Bolthole Index

Winona County, Minnesota

Building permits, zoning and septic in St. Charles Township, Minnesota

St. Charles Township, Minnesota requires a building permit for a new house and has its own active zoning ordinance.12 In Winona County, township zoning and septic applications go through Construction Management Services (CMS), using the WTPA process.34 Minnesota handles new water-supply well notifications through the Department of Health.5

At a glance

New-house building permit
Required; apply through WTPA14
Zoning
Active township zoning ordinance; township review through WTPA2
Septic permits
CMS coordinates permits for new dwellings and increased sewage flow6
Inspections
On-site compliance inspection when a building permit is issued7
Owner-builder paperwork
Self-waiver not required with online application or homeowner signature8
Water-supply wells
Submit notification and fee to MDH before drilling5

Who to call

Building permits

WTPA administrative office / Construction Management Services

Building applications, township zoning and land-use questions; CMS also coordinates township septic applications

(507) 282-8206

[email protected]

717 3rd Ave SE, Suite TPA, Rochester, MN 55904

Septic permits

CMS septic permitting for WTPA member townships

Septic applications, supporting designs and required inspections

Planning & zoning

Winona County Planning & Environmental Services

Questions about project-specific county approvals that may remain after township review

507-457-6520

202 West Third St, Winona, MN

Roads & driveways

Winona County Highway Department

Driveway access permits on county roads and county state-aid highways

507-457-8840

5300 Highway 61 West Winona, MN 55987

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

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Do you need a building permit in St. Charles Township, MN?

St. Charles Township requires a building permit for a new house; the WTPA house checklist also includes zoning certification, energy and mechanical calculations, grading plans when required, and erosion-control requirements.1 Applying online removes the need for the separate paper building-permit and zoning-certificate forms.1 Minnesota’s State Building Code supplies the minimum construction standard, while local enforcement depends on ordinance adoption.9 A project issued a building permit needs an on-site compliance inspection.7 Ask WTPA to identify the building official and inspection stages for your project.10

Who handles building applications in St. Charles Township?

The WTPA administrative office, administered by Construction Management Services, answers township building-application, zoning, variance and subdivision questions.10 St. Charles Township applicants can apply online or mail or deliver building applications to the TPA administration office.4 An email address is required for permit communications, and incomplete applications can delay review.4 Ask the office for the current building-permit fee and any separate review charges: Minnesota establishes building fees locally rather than through a uniform statewide schedule.11 CMS also handles the township’s septic application route, so describe wastewater needs when discussing the house project.12

Does St. Charles Township have zoning, lot-size and setback rules?

St. Charles Township has an active zoning ordinance administered through WTPA, and some applications require township review, county review, public hearings or road-authority approval.2 We could not confirm district-specific minimum lot sizes, setbacks, height limits or minimum dwelling sizes; ask WTPA for the parcel’s district and applicable dimensional standards before choosing a building site. Dividing land or adjusting lot lines also falls within WTPA subdivision intake, with some subdivisions requiring a public hearing and both township and county requirements potentially applying.13 Ask WTPA to review the proposed parcel layout before assuming a newly divided tract can accommodate your house.10

How do septic permits work in St. Charles Township?

St. Charles Township septic permits are coordinated through CMS in Rochester for new dwellings and projects adding bedrooms or increasing sewage flow.6 Submit the application and supporting documents to CMS, which issues septic permits and coordinates required inspections for WTPA-administered townships.12 Bedroom additions and many remodels may require a compliance inspection or system upgrade; property transfers may also trigger an inspection under local ordinances or lender requirements.14 Across Winona County, only 8.5% of soils receive USDA’s “not limited” rating for conventional septic drain fields; that countywide rating calls for a parcel evaluation, not a conclusion that septic is impossible.15

Can you live in an RV or tiny home in St. Charles Township?

We could not confirm whether St. Charles Township allows RV occupancy on private land, temporary camping while building, or tiny-home occupancy; ask WTPA about the intended use and parcel before buying or moving in. Minnesota requires tiny houses used as dwellings to meet the applicable residential code, while local zoning controls placement, foundation type and building size.16 An accessory dwelling likewise needs local zoning permission and residential-code compliance.17 WTPA publishes manufactured-home installation paperwork, but those forms do not establish permission to occupy a manufactured home on every township parcel.8

Building a home in St. Charles Township: what are the steps?

