Bolthole Index

Pennington County, Minnesota

Building permits, zoning and land rules in Bray Township, Minnesota

For Bray Township in Pennington County, Minnesota, we could not confirm which local office administers building permits or whether the township has its own zoning ordinance. Minnesota's building code is the statewide construction standard, but local administration matters before work begins.1 Pennington County requires a septic permit to install, replace or repair a septic system.2

At a glance

Building permit
Local enforcement and issuing office not confirmed; ask the township before work1
Zoning
No official Bray Township zoning ordinance or no-zoning statement was confirmed3
Septic permit
Required for installation, replacement or repair through Pennington SWCD24
RV living
Long-term occupancy rule not confirmed; ask the township before using an RV as a dwelling5
Tiny home
State construction standards apply, but local siting and zoning rules remain unconfirmed6
Owner-builder
A qualifying owner may be exempt from contractor licensing, not from required approvals7
Private well
Minnesota generally requires a well notification and filing fee before construction8

Who to call

Septic permits

Pennington Soil and Water Conservation District (SSTS Program)

Septic permits for installing, replacing or repairing a system in Pennington County

218-683-7075

201 Sherwood Ave S, Thief River Falls, MN 56701

Also useful

Pennington County Auditor-Treasurer's Office

General county administration and secretary to the county board; a starting point when building or zoning authority is unclear

218-683-7000

101 Main Ave N, Thief River Falls, MN 56701

Roads & driveways

Pennington County Highway Department (County Engineer's Office)

Approval for construction, driveways and culverts within Pennington County road right-of-way

218-683-7017

250 125th Avenue NE, Thief River Falls, MN 56701

Online permits →

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 9, 2026.

Off-grid gear

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

These are affiliate links — we may earn a commission, at no cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, Bolthole Index earns from qualifying purchases.

Do you need a building permit in Bray Township, Minnesota?

We could not confirm a Bray Township building-permit ordinance or the building official serving the township. Minnesota's State Building Code is the statewide construction standard, but a municipality that is not otherwise required to enforce it may choose to adopt and administer it by ordinance.19 Where the code is administered, regulated construction must receive the required building permit before work starts.10

Do not treat the missing local answer as a permit exemption. Ask Bray Township which building official has jurisdiction over the parcel, and use the Pennington County Auditor-Treasurer's Office as a county starting point if the township cannot identify that official.11 Qualifying agricultural buildings are outside the State Building Code, subject to the statutory conditions and exceptions, but that does not settle zoning, septic, floodplain or road-access approval.12

Who issues building permits in Bray Township?

No official page we could confirm identifies a Bray Township building department, contracted inspector or county building official for township land. Start with the township; if that does not settle jurisdiction, the Pennington County Auditor-Treasurer's Office serves as secretary to the county board and can route a county-government question.11

Once the responsible building official is identified, ask for the application, fee schedule, plan requirements, inspection sequence and certificate-of-occupancy rule. Minnesota requires permitted work to remain accessible and exposed for inspection until approval.13 Where the certificate-of-occupancy rule is administered, a covered building may not be occupied until the building official issues the certificate.14 Local building fees vary because the administering municipality establishes them.15

Does Bray Township have zoning?

We could not confirm an official Bray Township zoning ordinance, zoning map or statement that the township has no zoning. Pennington County contains differing local arrangements, so another township's ordinance does not answer the zoning question for Bray Township.16 Before buying, ask Bray Township to identify the ordinance and zoning authority for the parcel, then request written answers on allowed use, setbacks, lot size, building height and the number of dwellings.

That local answer controls several common land-buying questions. Minnesota guidance says local zoning determines whether a tiny home or accessory dwelling unit is allowed on a property.17 Tiny houses used as dwellings must also meet applicable Minnesota residential construction standards.6

How do septic permits work inside Bray Township?

