Bolthole Index

Divide County, North Dakota

Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Crosby, North Dakota

The City of Crosby, North Dakota (Divide County) adopts and enforces its own zoning ordinance, which also reaches land in its extra-territorial zoning area1. We could not confirm a separate city building permit or inspection rule, so ask Crosby City Hall before you pour a foundation. Septic permits are issued by the Upper Missouri District Health Unit, not the city2.

At a glance

Zoning
Yes: Crosby's own zoning ordinance, including land in its extra-territorial area1
Building permit
Not confirmed inside city limits; ask Crosby City Hall. Divide County requires one on unincorporated land3
Septic permit
Upper Missouri District Health Unit2
New subdivisions
Municipal sewer required, except in the O Open Space district4
Accessory dwellings
Allowed by right in the R district, one bedroom per structure5
RV and tiny home living
Mobile-home parks need a conditional use permit in the SD district; other city rules unconfirmed, ask City Hall6
Property tax (county)
About 0.6% effective rate7

Who to call

Planning & zoning

Crosby City Hall

First call for questions about Crosby zoning and whether a building permit applies to your lot

(701)965-6029

15 Central Ave W. Crosby, ND 58730

Septic permits

Upper Missouri District Health Unit

Septic-system permits and installer licensing

701-965-6813

Divide Co. Courthouse 200 N Main St PO Box 69 Crosby, ND 58730

Planning & zoning

Divide County DES/Zoning/911

County zoning and building permits for land outside Crosby's jurisdiction

(701) 965-6361

200 N Main St. Crosby, ND 58730

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 23, 2026.

Off-grid gear

Going off-grid in Crosby means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

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Does Crosby, ND have zoning?

Yes. Crosby's planning and zoning ordinance sets comprehensive zoning for the city and for unincorporated land inside the city's extra-territorial zoning jurisdiction1. A parcel just outside the city limits can therefore still answer to Crosby rather than the county, so confirm which jurisdiction a lot sits in before you buy.

Rules differ by district. In the O Open Space district, the ordinance's rural district, the minimum lot is 10 acres8 and setbacks are 50 feet on all sides9. Buildings in the R Residential district may not exceed 35 feet or 2 stories with a basement and attic10. In the O district the limit is 35 feet within 150 feet of R-zoned property and 60 feet beyond that buffer11. Buildings in the I Industrial district may cover no more than 60% of the property12.

Do you need a building permit in Crosby, ND?

We could not confirm a general residential building permit rule inside Crosby city limits: the posted ordinance did not establish a separately adopted city building code or inspection requirement. Call Crosby City Hall before you start work.

The one permit rule the ordinance states applies to new subdivisions: no building permit is issued until the final plat is filed and the public improvement plans are approved13. Final plat approval also needs a Planning and Zoning Commission hearing, then City Council action14.

For land outside Crosby's jurisdiction, Divide County's rule is different: the county has adopted the North Dakota State Building Code, and a building permit is required whenever a structure is built or moved onto a property3. Divide County's own page is Divide County.

How do septic permits work in Crosby, ND?

Installing an onsite wastewater system anywhere in North Dakota requires a permit from the local public health unit15. In Divide County that unit is the Upper Missouri District Health Unit, which permits septic systems and licenses installers2. The state requires an inspection within 1 business day and a permit valid for 12 months16.

Inside Crosby, new subdivision lots must connect to municipal sanitary sewer unless they are in the O district17. The city's septic rule for existing lots is unconfirmed, so ask City Hall whether your address can use a private system, then call the health unit for the permit.

Can you live in an RV, tiny home or mobile home in Crosby?

We could not confirm a Crosby rule on long-term RV living, temporary camping or tiny homes on private lots; call Crosby City Hall before you move anything onto a lot. Mobile-home parks are a conditional use in the SD Special District, and every SD use needs a conditional use permit6. The minimum parcel for a mobile-home park is 3 acres6.

In the R Residential district, accessory dwelling structures are allowed by right, limited to 1 bedroom each and subject to building codes5.

Building a home in Crosby: the steps, in order

  1. Call Crosby City Hall to confirm the zoning district, any building permit requirement and whether the lot is inside city limits or the extra-territorial area1.
  2. If the lot is in a new subdivision, plan for a filed final plat and approved public improvement plans before any building permit13.
  3. Check the district's height, setback and coverage limits, and for R-zoned lots that abut an alley, plan for alley access because front and side driveways are not allowed18.
  4. Apply to the Upper Missouri District Health Unit if you plan a septic system2.

