Building permits, zoning and land rules in Cottonwood County, Minnesota

At a glance

Building permit

Required for covered work; county setback permit also applies¹⁴

Setbacks

District and shoreland rules apply; published general guidance lists road and lot-line distances⁷⁸

Zoning

Yes in unincorporated areas; district, subdivision, lot-size and setback rules apply^9101112

Septic (SSTS)

Permit required for new and replacement systems; construction inspections also apply¹³¹⁴

RV or tiny-home living

County rules not confirmed; ask the Environmental Office before relying on either use¹⁵

Owner-builder

State contractor-license exemption available for qualifying owners; permits still apply¹⁶

Septic soils

About 7.6% of soils lack severe limits for a conventional drain field¹⁷

Who to call

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 4, 2026.

Do you need a building permit in Cottonwood County, Minnesota?

Cottonwood County requires a setback permit for buildings and structures in unincorporated areas; county guidance specifically includes new construction, home additions and decks, while excluding siding, shingling and window installation¹². Minnesota's State Building Code applies statewide to covered buildings and structures, and an owner or agent must obtain the required building permit before covered construction, alteration, repair, moving, demolition or occupancy changes³⁴. Covered work is subject to required inspections, and a covered building generally may not be occupied until the building official issues a certificate of occupancy⁵⁶. The county also may inspect a building after a formal unsafe-building complaint¹⁸. Ask the Environmental Office which building official handles the project. A qualifying owner-builder may be exempt from contractor licensing, but permits, inspections and occupancy approval still apply¹⁶.

Who handles Cottonwood County building and zoning permits?

The Cottonwood County Environmental Office administers planning, zoning, subdivision regulations, setback permits and floodplain information¹⁹. The Planning and Zoning contact is at 210 10th St in Windom, with phone 507-832-8287 ext. 8868 and email alex.schultz@cottonwoodcountymn.gov¹⁹. The county's instructions say to begin a setback-permit application by contacting the Planning and Zoning Technician²⁰. Published setback-permit fees run from $20 through $100 according to estimated construction cost, and every fee doubles if work starts before approval²¹. The application requires blueprints and asks about septic construction for new houses, additions and shops with floor drains¹. Because covered work also requires a State Building Code permit and inspections, ask the Environmental Office to identify the building official and required inspection sequence before filing⁴⁵.

Does Cottonwood County have zoning?

Yes. Cottonwood County zoning applies outside incorporated municipal limits, except to land owned or leased by the federal or state government⁹. County materials publish Floodplain, Agricultural, Residential, Commercial, Industrial and Shoreland district sections²². The ordinance establishes district-specific minimum lot sizes and front, rear and side-yard setbacks¹¹⁷. General county guidance lists a 65-foot road-right-of-way setback and 10-foot side and rear setbacks; confirm which district or shoreland standard controls the parcel⁸⁷. A plat is required for three contiguous splits of 2.5 acres or less, and preliminary plats must reach the Planning Commission at least 10 days before its meeting¹². The verified 20% lot-coverage cap applies only to mobile-home parks, not ordinary parcels²³. Minimum dwelling size, general lot coverage, building height, accessory dwellings and short-term rentals remain unconfirmed; give the Environmental Office the parcel number and intended use.

How do septic permits work in Cottonwood County?

The Cottonwood County Environmental Office administers SSTS rules countywide except in towns and cities with conforming local programs²⁴. Homeowners installing new or replacement systems must submit the Cottonwood County Septic Application, and covered repairs also require a permit²⁵²⁶. A valid SSTS permit must come before the county setback permit when construction requires septic approval²⁶. The application includes property information, a site evaluation, a design report, a management plan, and designer and installer licensing information; a conforming application is reviewed within 15 business days, and the permit is valid for 2 years²⁶. In-field verification is required before the certificate of compliance, and construction cannot begin before the construction permit is granted²⁷. Only about 7.6% of Cottonwood County soils lack severe limitations for a conventional drain field, so make the soil and site evaluation an early purchase contingency¹⁷.

Can you live in an RV or tiny home in Cottonwood County?

Cottonwood County has not confirmed whether long-term RV occupancy or tiny-home occupancy is allowed on a private parcel. The county does have zoning districts and land-use requirements, so ask the Environmental Office about the parcel's district, dwelling standards, sanitation plan and any time limit before buying or moving a unit onto the land¹⁵¹⁹. Minnesota's recreational-camping-area license applies to an area accommodating 5 or more tents or recreational vehicles and does not settle the rule for one RV on private land²⁸. A manufactured home installed for occupancy must meet the applicable federal installation inspection program, and alterations require documentation submitted before work begins²⁹. Off-grid sanitation also remains regulated: disposal from primitive-dwelling waste devices must follow local ordinances and state safeguards³⁰.

Building a home in Cottonwood County: what are the steps?

