Local rules and regulations for Dakota County, Minnesota. Population: 439,882.
Verified from official government sources
Select a topic to see Dakota County's rules on that subject.
Dakota County restricts vehicle noise inside its parks: Ordinance 107 bans operating any vehicle that emits excessive or unusual noise. On public roads, vehicle noise and muffler rules come from Minnesota state law and city enforcement, not a county ordinance.
Dakota County has no countywide construction-hours ordinance. Minnesota's MPCA daytime noise standard (60 dBA L50, 7 a.m.-10 p.m.) sets the baseline, and each city restricts construction start/stop times, commonly 7 a.m. to allowed evening hours.
Dakota County uses Minnesota's statewide MPCA decibel standard (Minn. R. 7030). In residential areas the L50 limit is 60 dBA daytime and 50 dBA at night, with L10 limits of 65 and 55 dBA. The county sets no separate decibel ordinance.
Dakota County sets no general quiet-hours ordinance. Minnesota's statewide MPCA noise standard (Minn. R. 7030) applies everywhere, allowing 60 dBA daytime and 50 dBA at night in residential areas; your city enforces it and may add stricter local quiet hours.
Dakota County sets no leaf-blower ordinance. Leaf-blower noise falls under Minnesota's MPCA daytime standard (60 dBA L50, 7 a.m.-10 p.m.) and any hour or decibel limits your city chooses to adopt and enforce.
Industrial noise in Dakota County is governed by Minnesota's MPCA standard (Minn. R. 7030), which caps noise received at residential property at 60 dBA daytime and 50 dBA at night. The county sets no separate industrial-noise ordinance; cities and the MPCA enforce.
Dakota County has no countywide barking-dog ordinance for private property. Barking is treated as a noise nuisance enforced by your city, and Minnesota's dog laws (Minn. Stat. 347.50+) govern dangerous and problem animals.
In Dakota County parks, outdoor amplified music is limited to 7 a.m.-10 p.m. and may not create a nuisance under Ordinance 107, often needing a permit. On private property, outdoor music is a city matter under Minnesota's MPCA noise standard.
Dakota County regulates amplified sound only in its parks: under Ordinance 107, amplification is allowed just 7 a.m.-10 p.m., may not create a nuisance, and often requires a Special Use Permit. Off park land, amplified music is a city matter under Minn. R. 7030.
Aircraft noise is regulated by the FAA and, in the Twin Cities, the Metropolitan Airports Commission, not by Dakota County. Minnesota's MPCA noise rule exempts most aircraft-in-flight noise, so neither the county nor cities set aircraft noise limits.
Dakota County does not register short-term rentals. Cities that regulate them require a license application with owner details, emergency contact, bedroom count and maximum occupancy. Mendota Heights gives existing operators 45 days to register.
Dakota County has no STR parking rule. Cities set them. Mendota Heights limits overnight vehicles to the number allowed by its Property Maintenance Code and requires listings to state the overnight vehicle cap and post a parking map.
Minnesota sales tax applies to short-term rentals under 30 days. Dakota County has no county-wide lodging tax. Cities and towns may impose up to a 3% local lodging tax under Minn. Stat. 469.190. Operators must remit all applicable taxes.
Dakota County has no short-term rental permit ordinance. Cities regulate STRs under Minn. Stat. Ch. 462. Mendota Heights, for example, requires an annual city license before any home may be rented short-term. Check your specific city.
Dakota County sets no STR occupancy limit. Cities do. Mendota Heights caps rentals at five bedrooms and limits occupancy to two persons per bedroom (four in a bedroom over 280 square feet). Check your city's cap.
Dakota County sets no minimum or maximum night rule. A short-term rental is any stay of 30 consecutive days or less. Cities may add minimums; Mendota Heights requires a two-night minimum stay.
Dakota County sets no STR-specific noise rule. Cities require operators to keep guests from creating a nuisance and enforce local noise limits, which follow MPCA standards of 60 dBA day and 50 dBA night at the receiving property.
Dakota County has no rule, but some cities restrict short-term rentals to owner-occupied primary residences. Mendota Heights allows STRs only in a primary residence, defined as a homesteaded home the owner lives in over six months a year.
Dakota County has no STR insurance rule. Cities focus on safety: Mendota Heights requires working smoke and carbon monoxide alarms per Minn. Stat. 299F.362 and 299F.51 plus a fire extinguisher. Confirm insurance needs with your city and insurer.
Dakota County imposes no host-presence rule. Cities that tie STRs to a primary residence effectively require an owner-operator connection. Mendota Heights defines the operator as an owner or occupant renting their own primary residence.
Recreational fires in a backyard fire pit are allowed under the Minnesota State Fire Code without a DNR burn permit if kept small: no more than 3 feet in diameter, set well back from structures, attended, and burning only clean dry wood. Cities set the exact setbacks.
Backyard recreational fires are legal without a DNR permit if kept to campfire size (no more than 3 feet by 3 feet), contained, attended, and set well back from buildings. Burning garbage or leaves in the backyard is illegal. Cities set exact setbacks and can ban fires during dry spells.
Open burning of brush, leaves, and untreated wood needs a Minnesota DNR burning permit whenever the fire is larger than a recreational fire and the ground is not snow-covered. Burning garbage, plastics, treated wood, and rubber is illegal statewide.
Under the Minnesota State Fire Code, propane (LP-gas) cylinders larger than 1 pound cannot be stored or used indoors at a home, including attached or detached garages. Twenty-pound grill tanks must be stored outdoors, away from doors, windows, and fresh-air intakes.
