Bolthole Index

St. Louis County, Minnesota

Building permits, zoning and septic rules in Aurora, Minnesota

Aurora, Minnesota requires city zoning permits for construction that changes or adds structures and improvement permits for covered repairs and cosmetic alterations.1 Aurora administers its own zoning; St. Louis County administers onsite septic systems inside the city.23 Check public sewer availability first: Aurora requires connection under specified conditions and limits private sewage disposal where sewer is available.45

At a glance

Building and construction permits
City zoning/construction approval before covered work; improvement permits for covered repairs16
Zoning
Aurora city zoning and district-specific standards27
Septic permits
St. Louis County Onsite Wastewater Division, where city sewer rules permit private disposal385
Public sewer
Connection within 90 days of notice when the specified public sewer is within 200 feet of the property line4
Minimum lot area
LR without public sanitary sewer: 5 acres per unit; R-1 one-family dwelling: 9,500 square feet per unit910
Owner-builder
Conditional state contractor-license exemption; city approvals still apply111

Who to call

Planning & zoning

City of Aurora Planning and Zoning

City construction, zoning and improvement permit questions; request the responsible building official through City Hall.

218-229-2614

16 West 2nd Avenue North

Online permits →

Septic permits

St. Louis County Onsite Wastewater Division

Onsite wastewater treatment systems throughout St. Louis County

218-471-7103

[email protected]

Online permits →

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 12, 2026.

Off-grid gear

Going off-grid in Aurora 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 Aurora, MN?

Aurora calls its structural construction approval a zoning permit: covered work that physically changes or adds structures requires approval before work begins.1 The city Planning and Zoning page describes a construction permit for a new house, garage, shed or deck, and says work on a house or property beyond maintenance requires a permit.6 Covered cosmetic alterations and repairs use an improvement permit.1

The Minnesota State Building Code applies to covered construction in Aurora, but code applicability alone does not identify the local building official or establish a separate city building-code inspection program.1213 Ask City Hall to identify the responsible building official and confirm the approvals and inspections for your proposed house before scheduling construction.6

Who handles construction permit applications in Aurora?

Start with Aurora Planning and Zoning through City Hall at 218-229-2614; the city lists construction permit forms under Documents in its Planning and Zoning menu.6 Use the city permit portal linked in the office listing, and ask which application fits the work before paying a fee.6

Aurora’s Planning and Zoning page lists a $20.00 construction permit fee and a $20.00 improvement permit fee.6 The city ordinance says application fees are set by City Council resolution, so request the current charge for your project rather than substituting a county land-use fee.14 Aurora’s page says zoning permits are valid for a year and work must start within 120 days of issuance.6

Does Aurora have zoning, and what are the lot sizes and setbacks?

Aurora has its own zoning chapter, with district boundaries established by the City of Aurora zoning map.27 In Aurora’s LR Low Density Residential district, the minimum land area is 5 acres per unit without public sanitary sewers.9 In the R-1 One- and Two-Family Residential district, a one-family dwelling requires 9,500 square feet of land per unit.10

For an R-1 one-family dwelling, the table lists a 25-foot front setback, 40-foot rear setback, 10-foot interior-side setback and 25-foot corner-side setback.15 Detached garages and accessory buildings have a 5-foot rear/interior-side exception, with an additional restriction near an existing alley.15 Ask Aurora Planning and Zoning to apply the district table and its footnotes to a scaled site plan before assuming a vacant lot can fit your house and outbuildings.615

How do septic permits and sewer connections work inside Aurora?

Aurora’s sewer rule comes before a decision to install septic: for property abutting a street, alley or right-of-way with public sanitary sewer within 200 feet of the property line, connection is required within 90 days after official notice.4 Sewer connections require a written city permit and sufficient downstream reserve capacity.4 Aurora also prohibits maintaining private sewage-disposal facilities when public sewer is available or made available, subject to the stated zoning provisions.5

Where onsite sewage disposal is permissible, St. Louis County’s Onsite Wastewater Division administers septic systems inside Aurora, and septic permit applications go through the county portal.38 Reach the division at 218-471-7103 or [email protected].16 Minnesota requires inspection of new and replacement septic systems; ask the county for the local inspection schedule for the proposed system.17

Can you live in an RV or tiny home on land in Aurora?

We could not confirm Aurora’s citywide rules for living in an RV on private land, temporary camping, tiny-home occupancy or a separate accessory dwelling; ask Aurora Planning and Zoning for a parcel-specific answer before buying for any of those uses.6 Minnesota guidance says local zoning determines whether a tiny home or accessory dwelling is allowed, and an accessory dwelling must also meet applicable residential building-code requirements.18

Aurora’s sewage-disposal restrictions still matter to a small or off-grid dwelling: public sewer availability can prevent use of a septic tank or privy.5 Aurora also requires short-term rental registration, application, fees, licensing and other applicable approvals for a dwelling offered as a short-term rental.19 Ask about the intended occupancy separately from permission to place or construct the structure.6

Building a home in Aurora: what are the steps, in order?

