Bolthole Index

Washington County, Minnesota

Building permits, zoning and septic rules in Woodbury, Minnesota

Woodbury, Minnesota requires a building permit through the city's combination-permit system, issued by the City's Building Inspections division1. The City also sets its own zoning2. Septic permits for homes not on city sewer are issued through Washington County's health department, not the city3. Living in an RV as an independent dwelling is prohibited inside city limits4.

At a glance

Building permit
Required; one combination permit covers related trades1
Zoning
Woodbury's own zoning ordinance, by district25
Septic
Washington County Department of Health issues the septic permit3
RV as a dwelling
Prohibited as an independent dwelling4
Owner-builder
Minnesota lets owners build their own residence without a contractor license, with limits6
Permit applications
Submitted through the City's online permitting portal7

Who to call

Building permits

City of Woodbury Building Inspections

Building permits and inspections inside Woodbury city limits

651-714-3543

8301 Valley Creek Road, Woodbury, MN 55125

Septic permits

Washington County Public Health and Environment - Septic (SSTS)

Septic (SSTS) permits and inspections, including for addresses inside Woodbury

651-430-6655

septic@washingtoncountymn.gov

Washington County Government Center, Room 4600, 14949 62nd Street North, Stillwater, MN 55082

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 23, 2026.

Off-grid gear

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

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Do you need a building permit in Woodbury, Minnesota?

Yes. Woodbury uses a combination permit system, so a general contractor or a homeowner doing their own work receives one permit covering the related project types1. Separate permits are issued only when no related work is being done1. Minnesota's State Building Code applies statewide8, and Minnesota law lets an owner build or improve their own residence without a residential contractor license if they will occupy it, though not for resale or speculation6. Homeowners may do electrical work on their own residence only within limits set by state law9. We could not confirm whether Woodbury has a farm-building exemption, so ask Building Inspections before you build an agricultural structure.

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

The City of Woodbury's Building Inspections division handles building permits inside city limits, at 8301 Valley Creek Road, phone 651-714-354310. Residential and commercial applications go through the City's online permitting portal7. Fees are published in the City's residential fee schedule; the plan check fee is 65 percent of the building permit fee and is added on top11. Washington County does not issue building permits here: its own guidance sends building-permit questions to the city or township where the property sits10.

Does Woodbury have zoning, and what does it mean for RVs and lot size?

Woodbury has its own zoning ordinance, which sets the allowed uses, height, building size and lot sizes for each zoning district2. District boundaries appear on the City's zoning map5. Minimum lot size and setbacks depend on the district, so look up your parcel's district before you plan a house or outbuilding1213. City code states that no garage, tent, trailer, basement, recreational vehicle or accessory building may be used as an independent dwelling4. We could not confirm rules for tiny homes, accessory dwellings or temporary camping in the City's materials, so call City planning staff before relying on any of them.

How do septic permits work in Woodbury?

Most Woodbury addresses are on city water and sewer through the Utility Division14. Properties not on sewer lines use private septic systems, and installing one needs a separate building permit that conforms to state and city codes15. The City's fee schedule says the septic permit is issued through the Washington County Department of Health3; reach the county's septic office at 651-430-665516. The county lists a single-family installation permit at $86816. Minnesota requires inspection of new or replacement septic systems17. Not every soil suits a conventional drain field: about 7% of soils in Washington County rate as not limited for one, so expect a site evaluation18.

Building a home in Woodbury: the steps, in order

  1. Find your parcel's zoning district on the City's zoning map and confirm the use is allowed5.
  2. If the lot is not on city sewer, apply to Washington County for septic review first3.
  3. Submit your building permit application through the City's permitting portal7.
  4. Expect plan check and state surcharge fees on top of the permit fee11.
  5. Call Building Inspections at 651-714-3543 with questions10.

What stays with Washington County, and what to check before you buy in Woodbury

Septic permits come from Washington County rather than the city3. The county's own zoning and permit rules cover unincorporated land outside Woodbury; see the Washington County page for those. Washington County's effective property tax rate is about 1%19, and a typical home is valued around $451,45820. Floodplain construction needs a permit under Minnesota rules21, and a driveway onto a state highway needs MnDOT approval22.