  1. Start with WTPA: identify the parcel, proposed use and township zoning review, including any hearing or outside approval.2
  2. Coordinate the septic application and supporting documents with CMS before committing to the wastewater layout.12
  3. Submit the house application with the required zoning, energy, mechanical and site documents; use the online route or deliver the application to TPA.14
  4. Arrange the on-site compliance inspections required for work issued a building permit.7
  5. Obtain the building official’s certificate of occupancy before occupying a home subject to building-code administration.18

A homeowner’s self-waiver paperwork does not replace the new-house building permit: the waiver is unnecessary when applying online or when the homeowner signs the application.81

What stays with Winona County or Minnesota in St. Charles Township?

St. Charles Township zoning and septic applications use CMS, but project-specific county or state approvals may still apply; for land outside the township, consult the Winona County guide.19 County-road access requires a Winona County Highway Department access permit before constructing, improving or changing the use of a driveway, including temporary access.20 A direct state-highway driveway connection requires MnDOT approval before construction or modification.21 New water-supply wells require notification and a fee to the Minnesota Department of Health before drilling.5 Houses, fill and culverts in regulated floodplain areas require floodplain approval; ask WTPA which local office administers the parcel’s floodplain review.22

Watch-outs

  • Since early 2026, St. Charles Township zoning and septic applications go through CMS; project-specific county or state approvals may still apply.19
  • We could not confirm St. Charles Township RV-occupancy, temporary-camping or district setback rules; ask WTPA before purchasing a parcel for those uses.10
  • Minnesota generally prohibits dwellings and enclosed structures in a mapped floodway.23

Sources

  1. Permits | WTPA (St. Charles Township), quoted and re-checked
  2. St Charles Township Ordinances & Resolutions (St. Charles Township), quoted and re-checked
  3. Septic Systems, quoted and re-checked
  4. Permits | WTPA (St. Charles Township), quoted and re-checked
  5. Constructing a New Water-Supply Well in Minnesota (St. Charles Township), quoted and re-checked
  6. Permits | WTPA (St. Charles Township), quoted and re-checked
  7. Minnesota State Building Code Adoption Guide (St. Charles Township), quoted and re-checked
  8. Permits | WTPA (St. Charles Township), quoted and re-checked
  9. Overview of the Minnesota State Building Code (St. Charles Township), quoted and re-checked
  10. WTPA administrative office / Construction Management Services (winona.tpamn.org)
  11. Minnesota Building Code Adoption Guide (Minnesota statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  12. CMS septic permitting for WTPA member townships (winona.tpamn.org)
  13. winona.tpamn.org (St. Charles Township), quoted and re-checked
  14. Permits | WTPA (St. Charles Township), 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. Tiny Houses and the 2020 Minnesota Residential Code (Minnesota statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  17. Storage Sheds and the Minnesota State Building Code (Minnesota statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  18. Minnesota Rules Chapter 1300 (St. Charles Township), quoted and re-checked
  19. Winona County Planning & Environmental Services (winonacounty.gov)
  20. Winona County Highway Department (winonacounty.gov)
  21. MnDOT Access Management Manual, Chapter 4 (Minnesota statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  22. Floodplain Regulations (Minnesota statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  23. Floodplain Regulations (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 St. Charles Township

St. Charles Township’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    New houses inside St. Charles township.

    • The WTPA new-house checklist requires a Building Permit Form.
    • The online portal may make the paper Building Permit Form unnecessary.
    • A zoning certificate, grading plan when required by the zoning ordinance, energy and mechanical calculations, self-waiver conditions, and erosion-control requirements may also apply.
    “HOUSE — Are you building a new house? You’ll need to download and complete the following forms: * 001 – Building Permit Form (Not required when applying via online portal.) * 002 – Zoning Certificate (Not required when applying via online portal.)”
  • Owner-builder exemptionConditional

    Homeowner-performed construction or installation work in St. Charles township.

    • The self-waiver is not required when applying through the online portal or when the homeowner signs the permit application.
    • For manufactured homes, separate homeowner-installation forms may apply.
    “006 – Self-Waiver (Not required when applying via online portal; or if homeowner signs permit application.)”
  • Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

    Land inside St. Charles township; zoning is administered through the township's WTPA process.