Pennington County requires a septic permit when a system is installed, replaced or repaired, and Pennington Soil and Water Conservation District administers the application and inspections.184 The application must include signed design documents and a site evaluation with two soil verifications.19 The listed septic permit fee is $100, reduced to $25 when the applicant watches the website's SSTS video.20

New and replacement septic systems require inspection for compliance under Minnesota law.21 Contact Pennington Soil and Water Conservation District before selecting a house site or finalizing a system design.22 Across Pennington County, no mapped soil share is rated without severe limitations for a conventional septic drain field, so site evaluation and system design deserve early attention.23

Can you live in an RV or tiny home in Bray Township?

We could not confirm a Bray Township rule allowing or prohibiting long-term RV occupancy, temporary camping, tiny-home siting or accessory dwellings. Ask the township for the land-use rule that applies to the parcel before buying an RV or tiny home for residential use. State licensing rules for recreational camping areas do not, by themselves, answer whether one household may live in an RV on private land.5

A tiny house is still subject to Minnesota construction standards and whatever local zoning applies to its use and placement.6 A new manufactured home installed for occupancy must receive the required installation inspection.24 An off-grid label does not remove the county septic-permit requirement for a system being installed, replaced or repaired.2

Building a home in Bray Township: what are the steps?

  1. Ask Bray Township to identify the zoning authority, building official and parcel-specific land-use standards; those local contacts could not be confirmed.
  1. Confirm access jurisdiction. Work within a Pennington County road right-of-way needs prior approval from the County Engineer's Office.25 A direct driveway connection to a state highway requires a MnDOT access permit before construction or modification.26
  1. Have the site evaluated and obtain the Pennington County septic permit before installing, replacing or repairing the system.2
  1. File the required well notification and fee before construction of a typical water-supply well.8
  1. Obtain any required building permit, keep regulated work exposed for inspection and secure the applicable occupancy approval before moving in.2728

What should you check before buying land in Bray Township?

Get written confirmation of zoning, setbacks, minimum lot size, dwelling type, RV occupancy and building-permit jurisdiction from Bray Township before closing; none of those township-specific standards could be confirmed. Verify septic feasibility early because Pennington County requires permits for installation, replacement and repair, while no mapped county soil share is rated without severe limits for a conventional drain field.223

Check the road owner before designing the driveway, because county right-of-way work needs County Engineer approval and state-highway access needs a MnDOT permit.2526 Check flood maps as well: a house, fill, culvert or bridge in a regulated Minnesota floodplain requires a floodplain permit.29 Pennington County's effective property-tax rate is about 1.2%, and the median annual property-tax bill is about $2,300.3031

Watch-outs

  • Do not assume that the absence of a published Bray Township zoning page means the land is unrestricted; ask the township for the parcel's governing ordinance and zoning authority.3
  • Pennington County requires a septic permit for installation, replacement or repair, and new or replacement systems must be inspected.221
  • County-road right-of-way work needs prior County Engineer approval, while a state-highway driveway uses the MnDOT permit process.2526