  1. Ask Aurora Planning and Zoning to identify the parcel’s city zoning district and review lot area, setbacks and the proposed site layout.71015
  2. Confirm public sewer availability and the city sewer-connection requirements before selecting an onsite wastewater design.45
  3. If septic is permissible, submit the septic application to St. Louis County and arrange the required new-system inspection.817
  4. Obtain Aurora’s required zoning/construction or improvement approval before starting covered work, and ask City Hall which building official handles the applicable code requirements.16
  5. For a building governed by the State Building Code, resolve inspection violations before the building official issues the certificate of occupancy; a temporary certificate may be possible if the occupied portion is safe.20

Minnesota’s owner-builder exemption concerns contractor licensing for qualifying personal construction on property intended for residence or retained rental, and does not waive applicable approvals or inspections.11

What stays with St. Louis County, and what should you check before buying in Aurora?

St. Louis County retains onsite wastewater administration inside Aurora; Aurora’s own zoning governs city land.32 For land outside city limits, use the St. Louis County guide for the county-administered land-use rules rather than applying Aurora’s district standards.21

Aurora’s floodplain chapter requires a Zoning Administrator permit for covered development, including fill, excavation and obstructions, and prohibits new structures in the regulatory floodplain.22 Screen that issue before relying on an otherwise adequate residential lot size.2210 A direct driveway connection to a state highway requires a MnDOT access permit before construction or modification.23 Minnesota generally requires notification and a filing fee before water-supply well construction; the personal drive-point-well exception has separate reporting conditions.24

Watch-outs

  • Aurora’s regulatory floodplain prohibits new structures; a city development permit does not remove that restriction.22
  • Public sewer availability can rule out a privy or septic tank in Aurora, even when an onsite system would otherwise be feasible.5
  • We could not confirm Aurora’s minimum dwelling floor area, RV occupancy or tiny-home authorization; ask Aurora Planning and Zoning before committing to a design or living arrangement.6

Sources

  1. § 153.009 Zoning and improvement permit and fee requirement (Aurora), quoted and re-checked
  2. codelibrary.amlegal.com (Aurora), quoted and re-checked
  3. Onsite Wastewater (Septic Systems) (Aurora), quoted and re-checked
  4. § 53.03 Building sewers and connections (Aurora), quoted and re-checked
  5. § 53.03 Building sewers and connections (Aurora), quoted and re-checked
  6. City of Aurora Planning and Zoning (aurora-mn.com)
  7. § 153.035 Zoning districts listed; map (Aurora), quoted and re-checked
  8. Onsite Wastewater (Septic Systems) (Aurora), quoted and re-checked
  9. § 153.060 Table of minimum district requirements (Aurora), quoted and re-checked
  10. § 153.060 Table of minimum district requirements (Aurora), quoted and re-checked
  11. revisor.mn.gov (Minnesota statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  12. Minnesota Rules Chapter 1300 (Aurora), quoted and re-checked
  13. 2025 Minnesota Statutes, section 326B.121 (Minnesota statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  14. § 153.009 Zoning and improvement permit and fee requirement (Aurora), quoted and re-checked
  15. § 153.060 Table of minimum district requirements (Aurora), quoted and re-checked
  16. St. Louis County Onsite Wastewater Division (stlouiscountymn.gov)
  17. 2025 Minnesota Statutes, section 115.55: Subsurface Sewage Treatment Systems (Minnesota statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  18. Storage Sheds and the Minnesota State Building Code (Minnesota statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  19. § 155.03 Registration required (Aurora), quoted and re-checked
  20. Minnesota Rules Chapter 1300 (Aurora), quoted and re-checked
  21. Short Term Rental Shoreland and Nonshoreland, quoted and re-checked
  22. § 151.03 Jurisdiction and districts (Aurora), quoted and re-checked
  23. MnDOT Access Management Manual, Chapter 4 (Minnesota statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  24. 2025 Minnesota Statutes, section 103I.205: Well Construction (Minnesota statewide rule), quoted and re-checked

Written October 12, 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 Aurora

Aurora’s own rules

  • Local zoningPresent

    Land inside Aurora city; Aurora administers its own zoning chapter.

    “Through this chapter, the city intends to encourage the wise development of lands within the city”
  • Zoning districtsPublished

    Aurora city zoning districts and map.

    • District boundaries are established by the City of Aurora zoning map; unless otherwise indicated, boundaries follow centerlines of streets, alleys, or railroad rights-of-way.
    “For the purposes of this chapter, the city is hereby classified into the following Zoning Districts”
  • Off-grid sanitationLimited

    Private sewage-disposal facilities inside Aurora city.

    • A privy, septic tank, cesspool, or other sewage-disposal facility may not be maintained when a public sewer is available or made available, subject to the zoning ordinance.
    “it is unlawful for any person to maintain any privy, privy vault, septic tank, cesspool or other facilities intended or used for the disposal of sewage”
  • Mandatory utility hookupSewer (with conditions)

    Properties inside Aurora city abutting a street, alley, or right-of-way with a public sanitary sewer within 200 feet of the property line.

