Do I need a deck permit in Minnesota?

In Minnesota it depends on the size of the job. Permits are issued locally, so the answer comes from your Minnesota city or county rather than a single statewide rule. Of the 2 Minnesota jurisdictions we have verified for deck work, 0 require a permit outright, 2 depend on the size or scope of the job, and 0 require none.

Is there a deck permit exemption in Minnesota?

2 of the 2 Minnesota jurisdictions we cover set a threshold rather than a flat rule, so the same job can be exempt in one Minnesota county and permitted in the next. The table above lists each Minnesota jurisdiction's published threshold in its own words, with the source and the date we verified it.

Minnesota

Do you need a deck permit in Minnesota?

By Mario Bailey Last checked 15 Aug 2026

Always required: 0; of 2 jurisdictions
Conditional: 2; depends on size or scope
Not required: 0; exempt outright

Deck Permit rules nationwide, beyond Minnesota.

Framing a backyard deck: fresh lumber and a nail gun on new decking

Requirements and size thresholds for deck permits vary by locality. The table below compares what each Minnesota county or city requires. Always confirm with the local office before starting.

Comparing states? See deck permit rules across every locality we cover.

The application steps and inspection sequence for deck permits come from the model code rather than from Minnesota law, so they read the same wherever you build. We keep that walkthrough in one place: how a deck permit application and its inspections work, start to finish. What changes between Minnesota jurisdictions is below: who requires a permit, what they charge, and which office you file with.

Swipe sideways to see thresholds and confidence.

Locality	Permit required?	Typical threshold	Confidence
Minneapolis	Conditional	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	Confirmed on official page
Saint Paul	Conditional	height of a deck or platform above grade, where it is also not attached to a structure with frost footings and does not act as a landing outside an exterior door	Confirmed on official page
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Common questions about deck permits in Minnesota

Do I need a deck permit in Minnesota?: In Minnesota it depends on the size of the job. Permits are issued locally, so the answer comes from your Minnesota city or county rather than a single statewide rule. Of the 2 Minnesota jurisdictions we have verified for deck work, 0 require a permit outright, 2 depend on the size or scope of the job, and 0 require none.
Is there a deck permit exemption in Minnesota?: 2 of the 2 Minnesota jurisdictions we cover set a threshold rather than a flat rule, so the same job can be exempt in one Minnesota county and permitted in the next. The table above lists each Minnesota jurisdiction's published threshold in its own words, with the source and the date we verified it.

Do you need a deck permit in Minnesota?

Common questions about deck permits in Minnesota

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