Bolthole Index

Hennepin County, Minnesota

Building permits, zoning and septic rules in Edina, Minnesota

Edina, Minnesota requires a building permit for construction and other work regulated by the state building code.1 Edina sets zoning inside city limits, including a prohibition on using an RV as a dwelling.23 In Hennepin County, Edina residents take septic questions to County Environmental Health; Edina also requires a plumbing permit for work on an individual sewage disposal system.45

At a glance

Building permits
Required for work regulated by the state building code; electronic applications16
Zoning
Edina district standards apply inside city limits2
Septic approval
County septic approval plus Edina plumbing permits for individual sewage disposal work745
RV living
RV use as a dwelling is prohibited in every district3
Tiny homes
Minnesota residential code applies; ask Edina Planning about parcel eligibility89
Owner-builder
Homeowner building permits require homesteading; separate conditions apply to mechanical and plumbing work10
Minimum lot area
R-1: 9,000 square feet, or a higher neighborhood median; R-2: 15,000 square feet per double dwelling unit building1112

Who to call

Building permits

Edina Building Inspections Division

City building permit applications, plan review and inspections

952-826-0372

4801 W. 50th St. Minneapolis MN 55424

Online permits →

Planning & zoning

Edina Planning Division

City planning applications and questions about zoning

952-826-0369

4801 W. 50th St. Edina , MN 55424

Septic permits

Hennepin County Environmental Health

Septic system questions, inspections and enforcement for Edina

612-543-5200

[email protected]

479 Prairie Center Drive Eden Prairie, MN 55344

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 11, 2026.

Off-grid gear

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

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Do you need a building permit in Edina, MN?

Edina requires a building permit to construct, alter, repair, relocate, enlarge or demolish a building or structure regulated by the state building code, or change its use or occupancy.1 Edina’s examples include additions, decks, sheds over 200 square feet, roofing, siding, windows and finishing previously unfinished space.1 Edina follows the Minnesota State Building Code, including its adopted residential and other construction standards.13 Homeowners who homestead the property may receive building permits, but mechanical and plumbing permits go only to Edina-licensed contractors when the owner does not reside in the home.10

Who issues building permits in Edina, and how do you apply?

Edina Building Inspections Division handles electronic building permit applications and plan review; call 952-826-0372 with questions about the proposed work.14 Edina’s electronic permit system lets applicants apply, estimate fees, pay, schedule and search.15 A Minnesota building-code application identifies the work, property, intended use, construction type and valuation, and includes required construction documents and the applicant’s signature.16 Edina makes the permit holder responsible for scheduling required inspections, providing access and providing a means to complete each inspection.17

Does Edina have zoning, minimum lot sizes and setbacks?

Edina applies its own zoning district standards inside city limits; ask Edina Planning for the district and applicable standards before designing a home.29 In Edina’s R-1 Single Dwelling Unit District, the minimum lot area is 9,000 square feet, but a higher neighborhood median lot area controls where applicable.11 In R-2, the minimum is 15,000 square feet per double dwelling unit building.12 For R-1 single dwelling unit buildings on lots at least 75 feet wide, listed setbacks are 30 feet front, 15 feet side street, 10 feet interior side yard and 25 feet rear; established-front-setback provisions may change the front requirement.18

How do septic permits work inside Edina?

Edina residents should contact Hennepin County Environmental Health for septic system questions; the county regulates septic systems through inspections and enforcement.4 Within county jurisdiction, a septic permit is required before installation, replacement, abandonment, alteration, repair, rejuvenation or extension, with exceptions for specified minor repairs.7 Edina separately requires a plumbing permit for installation, alteration, repair or extension of an individual sewage disposal system, so discuss both approvals before starting work.57 Hennepin County does not perform existing-system compliance-report inspections; a private septic professional is needed for that report.19

Can you live in an RV or tiny home in Edina?

Edina prohibits using a recreational vehicle, trailer or temporary building as a dwelling unit in any zoning district; the ordinance excepts accessory buildings specifically allowed for residential use.3 A tiny house used as a dwelling must comply with Minnesota’s residential code, and local zoning controls where that dwelling can go.8 We could not confirm Edina’s tiny-home occupancy allowance or a general minimum dwelling floor area; ask Edina Planning to review the proposed parcel and design before buying a tiny house.9 Do not assume an RV qualifies as an approved tiny dwelling in Edina.38

What are the steps to building a home in Edina?