    • Connection is required within 90 days after official notice.
    • A written city permit is required for sewer connections.
    • A sewer connection is allowed only if downstream facilities have sufficient reserve capacity.
    • The code prohibits maintaining septic tanks or similar sewage-disposal facilities when a public sewer is available or made available, subject to stated zoning-law compliance.

    public sewer distance: <= 200 feet from property line · connection deadline after official notice: 90 days

    “within 90 days after date of official notice to do so, provided that the public sewer is within 200 feet of the property line.”
  • Building in a floodplainRequired

    Development inside Aurora city floodplain Zones A.

    • The floodplain standards are additional to other requirements and the more restrictive standard controls conflicts.
    • A zoning-administrator permit is required for fill, excavation, storage, obstructions, and other development.
    • No new structures may be permitted in the regulatory floodplain.
    • The chapter adopts the St. Louis County Flood Insurance Study and FEMA panels dated March 25, 2025.
    “A permit must be obtained from the Zoning Administrator to verify compliance with all applicable standards outlined in this chapter”
  • Short-term rentalsLimited

    Short-term rental of dwelling units inside Aurora city.

    • The dwelling must be properly permitted by state, county, and other governmental regulations and comply with Aurora Chapter 155 registration, application, fee, licensing, and other requirements.
    “No owner shall undertake the short-term rental of any dwelling unit to a tenant or tenants unless properly permitted”
  • Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

    Aurora zoning and improvement permit applications.

    • Fees are set by City Council resolution.
    • Starting work without a required permit may result in assessment at twice the regular rate.
    “Any applications for a permit to construct or renovate a dwelling, business, or property that is submitted by any business or owner of any property or resident of a dwelling, or other person in control of any premises shall be accompanied by the required fee, with said fee to be set by resolution of the City Council.”
  • Permit processPublished (with conditions)

    Aurora zoning and improvement permits.

    • Applications require the city-set fee.
    • Zoning permits cover construction physically changing or adding structures; improvement permits cover cosmetic alterations and repairs as described in the section.
    • Permits must be obtained before beginning covered work.
    “Any business or owner of any property or resident of a dwelling, or other person in control of any premises who begins construction and/or repair that requires either a zoning permit or an improvement permit without first securing said permit shall be in violation of this subchapter.”

Rules another office applies inside Aurora

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

  • Building code adoptedAdopted

    Minnesota State Building Code applies inside Aurora city for covered construction.

    • The State Building Code supersedes the building code of any municipality.
    “The State Building Code is the standard that applies statewide for the construction, reconstruction, alteration, and repair of buildings and other structures of the type governed by the code, except as provided in Minnesota Statutes, section 326B.121. The State Building Code supersedes the building code of any municipality.”
  • Certificate of occupancyRequired

    Buildings inside Aurora city governed by the Minnesota State Building Code after inspection finds no violations.

    • The building official may issue a temporary certificate of occupancy before all work is complete if the occupied portion is safe.
    “After the building official inspects a building or structure and finds no violations of the code or other laws that are enforced by the Department of Building Safety, the building official shall issue a certificate of occupancy containing the following:”
  • Minimum lot sizeSpecified

    LR Low Density Residential district inside Aurora city.

    • The table notes the LR land-area requirement applies without public sanitary sewers.

    minimum land area: 5 acres per unit (Without public sanitary sewers)

    “LR Low Density Residential | (1) 5 Ac./unit”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
  • SetbacksSpecified

    R-1 One- and Two-Family Residential district, one-family dwelling, inside Aurora city.

    • The table notes 5 feet for detached garages and accessory buildings; the front-width footnote applies at the front-yard setback line; the rear setback may not be within ten feet from an existing alley line.

    front setback: 25 feet · rear setback: 40 feet (5 feet for detached garages and accessory buildings) · interior side setback: 10 feet (5 feet for detached garages and accessory buildings) · corner side setback: 25 feet

    “One-Family Dwelling | 9,500/unit | (4) 75 | 25 | (3) (5) 40 | (3) 10 | 25 [...] (3) 5 feet for detached garages and accessory buildings [...] (5) Not within ten feet from existing alley line”
  • Who permits septicCounty

    Onsite wastewater systems serving property inside Aurora city are administered through St. Louis County's Onsite Wastewater Division.

    • The county regulates under St. Louis County Subsurface Sewage Treatment System Ordinance 61 and incorporates Minnesota statutes and MPCA administrative rules.
    “The Onsite Wastewater Division is responsible for the administration and coordination of onsite wastewater treatment systems throughout St. Louis County.”
  • Septic permitRequired

    Onsite wastewater permitting for property inside Aurora city.

    • Applications are submitted through the County permit portal.
    • County Ordinance 61 and incorporated state/MPCA standards apply.
    “Submit your septic permit application electronically through the County permit portal.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Aurora or St. Louis County directly.

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder work inside Aurora city.
  • Minimum dwelling size — Residential districts inside Aurora city.
  • Lot coverage — Lots inside Aurora city.
  • Building height — Buildings inside Aurora city.
  • Living in an RV — RV occupancy on private land inside Aurora city.
6 more unanswered
  • Camping on your land
  • Tiny homes
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Septic inspection
  • Agricultural exemption
  • 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 Aurora publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. St. Louis County’s page lists the county offices to call.

← All of St. Louis County: county rules, score and offices