-use zoning under its Land and Related Resources Management Ordinance and Official Zoning Map17. The published districts are A-1 and A-2 Agricultural, OS Open Space, UD Urban (Residential), C-1 Commercial, I-1 Industrial, and Shoreland Management415. The County Planning Commission reviews conditional-use permits, subdivisions, ordinance amendments, and zoning-classification amendments, then recommends action to the County Board214. The county material does not establish that its ordinance governs every incorporated municipality, so ask the Environmental Office whether county or city rules control an in-city parcel17. Verified setbacks, minimum lot size, minimum dwelling size, lot coverage, and building height were not available. Ask the Environmental Office for the standards tied to the parcel's mapped district before relying on a building layout.

How do septic permits work in Big Stone County?

Big Stone County requires a permit for an individual on-site sewage treatment system5. A licensed designer first submits the system design; the county issues a permit if the design is legal, and installation may then begin5. The county performs a final inspection to verify that installation follows the approved design16. Big Stone County regulates individual septic systems throughout the county, including systems inside city limits318. At a property transfer, the seller must provide an inspection by a Minnesota-licensed inspector before transfer unless an exemption applies16. Only 13.6% of Big Stone County soils are rated without severe limitations for a conventional drain field, so arrange the site evaluation early and budget for a design suited to the soil12. Most Minnesota systems are permitted locally; a system designed for more than 10,000 gallons per day instead requires Minnesota Pollution Control Agency permitting19.

Can you live in an RV or tiny home on your land in Big Stone County?

Big Stone County's published material does not confirm whether full-time RV living or tiny-home occupancy is allowed on a private parcel. Ask the Environmental Office about uses allowed in the parcel's mapped zoning district, along with dwelling-size, setback, sanitation, and temporary-occupancy requirements4. Minnesota's recreational-camping-area rule covers a public or private site accommodating 5 or more tents or recreational camping vehicles and requires an annual state health license, but that rule does not resolve living in one RV on private land20. Big Stone County also has not confirmed whether a non-septic off-grid sanitation system is acceptable; the county regulates individual septic systems throughout the county3. A new manufactured home installed for occupancy in Minnesota must receive the required federal installation-standards inspection21. That inspection does not by itself settle local zoning or land-use approval2.

Building a home in Big Stone County: the steps, in order

  1. Ask the Environmental Office to identify the parcel's mapped zoning district, applicable dimensional standards, and whether shoreland or floodplain controls affect the site1722.
  1. Have a licensed septic designer evaluate the site and submit a legal design to the county before fixing the house location5.
  1. Apply to the Environmental Office for the county land-use permit required for new construction outside municipal corporate limits113.
  1. Ask whether separate Minnesota State Building Code plan review and inspections apply, because county building-code adoption and inspection jurisdiction could not be confirmed10.
  1. For access to a county highway, obtain the county driveway permit before any work begins11. For another public highway, obtain approval from the appropriate road authority23.
  1. After septic installation, arrange the county's final inspection so the county can verify that the work follows the approved design16.

What to check before you buy land in Big Stone County

Confirm the mapped zoning district and which jurisdiction governs the parcel before making an offer17. Ask the Environmental Office for setback, minimum-lot, minimum-dwelling-size, height, and lot-coverage standards because those figures could not be confirmed. Septic feasibility deserves an early licensed-designer visit: only 13.6% of county soils are rated without severe limitations for a conventional drain field12. Ask the Minnesota Department of Health whether it or a delegated local program handles a proposed well, because Big Stone County's well-permitting status could not be confirmed. A house, fill, culvert, or bridge in a regulated floodplain requires a floodplain permit under the applicable community ordinance22. Access to a Big Stone County highway requires an approved county driveway permit before work starts11. The effective property-tax rate is about 0.9%, and the median annual property-tax bill is about $1,1692425.

Watch-outs

  • Big Stone County requires its land-use permit outside municipal limits, but county building-code adoption, general building inspections, and certificates of occupancy could not be confirmed; ask the Environmental Office what additional review applies1.
  • RV living, tiny-home occupancy, well-permitting authority, and dimensional zoning standards could not be confirmed; ask the Environmental Office about land use and the Minnesota Department of Health about wells4.

