Pool Permit in Minneapolis, Minnesota
By Mario Bailey Last checked 2026-06-18 · 2 official sources
Verified against official sources From an official sourcePermit required
Quick answer
A building permit is required for installing a private residential swimming pool in Minneapolis. Specific requirements are detailed in the city's Swimming Pools PDF available from CPED. Contact CPED Construction Code Services at 612-673-3000 for current requirements for your project type.
Who is pulling this permit?
Apply yourself
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Before you sign, ask the contractor:
- Who pulls the permit, you or me, and is the permit fee included in the bid?
- Which inspections will this job need, and who meets the inspector on site?
- Is your contractor license active in this locality, and under which business name?
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When a permit is usually needed
Before installing a residential swimming pool
What pool permit costs in Minneapolis
No separate pool schedule; the ordinance routes pool permit fees to the valuation-based building permit schedule, minimum $84.20 plus 65% plan review and 0.05% state surcharge; prefabricated pools within size guidelines are permit-exempt.
How to apply in Minneapolis
A residential pool permit application covers both construction and safety: a scaled site plan, structural plans for the pool, a barrier plan showing how the pool will be enclosed, and an electrical plan covering bonding and the equipment disconnect.
What most pool permit applications include:
- Pool and spa design and construction fall under the residential code chapter that folds in the swimming pool and spa code, and permit review checks plans against that chapter (IRC R326).
- The site plan must show pool equipment such as pumps, filters, and heaters set back at least 36 inches from the outside of the required barrier (ISPSC 305.2.9).
- For an in-ground pool, engineered structural plans covering the shell and reinforcing steel, with the responsible structural engineer's license information, are a standard part of the submittal (per official pool submittal checklists).
- A barrier plan identifying the fence, pool structure, or dwelling wall that will enclose the pool must be submitted and must comply with the code's barrier chapter (ISPSC 305).
- Electrical plans must show the pool's equipotential bonding design, since the shell, perimeter surfaces, and metal fittings within 5 feet of the water must all tie into a common bonding grid (NEC 680.26).
- The electrical plan must also show a disconnecting means for the pool equipment that is readily accessible and within sight of the equipment (NEC 680.13).
General submittal guidance from 2021 IRC R326 (adopting the ISPSC), ISPSC 2021 Section 305, and NEC 2020 Article 680. Source. City of Minneapolis Community Planning and Economic Development sets the exact checklist for Minneapolis.
Where to apply 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
Inspections and closing out your permit
Pool inspections track the concrete pour: the steel and bonding grid are checked before gunite or shotcrete goes in, bonding is checked again before decking is poured, and the permanent barrier and remaining electrical work are checked at final before the pool can be filled and used.
- Before gunite or shotcrete is sprayed, the inspector checks the rebar against the engineered plans and confirms the equipotential bonding wire is stubbed out and tied into the steel, since it will be buried in concrete afterward (NEC 680.26).
- A bonding inspection separately confirms coping, decking, ladders, handrail cups, and any other metal within 5 feet of the water are tied to the bonding grid, and it must pass before coping is installed (NEC 680.26).
- A temporary barrier at least 4 feet high must enclose the site from the moment excavation starts until the permanent barrier is finished, and inspectors check for it throughout construction (ISPSC 305.1.1).
- A pre-plaster inspection confirms the circulation equipment's electrical work is installed and all bonding is complete before the pool's interior finish goes on (NEC 680.26).
- At final inspection the permanent barrier is checked against the code's requirements and the equipment and cover-mechanism bonding must be complete before the pool can be filled and used (ISPSC 305, NEC 680.26).
Schedule each inspection in advance and pass the final before you use the work or close the permit. Request inspections through the Minneapolis permit portal or by phone at 612-673-3000.
Inspection sequence from NEC 2020 Article 680.26 (equipotential bonding) and ISPSC 2021 Section 305 (barriers). Source. An open permit left un-inspected can surface later in a title search or home sale.
Your Pool Permit checklist for Minneapolis
- Confirm the requirement. Yes, a permit is required. Usually needed: Before installing a residential swimming pool.
- Budget the fee. No separate pool schedule; the ordinance routes pool permit fees to the valuation-based building permit schedule, minimum $84.20 plus 65% plan review and 0.05% state surcharge; prefabricated pools within size guidelines are permit-exempt. Official fee schedule.
- Apply. A residential pool permit application covers both construction and safety: a scaled site plan, structural plans for the pool, a barrier plan showing how the pool will be enclosed, and an electrical plan covering bonding and the equipment disconnect. Start at the Minneapolis permit portal.
- Keep the office details handy. City of Minneapolis Community Planning and Economic Development. Phone: 612-673-3000. Address: 505 Fourth Ave. S., Room 320, Minneapolis, MN 55415.
- Plan for inspections. Pool inspections track the concrete pour: the steel and bonding grid are checked before gunite or shotcrete goes in, bonding is checked again before decking is poured, and the permanent barrier and remaining electrical work are checked at final before the pool can be filled and used.
Compiled from the official sources on this page. Last checked 2026-06-18.
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Permitting activity in Minneapolis
In 2024, Minneapolis authorized permits for 452 new residential housing units (65 single-family, 387 in multi-family buildings), valued at $151M, down from1,528 the year before. That works out to about 1 permits per 1,000 residents.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 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.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2023 5-year.
Frequently asked questions
- Do you need a pool permit in Minneapolis?
- A building permit is required for installing a private residential swimming pool in Minneapolis. Specific requirements are detailed in the city's Swimming Pools PDF available from CPED. Contact CPED Construction Code Services at 612-673-3000 for current requirements for your project type. Always confirm with the City of Minneapolis Community Planning and Economic Development before starting.
- How much does a pool permit cost in Minneapolis?
- No separate pool schedule; the ordinance routes pool permit fees to the valuation-based building permit schedule, minimum $84.20 plus 65% plan review and 0.05% state surcharge; prefabricated pools within size guidelines are permit-exempt. See the official fee schedule for current amounts.
- Where do you apply for a pool permit in Minneapolis?
- You can apply through the Minneapolis permit portal or contact the City of Minneapolis Community Planning and Economic Development directly. The links are listed on this page.
From the Library
What else needs a permit in Minneapolis
Every other permit type we have verified for this jurisdiction, with the rule that applies here.
| 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 | Billed as a standard building permit valued by cost of work once the deck exceeds 30 in... |
| Electrical Permit | Permit required | Not specified | No city fee; |
| 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 | Not specified | Existing residential mechanical fee is tiered by scope: Level 1 misc HVAC work with no... |
| 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 | Not specified | Minimum plumbing permit fee is $85.20 including the $1 state surcharge, with per-item f... |
| Roof Replacement Permit | Permit required | Not specified | Billed as a standard building permit valued by cost of work, minimum $84.20 plus 65% pl... |
| 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 | Not specified | The building permit portion uses the valuation-based schedule, minimum $84.20 plus 65%... |
Official sources
- https://www.minneapolismn.gov/business-services/licenses-permits-inspections/construction-permits/building-requirements/swimming-pools/
- https://www.minneapolismn.gov/business-services/licenses-permits-inspections/construction-permits/
- https://www.bountifulutah.gov/file/ee478521-f791-4cee-a755-2d923ff70257
Verified by a person against the sources above on 2026-06-18, not confirmed with City of Minneapolis Community Planning and Economic Development. Rules change; confirm before you build. How we verify.
Last checked: 2026-06-18Report an error on this page
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Pool Permit across Minnesota