Bolthole Index

Anoka County, Minnesota

Building permits, zoning and septic rules in Blaine, Minnesota

Inside Blaine, Minnesota, the city requires a building permit for new residential construction1 and runs its own zoning, enforced by the city's Zoning Administrator2. Anoka County does not issue building permits3, and septic permitting in Anoka County cities is done at the city level rather than by the county4. Blaine's published fee schedule starts building permits at a $75 minimum, plus a state surcharge5.

At a glance

Building permit
Required for new residential construction inside Blaine; issued by the City of Blaine1
Who issues permits
The city, not Anoka County3
Zoning
City zoning ordinance, enforced by Blaine's Zoning Administrator2
Septic
Permitting is done at the city level in Anoka County cities4
Permit fees
Building permits start at a $75 minimum plus a state surcharge5
Floodplain
Fill in a floodplain is generally not allowed; fill activities need permits6

Who to call

Building permits

City of Blaine Building Inspections

Residential building permits, inspections and scheduling inside Blaine

763-785-6177

building@blainemn.gov

10801 Town Square Drive NE, Blaine, MN 55449

Zoning

City of Blaine Planning Department

Zoning ordinance, zoning and land-use map, and planning applications inside Blaine

763-785-6180

10801 Town Square Drive NE, Blaine, MN 55449

Septic permits

City of Blaine septic contact (Building Inspections)

City contact listed for septic system questions; county says septic permitting in cities is done at the city level

763-717-2657

10801 Town Square Drive NE, Blaine, MN 55449

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 24, 2026.

Off-grid gear

Going off-grid in Blaine means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

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Do you need a building permit in Blaine, Minnesota?

Yes. The City of Blaine states that a building permit is needed for any new construction1, and the city's permit types include single-family homes, garages and pole barns, decks, fences, driveways and septic information7. The city also notes that emergency repairs may be made first, with the permit obtained afterward and the work inspected before it is covered8.

Blaine follows the Minnesota State Building Code, which Minnesota law makes the statewide construction standard9. We could not confirm which code edition Blaine has adopted or whether the city has an owner-builder exemption, so ask the building office before you start.

Who issues building permits in Blaine, and how do you reach them?

The City of Blaine issues building permits for land inside its limits. Anoka County does not: the county states that it does not issue permits or inspect permitted projects, and that each city oversees issuance and final approval3. Call the City of Blaine building inspections office or use the city's online residential permit system7.

Blaine's fee schedule sets a minimum building permit fee of $75 for valuations from $1 to $500, and the state surcharge is added5. Fees grow with the total valuation of the project5. Contractors register with the city before pulling permits7.

Does Blaine have zoning, and what does it mean for RVs, tiny homes and setbacks?

Yes. Blaine has its own zoning ordinance, enforced by the Zoning Administrator2, and publishes a current zoning ordinance and zoning and land-use map10. Anoka County confirms that zoning and planning in the county are handled by municipalities11.

We could not confirm Blaine's rules for living in an RV, camping on private land, tiny homes, accessory dwellings, minimum lot size or setbacks. Look up your parcel's district on the city's zoning map, then ask Blaine Planning before you buy12. Do not assume a rule from a neighboring city or from the county's shoreland ordinance, which covers only unincorporated land13.

How do septic permits work inside Blaine?

Anoka County says it holds no records for private septic systems in its municipalities and that all septic permitting is done at the city level4. For a Blaine address, call the City of Blaine, which lists a septic contact on its residential permits page14. Minnesota's statewide framework lets counties, cities and townships issue construction permits for most septic systems15.

We could not confirm the city's step-by-step septic permit requirements or whether a new home must connect to city sewer and water, so ask before you buy a lot. Across Anoka County, only about 3% of soils rate as not limited for a conventional drain field, so plan on a site evaluation and possibly an engineered system16.

Can you live in an RV or tiny home on your land in Blaine?