Sources

  1. Fees & Permits, quoted and re-checked
  2. Planning & Zoning, quoted and re-checked
  3. Septic Systems, quoted and re-checked
  4. Planning & Zoning, quoted and re-checked
  5. Septic Systems, quoted and re-checked
  6. Sec. 326B.805 MN Statutes (2026 county census)
  7. Sec. 326B.805 MN Statutes (Minnesota statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  8. 2025 Services and Fees, quoted and re-checked
  9. 2025 Minnesota Statutes, section 326B.121 (Minnesota statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  10. Minnesota State Building Code Adoption Guide (Minnesota statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  11. Application for Access Driveway/Approach Permit, quoted and re-checked
  12. Share of soils without severe limits for a conventional septic drain field (USDA SSURGO): Bolthole Index county data
  13. Big Stone County Environmental Office (bigstonecounty.gov)
  14. Planning & Zoning, quoted and re-checked
  15. Big Stone County Environmental Office (Planning & Zoning) (bigstonecounty.gov)
  16. Septic Systems, quoted and re-checked
  17. Planning & Zoning, quoted and re-checked
  18. Big Stone County Environmental Office (bigstonecounty.gov)
  19. SSTS design (Minnesota statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  20. 2025 Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 327 (Minnesota statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  21. Manufactured home information (Minnesota statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  22. Floodplain Regulations (Minnesota statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  23. Minnesota Statutes, section 160.18: Access to roads; approaches (Minnesota statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  24. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  25. Median property tax bill: Bolthole Index county data

Written September 29, 2026 from the rules quoted below, each taken from an official source and re-checked by an independent reviewer. This is research, not legal advice: rules change, so confirm with the office before you buy or build.

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County locator

Big Stone County in Minnesota

58
County map
Big Stone County highlighted among the Minnesota counties · colored by Index score

How Big Stone County scores

Seclusion82100% ev.
Self-Sufficiency27100% ev.
Admin Boringness56100% ev.
Durability50100% ev.
Property Autonomy65100% ev.
Carry Cost72100% ev.

Evidence strength: 100%. This reports direct-source completeness and fallback use; it is separate from the score and is not a confidence interval. How it works →

$205kTypical home
0.9%Property tax
$4,825Land / acre
25.3"Annual rain
5.1% of yrsSevere drought
4.9 / yr (+4.4)Mid-century 100°F days
18.8 daysMid-century dry spell
1.39" (+10%)Mid-century 1-day rain
1.67×Wildfire change factor
100%Forward climate coverage
$1,712Home insurance / yr
5.3% / yrInsurance growth
0.36%Nonrenewal rate
county median (2+ published ZIPs)Insurance basis
2,924People within 30 min
499,600People within 2 hr
6,637Radius comparison (15 mi)
10.2People / sq mi
15.8%Federal land
98.7%Land at 15% slope or less
13.6%Septic soil without severe limits
41,138 acWorkable land screen
2.4%Wooded land
65.7 tonsBiomass / forest ac
43.7°FAvg temp

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Answers from the rulebook for Big Stone County

What the ordinances and state agencies actually say — one answer per question, each quoted from the official source and independently re-checked.

Big Stone County rules

  • Building permitRequired

    New construction, moved structures, and replaced structures outside the corporate limits of municipalities.

    • The cited county page expressly limits this list to areas outside the corporate limits of municipalities.
    • The same list also covers individual on-site sewage treatment systems and excavations exceeding fifty cubic yards, or ten cubic yards in shoreland areas.

    excavation threshold outside shoreland: > 50 cubic yards · excavation threshold in shoreland areas: > 10 cubic yards

    “permits are required outside the corporate limits of municipalities for: All new construction”
  • County-wide zoningPresent (with conditions)

    Land-use and zoning regulation under Big Stone County's Land and Related Resources Management Ordinance and official zoning map.

