Building permits, zoning and land rules in Adams County, North Dakota

Yes. In the areas Adams County zones, no building, structure or conversion may begin without a building permit from the county Code Administrator, and a permit expires one year from issuance¹. The Tax Equalization & Zoning office provides the building-permit application⁴. The permit requirement does not apply to buildings directly used in farming operations and built by a farmer as the ordinance defines that term¹. The county ordinance also exempts land and buildings used for agriculture from most zoning regulations, but road setbacks and floodplain regulations still apply¹. North Dakota separately exempts an agricultural building from the state building-code chapter only when it is not a place of human habitation or used by the public⁶.

The county zoning ordinance incorporates the North Dakota State Building Code¹. North Dakota’s updated state code took effect in 2026, but state Community Services does not enforce it; enforcement belongs to jurisdictions that elect to administer it⁷. The county materials do not confirm a general inspection schedule or certificate-of-occupancy process, so ask Tax Equalization & Zoning what reviews apply to the proposed structure⁴. Construction in a mapped special flood hazard area also needs a floodplain permit from the Code Administrator before work begins¹.

Adams County Tax Equalization & Zoning is the starting point for county building permits, conditional-use permits, and zoning variances⁴. The office is at 602 Adams Avenue Suite 201 in Hettinger and lists (701) 567-2990 and kroseland@nd.gov⁴. It also serves as the city and county zoning administrative office, so a parcel inside a city may have a different rulebook¹. The county page also links the county building-permit application and county planning-and-zoning request application⁴.

Before filing, tell the office the parcel location, township, proposed use, building type, and whether the site is near a city boundary so staff can identify the correct zoning authority¹. Fees follow resolutions and schedules set by the County Commission, and applicants also pay county processing costs such as publication and attorney fees before a permit issues, so ask the office for the current figures¹. Also ask which inspections and occupancy approvals apply, because a general county inspection schedule and certificate-of-occupancy rule could not be confirmed⁴.

What does not move to the county zoning office: septic permits come from the Southwestern District Health Unit, and driveway access onto highways is limited to four access points per mile per side of the highway^1,8.

Adams County has zoning for covered unincorporated land, but the ordinance excludes townships that have not relinquished zoning power to the county and certain areas tied to city extraterritorial zoning¹. The ordinance establishes Agricultural, Residential, Recreation, Commercial, Industrial, and Flood Plain districts, and the zoning map is kept in the County Auditor’s office¹. Confirm the parcel’s district and governing authority with Tax Equalization & Zoning before treating a rural address as county-zoned⁴.

In the residential district, a single-family dwelling lot generally must contain 1.5 acres and measure 150 feet wide, with exceptions for specified subdivisions and a requirement to meet state onsite-sewage standards¹. Buildings must generally sit 150 feet from section lines and county-road centerlines and 250 feet from a state-highway centerline¹. Accessory buildings are limited to 35 feet in height, must be smaller than the principal building, and must stand at least 25 feet from every lot line¹.

Adams County is served by the Southwestern District Health Unit, and North Dakota requires a local public health permit before work begins on an onsite wastewater system, so the zoning office does not issue it^2,3. The health district’s Adams County office is at 609 2nd Ave. North in Hettinger and lists (701)567-2720⁸. North Dakota also requires the installer to hold a state license and follow local codes⁹.

Only 11.2% of county soils are rated without severe limitations for a conventional septic drain field, so make the health-unit site review an early purchase contingency rather than assuming a standard system will work¹⁰. The residential zoning rule also ties qualifying lots to state minimum onsite-sewage-disposal standards¹. A general individual-system inspection requirement could not be confirmed, so ask the health unit about the application, site evaluation, inspections, installer documents, and final approval for the specific parcel⁸.

In new subdivision developments, privies, outhouses and cesspools are prohibited¹. We could not confirm a county well-permit rule; state law requires a water appropriation permit from the Department of Water Resources only above 12.5 acre-feet of withdrawal a year, so ask the health unit about a household well^5,8.

In the county residential district, an RV or mobile home may be used temporarily as a residence while a home is being built, but that use is conditional and occupancy may not continue longer than 1 year¹. That provision does not establish year-round RV living on otherwise vacant land, so ask Tax Equalization & Zoning for a written determination before relying on an RV as the primary residence⁴.

No county provision specifically addressing tiny-home occupancy or a minimum dwelling floor area could be confirmed⁴. A tiny home still needs parcel-specific review for the building permit, zoning district, lot dimensions, setbacks, wastewater approval, and the legal classification of the unit^1,3. A new manufactured home installed for residential use in North Dakota must use a state-licensed installer and receive inspection by a state-licensed inspector¹¹.

Commercial campgrounds and RV parks are a separate use, conditionally permitted in the Recreational District, and a campground must contain at least five acres¹.

1. Ask Adams County Tax Equalization & Zoning to confirm which government controls zoning for the parcel, because county coverage has township and city-area exceptions^1,4.
2. Confirm the zoning district, allowed residential use, lot size, lot width, and required road and yard setbacks before finalizing a site plan¹.
3. Submit the county building-permit application and any needed conditional-use or variance request through Tax Equalization & Zoning⁴.
4. Contact the Southwestern District Health Unit and secure the local public health permit before onsite wastewater work begins^2,3.
5. Ask the zoning office which construction inspections and occupancy approvals apply, because those county procedures could not be confirmed⁴.
6. If the dwelling is manufactured, use a licensed installer and obtain the required licensed inspection¹¹.

Start with jurisdiction: determine whether the parcel is governed by county zoning, township zoning, or city extraterritorial zoning¹. Then verify the mapped district, residential use, lot dimensions, setbacks, legal access, floodplain status, and the approvals needed for the intended structure with Tax Equalization & Zoning^1,4.

Treat wastewater feasibility as a major due-diligence item because only 11.2% of county soils are rated without severe limitations for a conventional drain field¹⁰. For a private well, North Dakota generally requires a water-appropriation permit when annual withdrawal exceeds 12.5 acre-feet, while certain uses below that threshold must still be reported to the Department of Water Resources⁵. Adams County’s effective property-tax rate is about 1%, and the median annual property-tax bill is $1,106, but obtain the parcel’s current assessment and tax record before budgeting¹⁰.