Sources

  1. Overview of the Minnesota State Building Code (Bray Township), quoted and re-checked
  2. Subsurface Sewage Treatment Systems (Bray Township), quoted and re-checked
  3. (2026 county census)
  4. Septic System Programs (Bray Township), quoted and re-checked
  5. 2025 Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 327 (Minnesota statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  6. Tiny Houses and the 2020 Minnesota Residential Code (Minnesota statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  7. revisor.mn.gov (Bray Township), quoted and re-checked
  8. 2025 Minnesota Statutes, section 103I.205: Well Construction (Minnesota statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  9. Minnesota Statutes § 326B.121 — State Building Code; Application and Enforcement (Minnesota statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  10. Minnesota Administrative Rules, Part 1300.0120 — Permits (Minnesota statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  11. Pennington County Auditor-Treasurer's Office (co.pennington.mn.us)
  12. Minnesota Statutes § 326B.121, State Building Code; application and enforcement (Minnesota statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  13. Minnesota Rule 1300.0210, Inspections (Bray Township), quoted and re-checked
  14. Minnesota Rule 1300.0220, Certificate of Occupancy (Bray Township), quoted and re-checked
  15. Minnesota Building Code Adoption Guide (Minnesota statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  16. Smiley Township Zoning Ordinance, quoted and re-checked
  17. Storage Sheds and the Minnesota State Building Code (Minnesota statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  18. Subsurface Sewage Treatment Systems (Bray Township), quoted and re-checked
  19. Pennington County Septic System Permit Application (Bray Township), quoted and re-checked
  20. Pennington County Septic System Permit Application (Bray Township), quoted and re-checked
  21. 2025 Minnesota Statutes, section 115.55: Subsurface Sewage Treatment Systems (Minnesota statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  22. Pennington Soil and Water Conservation District (SSTS Program) (penningtonswcd.org)
  23. Share of soils USDA rates "not limited" for a conventional septic drain field (SSURGO). A strict rating: the median county is about 6% and a tenth of counties are 0%, so a low figure means most lots need a site evaluation or an engineered system, not that septic is impossible. Cite it only with that caveat: Bolthole Index county data
  24. Manufactured home information (Minnesota statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  25. Pennington County Highway Department (County Engineer's Office) (co.pennington.mn.us)
  26. MnDOT Access Management Manual, Chapter 4 (Minnesota statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  27. 1300.0210 INSPECTIONS (Minnesota statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  28. Minnesota Administrative Rules, Part 1300.0220 — Certificate of Occupancy (Minnesota statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  29. Floodplain Regulations (Minnesota statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  30. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  31. Median property tax bill: Bolthole Index county data

Written October 9, 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 Bray Township

Rules another office applies inside Bray Township

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

  • Building permitRequired

    Construction, alteration, repair, moving, demolition, occupancy changes, and regulated building-service work inside Bray township that is governed by the Minnesota State Building Code.

    • The rule applies to work regulated by the code.
    • Minnesota Rule 1300.0120, subpart 4, lists permit exemptions, including certain one-story detached accessory structures not exceeding 200 square feet, fences not over seven feet, certain driveways and sidewalks, and other listed work.
    • Ordinary repairs are exempt only within the limits stated in Minnesota Rule 1300.0120, subpart 6.
    “shall first make application to the building official and obtain the required permit.”
  • Owner-builder exemptionAvailable (with conditions)

    An owner of residential real estate performing or arranging construction or improvement work inside Bray township.

    • The owner must occupy or intend to occupy the property 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.
    • Constructing or improving more than one property within any 24-month period creates a presumption of speculation unless the properties are retained for rental purposes.
    • This is an exemption from residential-contractor licensure and does not itself eliminate building permits, inspections, or code compliance.
    “an owner of residential real estate who builds or improves residential real estate if the owner occupies or will occupy the residential real estate”
  • Building code adoptedPartial

    Building construction inside Bray Township, Minnesota, including the statewide construction standard; local enforcement and permitting require a local ordinance and designated authority.

    • The Minnesota State Building Code is the minimum construction standard statewide, including townships.
    • The State Building Code is not enforceable by a municipality unless adopted by local ordinance.
    • No official source located in this pass established whether Bray Township has adopted a local enforcement ordinance or which authority issues building permits there.
    “The Minnesota State Building Code is the minimum construction standard throughout all of Minnesota including all cities, townships and counties. Although it isn't enforceable by municipalities unless it is adopted by local ordinance, the State Building Code creates a level playing field for the construction industry by establishing the construction standard for all buildings in the state.”
  • InspectionsRequired

    Permitted construction and work inside Bray township governed by the Minnesota State Building Code.

    • The permit applicant must keep the work accessible and exposed until approval.
    • Required inspections include the inspections listed in Rule 1300.0210, including footing, foundation, rough-in, framing, energy-efficiency, and final inspections as applicable.
    • A final inspection is required for all work for which a permit is issued.
    “Construction or work for which a permit is required is subject to inspection by the building official”
  • Certificate of occupancyRequired

    Use or occupancy of buildings and structures inside Bray township governed by the Minnesota State Building Code.