    • Activities are regulated by zoning district and applicable permits.
    • Shoreland areas are additionally subject to Minnesota Rules 6120.2500–3900 and the county Shoreland Management Resource Ordinance.
    “Big Stone County is laid out into the following zones:”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • Present (with conditions) — Land-use zoning administered under Big Stone County's Land and Related Resources Management Ordinance and Official Zoning Map.
      “These ordinances lay out which activities can occur in certain areas or zoning districts, as shown on the Official Zoning Map.”
  • Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

    Land-use and zoning regulation administered under Big Stone County ordinances.

    • The county identifies zoning districts and an Official Zoning Map.
    • The County Planning Commission reviews conditional use permits, subdivisions, ordinance amendments, and zoning classification amendment proposals and recommends actions to the County Board of Commissioners for final approval.
    “These ordinances lay out which activities can occur in certain areas or zoning districts”
  • Zoning districtsPublished

    The county's published zoning districts and Official Zoning Map.

    • The county states that the listed zones are used with the Land and Related Resources Management Ordinance and Official Zoning Map.
    • Shoreland Management Zone is separately governed through county shoreland use controls adopted in 1993, subject to state shoreland rules.

    zoning district: A-1 Agricultural District · zoning district: A-2 Agricultural District · zoning district: OS Open Space District · zoning district: UD Urban District (Residential) · zoning district: C-1 Commercial · zoning district: I-1 Industrial · zoning district: Shoreland Management Zone

    “Big Stone County is laid out into the following zones:”
  • Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

    Individual septic systems throughout Big Stone County, including systems within city limits.

    • The county administers the program under a county ordinance based on Minnesota Rules Chapter 7080.
    • The county page states that the county regulates all septic systems in the county, including those within city limits.
    “The county regulates all septic systems in the county, including those within city limits.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • County (with conditions) — Individual septic treatment systems throughout Big Stone County, including systems within city limits.
      “The county has regulated individual septic treatment systems for years.”
  • Septic permitRequired

    Individual on-site sewage treatment systems in Big Stone County.

    • A permit is issued only after a licensed designer submits a design and the county determines the design is legal.
    • The county also lists individual on-site sewage treatment systems among permits required outside municipal corporate limits.
    “The county issues permits based on a design submitted by a licensed designer. If the design is legal a permit is issued and installation may occur.”
  • Septic inspectionRequired

    Final inspections of septic installations and property-transfer inspections in Big Stone County.

    • Final inspections are performed by the county to verify installation according to the approved design.
    • Complaint inspections may occur for suspected failing systems posing an imminent public-health threat.
    • For property transfers, the seller must provide inspection by a Minnesota-licensed inspector at or before closing, subject to listed exemptions: no buildings or plumbing fixtures; no Certificate of Real Estate Value required; pre-effective-date contract for deed; connection to municipal wastewater; valid Certificate of Compliance; or a watertight holding tank inspected by a licensed pumper.
    • A Certificate of Compliance is valid for 5 years for a new system and 3 years for an inspected passing existing system.

    new-system certificate validity: 5 years · existing passing-system certificate validity: 3 years

    “Final inspections are done by the county to insure installation is done according to the design.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • Required — Final installation inspections, complaint-based inspections, and property-transfer septic inspections in Big Stone County.
      “Final inspections are done by the county”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Subdivision proposals reviewed under the Big Stone County Subdivision Controls Ordinance.

    • The county Planning Commission reviews subdivisions and recommends action to the County Board of Commissioners.
    • The county's permit page lists a subdivision application.
    • Specific subdivision standards were not extracted from the PDF because the document text was not accessible in the web tool.

    subdivision application fee: 750 USD (plus $25 per lot after the first 4 lots; 2025 fee schedule)

    “The County Planning Commission is responsible for adopting the Comprehensive Plan and for reviewing conditional use permits, subdivisions, ordinance amendments, and zoning classification amendment proposals. They recommend actions to the County Board of Commissioners for final approval.”
  • Driveway accessRequired

    Access driveways or approaches connecting to a Big Stone County highway, including work in the county highway right-of-way.

