Carver County, MN Building Safety: Building Permits (2026)

02, that code applies only "in the unincorporated areas of the county": incorporated cities inside Carver County run their own building departments, so this permit regime never reaches property inside a city. The Land Management Department is designated the county's Building Code Department, and enforcement runs through a Minnesota Certified Building Official appointed by the county, not a generalist code enforcement officer. 03(A) by the county's adopted fee schedule and the State Building Code, plus a surcharge fee collected on every permit issued for work the code governs.

03(B) is the operative "when required" trigger in practice: if work governed by the code has already started before a permit is obtained, the county collects an investigation fee on top of the normal permit fee, and paying it does not excuse the applicant from the code's other requirements or from any other penalty. 03(C) the Building Official may refund up to 80% of a paid permit fee when no work has been done, but only on a written application the original permittee files within 180 days of paying, and plan review fees are never refundable regardless of whether the project proceeds.