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

Yes. Williams County requires a building permit before constructing, enlarging, altering, repairing, moving or demolishing a building or structure, changing its occupancy, or doing grading or drainage work in county jurisdiction¹. The county issues the permit only after fees are paid and review confirms compliance with county ordinances and the North Dakota State Building Code¹. Williams County has adopted the North Dakota State Building Code, and the state framework allows local amendments^9,10.

The state-code exemption for an agricultural building applies only when the building serves an agricultural purpose and is not used for human habitation or by the public⁸. Zoning, subdivision, septic, floodplain and access requirements may still apply, so ask the Building Division about a proposed barn, shop or grading project before work starts^8,11.

Williams County Development Services’ Building Division issues building permits in county jurisdiction and is based at the Williams County Administration Building in Williston¹¹. The county’s minimum building-permit fee is $75, and a building permit is issued only after review and payment¹¹. Statewide, building-permit and plan-review fees are set by the enforcing jurisdiction rather than by one uniform North Dakota fee schedule¹².

Inside Ray, the city handles its building permits and determines zoning conformance before acting on a building permit³. Individual-septic permitting remains with the Upper Missouri District Health Unit throughout Williams County⁴. Elsewhere, confirm county, city or township building jurisdiction before submitting plans¹⁰. For a residential project that the property owner will occupy, Williams County allows the owner to be listed as the contractor, but that is not an exemption from building permits, fees, inspections or code compliance¹.

Williams County administers zoning districts where county jurisdiction applies on unincorporated land; municipal or township zoning authority may apply within their respective jurisdictions². Inside Ray, the city requires zoning conformance for routine building activity³. Ray’s zoning authority does not replace UMDHU’s countywide individual-septic permitting role⁴. District-specific rules can govern lot size, setbacks, lot coverage and building height, so check the current map and ordinance for the parcel¹³.

A building permit does not establish that a proposed use fits the parcel. Confirm the zoning district, allowed use and parcel-specific conditions with Planning and Zoning before designing a house^14,15. Dividing land also requires county subdivision review; major or minor applications receive a completeness review, and major subdivisions may require hearings, commission action or a development agreement¹⁶. A manufactured or mobile home treated as a single-family dwelling must have at least 1,000 square feet and meet the county’s other construction, foundation, utility and design conditions⁶.

The Upper Missouri District Health Unit issues septic permits and licenses installers throughout Williams County⁴. When public or noncommunity sewage treatment is unavailable, obtain a written UMDHU septic permit before constructing an individual system for a building used for human occupancy; the application must include complete plans and specifications⁵. The septic construction permit is valid for 12 months; if installation has not started by then, a new application is required⁵. UMDHU may require supervised percolation or other site tests⁵. If UMDHU deems a public or noncommunity sewer available within 200 feet, sewage must discharge to it instead^5,17. Where water under pressure is unavailable, human wastes must use approved privies, chemical toilets or other UMDHU-approved installations; ask UMDHU to approve the proposed sanitation method⁵.

UMDHU inspects during installation, and no part may be covered before inspection without prior approval⁵. The installer or owner must give at least two working days’ notice when the system is ready, and defects must be corrected before use⁵. A private treatment system generally needs at least one acre, while zoning may require more⁵. Only about 39.1% of mapped county soils avoid a “very limited” rating for a conventional drain field, so settle septic feasibility before fixing the house location¹⁸.

Williams County does not allow an RV to be used as a permanent residence. With approval, an RV may be occasionally occupied and parked on a residential lot, and an occupied RV must meet the zoning district’s setbacks⁶. In an RV park or campground, occupancy is recreational and limited to 180 consecutive days or less; the RV must remain highway ready, without skirting, decks or mud rooms⁶. Ask Planning and Zoning what approval occasional occupancy requires for the specific residential lot¹⁵.

We could not confirm a tiny-home-specific occupancy rule or a general minimum size for site-built homes. A manufactured or mobile home qualifies as a single-family dwelling under the zoning ordinance only if it has at least 1,000 square feet and meets the listed construction, permanent-foundation, utility, roof, siding and production-date conditions⁶. A new manufactured home used as a residence must also be installed and inspected by state-licensed professionals¹⁹. Confirm zoning approval with Planning and Zoning and the required building permit with the Building Division^11,15.

1. Confirm whether the parcel is in county, city or township jurisdiction, then ask the applicable zoning office for the mapped district and allowed residential use^2,10.
2. For unincorporated land, ask Williams County Planning and Zoning whether subdivision review or a development agreement is required^15,16.
3. Determine sewage service: if UMDHU deems a public or noncommunity sewer available within 200 feet, connection is required⁵.
4. If an individual septic system is needed, submit plans and obtain the UMDHU septic permit before construction^5,20.
5. Apply to the Building Division for the county building permit; new construction, grading and drainage work require one in county jurisdiction^1,11.
6. Check whether the site lies in a Special Flood Hazard Area; development there requires approval from the local Floodplain Administrator before work²¹.
7. Confirm water supply and access; a North Dakota water-appropriation permit is required above 12.5 acre-feet of annual withdrawal, while lower specified uses must be reported⁷.
8. Give UMDHU at least two working days’ notice before the septic inspection and leave the installation uncovered unless UMDHU approves otherwise⁵.

Start with jurisdiction and zoning: Williams County administers zoning districts where county jurisdiction applies on unincorporated land, while a city or township may have separate rules². Ask Planning and Zoning whether an existing tract is legally subdivided and whether a proposed split requires minor or major subdivision review^15,16. A private treatment system generally requires at least one acre, but that is a septic standard rather than a general zoning minimum, and zoning may require more⁵. Only about 39.1% of mapped soils avoid severe limitations for a conventional drain field, so septic feasibility can control where the house goes¹⁸.

Check flood mapping before closing because work in a Special Flood Hazard Area requires local floodplain approval before it begins²¹. If the parcel is near an animal feeding operation, ask Planning and Zoning about the specialized separation rules before choosing a homesite^15,22. We could not confirm a separate county driveway-permit requirement; ask the Building Division which road authority to contact for the proposed access¹¹. Finally, budget for carrying costs: the county’s effective property-tax rate is about 0.7%, and the median annual property-tax bill is about $1,913¹⁸.