Bolthole Index

Pennington County, Minnesota

Building permits, zoning and land rules in Goodridge, Minnesota

Goodridge, Minnesota, in Pennington County, is subject to Minnesota's statewide construction standard, but we could not confirm the city's building-code adoption, residential building-permit issuer, or zoning rules.1 Pennington County requires septic permits for systems being installed, replaced, or repaired, although the office should confirm that it administers the permit inside Goodridge.2

At a glance

Building permit
Required for code-regulated work where the code is locally administered; confirm Goodridge's issuing official3
Zoning
Goodridge zoning rules and administrator could not be confirmed4
Septic
Pennington County requires permits for installation, replacement and repair; confirm jurisdiction inside the city2
RV living
Goodridge's residential RV rule could not be confirmed5
Tiny home
State construction standards apply, while local zoning controls whether and where one is allowed6
Owner-builder
A qualifying owner may be exempt from contractor licensing, but not from applicable permits7
Floodplain
County records describe Goodridge as unmapped and outside a floodplain area; confirm the parcel before building8

Who to call

Septic permits

Pennington Soil and Water Conservation District (SSTS Program)

Septic permits for installing, replacing or repairing systems in Pennington County; ask whether the county program is the permitting authority inside Goodridge

218-683-7075

201 Sherwood Ave S, Thief River Falls, MN 56701

Also useful

Pennington County Auditor-Treasurer's Office

Property-tax administration and county administration; a county starting point when the correct local office is unclear

218-683-7000

101 Main Avenue North Thief River Falls, MN 56701

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

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Do you need a building permit in Goodridge, Minnesota?

The Minnesota State Building Code is the minimum construction standard throughout Minnesota, including Goodridge, but direct city enforcement depends on local adoption or another authorized arrangement.1 Where the code is administered, an owner must apply to the building official before starting regulated construction, enlargement, alteration, repair, moving, demolition, occupancy changes, or regulated building-system work.3 We could not confirm Goodridge's adoption ordinance, building official, permit application, or delegation agreement. Ask Goodridge City Hall to identify the current building official and confirm whether the proposed work needs a building permit before construction begins. If a building permit is required, the work is subject to inspection and must remain accessible and exposed until approved.9

Who issues building permits in Goodridge, Minnesota?

We could not confirm an official Goodridge building-department page, permit portal, fee schedule, or agreement naming another jurisdiction as the city's building official. Minnesota's code process puts review and building-permit issuance with the building official where the code is administered.10 Local building departments establish permit fees based on their cost of administering and enforcing the code, so there is no single statewide building-permit price.11 Start with Goodridge City Hall and ask for the current building official, application form, inspection sequence, fee schedule, and certificate-of-occupancy procedure. If the city refers the project to a county office, the Pennington County Auditor-Treasurer's Office is a verified county administrative starting point.12

Does Goodridge have zoning for RVs, tiny homes and setbacks?

We could not confirm Goodridge's current zoning ordinance, zoning map, district schedule, setbacks, minimum lot size, minimum dwelling size, or residential RV rule. Tiny houses used as dwellings are covered by Minnesota construction standards, while local zoning decides whether a tiny house is allowed on a particular property.6 Local zoning likewise determines whether an accessory dwelling unit is allowed and may regulate its location, size, foundation, and number of dwellings on a lot.13 Minnesota's recreational-camping-area license covers qualifying multi-unit camping operations and does not settle whether one household may occupy an RV on a Goodridge lot.5 Ask the city for a written, parcel-specific answer before buying an RV, tiny home, manufactured home, or accessory dwelling for the site.

How do septic permits work inside Goodridge?

Pennington County requires permits for septic systems being installed, replaced, or repaired.2 Minnesota requires compliance inspections for all new and replacement subsurface sewage treatment systems, with the local program controlling the manner and timing.14 We could not confirm whether the Pennington Soil and Water Conservation District or a separate Goodridge program has jurisdiction inside city limits, so call the district before hiring a designer or installer and ask it to confirm the permitting authority for the street address.

County-level soil data rates none of Pennington County's mapped soils as free from severe limitations for a conventional septic drain field, so a parcel-specific site evaluation belongs near the start of the project.15 Minnesota counties must operate compliant septic programs, while cities and townships may regulate systems through rules at least as stringent as the county's.16

Can you build as an owner-builder in Goodridge?

