Bolthole Index

Hennepin County, Minnesota

Building permits, zoning and land rules in New Hope, Minnesota

New Hope, Minnesota requires building permits before most construction projects begin, and the city administers its own zoning.12 New Hope’s Inspections Division handles building-permit questions; Hennepin County Environmental Health is the contact for septic questions inside New Hope.34 RVs and camping trailers may be temporary living quarters on private property for no more than one week.5

At a glance

Building permits
Required before most construction projects in New Hope1
Zoning
New Hope administers its own zoning; conditional uses need city review and approval2
Septic questions
Contact Hennepin County Environmental Health for a New Hope property4
RV living
Temporary living quarters only, for no more than one week5
Tiny homes
State dwelling-code requirements apply; ask New Hope Community Development about parcel-specific zoning permission67
Owner-builder
State contractor-licensing exemption for qualifying owners; building permits and inspections still apply8

Who to call

Building permits

City of New Hope Inspections Division

Building permit applications, construction inspections and permit-history questions in New Hope

763-531-5127

Online permits →

Planning & zoning

City of New Hope Community Development Department

City planning and zoning questions, including proposed residential uses and development

763-531-5196

Septic permits

Hennepin County Environmental Health

Septic-system questions for New Hope; county septic regulation, inspections and enforcement

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 New Hope means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

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Do you need a building permit in New Hope, MN?

New Hope requires building permits before most construction-related projects begin, rather than treating every repair as permit work.1 New Hope has adopted the Minnesota State Building Code and administers electrical inspections locally.9 Ask the Inspections Division to identify the building, plumbing, mechanical or other approvals your particular project needs before starting work.3 A certified city building inspector checks permitted work as part of the permitting process.10

A qualifying owner-builder may use Minnesota’s residential contractor-licensing exemption when personally building or improving a home intended for occupancy or retained rental ownership; the exemption does not cover resale or speculation and does not waive building permits or inspections.8

Who handles New Hope building permits and permit searches?

Contact the New Hope Inspections Division at 763-531-5127 for building-permit assistance and construction-inspection scheduling.3 New Hope offers an online permit application and PDF applications that can be returned at City Hall.3 Use the city’s permit-search link to review issued building permits for a property; records since June 1988 are available through that search.3 An empty “Final Date” means the permit remains open.3

Do not plan on same-day construction-inspection scheduling: New Hope says it is unavailable.3 New Hope’s published 2024 fee schedule varies by permit type and valuation and warns that many fees double when work begins without a required permit; ask the Inspections Division for the current charge before budgeting.113

Does New Hope have zoning, lot-size and setback rules?

New Hope’s own zoning code determines permitted and conditional uses in each zoning district.2 A conditional use in New Hope must be reviewed by the Planning Commission and approved by the City Council.2 Community Development handles the city’s long-range planning and zoning requirements, so take the parcel address and proposed use to that department before committing to a design.7

We could not confirm complete New Hope residential standards for minimum lot area, setbacks, dwelling floor area, lot coverage or height; ask Community Development for the applicable district requirements and any exceptions.7 Minnesota’s tiny-house guidance also makes local zoning review necessary because municipalities regulate location, foundation type, building size and other land-use details.6

How do septic permits work inside New Hope?

Hennepin County Environmental Health lists New Hope among the cities whose residents should contact the county for septic-system questions.4 If a New Hope parcel needs an on-site system under county jurisdiction, a county Health Authority septic permit is required before installation, replacement, abandonment, alteration, repair, rejuvenation or extension, subject to the ordinance’s listed repair exceptions.12

County-jurisdiction septic construction must receive a compliance inspection before covering the system.13 Existing-system compliance reports require a private septic professional because Hennepin County does not inspect systems needing those reports.14 Confirm the parcel’s sewer service and whether an on-site option is acceptable with New Hope before buying a septic design; we could not confirm a general New Hope sewer-connection mandate.3

Can you live in an RV or tiny home in New Hope?