What stays with Divide County, and what to check before you buy

Septic permits come from the Upper Missouri District Health Unit for every address in Divide County2. A private well needs a state permit only if it will draw more than 12.5 acre-feet a year19. Divide County's effective property tax rate is about 0.6%, with a median bill of $1,034 a year720. For land outside Crosby, use the county page at Divide County and the county planning office.

Watch-outs

  • Crosby's zoning reaches into unincorporated land near the city, so a lot outside the limits may still answer to the city; confirm the jurisdiction with City Hall1.
  • The city's rules on building permits, inspections, certificates of occupancy, RVs and tiny homes inside city limits are unconfirmed; ask Crosby City Hall at (701)965-602921.
  • Divide County's rules for unincorporated land do not apply inside Crosby, so the county permit rule above should not be read as the city's3.

Sources

  1. Zoning Ordinance and Subdivision Regulations - City of Crosby, North Dakota (Crosby), quoted and re-checked
  2. Environmental Health - Upper Missouri District Health Unit, quoted and re-checked
  3. Divide County - Planning and Zoning (2026 county census)
  4. Zoning Ordinance and Subdivision Regulations - City of Crosby, North Dakota (Crosby), quoted and re-checked
  5. Zoning Ordinance and Subdivision Regulations - City of Crosby, North Dakota (Crosby), quoted and re-checked
  6. Zoning Ordinance and Subdivision Regulations - City of Crosby, North Dakota (Crosby), quoted and re-checked
  7. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  8. Zoning Ordinance and Subdivision Regulations - City of Crosby, North Dakota (Crosby), quoted and re-checked
  9. Zoning Ordinance and Subdivision Regulations - City of Crosby, North Dakota (Crosby), quoted and re-checked
  10. Zoning Ordinance and Subdivision Regulations - City of Crosby, North Dakota (Crosby), quoted and re-checked
  11. Zoning Ordinance and Subdivision Regulations - City of Crosby, North Dakota (Crosby), quoted and re-checked
  12. Zoning Ordinance and Subdivision Regulations - City of Crosby, North Dakota (Crosby), quoted and re-checked
  13. Zoning Ordinance and Subdivision Regulations - City of Crosby, North Dakota (Crosby), quoted and re-checked
  14. Zoning Ordinance and Subdivision Regulations - City of Crosby, North Dakota (Crosby), quoted and re-checked
  15. On-Site Wastewater Treatment Systems (North Dakota statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  16. North Dakota Administrative Code, Chapter 33.1-21-01: Onsite Wastewater Treatment System Installers Licensing Systems (North Dakota statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  17. Zoning Ordinance and Subdivision Regulations - City of Crosby, North Dakota (Crosby), quoted and re-checked
  18. Zoning Ordinance and Subdivision Regulations - City of Crosby, North Dakota (Crosby), quoted and re-checked
  19. Private Well Owner's Guide: Well Installation, quoted and re-checked
  20. Median property tax bill: Bolthole Index county data
  21. Crosby City Hall (dividecountynd.org)

Written October 23, 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 Crosby

Crosby’s own rules

  • Building permitLimited

    Development in a proposed Crosby subdivision before final plat filing and approval of public-improvement plans.

    • This is a subdivision-specific restriction and does not establish the general residential building-permit rule.
    “No building permit shall be issued until a final plat is filed and all public improvements plans are approved.”
  • Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

    Land within Crosby city corporate limits.

    • The ordinance also reaches land outside city boundaries where Crosby is authorized to exercise powers.
    “This Ordinance establishes comprehensive zoning regulations for the City of Crosby and unincorporated territory located within the extra-territorial zoning jurisdiction of the City, and provides for the administration, enforcement and amendments thereof.”
  • Manufactured homesLimited

    Mobile-home parks inside Crosby city limits.

    • A mobile-home park is a conditional use in the SD Special District.
    • The minimum land parcel for mobile-home parks is three acres.
    • All SD uses require a conditional-use permit.

    minimum land parcel for mobile home parks: 3 acres

    “All uses require a conditional use permit.”
  • Off-grid sanitationLimited

    New subdivision or development lots inside Crosby city limits.

    • Municipal sanitary sewers are required except in the O zoning district as permitted in the ordinance.
    • This claim does not establish the separate permit or design requirements for any allowed on-site system.
    “Municipal sanitary sewers shall be installed so as to provide service to each lot within the subdivision or development unless in the 0 zoning district as permitted in this ordinance.”
  • Mandatory utility hookupConditional

    Lots in a new subdivision or development inside Crosby city limits.