Minnesota provides a residential-contractor licensing exemption for an owner who builds or improves residential real estate for personal occupancy or continued rental ownership.7 The exemption does not apply to work done for resale or speculation, and it does not eliminate building, zoning, plumbing, electrical, septic, or other approvals that otherwise apply.7 Before acting as your own contractor in Goodridge, ask the current building official which plans, trade permits, inspections, and occupancy approvals are required. If the project will use a new or replacement septic system, obtain the applicable septic permit separately and arrange the required inspection.217

Building a home in Goodridge: the steps in order

  1. Ask Goodridge City Hall for the current zoning administrator, building official, zoning map, dimensional standards, permit forms, and fee schedule.
  2. Obtain a written parcel-specific answer on the proposed dwelling, placement, setbacks, utility connections, RV use during construction, and any accessory dwelling. Local zoning controls whether a tiny home or accessory dwelling is allowed.13
  3. Confirm city water and sewer availability; if a septic system is proposed, call the Pennington Soil and Water Conservation District to identify the permitting authority and required design.2
  4. File any required building-permit application with the plans and information requested by the building official.18
  5. Schedule required inspections and leave regulated work exposed until approval.19
  6. If access connects to a Minnesota state highway, obtain MnDOT approval before constructing or modifying the driveway.20

What should you check before buying land in Goodridge?

Get written answers on the parcel's zoning district, allowed dwelling type, setbacks, lot size, utilities, driveway authority, easements, and floodplain status before closing. We could not confirm Goodridge's local standards for those items. County records describe Goodridge as outside a floodplain area and unmapped, but that record is not a parcel determination.8 A direct driveway connection to a Minnesota state highway requires MnDOT approval before construction or modification.20 A Minnesota water-supply well generally requires advance notification and a filing fee rather than a general construction permit.21 Pennington County's effective property-tax rate is about 1.2%, and its median annual property-tax bill is about $2,300.2223 Those figures are countywide context, not a quote for a particular Goodridge parcel.

Watch-outs

  • Do not assume the statewide construction standard identifies Goodridge's issuing office; ask City Hall to name the current building official before work starts.3
  • Do not treat Minnesota's campground rule as permission for residential RV living on a Goodridge lot; the city-specific occupancy rule could not be confirmed.5
  • Confirm whether Pennington County or Goodridge administers the septic permit for the address before hiring a designer or installer.16

Sources

  1. Overview of the Minnesota State Building Code (Goodridge), quoted and re-checked
  2. Pennington Soil and Water Conservation District (SSTS Program) (penningtonswcd.org)
  3. Minnesota Administrative Rules, Part 1300.0120 — Permits (Minnesota statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  4. (2026 county census)
  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 (Goodridge), quoted and re-checked
  8. Pennington County Board minutes, February 23, 2021, quoted and re-checked
  9. Minnesota Rules Chapter 1300 (Goodridge), quoted and re-checked
  10. Minnesota State Building Code Adoption Guide (Minnesota statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  11. Minnesota Building Code Adoption Guide (Minnesota statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  12. Pennington County Auditor-Treasurer's Office (co.pennington.mn.us)
  13. Storage Sheds and the Minnesota State Building Code (Minnesota statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  14. revisor.mn.gov (Goodridge), quoted and re-checked
  15. 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
  16. Local septic system programs, quoted and re-checked
  17. Minnesota Rules 7082.0700, Inspection Program for Subsurface Sewage Treatment Systems (Goodridge), quoted and re-checked
  18. Code Administration Manual (Minnesota statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  19. 1300.0210 INSPECTIONS (Minnesota statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  20. MnDOT Access Management Manual, Chapter 4 (Minnesota statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  21. 2025 Minnesota Statutes, section 103I.205: Well Construction (Minnesota statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  22. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  23. 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 Goodridge

Rules another office applies inside Goodridge

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

  • Owner-builder exemptionAvailable (with conditions)

    An owner building or improving residential real estate inside Goodridge city limits, for residential occupancy or continued rental ownership.

    • 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 by itself eliminate any building, zoning, plumbing, electrical, septic, or other permit requirement.

    speculation presumption threshold: > 1 property within 24 months (unless the properties will be retained by the owner for rental purposes)

    “This exemption does not apply to an owner who constructs or improves residential real estate for purposes of resale or speculation.”
  • Building code adoptedPartial

    Construction inside Goodridge city limits is subject to the Minnesota State Building Code as the statewide construction standard; direct municipal enforcement depends on local adoption or another authorized enforcement arrangement.