1. Contact the Environmental Office with the parcel number and proposed use to confirm the zoning district, minimum lot size, overlays and applicable setbacks¹⁹¹¹⁷.
2. Have the septic site evaluated early because only about 7.6% of county soils lack severe limits for a conventional drain field¹⁷.
3. Submit the required SSTS application and obtain the septic permit before seeking a setback permit for construction that needs septic approval²⁶.
4. Arrange the required septic construction inspection and in-field verification before the certificate of compliance¹⁴²⁷.
5. Contact the Planning and Zoning Technician and apply for the setback permit before new construction, a home addition or a deck³¹².
6. Submit the required blueprints and complete any applicable shoreland erosion-control steps¹.
7. Identify the building official, obtain the State Building Code permit for covered work and follow the required inspection sequence⁴⁵.
8. Obtain the required certificate of occupancy before using a covered building⁶.
9. Obtain road-authority approval if the project adds access to a public highway³².

What should you check before buying land in Cottonwood County?

Start with buildability, not the listing description: confirm the zoning district, setbacks, legal road access, floodplain status and whether the proposed home type is allowed^1583233. Make septic feasibility a purchase contingency because only about 7.6% of county soils lack severe limitations for a conventional drain field¹⁷. The landscape is mostly gentle, with about 99% of land at 15% slope or less, but flat ground alone does not establish septic suitability³⁴. Recent farmland value is about $8,224 per acre, while the typical home value is about $169,765³⁵³⁶. The effective property-tax rate is about 1.1%, the median annual property-tax bill is about $1,737, and typical annual home insurance is about $1,780³⁷³⁸³⁹. Ask the Environmental Office about private-well requirements because the county has not confirmed them.

Watch-outs

• A county SSTS permit must come before a setback permit when the construction project requires septic approval, and in-field verification comes before the certificate of compliance²⁶²⁷.
• Only about 7.6% of Cottonwood County soils lack severe limits for a conventional drain field, so complete the site and soil evaluation before fixing the house location¹⁷.
• Covered construction requires a State Building Code permit, required inspections and a certificate of occupancy; ask the Environmental Office to identify the building official before filing⁴⁵⁶¹⁹.

Sources

1. Cottonwood County Zoning Ordinance No. 28, Sections 1–3, quoted and re-checked
2. Setback Permit Info, quoted and re-checked
3. Minnesota Administrative Rules, Chapter 1300, Building Code, quoted and re-checked
4. Minnesota Administrative Rules, Part 1300.0120, Permits, quoted and re-checked
5. Minnesota Administrative Rules, Building inspections, quoted and re-checked
6. Minnesota Administrative Rules, Part 1300.0220, Certificate of Occupancy, quoted and re-checked
7. Cottonwood County Zoning Ordinance No. 28, Sections 1–3, quoted and re-checked
8. Setback Permit Info, quoted and re-checked
9. Cottonwood County Zoning Ordinance No. 28, Sections 1–3, quoted and re-checked
10. Ordinances, quoted and re-checked
11. Cottonwood County Zoning Ordinance No. 28, Sections 1–3, quoted and re-checked
12. Cottonwood County Zoning Ordinance No. 28, Sections 1–3, quoted and re-checked
13. Chapter 7082, Local ISTS Programs, quoted and re-checked
14. Chapter 7082, Local ISTS Programs, quoted and re-checked
15. Ordinances (2026 county census)
16. revisor.mn.gov (Minnesota statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
17. 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
18. cms5.revize.com, quoted and re-checked
19. Cottonwood County Environmental Office (Planning and Zoning) (cottonwoodcountymn.gov)
20. Cottonwood County Environmental Office (Setback Permits) (cottonwoodcountymn.gov)
21. Cottonwood County Building Setback Permit Application, quoted and re-checked
22. Ordinances, quoted and re-checked
23. Cottonwood County Zoning Ordinance No. 28, Section 11: General Regulations, quoted and re-checked
24. Ordinances, quoted and re-checked
25. Minnesota Administrative Rule 7082.0500, Permit Program for SSTS, quoted and re-checked
26. Cottonwood County Subsurface Sewage Treatment System Ordinance No. 38, quoted and re-checked
27. Minnesota Administrative Rule 7082.0500, Permit Program for SSTS, quoted and re-checked
28. 2025 Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 327 (Minnesota statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
29. Manufactured home information (Minnesota statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
30. Minnesota Administrative Rules, part 7080.2450 Maintenance (Minnesota statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
31. Setback Permit Info, quoted and re-checked
32. Minnesota Statutes, section 160.18: Access to roads; approaches (Minnesota statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
33. Floodplain Regulations (Minnesota statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
34. Share of land at 15% slope or less: Bolthole Index county data
35. Farmland value per acre (USDA census): Bolthole Index county data
36. Typical home value (Zillow): Bolthole Index county data
37. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
38. Median property tax bill: Bolthole Index county data
39. Typical home insurance premium: Bolthole Index county data

Written October 4, 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.