The Building Division administers the Minnesota State Building Codes and ensures that all construction in the unincorporated areas of the county complies with building regulations. The division performs field inspections of residential and commercial structures, including fireplaces, footings, foundations, heating, plumbing and structural components.
Building permits/online permitting system
All construction projects in Rice County's unincorporated areas require a building permit. Find building permit fact sheets in the Required information documents section below.
Permits are also required for demolition of existing structures.
All permits must be applied for online. For other information and to access the county's online permitting system, visit the Online Permitting page.
Note: Rice County does not handle building or zoning issues for properties located within the following incorporated areas: the cities of Dundas, Faribault, Lonsdale, Morristown and Northfield, and Bridgewater Township. Contact the specific city in which the property lies for more information. Bridgewater Township can be reached at 507-645-1656.