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

Rules another office applies inside Bisbee

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

• Owner-builder exemptionConditional

  A person installing an onsite wastewater treatment system on that person's own premises inside Bisbee city.

  • The individual is exempt from installer-license requirements but must obtain a system permit.
  • The statewide onsite-wastewater rule became effective October 1, 2026.

  “An individual installing a system on the individual's premises is exempt from the requirements of this section. The individual shall obtain a permit for the system in accordance with section 33.1-21-01-06.”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  A parcel inside Bisbee city on which a new onsite wastewater treatment system is installed.

  • This is an onsite-wastewater-system standard, not evidence of a Bisbee zoning district or citywide lot-size standard.
  • The system must be installed in original natural soil; compacted fill and scraped areas are unsuitable soils.

  minimum lot size: >= 1 acre (for installation of a new onsite wastewater treatment system)

  “The minimum lot size in which a new system may be installed is one acre [.405 hectares].”

• Septic permitRequired

  Construction, alteration, repair, or extension of an onsite wastewater treatment system inside Bisbee city.

  • Regular system maintenance does not require a permit.
  • The permit must be issued by the permitting authority having jurisdiction where the work occurs.
  • A permit may not be issued without a valid installer license, except for an individual installing on the individual's own premises.
  • A permit is valid for no more than 12 months from issuance.

  permit validity: <= 12 months

  “A person may not construct, alter, repair, or extend any system without first obtaining a permit from the permitting authority. Regular system maintenance does not require a permit.”

• Septic inspectionRequired

  Installation of an onsite wastewater treatment system inside Bisbee city.

  • Installation inspection must be conducted by the permitting authority or its authorized representative.
  • Inspection must occur within one business day after a request for inspection.
  • Existing-equipment and operational inspections may occur at a reasonable time.

  inspection response: <= 1 business day (after receiving the request for inspection)

  “Inspection of the installation of a system must be conducted by the permitting authority or an authorized representative of the permitting authority in accordance with paragraph 3 of subdivision c of subsection 2 of North Dakota Century Code section 23-35-02, which requires the inspection to be conducted within one business day of receiving the request for inspection.”

• Well permitLimited

  Groundwater withdrawal for a well serving land inside Bisbee city.

  • A water appropriation permit is required for industrial use, irrigation of five acres or more, and listed uses exceeding 12.5 acre-feet annually.
  • For domestic, livestock, fish and wildlife, and recreational uses under 12.5 acre-feet annually, no water appropriation permit is required, but constructed-works location and capacity must be reported to DWR.

  annual water-use threshold: > 12.5 acre-feet per year (domestic, municipal, public, livestock, fish and wildlife, and recreational water use) · irrigation threshold: >= 5 acres

  “A water appropriation permit is required for: Any industrial water use; Irrigation of 5 acres or more; or Domestic, municipal, public, livestock, fish and wildlife, and recreational water use exceeding 12.5 acre-feet (4,073,137 gallons or 96,979 barrels) per year.”

Still unanswered

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

• Building permit — Residential construction inside Bisbee city limits.
• Building code adopted — Residential buildings inside Bisbee city limits.
• Inspections — Residential building inspections inside Bisbee city limits.
• Certificate of occupancy — Residential occupancy inside Bisbee city limits.
• Local zoning — Land inside Bisbee city limits.

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.