Watch-outs

  • We could not confirm Woodbury's rules on tiny homes, accessory dwellings, certificates of occupancy or well permits; ask City planning and Building Inspections before you buy7.
  • A property inside Woodbury follows city zoning, not Washington County's Development Code for unincorporated land2.
  • Lot size and setbacks vary by zoning district, so confirm your parcel's district before closing12.

Sources

  1. Building Permits & Inspections | Woodbury, MN (Woodbury), quoted and re-checked
  2. Zoning & Land Use | Woodbury, MN (Woodbury), quoted and re-checked
  3. Residential Building Permit Fees (Woodbury), quoted and re-checked
  4. City Code, Chapter 24—Zoning (Woodbury), quoted and re-checked
  5. Zoning & Land Use | Woodbury, MN (Woodbury), quoted and re-checked
  6. revisor.mn.gov (2026 county census)
  7. Building Permits & Inspections | Woodbury, MN (Woodbury), quoted and re-checked
  8. 2025 Minnesota Statutes, section 326B.121 (Minnesota statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  9. Building Permits & Inspections | Woodbury, MN (Woodbury), quoted and re-checked
  10. City of Woodbury Building Inspections (woodburymn.gov)
  11. Residential Building Permit Fees (Woodbury), quoted and re-checked
  12. Zoning & Land Use | Woodbury, MN (Woodbury), quoted and re-checked
  13. Development Review Process | Woodbury, MN (Woodbury), quoted and re-checked
  14. Sewer | Woodbury, MN (Woodbury), quoted and re-checked
  15. Sewer | Woodbury, MN (Woodbury), quoted and re-checked
  16. Washington County Public Health and Environment - Septic (SSTS) (washingtoncountymn.gov)
  17. 2025 Minnesota Statutes, section 115.55: Subsurface Sewage Treatment Systems (Minnesota statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  18. 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
  19. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  20. Typical home value (Zillow): Bolthole Index county data
  21. Floodplain Regulations (Minnesota statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  22. Access / Driveway Permit (Minnesota statewide rule), quoted and re-checked

Written October 23, 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 Woodbury

Woodbury’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    Residential and commercial project types covered by Woodbury's combination-permit system inside city limits.

    • Separate permits are issued only when no related work is being done.
    “A combination permit system is used in Woodbury. General contractors, or homeowners doing their own work, are issued a permit that will include all permit fees associated with the following project types:”
  • Owner-builder exemptionConditional

    Electrical work by an owner on a residence the owner owns and occupies, or will occupy when construction is complete, inside Woodbury city limits.

    • The City page states that Minnesota law limits this homeowner electrical-work allowance.
    “Minnesota law requires all electrical work to be performed by licensed, bonded and insured electrical contractors. Homeowners, within certain limits, may perform electrical work on premises the person owns and occupies as a residence, or owns and will occupy as a residence, upon completion of construction per Minnesota Statutes 326B.31, subdivision 23.”
  • InspectionsLimited

    Initial installation and replacement of backflow and RPZ devices inside Woodbury city limits.

    • The evidence establishes an inspection requirement for backflow and RPZ devices, not all building work.
    “Backflow and RPZ devices require a permit and inspection for initial installation and replacement.”
  • Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

    Land inside Woodbury city limits.

    • The city periodically reviews and revises its zoning ordinances; revisions are reviewed by the Planning Commission and acted on by City Council after a public hearing.
    “The purpose of the Zoning Ordinance is to ensure orderly development and land management of the city. It regulates the types of uses which can occur in each zoning district as well as the specific development standards for each zoning district, which control such details as height, size and use of buildings and lot sizes.”
  • Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

    Zoning districts inside Woodbury city limits.

    • District boundaries are depicted on the City's zoning map.
    “The district boundaries are depicted on a zoning map.”
  • Minimum lot sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Development in Woodbury zoning districts; exact residential-district measurements were not extracted in this research.

    • The applicable minimum depends on the zoning district.
    “It regulates the types of uses which can occur in each zoning district as well as the specific development standards for each zoning district, which control such details as height, size and use of buildings and lot sizes.”
  • SetbacksDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Development in Woodbury zoning districts; exact residential-district measurements were not extracted in this research.

    • The applicable minimum depends on the zoning district.
    “These ordinances identify which uses may be located on a parcel of land according to its zoning designation (i.e., residential, office, industrial) and the minimum standards for development, such as lot size, setbacks, and the like.”
  • Building heightDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Development in Woodbury zoning districts; exact residential-district measurements were not extracted in this research.