    • Exceptions allow a municipality to choose whether to require certificates for U occupancies, accessory structures constructed under the International Residential Code, and used manufactured homes moved into or within a jurisdiction.
    • Existing legal occupancy may continue without change.
    • A temporary certificate may be issued before all permitted work is complete if the occupied portion is safe.
    “No building or structure shall be used or occupied [...] until the building official has issued a certificate of occupancy”
  • Who permits septicMixed (with conditions)

    SSTS permitting and inspection inside Bray township: Pennington County is the rule-making authority, while the Pennington Soil and Water Conservation District administers applications and inspections.

    • The application states that work must comply with the Pennington County Sewage and Wastewater Treatment Ordinance and applicable state codes.
    • The Pennington SWCD conducts inspections before, during, and after construction.
    “SWCD to inspect [...] Pennington County Sewage and Wastewater Treatment Ordinance.”
    2 more reviewed findings on this topic
    • County — Septic systems inside Bray Township; Pennington County is the identified rule-maker and the Pennington SWCD administers permit and inspection functions shown in the official materials.
      “I also understand that by submitting this application, I am consenting to allow the Pennington SWCD to inspect and verify that all information in the application is complete and correct; and to conduct inspections before, during and after construction for compliance with the permit and the Pennington County Sewage and Wastewater Treatment Ordinance.”
    • County (with conditions) — Septic systems inside Bray township under the Pennington County program.
      “Pennington County requires permits for septic systems being installed, replaced or repaired.”
  • Septic permitRequired

    Installation, replacement, or repair of septic systems inside Bray township.

    • The permit requirement is attributed to Pennington County.
    • The page describes septic systems as subsurface sewage treatment systems and states their purpose is treatment of household sewage and reduction of health and contamination risks.
    “Pennington County requires permits for septic systems being installed, replaced or repaired.”
    2 more reviewed findings on this topic
    • Required — Septic systems inside Bray township when installed, replaced, or repaired.
      “Pennington County requires permits for septic systems being installed, replaced or repaired.”
    • Required — Septic systems installed, replaced, repaired, or otherwise permitted inside Bray township.
      “Pennington County requires permits for septic systems being installed, replaced or repaired.”
  • Septic inspectionRequired

    SSTS construction and compliance inspections inside Bray township.

    • A septic system covered before inspection by a state-licensed inspector must be uncovered upon the inspector's direction.
    • A Certificate of Compliance or Notice of Noncompliance must be prepared after inspection and provided to the property owner and SWCD within 15 days.
    • The SWCD may inspect before, during, and after construction.

    certificate or notice deadline: 15 days (after the compliance inspection)

    “shall be uncovered upon the direction of the inspector.”
  • Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

    Pennington County septic permit applications submitted for property inside Bray township.

    • The fee is shown on the homeowner permit application.
    • The application states that the work cannot begin before issuance of the permit.

    septic permit fee: 100 USD ($25 if the applicant watches the SSTS video on the website)

    “Permit Fee - $100 * $25 if you watch SSTS video on website”
  • Permit processPublished (with conditions)

    Pennington County SSTS permit process for property inside Bray township.

    • The application requires signed and dated design documents and a site evaluation with two soil verifications.
    • The application identifies a licensed designer, licensed installer or homeowner self-installer, and licensed inspector.
    • A copy of the design must be supplied before excavation.
    • The SWCD may inspect before, during, and after construction.
    • A Certificate of Compliance or Notice of Noncompliance is due to the owner and SWCD within 15 days after compliance inspection.
    “The following documents must be included: (signed and dated) { } Design Documents { } Site Evaluation with two soil verifications”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Bray Township or Pennington County directly.

  • Local zoning — Land inside Bray township, Minnesota.
  • Zoning districts — Zoning districts inside Bray township.
  • Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size inside Bray township.
  • Minimum lot size — Minimum lot size inside Bray township.
  • Setbacks — Building setbacks inside Bray township.
15 more unanswered
  • Lot coverage
  • Building height
  • Living in an RV
  • Camping on your land
  • Tiny homes
  • Manufactured homes
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • Mandatory utility hookup
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Subdividing land
  • Driveway access
  • Building in a floodplain
  • 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.

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

← All of Pennington County: county rules, score and offices