We could not confirm. Blaine's zoning ordinance is the document that decides it, and we did not find operative text on RV occupancy, temporary camping or tiny-home occupancy inside the city. Ask Blaine Planning in writing and get the answer for your specific zoning district before you buy or park anything12.

The county's RV and camping language applies to commercial campground developments in unincorporated shorelands, not to a lot inside a city, so it does not answer this question17.

Building a home in Blaine: the steps, in order

  1. Look up the parcel's zoning district on the city's zoning and land-use map and confirm with Blaine Planning what is allowed there10.
  2. For a subdivision or other planning application, contact the Planning Department first; applications are not complete without payment18.
  3. Ask the city about septic and sewer or water connection for the lot4.
  4. Apply for the building permit from the City of Blaine1.
  5. Check any driveway or right-of-way work: private driveways are exempt from the city's right-of-way permit only if the work does not alter the roadway surface or curbing19.
  6. Schedule inspections with the city, and have all work inspected before it is covered8.

What to check before you buy land in Blaine

Flood and fill: the city states that fill is generally not allowed within a floodplain, and fill activities require permits6. Driveways: a new driveway onto an Anoka County road needs a county access permit after a site review, and a residential single driveway permit is listed at $17520. Taxes: Anoka County's effective property tax rate is about 1% and the median property tax bill is $3,099 a year2122.

For land outside Blaine's city limits, see the Anoka County page, because county and township rules differ from the city's.

Watch-outs

  • We could not confirm Blaine's rules on RVs, tiny homes, accessory dwellings, lot size or setbacks, so ask Blaine Planning before you buy12.
  • The city's septic permit requirements were not confirmed; call the city before relying on a septic plan, since Anoka County does not permit septic systems in its cities4.
  • A change in ownership or tenant of a commercial or industrial building in Blaine requires a Certificate of Occupancy23.

Sources

  1. Residential Construction Permits | Blaine, MN (Blaine), quoted and re-checked
  2. § 27.06. Enforcement, Blaine Zoning Ordinance (Blaine), quoted and re-checked
  3. Permits & New Construction, quoted and re-checked
  4. Environmental Services, quoted and re-checked
  5. Fee Schedule - Effective January 1, 2026 | Blaine, MN (Blaine), quoted and re-checked
  6. Floodplains | Blaine, MN (Blaine), quoted and re-checked
  7. City of Blaine Building Inspections (blainemn.gov)
  8. When is a Permit Required | Blaine, MN (Blaine), quoted and re-checked
  9. 2025 Minnesota Statutes, section 326B.121 (Minnesota statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  10. Zoning Information | Blaine, MN (Blaine), quoted and re-checked
  11. Zoning & Planning, quoted and re-checked
  12. City of Blaine Planning Department (blainemn.gov)
  13. Ordinance #2022-1 Shoreland Management Ordinance, quoted and re-checked
  14. City of Blaine septic contact (Building Inspections) (blainemn.gov)
  15. SSTS design (Minnesota statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  16. Share of soils USDA rates "not limited" for a conventional septic drain field (SSURGO). A strict rating: the median county is about 6% and a tenth of counties are 0%, so a low figure means most lots need a site evaluation or an engineered system, not that septic is impossible. Cite it only with that caveat: Bolthole Index county data
  17. Ordinance #2022-1 Shoreland Management Ordinance, quoted and re-checked
  18. Applications, Permits, and Registration | Blaine, MN (Blaine), quoted and re-checked
  19. Driveway & Construction Right of Way Permits | Blaine, MN (Blaine), quoted and re-checked
  20. Access Permits, quoted and re-checked
  21. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  22. Median property tax bill: Bolthole Index county data
  23. Permitting | Blaine, MN (Blaine), quoted and re-checked

Written October 24, 2026 from the rules quoted below, each taken from an official source and re-checked by an independent reviewer. This is research, not legal advice: rules change, so confirm with the office before you buy or build.

Answers from the rulebook for Blaine

Blaine’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    New residential construction inside Blaine city limits.