New Hope allows camping trailers and recreational vehicles as temporary living quarters on private property for periods not exceeding one week.5 That limit does not provide a months-long RV accommodation while a house is being built.5 Ask Community Development about an acceptable occupancy plan before relying on an RV during construction.7

A tiny house used as a dwelling must comply with the Minnesota Residential Code, while New Hope’s zoning determines whether the proposed use fits the parcel.62 We could not confirm New Hope’s specific tiny-home or accessory-dwelling permissions; ask Community Development about the proposed building and district.7 An accessory dwelling also needs state dwelling-code compliance and local zoning permission.15

What are the steps to build a home in New Hope?

  1. Ask New Hope Community Development to review the parcel’s zoning district and proposed residential use; conditional uses need Planning Commission review and City Council approval.27
  2. Confirm the water and wastewater plan with the city; direct septic-system questions to Hennepin County Environmental Health.34
  3. Prepare the building-permit application with the work description, property location, intended occupancy, construction documents and proposed valuation required by Minnesota’s application rule.16
  4. Obtain New Hope’s required building permits before construction and arrange city inspections as work proceeds.110
  5. Obtain the building official’s required certificate of occupancy before occupying a new home.17

What stays with Hennepin County when you build in New Hope?

New Hope administers city building-code and zoning requirements, while Hennepin County Environmental Health remains the septic-system contact for New Hope addresses.924 Driveway access depends on the road: Hennepin County is the authority for county roads and county state-aid highways, but does not issue access permits for local roads.18 A direct driveway connection to or from a state highway requires MnDOT approval before construction or modification.19

Ask New Hope Community Development whether a parcel needs floodplain review; Minnesota requires floodplain permits for covered construction and fill in regulated areas.720 For a property outside New Hope, consult the Hennepin County guide for the county’s division of land-use and septic responsibilities.2122

Watch-outs

  • New Hope’s one-week RV occupancy limit makes an RV unsuitable as a long-term construction residence under that rule.5
  • The New Hope fee schedule cited here is from 2024; confirm current building-permit fees with the Inspections Division.113
  • We could not confirm New Hope’s parcel-specific permission for off-grid sanitation or private wells; ask the city about utility requirements before planning independent services.3

Sources

  1. Permits (New Hope), quoted and re-checked
  2. newhopemn.gov (New Hope), quoted and re-checked
  3. City of New Hope Inspections Division (newhopemn.gov)
  4. Hennepin County Environmental Health (hennepincounty.gov)
  5. library.municode.com (New Hope), quoted and re-checked
  6. Tiny Houses and the 2020 Minnesota Residential Code (Minnesota statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  7. City of New Hope Community Development Department (newhopemn.gov)
  8. revisor.mn.gov (Minnesota statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  9. Code of Ordinances: Sec. 3-2. Building code (New Hope), quoted and re-checked
  10. Permits (New Hope), quoted and re-checked
  11. 2024 Fee Schedule, City of New Hope (New Hope), quoted and re-checked
  12. Subsurface sewage treatment systems standards ordinance, quoted and re-checked
  13. Subsurface sewage treatment systems standards ordinance, quoted and re-checked
  14. Septic systems, quoted and re-checked
  15. Storage Sheds and the Minnesota State Building Code (Minnesota statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  16. Code Administration Manual (Minnesota statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  17. Minnesota Administrative Rules, Part 1300.0220 — Certificate of Occupancy (Minnesota statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  18. Road permits, quoted and re-checked
  19. MnDOT Access Management Manual, Chapter 4 (Minnesota statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  20. Floodplain Regulations (Minnesota statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  21. Hennepin County All-Jurisdiction Hazard Mitigation Plan, quoted and re-checked
  22. Septic systems, 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 New Hope

New Hope’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    Most construction-related projects inside New Hope city limits.

