Building permits, zoning and septic rules in Virginia, Minnesota

At a glance

Building permits

Issued by the city Community Development, Permitting & Planning Department¹

Zoning

City zoning divides Virginia into use districts²

Septic permits

County Onsite Wastewater Division; applications required for onsite systems³⁴

Tiny homes

State residential code applies; ask the city about parcel-specific zoning approval⁵

Owner-builder

Qualifying owners have a contractor-licensing exemption, without a waiver of building permits or inspections⁶

Accessory structures

Residential accessory structures have rear-yard coverage limits⁷

Who to call

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

Do you need a building permit in Virginia, MN, and who issues it?

Virginia’s Community Development, Permitting & Planning Department issues building permits, fence permits, sign permits and demolition permits, and performs limited residential building-code inspections.¹ Start a Virginia construction project with that city department at 218-748-7500 or [email protected]; ask which building permit and inspection requirements apply to the proposed work.¹ Minnesota’s State Building Code applies statewide to buildings governed by the code.⁸ A qualifying owner who personally builds a home for occupancy or retains it for rental may be exempt from residential contractor licensing, but that exemption does not waive building permits or inspections.⁶

Does Virginia have zoning, and what about lot size and setbacks?

Virginia has municipal zoning that regulates the location, construction, alteration and use of structures and land.² Virginia’s classifications include residential, business, industrial, planned unit development, manufactured housing and mining open space districts.⁹ Ask the city department to identify the parcel’s district and the standards for the proposed home before finalizing a site plan.² For single-family and two-family dwellings in Virginia residential districts, accessory structures may occupy no more than 30% of the rear yard.⁷ That accessory-structure rule does not establish approval for a second dwelling: Minnesota leaves accessory-dwelling permission to local zoning.⁷¹⁰

How do septic permits work inside Virginia?

St. Louis County’s Onsite Wastewater Division administers and coordinates onsite wastewater treatment systems throughout the county, including land inside Virginia.³ St. Louis County requires septic permit applications for onsite systems, with licensed designers and installers typically preparing and submitting the applications for review.⁴ The county offers electronic septic permit applications through its permit portal and answers onsite wastewater questions at [email protected].¹¹ New or replacement systems require a compliance inspection by an authorized qualified employee or licensed inspection business independent of the owner and installer.¹² Before buying a Virginia property served by septic, ask the division whether an existing certificate satisfies the county’s property-transfer inspection rules.¹³

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

We could not confirm Virginia’s rules for residential RV occupancy, temporary camping or minimum dwelling size; ask the city Community Development, Permitting & Planning Department about the exact parcel and proposed use.¹² Minnesota requires tiny houses used as dwellings to meet the Minnesota Residential Code unless Appendix Q provides otherwise, and municipal zoning controls their location and permitted use.⁵ Virginia’s accessory-structure coverage limit should not be treated as permission to occupy a backyard building as a home, because local zoning determines whether an accessory dwelling is allowed.⁷¹⁰

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

1. Ask the city department to identify the Virginia zoning district and whether the proposed residential use fits the city’s land-use regulations.²
2. Obtain the city’s building permit application packet; Virginia publishes permit packets and forms online.¹
3. Submit the application to the city, either by email to [email protected] or in person at City Hall’s second floor across from the elevator.¹⁴
4. Respond to requests for additional information and the fee amount after the city reviews the application and paperwork.¹⁴
5. Receive the building permit after approval and payment before beginning work; keep work requiring code inspections accessible until approved.¹⁴¹⁵

What stays with St. Louis County, and what should Virginia buyers check?

Virginia’s municipal zoning applies inside city limits, while St. Louis County zoning applies in county-administered unincorporated areas outside incorporated municipalities; use the St. Louis County guide when considering land outside Virginia.²¹⁶ Onsite wastewater administration stays with the county throughout St. Louis County.³ For a Virginia parcel without confirmed utility service, ask the city about water and sewer connection requirements before planning an independent system; we could not confirm the city’s connection rules.¹ Minnesota generally requires notification and the applicable filing fee before water-supply well construction, subject to statutory exceptions.¹⁷ Virginia also has subdivision regulations, so ask the city about platting before relying on a proposed lot split.¹⁸

Watch-outs

• Virginia’s building permit fee schedule changed effective July 1, 2025; request the current fee amount for the proposed work from the city department.¹⁴
• We could not confirm Virginia’s principal-building setbacks, minimum lot size or RV occupancy rules; ask the city department before committing to a parcel or design.²¹
• A Minnesota tiny house must satisfy dwelling-code requirements as well as applicable local zoning.⁵

Sources

1. Virginia Community Development, Permitting & Planning Department (virginiamn.us)
2. codelibrary.amlegal.com (Virginia), quoted and re-checked
3. Onsite Wastewater (Septic Systems), quoted and re-checked
4. Apply for a Septic Permit, quoted and re-checked
5. Tiny Houses and the 2020 Minnesota Residential Code (Minnesota statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
6. revisor.mn.gov (Minnesota statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
7. codelibrary.amlegal.com (Virginia), quoted and re-checked
8. 2025 Minnesota Statutes, section 326B.121 (Minnesota statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
9. § 11.10 Establishment of Districts (Virginia), quoted and re-checked
10. Storage Sheds and the Minnesota State Building Code (Minnesota statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
11. St. Louis County Onsite Wastewater Division (stlouiscountymn.gov)
12. 67 | St. Louis County Local Standards, quoted and re-checked
13. Buying/Selling Property, quoted and re-checked
14. Virginia Community Development Permit Applications (virginiamn.us)
15. 1300.0210 INSPECTIONS (Minnesota statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
16. Comprehensive Land Use Plan & Ordinances, quoted and re-checked
17. 2025 Minnesota Statutes, section 103I.205: Well Construction (Minnesota statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
18. Virginia, MN Laws (Virginia), 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.