Bolthole Index

Dunn County, North Dakota

Building permits, zoning and land rules in Killdeer, North Dakota

Killdeer, North Dakota requires a development permit before building, except for buildings and activities directly used in farming operations.1 Killdeer sets its own zoning inside city limits in Dunn County; onsite wastewater installation requires a separate local public-health permit and a state-licensed installer.23

At a glance

Building permit
City development permit required; direct farming exception1
Zoning
City zoning districts apply inside Killdeer2
Septic
Local public-health permit before installation; DEQ-licensed installer4
Minimum home size
SFR: 600-square-foot footprint and 20-foot width5
Manufactured homes
Conditional approval in SFR and MFR; permanent foundation on a platted lot6
Occupancy
City Certificate of Occupancy required before moving in7
Private wells
DWR water permit above 12.5 acre-feet annually8

Who to call

Building permits

Killdeer Building Department

Killdeer Building Department questions inside Killdeer city limits; phone is the city main number.

701-764-5295

[email protected]

165 Railroad Street | PO Box 270 | Killdeer, ND 58640

Zoning

Killdeer City Planner — Planning & Zoning

Killdeer City Planner — Planning & Zoning questions inside Killdeer city limits; phone is the city main number.

701-764-5295

[email protected]

165 Railroad Street | PO Box 270 | Killdeer, ND 58640

Also useful

Killdeer City Hall

Killdeer City Hall questions inside Killdeer city limits; phone is the city main number.

701-764-5295

[email protected]

165 Railroad Street | PO Box 270 | Killdeer, ND 58640

Septic permits

Southwestern District Health Unit — Dunn County

Local public-health permitting for onsite wastewater systems in Dunn County

(701)573-5513

205 Owens Street, 2nd Floor, Manning, ND 58642

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 11, 2026.

Off-grid gear

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

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Do you need a building permit in Killdeer, ND?

Killdeer requires a development permit before development begins, with an exception for buildings and activities directly used in connection with farming operations.1 Killdeer also incorporates the state-adopted building code and future updates for buildings and structures inside city limits.9 Treat the farming exception as an exception to the development-permit requirement; other applicable building-code, health and utility requirements may still apply.10 City permit fees follow resolutions and schedules, and applicants may owe publication, attorney and other processing costs before approval is issued.11

Who handles building permits and zoning in Killdeer?

Start building questions with the Killdeer Building Department, whose official page lists the Building Inspector and [email protected].12 For zoning questions, the Killdeer City Planner — Planning & Zoning page lists [email protected].13 The city main number is 701-764-5295, and City Hall lists [email protected].14 Ask the city offices for the current application package, fee schedule and parcel district before committing to a design. Killdeer maintains the original City and Extraterritorial Zoning maps through the Code Administrator.15

Does Killdeer have zoning, and can you build a tiny home?

Killdeer has city zoning, including Single Family Residential (SFR), Multiple Family Residential (MFR), Commercial, Industrial, Agricultural and Flood Plain districts and a Planned Unit Development overlay.2 In Killdeer’s SFR district, a single-family dwelling must have a building footprint of at least 600 square feet and a width of at least 20 feet.5 A compact permanent home therefore needs a design that meets those SFR dimensions as well as the adopted building code.59 Manufactured homes on permanent foundations on platted lots are conditionally permitted in SFR and MFR and must be permitted through the city.6 Ask the City Planner about RV occupancy, tiny homes on wheels, accessory dwellings and the parcel’s lot-size and setback requirements before purchase.

How do septic permits work inside Killdeer?

An onsite wastewater installation inside Killdeer needs a local public-health permit before work begins, and the installer must hold a North Dakota DEQ license.4 The Southwestern District Health Unit lists its Dunn County office in Manning and phone (701)573-5513.16 State rules require installation inspection by the permitting authority or its authorized representative.17 Killdeer prohibits construction and use of privies, outhouses and cesspools, so those are not an alternative sanitation plan for a city parcel.18 Ask City Hall whether the proposed home must connect to public sewer and water, and ask the health unit what site evaluation and inspection arrangements the proposed septic system needs.

Building a home in Killdeer: what are the steps?

  1. Ask the Killdeer City Planner to identify the parcel’s district on the adopted zoning map and review the proposed use.1513
  2. Bring the home design to the Killdeer Building Department and obtain the required development permit before starting building work.121
  3. Confirm water and sewer service with City Hall; if installing septic, obtain the local public-health permit before work begins and use a DEQ-licensed installer.143
  4. Arrange the required septic installation inspection with the permitting authority.17
  5. Obtain Killdeer’s Certificate of Occupancy from the Code Administrator before occupying the building.7

What should you check before buying land in Killdeer?