  1. Start with Edina Planning: establish the parcel’s zoning district and check the lot area and building envelope against that district’s rules.92
  2. Resolve wastewater approval with County Environmental Health and Edina Building Inspections if an individual sewage disposal system is proposed.45
  3. Submit the electronic building permit application and required construction documents, and use Edina’s system to estimate and pay fees.61516
  4. Schedule required inspections and keep the work accessible for the inspector.17
  5. If development affects a private well, address the well under Edina’s policy and Minnesota Department of Health requirements; sealing, a maintenance permit or a variance may be needed.20

What stays with Hennepin County when you build in Edina?

Edina handles local zoning and building-code work, while Hennepin County Environmental Health is the contact for Edina septic questions.2144 Hennepin County is also the road authority for county roads and county state-aid highways; the county does not issue access permits for local roads.21 A direct driveway connection to a Minnesota state highway requires MnDOT approval before construction or modification.22 Minnesota floodplain rules require approval for regulated construction and fill, and mapped floodways generally exclude dwellings; ask Edina Planning about the parcel before committing to a site plan.23249 For land outside Edina, use the Hennepin County guide to distinguish municipal zoning from county responsibilities.25

Watch-outs

  • Edina prohibits RV dwelling use; we could not confirm a separate temporary-camping allowance, so ask Edina Planning before planning to camp during construction.39
  • Edina short-term rentals are prohibited; when the owner does not reside in a single-family unit, a tenant must stay at least 30 consecutive days.26
  • Hennepin County Environmental Health warns of longer wait times while updating its software; allow time to resolve septic questions before scheduling work.4

Sources

  1. Building Inspections | Edina, MN (Edina), quoted and re-checked
  2. Edina Code § 36-437—Requirements for lot areas and dimensions (Edina), quoted and re-checked
  3. Edina Code § 36-1253—Dwelling units prohibited in accessory buildings, temporary buildings, trailers and recreational vehicles (Edina), quoted and re-checked
  4. Hennepin County Environmental Health (hennepincounty.gov)
  5. Building Inspections | Edina, MN (Edina), quoted and re-checked
  6. Building Inspections | Edina, MN (Edina), quoted and re-checked
  7. Subsurface sewage treatment systems standards ordinance, quoted and re-checked
  8. Tiny Houses and the 2020 Minnesota Residential Code (Minnesota statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  9. Edina Planning Division (edinamn.gov)
  10. Building Inspections | Edina, MN (Edina), quoted and re-checked
  11. Edina Code § 36-437—Requirements for lot areas and dimensions (Edina), quoted and re-checked
  12. Edina Code § 36-465—Requirements for lot areas and dimensions (Edina), quoted and re-checked
  13. Building Inspections | Edina, MN (Edina), quoted and re-checked
  14. Edina Building Inspections Division (edinamn.gov)
  15. Building Permits & Resources | Edina, MN (Edina), quoted and re-checked
  16. Code Administration Manual (Minnesota statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  17. Building Inspections | Edina, MN (Edina), quoted and re-checked
  18. Edina Code § 36-438—Building coverage, setbacks and height (Edina), quoted and re-checked
  19. Septic systems, quoted and re-checked
  20. Private Well Policy (Edina), quoted and re-checked
  21. Road permits, quoted and re-checked
  22. MnDOT Access Management Manual, Chapter 4 (Minnesota statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  23. Floodplain Regulations (Minnesota statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  24. Floodplain Regulations (Minnesota statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  25. Hennepin County All-Jurisdiction Hazard Mitigation Plan, quoted and re-checked
  26. FAQs | Edina, MN (Edina), quoted and re-checked

Written October 11, 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.

Answers from the rulebook for Edina

Edina’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    Construction, alteration, repair, relocation, enlargement, demolition, or change of use or occupancy of a building or structure regulated by the state building code inside Edina.

    • Includes additions, decks, sheds over 200 square feet, permanent weather-resistive-surface work, and finishing previously unfinished spaces.
    “Building Permit: Required for any construction, alteration, repair, relocation, enlargement, demolition or change of use or occupancy to any building or structure regulated by the state building code.”
  • Owner-builder exemptionConditional

    Permits for new or existing structures inside Edina.

    • Homeowners must homestead the property; mechanical and plumbing permits are an exception, and when the owner does not reside in the home those permits are issued only to contractors licensed by Edina.
    “Permits for new or existing structures will be issued to homeowners who homestead the property or contractors licensed by the State of Minnesota. The exception to this rule is mechanical and plumbing work. In both new and existing structures, mechanical and plumbing permits will only be issued to contractors licensed by the City of Edina when the owner does not reside in the home.”
  • Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

    Construction inside Edina city limits.