    • The State Building Code is the minimum construction standard throughout Minnesota, including cities, townships, and counties.
    • The Department of Labor and Industry states that the code is not enforceable by municipalities unless adopted by local ordinance.
    • Certain code chapters are mandatory statewide, with limited exceptions.
    “The Minnesota State Building Code is the minimum construction standard throughout all of Minnesota including all cities, townships and counties.”
  • InspectionsRequired

    Construction or work inside Goodridge city limits for which the Minnesota State Building Code requires a permit.

    • The work must remain accessible and exposed until approved.
    • The identity of the local building official or any delegation agreement for Goodridge was not established.
    “Construction or work for which a permit is required is subject to inspection by the building official and the construction or work shall remain accessible and exposed for inspection purposes until approved.”
  • Who permits septicMixed (with conditions)

    Subsurface sewage treatment systems serving property inside Goodridge city limits.

    • Minnesota provides countywide environmental standards.
    • Local units of government administer and enforce the standards.
    • If there is no complying local ordinance, the chapter’s requirements apply.
    “These environmental protection standards shall be adopted countywide and administered and enforced by local units of government as directed by chapter 7082 and Minnesota Statutes, section 115.55.”
  • Septic inspectionRequired

    New construction and replacement subsurface sewage treatment systems inside Goodridge city limits.

    • The local unit of government must implement the inspection program.
    • A compliance inspection is required for all new construction or replacement.
    • The inspection must be performed by a qualified employee or licensed inspection business authorized by the local unit of government and independent of the owner and installer.
    • Bedroom-addition inspection applies when the local unit issues bedroom-addition permits, subject to the stated rule exception.
    “Local units of government must adopt and implement a construction inspection program for new construction and replacement SSTS to enforce requirements under this chapter. [...] A compliance inspection for all new construction or replacement must be conducted:”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • Required — All new construction or replacement of subsurface sewage treatment systems inside Goodridge city limits, subject to the applicable local requirements.
      “An inspection shall be required for all new construction or replacement of a system to determine compliance with applicable requirements.”
  • Agricultural exemptionAvailable (with conditions)

    Agricultural buildings inside Goodridge city limits under the Minnesota State Building Code.

    • The State Building Code does not apply to agricultural buildings except for specified state inspections or rulemaking under Minnesota Statutes sections 103F.141, 216C.19 subdivision 9, and 326B.36.
    • Translucent panels or skylights without raised curbs must have equivalent load-bearing capacity to the surrounding roof.
    “The State Building Code does not apply to agricultural buildings except: (1) with respect to state inspections required or rulemaking authorized by sections 103F.141; 216C.19, subdivision 9; and 326B.36; and (2) translucent panels or other skylights without raised curbs shall be supported to have equivalent load-bearing capacity as the surrounding roof.”
  • Building in a floodplainRequired

    Development inside Goodridge city limits when the site lies in a mapped Minnesota floodplain.

    • In a mapped floodway, construction of a dwelling or other enclosed structure, placement of fill, or obstruction of flood flows is not permitted according to the DNR guidance.
    • Flood-fringe development is generally allowed only when residential buildings place the lowest floor, including the basement, above the flood-protection elevation.
    • The flood-protection elevation is 1 foot above the 100-year flood plus any stage increase due to flood-fringe designation; a community may designate a higher elevation.
    • A floodplain permit is administered by the applicable local floodplain zoning authority; for incorporated areas, DNR guidance states that generally the city enforces floodplain zoning controls.
    • For substantially damaged structures, the DNR states that a building permit is required from the local floodplain zoning authority.

    flood protection elevation: 1 foot above 100-year flood plus applicable stage increase (Some communities may designate a higher flood protection elevation)

    “Such projects as building a house, placement of fill, or installing a culvert or bridge would all require a floodplain permit.”

Still unanswered

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

  • Building permit — Building permits for construction inside Goodridge city limits.
  • Certificate of occupancy — Certificates of occupancy inside Goodridge city limits.
  • Local zoning — Land inside Goodridge city limits.
  • Zoning districts — Zoning districts inside Goodridge city limits.
  • Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size inside Goodridge city limits.
18 more unanswered
  • Minimum lot size
  • Setbacks
  • Lot coverage
  • Building height
  • Living in an RV
  • Camping on your land
  • Tiny homes
  • Manufactured homes
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Septic permit
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • Mandatory utility hookup
  • Subdividing land
  • Driveway access
  • Short-term rentals
  • Permit fees
  • Permit process

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

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