Building permits in Saint Paul, Minnesota
Of the 10 common home projects we have verified in Saint Paul, 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 Saint Paul
City of Saint Paul Department of Safety and Inspections (DSI)
- Department of Safety and Inspections, 375 Jackson Street, Suite 220, Saint Paul, MN 55101-1806
- Phone: 651-266-8989
- Email: DSI-BuildingPlanReview@ci.stpaul.mn.us
- Official permit page
- Permit portal
- Official fee schedule
Look up a permit in Saint Paul
Saint Paul runs an online permit portal. Many local portals let you check application status, search permit records, and view inspection results without calling the office.
What needs a permit in Saint Paul
Of the 10 common home projects we have verified in Saint Paul, 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 | 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 | ...(Section 33.04 of the Saint Paul Legislative Code, Effective: 2/25/2023): $36.00... |
| Electrical Permit | Permit required | Any size | Sec. 33.04(g)(4) sets a minimum permit fee of $85.00 for one-family dwelling electrical... |
| Fence Permit | Permit required | Any size | ...33.04(g)(17), line item "Fences permit/plan review": "Forty-five dollars ($45.00)... |
| HVAC Permit | Permit required | Any size | ...Inspections and Fees page: "For each warm air heating system, the permit fee is $85... |
| Patio Permit | It depends | Before roofing, enclosing or building over a patio, before any patio work in a heritage... | ...a general building permit priced from the valuation table in Sec. 33.04(a) ($36.00... |
| Plumbing Permit | Permit required | Any size | ...Fees page (last edited March 3, 2026) and Sec. 33.04(g)(7): initial permit fee $92... |
| Pool Permit | It depends | water capacity of an in-ground or above ground swimming pool; the prefabricated pool exemption additionally requires the pool to be no more than 24 inches deep and installed entirely above ground | The pool building permit is priced from the valuation table in Sec. 33.04(a), published... |
| Roof Replacement Permit | Permit required | Any size | A reroof is a general building permit priced on valuation under Sec. 33.04(a), published... |
| Shed Permit | It depends | floor area of a one-story detached accessory structure used as a tool or storage shed, playhouse or similar use | ...33.04 of the Saint Paul Legislative Code, Effective: 2/25/2023): "Up to $2,000.00... |
| Solar Permit | Permit required | Any size | Electrical, Sec. 33.04(g)(4)k "Renewable energy (solar, wind, etc.)": $151.00 for 0 to... |
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Saint Paul permit fees compared with nearby Minnesota localities
| Minnesota locality | Deck Permit | HVAC Permit | Electrical Permit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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... |
| Minneapolis | ...grade or attaches to the structure, minimum $84.20... | ...scope: Level 1 misc HVAC work with no burner $84.20... | See schedule |
Each cell is the opening clause of that Minnesota jurisdiction's own fee schedule; the full wording and source sit on each permit page.
Saint Paul permit questions, answered from the data
- Do you need a permit in Saint Paul?
- For most projects, yes. Of the 10 permit types we have verified for Saint Paul, 6 always require a permit (for example an electrical permit), 4 depend on size or scope (a deck permit, for instance). Each Saint Paul permit type's page states the exact rule and its source.
- How much does a permit cost in Saint Paul?
- Saint Paul 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 Saint Paul Department of Safety and Inspections (DSI); we do not estimate or mark them up.
- Where do you apply for a permit in Saint Paul?
- City of Saint Paul Department of Safety and Inspections (DSI) issues permits in Saint Paul, with an online portal for applications, plan uploads and status checks, and takes questions at 651-266-8989. The Saint Paul official page and portal are linked in the office section above.
How the Saint Paul pages were verified. 10 permit types, 6 distinct official sources, most recently checked . Every rule is read from City of Saint Paul Department of Safety and Inspections (DSI) or the applicable code and cited on its page; anything we could not confirm for Saint Paul is marked rather than estimated. How we verify.