    • The driveway application must identify the property, proposed driveway, purpose, existing driveways, and related location information.
    • The driveway must conform to Big Stone County Highway Department regulations and any special provisions in the permit.
    • No work may start until the application is approved and the permit is issued.
    • The permit is conditioned on replacement or restoration of the county highway to its original or a satisfactory condition and compliance with Minnesota Environmental Quality Council rules and other affected governmental agencies.
    • The general highway page states that all work within the road right-of-way requires the appropriate permit.
    “no work in connection with this application will be started until the application is approved and the permit issued.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • Limited — Driveway/access work within Big Stone County road rights-of-way.
      “All work within the road right of way requires the appropriate permit.”
  • Permit feesPublished

    Big Stone County environmental and highway permit fees listed in the county's 2025 Services and Fees schedule.

    • The county fee schedule page identifies the document as the annual Fee-For-Service Schedule.
    • Fees may differ by permit type and the schedule is specifically labeled 2025 Services and Fees.
    • The driveway fee is $0 unless unauthorized, in which case it is $100.

    accessory building permit: 100 USD · dwelling/commercial building permit: 200 USD · conditional use application: 750 USD · land alteration permit: 200 USD · mining permit: 200 USD · ordinance amendment: 500 USD · rezoning permit: 500 USD · subdivision: 750 USD (plus $25 per lot after the first 4 lots) · sewer permit-new: 300 USD · sewer permit-replacement: 200 USD · variance permit: 500 USD · any permit after the fact: 200 USD · driveway permit: 0 USD (unless unauthorized then $100)

    “Accessory Building Permit $100 Dwelling/Commercial Building Permit $200 Conditional Use Application $750”

Minnesota rules that apply here

  • Owner-builder exemptionAvailable (with conditions)

    An owner of residential real estate who personally builds or improves residential real estate, as an exemption from the residential contractor licensing requirement.

    • The owner must occupy or intend to occupy the residential real estate for residential purposes, or retain ownership for rental purposes after completion.
    • The exemption does not apply when the owner constructs or improves residential real estate for resale or speculation.
    • An owner is presumed to be building or improving for speculation if the owner constructs or improves more than one property within any 24-month period, unless the properties will be retained for rental purposes.
    • This is a contractor-licensing exemption and does not waive applicable building permits, inspections, or certificates of occupancy.

    speculation presumption threshold: > 1 additional property within 24 months (The presumption does not apply if the properties will be retained by the owner for rental purposes.)

    “The license requirement does not apply to: [...] an owner of residential real estate who builds or improves residential real estate”
  • Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

    Construction, reconstruction, alteration, repair, and use of buildings and other structures of the type governed by the Minnesota State Building Code throughout Minnesota.

    • The State Building Code supersedes the building code of any municipality.
    • The State Building Code does not apply to agricultural buildings except for the state inspections and rulemaking identified in Minnesota Statutes section 326B.121, subdivision 1, paragraph (c), clause (1), and the structural-support requirement for translucent panels or other skylights without raised curbs in clause (2).
    • The 2020 Minnesota State Building Code is effective March 31, 2020, except the Minnesota Mechanical Fuel Gas Code, which is effective April 6, 2020.
    • Municipal enforcement generally requires adoption by local ordinance, subject to statutory requirements for certain municipalities and statutory enforcement responsibilities where no adoption ordinance is in effect.
    • The 2024 Minnesota Commercial Energy Code is effective January 5, 2024.
    • Requirements for adult changing stations are effective August 15, 2025, and requirements for window-cleaning safety features are effective November 7, 2025, according to the Department of Labor and Industry update page.

    2020 Minnesota State Building Code effective date: 2020-03-31 (Minnesota Mechanical Fuel Gas Code effective 2020-04-06) · 2024 Minnesota Commercial Energy Code effective date: 2024-01-05 · Adult changing station supplement effective date: 2025-08-15 · Window-cleaning safety feature supplement effective date: 2025-11-07

    “(a) The State Building Code is the standard that applies statewide for the construction, reconstruction, alteration, repair, and use of buildings and other structures of the type governed by the code.”
  • InspectionsRequired

    Construction or work for which a Minnesota State Building Code permit is required.