    • The applicable standard depends on the zoning district.
    “It regulates the types of uses which can occur in each zoning district as well as the specific development standards for each zoning district, which control such details as height, size and use of buildings and lot sizes.”
  • Living in an RVProhibited

    Use of a recreational vehicle as an independent dwelling inside Woodbury city limits.

    “No garage, tent, trailer, basement, recreational vehicle or accessory building shall be used as an independent dwelling.”
  • Septic permitRequired

    Installation of a private on-site septic system on properties not served by sewer lines inside Woodbury city limits.

    • The septic system must conform to state and city codes.
    • The City page separately identifies Washington County Department of Health as the septic-system issuer.
    “Those properties not on sewer lines utilize private on-site septic systems. A separate building permit is required to install a septic system that conforms to state and city codes.”
  • Off-grid sanitationLimited

    Private on-site sanitation on Woodbury properties not served by sewer lines.

    • A separate building permit is required.
    • The septic system must conform to state and city codes.
    “Those properties not on sewer lines utilize private on-site septic systems. A separate building permit is required to install a septic system that conforms to state and city codes.”
  • Mandatory utility hookupConditional

    Water and sanitary-sewer service inside Woodbury city limits.

    • Most residents are served by the City's Utility Division.
    • Properties not on sewer lines use private on-site septic systems; the source does not provide an availability distance or a mandatory-connection threshold.
    “Water and sanitary sewer services are provided to most Woodbury residents by the city's Utility Division.”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Subdivision and preliminary-plat development applications inside Woodbury city limits.

    • A neighborhood meeting may be required for a preliminary plat within or adjacent to a residential zoning district.
    • The City page states state law allows up to 120 days for City action after an application is accepted for processing.
    “While the Comprehensive Plan illustrates how Woodbury is to develop in general, the zoning and subdivision ordinances, establish specific standards development must meet.”
  • Driveway accessLimited

    Installation or repair of commercial driveway aprons in City-owned right-of-way inside Woodbury city limits.

    • The requirement applies to any work in City-owned right-of-way and includes commercial driveway aprons.
    “The City of Woodbury requires a right-of-way permit to be issued for any work in city-owned right-of-way. This includes, but is not limited to: any excavation related to the installation or repair of private utility facilities (gas, electric, cable, telephone, fiber optic, etc.), obstructing the right-of-way, sewer or water service repair in the right-of-way, installing or repairing commercial driveway aprons.”
  • Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

    Residential construction permits inside Woodbury city limits.

    • The fee guide is subject to change.
    • The plan-check fee is in addition to the permit fee.

    plan check fee: 65 percent of building permit fee (addition to permit fee) · state surcharge: 0.0005 times valuation of structure · sewer inspection service: 50 USD · water service inspection: 50 USD

    “2. Plan Check Fee: 65% of the building permit fee. (Note: This is an addition to the permit fee) 3. State Surcharge: Valuation of structure X 0.0005 = state surcharge [...] 6. Sewer Inspection Service: $50 7. Water Service Inspection: $50”
  • Permit processPublished (with conditions)

    Residential and commercial building-permit applications inside Woodbury city limits.

    • Residential and commercial building-permit submittals should be made through the permitting portal.
    • Commercial applications may require listed external approvals before permit issuance.
    “All residential and commercial building permit submittals should be made through the permitting portal.”

Rules another office applies inside Woodbury

Woodbury does not set these itself; the county, a health district or the state does, and they apply to every address inside its limits.

  • Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

    Private septic systems serving land inside Woodbury city limits.

    • The City fee schedule identifies the Washington County Department of Health as the issuing body.
    “13. Septic System: Issued through Washington County Department of Health 651-430-6655”

Still unanswered

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

  • Building code adopted — Construction inside Woodbury city limits.
  • Certificate of occupancy — Buildings inside Woodbury city limits.
  • Minimum dwelling size — Residential dwellings inside Woodbury city limits.
  • Lot coverage — Residential development inside Woodbury city limits.
  • Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land inside Woodbury city limits.
8 more unanswered
  • Tiny homes
  • Manufactured homes
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Septic inspection
  • Well permit
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Building in a floodplain
  • 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 Woodbury publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Washington County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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