Saint Paul, MN Building Safety: Building Inspections (2026)
Key Facts
- Certificate fee, single-family
- $540 inspection and certificate of compliance
- Certificate fee, two-family
- $678 inspection and certificate of compliance
- New construction
- No fee: inspected under the building permit
- Vacant remodel rate
- $152 single-family / $176 two-family
- Reinspection fee
- $85 per hour, one-hour minimum
Summary
Saint Paul's building official issues a certificate of compliance confirming a building meets Chapter 34's property maintenance standards, charging $540 for a single-family dwelling and $678 for a two-family dwelling inspection under § 33.06(a): separate from the fee-free final inspection new construction gets under its building permit.
(a)The building official may issue a certificate of compliance for any building or structure in Group R-3 or M occupancies when it is determined that such building or structure complies with the provisions of chapter 34 of the Saint Paul Legislative Code. The fee required for inspection of the property and issuance of a certificate of compliance shall be five hundred forty dollars ($540.00) for a single-family dwelling and six hundred seventy-eight dollars ($678.00) for a two-family dwelling and shall be paid upon application for a code compliance inspection.(c)There shall be no fee charged for the issuance of a certificate of compliance for new buildings at the completion of their construction covered by a building permit.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 133 Update 1).
Full Breakdown
Two different inspection pathways run through Chapter 33. 06(c) waives any certificate-of-compliance fee for new buildings at the completion of their construction covered by a building permit. 06(a): $540 to inspect and certify a single-family dwelling, $678 for a two-family dwelling, due when the code-compliance inspection is applied for. A discounted 'vacant total remodel compliance' inspection, tied to the demolition-phase inspection under an approved vacant-building agreement, runs $152 for a single-family dwelling and $176 for a two-family dwelling. 06(b): $712 for a three-family dwelling, $745 for a four-family dwelling and $779 for a five-unit building, on top of the certificate-of-occupancy fee.
06(d) lets the building official issue a certificate of compliance without a further inspection. 04(a) prices ordinary reinspections at $85 per hour (one-hour minimum) and after-hours inspections at $129 per hour (two-hour minimum), and any additional plan review triggered by revisions to approved plans is billed the same $85-per-hour rate.
Violations & Fines
Occupying or selling a building that requires a code-compliance inspection without obtaining the § 33.06 certificate exposes the owner to code enforcement action and, for buildings flagged as dangerous or nuisance structures under chapters 43 and 45, blocks any further building permit until the inspection and certificate are obtained. General violations of chapter 33 carry the misdemeanor penalty in § 33.09, capped citywide at $1,000 and 90 days under § 1.05.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need an inspection to sell my house in Saint Paul?
Does new construction need a separate paid inspection after the building permit?
What if my building already has a recent fire certificate of occupancy?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Saint Paul
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