    • The City states that the Minnesota State Building Code in turn adopts the International Building Code, International Residential Code, and other construction codes and standards.
    “The City of Edina strictly follows Minnesota State Building Code, which in turn adopts the International Building Code, International Residential Code and other codes and standards relating to building construction.”
  • InspectionsRequired

    Permitted construction activities inside Edina.

    • The permit holder must schedule required inspections, provide access, and provide a means to complete the inspection.
    “Under these codes, it is the responsibility of the permit holder to schedule all required inspections, provide access to the area that must be inspected and provide a means for completion of the inspection.”
  • Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

    Land inside Edina city limits.

    • Chapter 36 district standards apply by district.
    “The requirements for lot area and dimensions in the Single Dwelling Unit District (R-1) are as follows:”
  • Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

    Land inside Edina city limits.

    • The code identifies at least R-1 and R-2 residential districts with separate standards.
    “The requirements for lot area and dimension in the Double Dwelling Unit District (R-2) are as follows:”
  • Living in an RVProhibited

    Use of a recreational vehicle as a dwelling unit in any Edina zoning district.

    • Accessory buildings specifically allowed for residential use by Chapter 36 are excepted.
    “No accessory building, temporary building, trailer or recreational vehicle in any district shall be used in whole or in part for a dwelling unit, except for accessory buildings which are specifically allowed for residential use by this chapter.”
  • Septic permitRequired

    Installation, alteration, repair, or extension of an individual sewage disposal system inside Edina.

    “Plumbing Permit: Required for the installation, alteration, repair or extension of any plumbing system or individual sewage disposal system.”
  • Well permitLimited

    Development impacting a private well inside Edina.

    • The policy excludes properties with a well-sealing record or a determination that no well exists; actions may include sealing, an MDH well-maintenance permit, or an MDH variance.
    “Permit applicant is responsible for addressing the well in accordance with Minnesota statutes and rules, enforceable by MDH. Actions may include;”
  • Short-term rentalsProhibited

    Short-term rentals inside Edina.

    • If an owner does not reside in a single-family residential unit, a tenant may reside only for not less than 30 consecutive days.

    minimum tenant period when owner does not reside: >= 30 consecutive days

    “Short-term rentals like VRBO and Airbnb are not allowed in Edina. Single-family residential properties are to be used as the residence of an owner or tenant of the unit. If the owner does not reside in the unit, a tenant may reside, but for a period of not less than 30 consecutive days.”
  • Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

    Building-permit applicants inside Edina.

    • The City directs applicants to its electronic permit system to estimate and pay fees.
    “E-Permits - Apply, Estimate Fees, Pay, Schedule, Search”
  • Permit processPublished (with conditions)

    Building permit applications inside Edina.

    • The City uses electronic submission and plan review.
    “The City of Edina uses electronic permit application submission and plan review processes.”

Rules another office applies inside Edina

Edina does not set these itself; the county, a health district or the state does, and they apply to every address inside its limits.

  • Minimum lot sizeSpecified

    Single dwelling unit buildings in Edina R-1 Single Dwelling Unit District.

    • Where the neighborhood median lot area exceeds 9,000 square feet, the minimum is that median area.

    minimum lot area: >= 9000 square feet (Higher neighborhood-median requirement may apply.)

    “Single dwelling unit 9,000 square feet; provided, however, if the lot is in a neighborhood, as defined in chapter 32, which has lots with a median lot area greater than 9,000 square feet, then the minimum lot area shall be not less than the median lot area of the lots in such neighborhood”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
  • SetbacksSpecified

    Single dwelling unit buildings on R-1 lots at least 75 feet wide.

    • Established-front-setback provisions in § 36-439(1) may change the front setback.

    front setback: >= 30 feet (Subject to § 36-439(1).) · side street setback: >= 15 feet · interior side yard setback: >= 10 feet · rear yard setback: >= 25 feet

    “Single dwelling unit buildings on lots 75 feet or more in width. 30′** 15′ 10′ 25′”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Edina or Hennepin County directly.

  • Certificate of occupancy — Buildings inside Edina city limits.
  • Minimum dwelling size — Dwellings inside Edina.
  • Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land inside Edina.
  • Tiny homes — Tiny-home occupancy inside Edina.
  • Septic inspection — Individual sewage disposal systems inside Edina.
3 more unanswered
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Driveway access
  • Building in a floodplain

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.

Unanswered questions are usually a sign that Edina publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Hennepin County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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