    • The work must remain accessible and exposed until approved.
    • The permit applicant must cause the work to remain accessible and exposed for inspection.
    • The building official identifies required inspections; the permit holder must maintain the inspection record card until final approval.
    • Work may not proceed beyond each successive inspection point without building-official approval; noncomplying portions must be corrected and may not be covered or concealed until authorized.
    “Construction or work for which a permit is required is subject to inspection by the building official”
  • Camping on your landLimited

    Private or public areas accommodating five or more tents or recreational camping vehicles on a daily, nightly, weekly, or longer basis

    • An annual license from the Minnesota Department of Health is required before establishing, maintaining, conducting, or operating a recreational camping area.
    • The license requires application, payment of the statutory fee, and approval for operation including plan review.
    • A recreational camping area excludes children's camps, industrial camps, migrant labor camps, United States Forest Service camps, state forest service camps, qualifying state wildlife-management or state-owned public-access areas, qualifying temporary holding areas adjacent to motorsports facilities, and a privately owned area used by a private club no more than once annually and no longer than seven consecutive days.
    • A special event recreational camping area operates no more than two times annually and for no more than 14 consecutive days.
    • The statute does not resolve local zoning or land-use requirements.

    minimum accommodated tents or recreational camping vehicles: >= 5 units (Statutory exclusions apply.) · special event operating frequency: <= 2 times annually (Special event recreational camping area.) · special event duration: <= 14 consecutive days (Special event recreational camping area.) · annual license base fee for recreational camping area with 24 or fewer sites: 100 USD (Additional $8 per licensed site; special event areas are excluded from that per-site paragraph.) · annual license base fee for recreational camping area with 25 to 99 sites: 410 USD (Additional $8 per licensed site; special event areas are excluded from that per-site paragraph.) · annual license base fee for recreational camping area with 100 or more sites: 610 USD (Additional $8 per licensed site; special event areas are excluded from that per-site paragraph.)

    “"Recreational camping area" means any area, whether privately or publicly owned, used on a daily, nightly, weekly, or longer basis for the accommodation of five or more tents or recreational camping vehicles free of charge or for compensation. [...] "Special event recreational camping area" means a recreational camping area which operates no more than two times annually and for no more than 14 consecutive days. [...] No person, firm or corporation shall establish, maintain, conduct or operate a manufactured home park or recreational camping area within this state without first obtaining an annual license from the state Department of Health.”
  • Manufactured homesLimited

    New manufactured homes installed for occupancy statewide in Minnesota

    • Inspection is required under Federal Installation Standards Programs, CFR 3285 and 3286.
    • Manufactured-home alterations require documentation submitted for review to the Department of Labor and Industry or the local authority having jurisdiction before work begins.
    • Local building officials and local code enforcement may apply depending on the municipality.
    “All new manufactured homes installed in Minnesota for occupancy are required to be inspected according to the Federal Installation Standards Programs, Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 3285 and 3286.”
  • Off-grid sanitationLimited

    Primitive dwellings using toilet-waste treatment devices in low dwelling-density areas, and privies governed by Minnesota SSTS rules.

    • Septage disposal by the owner must follow local ordinances.
    • If no local ordinance exists, septage must not be discharged to surface waters, drainageways, steeply sloping areas, or wet areas in a manner or volume harmful to the environment or public health or that creates a nuisance.
    • Material must be buried or covered with soil.
    • If site conditions do not meet the rule, solids disposal must be performed under the applicable rule by a licensed maintenance business.
    • Privy solids must be removed when the privy is filled to one-half capacity.
    • Abandoned pits must have sewage solids and contaminated soil removed and be filled with clean earth and slightly mounded.

    privy solids removal threshold: 50 percent capacity

    “For primitive dwellings using toilet waste treatment devices in low dwelling density areas, septage disposal from these devices by the owner must be in accordance with local ordinances. If no ordinance exists, the septage must not be discharged to surface waters, drainageways, steeply sloping areas, or wet areas in a manner or volume that is harmful to the environment or public health or that creates a nuisance. The material must be buried or covered with soil.”
  • Building in a floodplainRequired

    Building a house, placing fill, or installing a culvert or bridge in portions of a Minnesota floodplain.

