Permits & Licenses

Building & Remodeling Permits

To help ensure that St. Louis Park's homes are safe and durable, permits are required for

• All new construction or additions
• Any remodeling that changes your home's structure, plumbing, mechanical or electrical systems.
• Disturbing more than 5,000 sq. ft. or moving more than 50 cubic yards of soil on or off a construction site
• Any construction near a wetland.

When you or your contractor apply for a construction permit, a city inspector will check the work to verify that it meets state and local construction codes.

Code requirements are the same whether a homeowner or contractor does the work. Most contractors must be licensed by the state or city before receiving a permit. Homeowners should not take out permits for contractors because the permit holder is the person who is held responsible for ensuring the work meets code requirements.

The cost of a permit is based on the type and amount of work to be done. Click here for examples of work that require a permit: City Permit Fees

No permit is needed for painting, wallpapering, replacing gutters or window sashes, or installing ceramic tile, carpeting or floor coverings.

Obtaining a permit will ensure that your project meets building and zoning codes. Working without a permit increases the likelihood that work will have to be redone because of code violation. It may also protect your investment. Without a building permit, you may find yourself defending shoddy or unsafe work. For example, if you remodel a wall where there is plumbing and the pipes break, your insurance company may ask for the permit. If you can't show the permit, you may not be covered for the damage.

For more information about construction permits, call the Inspections Department at (952) 924-2588.