    • The City identifies stated permit exceptions separately.
    “A building permit is needed for any new construction including:”
  • InspectionsLimited

    Emergency repairs for construction inside Blaine city limits.

    • The necessary permit must be obtained after emergency work within a reasonable timeframe.
    • All work must be inspected before it is covered.
    “All work must be inspected prior to covering.”
  • Certificate of occupancyRequired

    A change in ownership or tenant of a commercial or industrial building inside Blaine city limits.

    • The program addresses safe occupancy and compliance with City and Minnesota State Building and Fire Codes.
    “Any change in ownership or tenant of commercial/industrial buildings requires a Certificate of Occupancy be obtained.”
  • Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

    Land inside Blaine city limits.

    • The Zoning Administrator enforces the ordinance.
    “Enforcing Officer. It shall be the duty of the Zoning Administrator to cause the provisions of this ordinance to be properly enforced through the proper legal channels.”
  • Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

    Zoning districts inside Blaine city limits.

    • The City makes a current zoning and land-use map available.
    “Zoning Information View Current Zoning Ordinance View Current Zoning and Land Use Map”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Subdivision applications inside Blaine city limits.

    • Applicants are directed to contact Planning before submitting.
    • Applications are incomplete without payment.
    • Certain planning items may require more than one City Council meeting.
    “Before completing and/or submitting an application, please contact the Planning Department to discuss your project needs. Applications will not be considered complete without payment.”
  • Driveway accessLimited

    Work involving private driveways and City public rights-of-way inside Blaine city limits.

    • Private-driveway installation, modification, or replacement is exempt only when it does not alter the roadway surface or curbing.
    • Driveways must comply with driveway standards.
    • County and state-owned rights-of-way inside city limits are governed by those agencies' rules.
    “Installing, modifying, or replacing private driveways, provided it does not require any alterations or modifications to the roadway surface or curbing”
  • Building in a floodplainRequired

    Fill activities in floodplains inside Blaine city limits.

    • Generally, fill is not allowed within a floodplain.
    • If fill is allowed, its volume must be compensated within the same area.
    • The City identifies CCWD and the City as entities that can prevent or minimize flood damage potential.
    “Generally, within a floodplain no fill is allowed. If fill is allowed, the volume must be compensated within the same area. Therefore, fill activities require permits”
  • Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

    City building permits inside Blaine city limits.

    • Applicable state surcharge is required.
    • The source title states the schedule is effective January 1, 2026.
    • Fees are determined by total valuation.

    minimum building permit fee: 75 USD (For $1 to $500 valuation, plus applicable state surcharge.)

    “Building Permits (applicable state surcharge also required) [...] $1 to $500 | Minimum fee $75”
  • Permit processPublished (with conditions)

    Planning applications, including subdivision applications, inside Blaine city limits.

    • Applicants should contact Planning before submission.
    • Applications are not complete without payment.
    • Credit-card payments incur a 3% fee.
    • Planning Commission and Council meeting dates are subject to change.

    credit card fee: 3 percent (During the online application process.)

    “Applications will not be considered complete without payment. [...] credit cards will incur a 3% fee”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Blaine or Anoka County directly.

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residences inside Blaine city limits.
  • Building code adopted — Construction inside Blaine city limits.
  • Minimum dwelling size — Residential zoning districts inside Blaine city limits.
  • Minimum lot size — Residential zoning districts inside Blaine city limits.
  • Setbacks — Residential zoning districts inside Blaine city limits.
13 more unanswered
  • Lot coverage
  • Building height
  • Living in an RV
  • Camping on your land
  • Tiny homes
  • Manufactured homes
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Septic permit
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • Mandatory utility hookup
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Short-term rentals

Each answer was extracted from an official source and independently re-checked against that source by a second reviewer. That is an evidence check, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with the authority before you buy or build.

Unanswered questions are usually a sign that Blaine publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Anoka County’s page lists the county offices to call.

← All of Anoka County: county rules, score and offices