    • Construction and fill are generally permitted only where they comply with the community’s floodplain management ordinance.
    • The cited examples require a floodplain permit.
    • Floodway, flood fringe, mapped floodplain, local zoning, and engineering requirements may affect the result.
    • Local governments administer the applicable floodplain permit in the ordinary case.
    “Construction and fill is generally permitted in portions of the floodplain, provided they adhere to their community’s floodplain management ordinance. Such projects as building a house, placement of fill, or installing a culvert or bridge would all require a floodplain permit.”
  • Permit processPublished (with conditions)

    Building-permit administration under the Minnesota State Building Code where the code has been adopted or otherwise applies.

    • A certified building official or certified limited building official administers and enforces the code.
    • The building official reviews and approves building-code requirements and issues building permits.
    • Construction-related applications complying with the building code must receive a building permit.
    • Other local zoning or ordinance requirements may separately affect approval.
    • Some agricultural buildings on qualifying agricultural land are exempt from the building-permit requirement and fee.
    “However, it is only the building official that can review and approve building code requirements and subsequently sign-off on and/or issue building permits. If such an application is construction related only and the work complies with the building code, the building official must issue a building permit. Other building permits may be denied (by the local board or commission) if the proposal does not comply with other local zoning codes or ordinances.”
  • county zoning authorityLimited

    County planning and zoning authority over unincorporated areas of Minnesota.

    • The authority applies to a county having less than 300,000 population according to the 1950 federal census.
    • The statute authorizes county planning and zoning activities generally within the qualifying counties; it does not identify a separate unincorporated-area limitation in this section.
    • Except as otherwise provided, a county regardless of population must not enact, amend, or enforce an ordinance eliminating or terminating a lawful use by amortization.
    • The amortization prohibition does not apply to adults-only bookstores, adults-only theaters, or similar adults-only businesses as defined by ordinance.
    • The amortization subdivision does not prohibit nuisance-prevention or nuisance-abatement enforcement or elimination of a use determined to be a public nuisance without payment of compensation.

    population threshold: < 300000 persons (According to the 1950 federal census)

    “having less than 300,000 population according to the 1950 federal census is authorized to carry on county planning and zoning activities.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission — ask the county directly.

  • Certificate of occupancy — Certificates of occupancy in Big Stone County.
  • Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size requirements in Big Stone County zoning districts.
  • Minimum lot size — Minimum lot-size requirements in Big Stone County zoning districts.
  • Setbacks — Structure setbacks under Big Stone County land-use controls.
  • Lot coverage — Lot coverage requirements under Big Stone County land-use controls.
8 more unanswered
  • Building height
  • Living in an RV
  • Tiny homes
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Well permit
  • Mandatory utility hookup
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Short-term rentals

Each answer was extracted from an official source and independently re-checked against that source by a second reviewer. That is an evidence check, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with the authority before you buy or build.

Living off-grid in Big Stone County, Minnesota

Is Big Stone County a good place to live off-grid or homestead?

Big Stone County scores 58/100 on the Bolthole Index, a solid county profile. Its strengths: deep seclusion — about 2,924 people within a 30-minute drive and manageable long-term carry cost. Watch-outs: workable self-sufficiency basics (25.3″/yr rainfall).

Do you need a building permit in Big Stone County, Minnesota?

Big Stone County generally requires a residential building permit, and it enforces county zoning. Onsite septic is permitted by Big Stone County Environmental Services (SSTS program under MN Pollution Control Agency). Owner-builders may act as their own contractor to build their home. These answers are quoted from official sources and independently re-checked. Rules change and cities within the county differ — always confirm with the county before you buy or build.

How much does land cost in Big Stone County, Minnesota?

Land in Big Stone County runs about $4,825 per acre, based on the latest county data.

What is the water situation in Big Stone County?

Big Stone County gets about 25.3" of rain a year, with severe drought in roughly 5.1% of years.

How remote is Big Stone County?

A representative private-land location has about 2,924 people within a 30-minute drive and 499,600 within two hours. The road-network catchments count population across county lines and clusters of smaller cities; straight-line radius values remain available as a comparison.

Off-grid gear

Going off-grid in Big Stone County means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

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How Big Stone compares in Minnesota

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