    • Municipal sanitary sewer is required unless the property is in the O zoning district as permitted by the ordinance.
    • Water mains are required for each lot only for development meeting or exceeding minimum fire-flow requirements.
    • City Engineer review and approval is required before installation of sewer and water plans.
    “Municipal sanitary sewers shall be installed so as to provide service to each lot within the subdivision or development unless in the 0 zoning district as permitted in this ordinance. All sewer plans shall be reviewed and approved by the City Engineer prior to installation.”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Subdivision or re-subdivision of land within Crosby city limits.

    • A plat cannot be filed or recorded until it is approved by the Planning and Zoning Commission and Crosby City Council.
    “No plat of a subdivision or re-subdivision of land within the City of Crosby or within the city’s extraterritorial jurisdiction shall be filed or recorded until it has been approved by the Planning and Zoning Commission and the Crosby City Council.”
  • Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

    Applications to amend Crosby zoning district boundaries or regulations.

    • The fee is for defraying proceeding and publication costs and is set by City Council; the posted ordinance does not state a dollar amount.
    “the applicant, upon filing of the application, shall pay to the City Auditor a fee in the amount set by the City Council.”
  • Permit processPartial

    Final subdivision-plat approval inside Crosby city limits.

    • Final plat application must follow preliminary approval and be submitted before expiration of the preliminary-approval period.
    • The Planning and Zoning Commission holds a state-law public hearing before City Council action.
    • The application requires a review fee, five copies of a plat prepared by a registered land surveyor or engineer, and the other listed documentation.

    final plat copies: 5 copies

    “After preliminary approval but prior to expiration, the subdivider shall submit a final plat application and review fee, five copies of the final plat prepared by a registered land surveyor or engineer, a developer’s agreement (if applicable), a current abstract of title with title opinion, consent to platting from all lien holders and mortgagees, and information demonstrating compliance with all conditions of approval.”

Rules another office applies inside Crosby

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

  • Minimum lot sizeSpecified

    Crosby's O Open Space district, the ordinance's rural/agricultural district.

    minimum lot area: >= 10 acres

    “Dimensional Standards (a) Area Minimum: 10 Acres”
  • SetbacksSpecified

    Crosby's O Open Space district, the ordinance's rural/agricultural district.

    setback on all sides: >= 50 feet

    “Area Minimum: 10 Acres (b) Setback: 50ft on all sides”
  • Lot coverageSpecified

    Crosby's I Industrial district.

    maximum building coverage: <= 60 percent

    “Coverage Maximum: The build structures on a property zoned I may not exceed 60% of the property’s footprint.”
  • Building heightSpecified

    Crosby's O Open Space district, the ordinance's rural/agricultural district.

    • The lower limit applies within 150 feet of property zoned R; the higher limit applies outside that buffer.

    maximum building height: <= 35 feet (within 150 feet of property zoned R) · maximum building height: <= 60 feet (outside the 150-foot buffer)

    “No building shall exceed 35 feet in height when within 150 feet of a property zoned R. Buildings outside the 150-foot buffer shall not exceed 60 feet in height.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
  • Accessory dwellingsAllowed (with conditions)

    Accessory dwelling structures in Crosby's R Residential district.

    • The accessory dwelling must meet the accessory non-dwelling-structure stipulations in §15.0307(5).
    • No more than one bedroom is allowed per structure.
    • The structure must comply with relevant local, state, and national single-family-residence building codes.

    maximum bedrooms per accessory dwelling structure: <= 1 bedrooms

    “Accessory dwelling structures are allowed by-right provided they comply with the following stipulations:”
  • Driveway accessLimited

    Properties in Crosby's R Residential district that abut an alley to the rear or side.

    • Automobile access must use the alley; front- and side-yard driveways are not allowed.
    “should a property zoned R abut an alley to the rear or side, the alley must be utilized for automobile access and no front or side yard driveways shall be allowed.”

Still unanswered

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

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built dwellings inside Crosby city limits.
  • Building code adopted — Construction inside Crosby city limits.
  • Inspections — Construction inside Crosby city limits.
  • Certificate of occupancy — Occupancy of construction inside Crosby city limits.
  • Minimum dwelling size — Detached or attached dwellings in Crosby's R Residential district.
10 more unanswered
  • Living in an RV
  • Camping on your land
  • Tiny homes
  • Who permits septic
  • Septic permit
  • Septic inspection
  • Well permit
  • 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 Crosby publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Divide County’s page lists the county offices to call.

← All of Divide County: county rules, score and offices