Building permits in Minneapolis, Minnesota
Of the 10 common home projects we have verified in Minneapolis, 6 need a permit outright and 4 depend on size or scope. Click any project for the full rule, fee, and how to apply.
By Mario Bailey Last checked · 2 official sources
Verified against official sources- Project types verified
- 10
- in Minneapolis
City of Minneapolis Community Planning and Economic Development
- 505 Fourth Ave. S., Room 320, Minneapolis, MN 55415
- Phone: 612-673-3000
- Email: Development@minneapolismn.gov
- Official permit page
- Permit portal
- Official fee schedule
Look up a permit in Minneapolis
Minneapolis runs an online permit portal. Many local portals let you check application status, search permit records, and view inspection results without calling the office.
Search the Minneapolis permit portal
What needs a permit in Minneapolis
Of the 10 common home projects we have verified in Minneapolis, 6 need a permit outright and 4 depend on size or scope. Click any project for the full rule, fee, and how to apply.
| Project | Permit needed? | Threshold | Typical fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deck Permit | It depends | freestanding decks less than 30 in above grade that are not attached with frost footings and do not serve the main entrance are exempt; all other decks require a permit | ...the deck exceeds 30 inches above grade or attaches to the structure, minimum $84.20... |
| Electrical Permit | Permit required | Any size | See schedule |
| Fence Permit | It depends | fences no more than 7 feet high are exempt from a permit; fences over 7 feet require a building permit | No fee for fences 7 feet or under since no permit is required |
| HVAC Permit | Permit required | Any size | ...mechanical fee is tiered by scope: Level 1 misc HVAC work with no burner $84.20... |
| Patio Permit | It depends | freestanding platforms less than 30 in above grade that are not attached with frost footings and do not serve the main entrance are exempt; others may require a permit | No permit fee |
| Plumbing Permit | Permit required | Any size | Minimum plumbing permit fee is $85.20 including the $1 state surcharge, with per-item... |
| Pool Permit | Permit required | Any size | ...pool permit fees to the valuation-based building permit schedule, minimum $84.20... |
| Roof Replacement Permit | Permit required | Any size | Billed as a standard building permit valued by cost of work, minimum $84.20 plus 65%... |
| Shed Permit | It depends | one-story tool and storage sheds under 200 sq ft are exempt from a permit; sheds 200 sq ft or larger or more than one story require a permit | One-story sheds under 200 sq ft need no permit or fee |
| Solar Permit | Permit required | Any size | The building permit portion uses the valuation-based schedule, minimum $84.20 plus 65%... |
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Minneapolis permit fees compared with nearby Minnesota localities
| Minnesota locality | Deck Permit | HVAC Permit | Electrical Permit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minneapolis | ...grade or attaches to the structure, minimum $84.20... | ...scope: Level 1 misc HVAC work with no burner $84.20... | See schedule |
| Saint Paul | ...Paul Legislative Code, Effective: 2/25/2023): $36.00... | ...each warm air heating system, the permit fee is $85... | Sec. 33.04(g)(4) sets a minimum permit fee of $85.00 for... |
Each cell is the opening clause of that Minnesota jurisdiction's own fee schedule; the full wording and source sit on each permit page.
Minneapolis permit questions, answered from the data
- Do you need a permit in Minneapolis?
- For most projects, yes. Of the 10 permit types we have verified for Minneapolis, 6 always require a permit (for example an electrical permit), 4 depend on size or scope (a deck permit, for instance). Each Minneapolis permit type's page states the exact rule and its source.
- How much does a permit cost in Minneapolis?
- Minneapolis publishes a fee for 10 of the 10 permit types we cover, each quoted on its page from the jurisdiction's own schedule (linked on every page that carries one). Fees are set by City of Minneapolis Community Planning and Economic Development; we do not estimate or mark them up.
- Where do you apply for a permit in Minneapolis?
- City of Minneapolis Community Planning and Economic Development issues permits in Minneapolis, with an online portal for applications, plan uploads and status checks, and takes questions at 612-673-3000. The Minneapolis official page and portal are linked in the office section above.
How the Minneapolis pages were verified. 10 permit types, 12 distinct official sources, most recently checked . Every rule is read from City of Minneapolis Community Planning and Economic Development or the applicable code and cited on its page; anything we could not confirm for Minneapolis is marked rather than estimated. How we verify.
Permitting activity in Minneapolis
In 2025, Minneapolis authorized permits for 412 new residential housing units (74 single-family, 338 in multi-family buildings), valued at $118M , down from 452 the year before. That works out to about 1 permits per 1,000 residents. It is a useful gauge of how busy the local permit office is.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2025 annual data · population 433,111.
About Minneapolis
Minneapolis has about 203,217 housing units. The median home is valued at $345,600, against a median household income of $80,269. About 48% of homes are owner-occupied, and the typical home was built around 1950. Older housing stock usually means more renovation, electrical, and plumbing permits.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2023 5-year.