Ask Killdeer’s Code Administrator whether the parcel lies in a special flood-hazard area: city development review checks required agency approvals and effects on flood-carrying capacity there.19 For a private well, North Dakota requires a Department of Water Resources permit when annual withdrawal exceeds 12.5 acre-feet; well construction and pumps must also comply with state requirements.8 North Dakota’s owner-builder property-tax exemption depends on local adoption and is not a building-permit exemption; ask Killdeer City Hall whether the city offers it.2014 For land outside the city’s jurisdiction, use the Dunn County guide: Dunn County zoning excludes municipal boundaries and municipal extraterritorial areas.21

Watch-outs

  • Do not move into a Killdeer building before the Code Administrator issues its Certificate of Occupancy.7
  • We could not confirm permission for RV living on a private Killdeer lot; ask the Killdeer City Planner about the proposed use and any temporary residence approval.13
  • Killdeer’s SFR minimum footprint and width can rule out a proposed small-home design: at least 600 square feet and 20 feet wide are required.5

Sources

  1. Killdeer Land Development Code (Killdeer), quoted and re-checked
  2. Killdeer Land Development Code (Killdeer), quoted and re-checked
  3. On-Site Wastewater Treatment Systems (Killdeer), quoted and re-checked
  4. On-Site Wastewater Treatment Systems (Killdeer), quoted and re-checked
  5. Killdeer Land Development Code (Killdeer), quoted and re-checked
  6. Killdeer Land Development Code (Killdeer), quoted and re-checked
  7. Killdeer Land Development Code (Killdeer), quoted and re-checked
  8. Private Well Owner’s Guide: Well Installation (Killdeer), quoted and re-checked
  9. Killdeer Land Development Code (Killdeer), quoted and re-checked
  10. Killdeer Land Development Code (Killdeer), quoted and re-checked
  11. Killdeer Land Development Code (Killdeer), quoted and re-checked
  12. Killdeer Building Department (killdeer.com)
  13. Killdeer City Planner — Planning & Zoning (killdeer.com)
  14. Killdeer City Hall (killdeer.com)
  15. Killdeer Land Development Code (Killdeer), quoted and re-checked
  16. Southwestern District Health Unit — Dunn County (swdhu.net)
  17. North Dakota Administrative Code, Chapter 33.1-21-01: Onsite Wastewater Treatment System Installers Licensing Systems (North Dakota statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  18. Killdeer Land Development Code (Killdeer), quoted and re-checked
  19. Killdeer Land Development Code (Killdeer), quoted and re-checked
  20. Property Tax Exemption for Builders of Certain New Single Family Residential Properties (North Dakota statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  21. Dunn County Land Development Code (2026 county census)

Written October 11, 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 Killdeer

Killdeer’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    Development, including building activity, inside Killdeer city limits.

    • The exception is buildings and activities directly used in connection with farming operations.
    • A permit expires one year after issuance.
    • No permit is issued until applicable processing costs are paid unless the City Commission provides otherwise by resolution.
    “It shall be unlawful for any person to commence any development without obtaining a development permit, except buildings and activities directly used in connection with farming operations.”
  • Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

    Buildings and structures inside Killdeer city limits.

    • The city code incorporates the State-adopted building code and future updates and amendments; local exceptions may apply elsewhere in the code.
    “The erection, construction, enlargement, alteration, repair, moving, removal, demolition, conversion, occupancy, equipment, uses, height, area and maintenance of buildings or structures in the City of Killdeer shall conform to the provisions of the rules and regulations of the State adopted building code(s) and any future updates and amendments to that code”
  • Certificate of occupancyRequired

    Buildings and structures inside Killdeer city limits.

    • The Certificate of Occupancy is issued by the Code Administrator to determine conformity with the development-permit specifications.
    “No building or structure shall be occupied until a Certificate of Occupancy shall have been issued by the Code Administrator for determining the conformity with the specifications for which the development permit has been issued.”
  • Local zoningPresent

    Land inside Killdeer city limits.

    • The Code includes a city zoning district map maintained by the Code Administrator.
    “For the purposes of this Code the City of Killdeer is divided into the following zoning districts: SFR - Single Family Residential District MFR – Multiple Family Residential District C - Commercial District I – Industrial District A - Agricultural District F - Flood Plain PUD Overlay - Planned Unit Development Overlay”
  • Zoning districtsPublished

    The city zoning framework inside Killdeer city limits.

    • The district boundaries are shown on the adopted City and Extraterritorial Zoning map; original maps are maintained by the Code Administrator.
    “The boundaries of the zoning districts established by this Land Development Code are shown on a map or series of maps designated “City and Extraterritorial Zoning” which is adopted and made a part of this Land Development Code as fully as if it were set out in this Chapter in detail.”
  • Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

    SFR—Single Family Residential District.

    • The rule applies to a single-family dwelling permitted in the SFR district.

    minimum building footprint: >= 600 square feet · minimum dwelling width: >= 20 feet

    “One single-family dwelling a minimum of 20 feet wide and building footprint a minimum of 600 square feet”
  • Building heightSpecified

    SFR—Single Family Residential District.