    • The city page states most projects, not every possible project, require permits.
    • The Inspections Division should be contacted when permit applicability is uncertain.
    “Permits are required before most construction-related projects may begin. If you are unsure whether a project requires a permit, or don't know which permits are required, call the Inspections Division at 763-531-5127 for assistance.”
  • Building code adoptedAdopted

    Building-code administration inside New Hope city limits.

    • The city adopts the Minnesota State Building Code and specified state code chapters by reference.
    • Electrical inspections are administered and enforced by the city.
    “The Minnesota State Building Code identified as MSBC and established pursuant to Minn. Stat. §§ 326B.101 to 326B.197 and published in Minnesota Rules Chapters 1300 through 1370 and incorporating the Minnesota Plumbing Code Chapter 4715 of Minnesota Rules is hereby adopted by reference and shall be administered and enforced as the building code of the city.”
  • InspectionsRequired

    Permitted construction projects inside New Hope city limits.

    • The city states that a certified building inspector will inspect the project as part of the permitting process.
    “As part of the permitting process, a certified building inspector from the city will inspect the project to ensure that the work has been completed correctly.”
  • Local zoningPresent

    Land inside New Hope city limits; the city adopts and administers its own zoning code.

    • Conditional uses must be reviewed by the Planning Commission and approved by the City Council.
    “The city's zoning code contains all of the local laws and regulations (ordinances) that stipulate how things are done in New Hope and what types of uses are permitted or conditional in each zoning district. Conditional uses must be reviewed by the Planning Commission and approved by the City Council.”
  • Living in an RVTemporary only (with conditions)

    Camping trailers and recreational vehicles used as temporary living quarters on private property inside New Hope city limits.

    • Use is temporary only.
    • The maximum period is one week.

    maximum temporary living period: <= 1 week

    “Camping trailers or recreational vehicles may be used for temporary living quarters on private property for periods not to exceed one week.”
  • Camping on your landLimited

    Temporary camping or temporary living in camping trailers or recreational vehicles on private property inside New Hope city limits.

    • The code authorizes temporary living quarters only for periods not exceeding one week.

    maximum period: <= 1 week

    “Camping trailers or recreational vehicles may be used for temporary living quarters on private property for periods not to exceed one week.”
  • Short-term rentalsLimited

    Short-term rentals inside New Hope city limits.

    • A rental license is required.
    • A single-family home not registered as a Minnesota group home may have no more than four unrelated renters at any given time.
    • The limit should be specified in the rental agreement.

    maximum unrelated renters: <= 4 persons (single-family home registered with Minnesota as a group home)

    “Rental licenses are required for short-term rentals such as Airbnb properties. New Hope City Code allows no more than four unrelated renters at a single-family home that is not registered with the state of Minnesota as a group home.”
  • Permit feesPublished

    City building, inspection, occupancy, driveway/street excavation, and planning permits inside New Hope city limits.

    • The source is the 2024 fee schedule.
    • The schedule states that fees double for many permits if work commences without a permit.
    • Fees may vary by permit type and valuation.

    building inspection missed/additional/reinspection/outside normal hours: 60 USD per hour (plus $60 for each subsequent hour or fraction thereof) · BUCO: 25 USD · driveway/street excavation with curb cut: 50 USD · driveway/street excavation without curb cut: 25 USD

    “Building inspection (missed/additional inspection, re-inspection, or inspection outside of normal business hours) $60 per hour, plus $60 for each subsequent hour or fraction thereof”

Still unanswered

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

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builders performing construction inside New Hope city limits.
  • Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size inside New Hope city limits.
  • Minimum lot size — Minimum lot size inside New Hope city limits.
  • Setbacks — Residential building setbacks inside New Hope city limits.
  • Lot coverage — Lot coverage inside New Hope city limits.
13 more unanswered
  • Building height
  • Tiny homes
  • Manufactured homes
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Who permits septic
  • Septic permit
  • Septic inspection
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • Mandatory utility hookup
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Subdividing land
  • Driveway access

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 New Hope publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Hennepin County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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