    • The township page lists an Active Zoning Ordinance.
    • The WTPA zoning pages state that applications may require township review, county review, public hearings, or road-authority approval depending on the request.
    “St Charles Township Member Township Winona County, Minnesota Ordinances & Resolutions Active Zoning Ordinance”
  • Septic permitLimited

    New dwellings and projects adding bedrooms or increasing sewage flow inside St. Charles township.

    • The WTPA page says new dwellings will likely require a septic permit.
    • Bedroom additions and many remodels may also require a compliance inspection or system upgrade.
    • Applications are submitted to CMS in Rochester.
    “Septic permits are coordinated through CMS (Rochester) for WTPA member townships. Required for new dwellings and for projects that add bedrooms or increase sewage flow.”
  • Septic inspectionLimited

    Bedroom additions, many remodels, and qualifying property transfers inside St. Charles township.

    • Bedroom additions and many remodels may require a septic compliance inspection and/or system upgrade.
    • Property transfers may require a compliance inspection depending on local ordinances and lender requirements.
    • CMS issues septic permits and coordinates required inspections for WTPA-administered townships.
    “Bedroom additions and many remodels may require a septic compliance inspection and/or system upgrade. Property transfers may require a compliance inspection depending on local ordinances and lender requirements.”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Dividing land, adjusting lot lines, or creating a subdivision inside St. Charles township.

    • WTPA intake applies to subdivision-related projects.
    • Some subdivision applications require a public hearing.
    • County and township requirements may both apply.
    “Certain applications, including some conditional uses, interim uses, variances, and subdivisions, require a public hearing as part of the review process. The applicable Township Board or Board of Adjustment conducts the hearing and makes the decision.”
  • Permit processPublished (with conditions)

    Building, land-use, access, septic, and subdivision applications inside St. Charles township.

    • Applicants may apply online, by mail, or in person.
    • Incomplete applications may cause delays.
    • Large plans and submittals over ten pages must be submitted electronically, and one hard copy is required.
    • An email address is required for permit applications.
    “If an applicant does not want to apply for a building permit online, the applicant can mail or drop off the application at the TPA administration office.”

Rules another office applies inside St. Charles Township

St. Charles 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 code adoptedAdopted

    Construction and remodeling inside St. Charles township under the Minnesota State Building Code.

    • The State Building Code is described as the minimum construction standard statewide.
    • Local enforcement and permit administration may involve the township or another delegated building official.
    “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

    Projects inside St. Charles township for which a building permit is issued.

    • The cited state guidance says some form of on-site compliance inspection is required whenever a building permit is issued.
    “When a building permit is issued, is an inspection always required on every project? Answer: Yes. Some form of on-site compliance inspection is required whenever a building permit is issued.”
  • Certificate of occupancyRequired

    Use or occupancy of buildings inside St. Charles township subject to Minnesota building-code administration.

    • The cited rule includes exceptions allowing a municipality to choose whether to require certificates for U occupancies, certain accessory structures, or used manufactured homes.
    “No building or structure shall be used or occupied, and no change in the existing occupancy classification of a building, structure, or portion of a building or structure shall be made until the building official has issued a certificate of occupancy for the building or structure under this part.”
  • Well permitLimited

    Construction of new water-supply wells serving property inside St. Charles township.

    • A contractor or well owner must submit a notification form and fee before drilling begins.
    • The well must comply with Minnesota Statutes chapter 103I and Minnesota Rules chapter 4725.
    • Some other well or boring types require a construction permit and written approval.
    “Prior to the start of drilling a water-supply well, the Contractor or well owner must submit a “notification” form, with the appropriate fee, to MDH.”

Still unanswered

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

  • Minimum dwelling size — Residential dwelling size inside St. Charles township.
  • Minimum lot size — Minimum lot size inside St. Charles township.
  • Setbacks — Building setbacks inside St. Charles township.
  • Lot coverage — Lot coverage inside St. Charles township.
  • Building height — Building height inside St. Charles township.
8 more unanswered
  • Living in an RV
  • Camping on your land
  • Tiny homes
  • Manufactured homes
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Agricultural exemption
  • 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 St. Charles Township publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Winona County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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