    • Accessory buildings have a separate maximum height.

    principal building height: <= 35 feet (Also limited to two and one-half stories) · accessory building height: <= 25 feet

    “The principal building shall not exceed thirty-five (35) feet or two and one-half (2½) stories in height. Accessory buildings shall not exceed twenty-five (25) feet in height.”
  • Manufactured homesLimited

    Manufactured homes inside Killdeer city limits.

    • Manufactured homes on permanent foundations on platted lots are conditionally permitted in SFR and MFR districts.
    • Manufactured homes must be permitted through the city.
    • Manufactured-home parks require conditional-use approval.
    “Manufactured homes on permanent foundations on platted lots. Manufactured homes are allowed provided that they are placed on a permanent foundation as determined by the Code Administrator.”
  • Off-grid sanitationProhibited

    Privies, outhouses, and cesspools inside Killdeer city limits.

    • New development must be connected to an approved on-site sewage system.
    “To protect the public health, to control water pollution, and to reduce nuisance and odor, all new development within the city shall be connected to an approved on-site sewage system. Construction and use of privies, outhouses, and cesspools is prohibited within the city.”
  • Agricultural exemptionAvailable (with conditions)

    Buildings and activities directly used in connection with farming operations inside Killdeer city limits.

    • The exemption is from the development-permit requirement in §7.5; other applicable city, state, health, utility, or building-code requirements may still apply.
    “It shall be unlawful for any person to commence any development without obtaining a development permit, except buildings and activities directly used in connection with farming operations.”
  • Building in a floodplainRequired

    Development in areas of special flood hazard inside Killdeer city limits.

    • The Code Administrator reviews development permits for required federal, state, and local approvals.
    • The review must determine whether development adversely affects flood-carrying capacity; the code defines adverse effect as not increasing base-flood water-surface elevation more than one foot at any point.
    • Development permits expire one year after issuance.

    maximum allowed increase in base-flood water-surface elevation: <= 1 foot

    “Review all development permits to determine that all necessary permits have been obtained from those Federal, State or local governmental agencies from which prior approval is required. (2) Review all development permits to determine if the proposed development adversely affects the flood-carrying capacity of the area of special flood hazard.”
  • Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

    Development, conditional-use, zoning-amendment, and building-permit applications inside Killdeer city limits.

    • Fees are set by city resolutions and schedules.
    • Applicants may owe publication, attorney, mileage, copy, and other processing costs.
    • No permit is issued until those costs are paid unless a resolution provides otherwise.
    “The City Auditor shall charge and collect a fee according to the resolution of fees and schedules established by the City. The applicant for a conditional use permit and amendment to the zoning ordinance, or building permit, shall be liable for and pay to the City Auditor sufficient sums of money to pay for and cover costs incurred by the City for the processing of such application, including, but not limited to: publication costs, attorney’s fees, mileage, copy expense, etc. No permit shall be issued until such costs have been paid by the applicant, unless the City Commission has otherwise provided by resolution for a particular case.”

Rules another office applies inside Killdeer

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

  • Who permits septicMixed (with conditions)

    On-site wastewater systems serving property inside Killdeer city limits.

    • North Dakota DEQ licenses installers.
    • A permit from the local public health unit is required before work begins.
    • Installers must follow local codes.
    “The North Dakota Department of Environmental Quality oversees the licensing of onsite wastewater treatment system installers under the authority of NDCC 23.1-07.1. All installers must obtain a license from the department, which is issued at no cost, and secure a permit from their local public health unit before beginning work on a system. Installers are required to follow local codes, and licenses may be revoked for cause under NDCC 23.1-07.1-03 (Licensing).”
  • Septic permitRequired

    Installation of an on-site wastewater treatment system inside Killdeer city limits.

    • The local public health unit permit is required before beginning work.
    • The installer must also hold the state DEQ installer license.
    “All installers must obtain a license from the department, which is issued at no cost, and secure a permit from their local public health unit before beginning work on a system.”
  • Well permitLimited

    Private water wells serving property inside Killdeer city limits.

    • A permit from the North Dakota Department of Water Resources is required when annual withdrawal exceeds 12.5 acre-feet.
    • A permit is not needed for wells drawing less than 12.5 acre-feet per year.
    • Construction and pumps must comply with state rules and contractor licensing requirements.

    annual withdrawal threshold: > 12.5 acre-feet (Permit not needed below 12.5 acre-feet per year)

    “If your well will draw over 12.5 acre-feet (4,073,000 gallons) of water per year, it needs to be permitted by the North Dakota Department of Water Resources (dwr.nd.gov | 701-328-2750). A permit is not needed for wells that draw less than 12.5 acre-feet per year.”

Still unanswered

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

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builders constructing inside Killdeer city limits.
  • Accessory dwellings — Accessory dwelling units inside Killdeer city limits.
  • Septic inspection — On-site wastewater systems inside Killdeer city limits.
  • Mandatory utility hookup — Connection of a new home inside Killdeer city limits to public water or sewer when available.
  • Driveway access — Driveway access for residential development inside Killdeer city limits.
1 more unanswered
  • 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 Killdeer publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Dunn County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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