Minnesota bans aerial and explosive fireworks statewide. Only ground-based, non-explosive sparkling items (sparklers, cones, fountains) are legal. Firecrackers, bottle rockets, and Roman candles are illegal everywhere in Dakota County. Cities may restrict or ban even the legal items.
Minnesota has no statewide residential defensible-space or brush-clearance mandate like fire-prone western states. Dakota County sets no brush-clearance ordinance. Vegetation cleanup is driven by city nuisance and tall-grass/weed rules plus DNR fire-danger burning restrictions during dry spells.
Minnesota law requires every dwelling unit to have a working smoke alarm meeting the State Fire Code, placed in and near each bedroom and on every level. This is a statewide rule; Dakota County sets no separate ordinance. Landlords must install and maintain alarms in rentals.
Dakota County has no designated wildfire or wildland-urban-interface hazard zones and no defensible-space mandate. This suburban Twin Cities county is not fire-prone like western states. The only wildfire-related control is the Minnesota DNR's daily fire-danger rating and burning restrictions.
The Minnesota State Fire Code bans open-flame grilling on balconies and within 15 feet of buildings with three or more units. Detached single-family homes may grill freely, but propane tanks over 1 pound must be stored outdoors. Cities set apartment-grill exceptions.
A backyard smoker is treated as a cooking device, not open burning, so it needs no DNR permit. But like grills, charcoal and gas smokers are banned on balconies and within 15 feet of buildings with three or more units under the Minnesota State Fire Code. Single-family use is unrestricted.
On-street parking is regulated by your Dakota County city, not the county. All cities enforce the statewide baseline in Minn. Stat. 169.34, which bans parking in crosswalks, intersections, in front of driveways, and near fire hydrants.
Where you may park an RV, boat, or trailer on residential streets and driveways is set by your Dakota County city, not the county. The one county-wide rule covers county parks: boats and trailers must stay in designated areas only.
Driveway parking, surfacing, and setback standards are set by your Dakota County city zoning code, not the county. Many cities require a hard surface and bar parking on lawns or in front yards outside a driveway.
Abandoned and junk vehicles are governed statewide by Minn. Stat. Ch. 168B. Government units and police may take into custody and impound any abandoned or junk vehicle. Report abandoned vehicles to your city police or code enforcement.
Overnight and winter street parking is set by your city, not Dakota County. Many cities ban overnight or snow-season street parking. The county's own overnight rule applies only in its parks, which close at 10:00 p.m.
Rules on installing EV chargers and parking at charging stations are set by your city building/zoning code, not Dakota County. State law also protects EV-charging access in certain rental and common-interest housing.
Whether you may park a commercial truck, semi, or work vehicle in a residential area is set by your Dakota County city zoning code, not the county. Cities commonly ban or size-limit commercial vehicles in residential zones.
Loading zones are designated and enforced by your Dakota County city, not the county. Under Minn. Stat. 169.34, no one may stop, stand, or park in a posted loading zone except for active loading or unloading.
Limits on parking oversized vehicles like RVs, trailers, and large trucks in residential areas are set by your Dakota County city, not the county. Many cities cap vehicle length, weight, or duration in residential zones.
Curb markings and colored-curb meanings are set and painted by your city or the county road authority, not by residents. Under Minn. Stat. 169.34 you may not park where a traffic-control device or marking prohibits it.
There is no Dakota County boundary-fence ordinance. Cities require fences to be built entirely on the owner's land, though a fence may sit on the shared line if the adjoining owner agrees in writing. Disputes are civil matters.
Dakota County sets no retaining-wall rule for cities. A common Dakota County city standard requires a building permit for any retaining wall taller than 4 feet or that supports a surcharge. Engineered plans are often required.
Dakota County does not restrict fence materials. Cities may prohibit certain materials such as barbed wire, electric fencing, or temporary snow/construction fencing in residential zones, and may require durable, maintained materials. Rules vary by city and zoning district.
Dakota County does not issue fence permits for incorporated cities. Most Dakota County cities require a zoning or building permit before you build a fence; tall fences generally trigger a building permit. Rules vary by city.
Dakota County has no fence-construction standards; cities set them. Common requirements include keeping fences out of corner sight triangles, mounting the finished side outward, and building front-yard fences with open construction for visibility and drainage.
There is no Dakota County list of approved fence materials. Cities decide which materials are allowed, commonly permitting wood, vinyl, chain-link, and ornamental metal in residential zones while restricting barbed wire and electric fencing.
Dakota County MN has no countywide fence-height ordinance. Each city sets its own limits under Minn. Stat. 462.357. Typical suburban rule: about 6 feet in rear/side yards and 3.5 to 4 feet in front yards.
In Dakota County Parks, dogs must be on a static (non-retractable) leash no more than six feet long, except in designated off-leash areas. Away from county parks, leash-at-large rules are set by your city or township, not the county.
Dakota County does not set residential livestock limits; keeping horses, goats, cattle or other farm animals is governed by your city's zoning, which generally restricts livestock to agriculturally zoned or large lots. Feedlots also follow state MPCA and Minnesota Dept. of Agriculture rules.
Minnesota bans private possession of regulated dangerous animals — big cats, bears, and most non-human primates — under Minn. Stat. 346.155. Additional exotic-pet limits are set by your city. Dakota County itself does not license exotic pets.
Animal hoarding is addressed through Minnesota's animal-cruelty and mistreatment laws (Minn. Stat. 343.21) and city pet-number limits and kennel licensing. Dakota County has no standalone hoarding ordinance, but neglect, overcrowding, and unsanitary conditions can trigger seizure and criminal charges.
Breed-specific bans are illegal in Minnesota. Under Minn. Stat. 347.51, subd. 8, no city or county may regulate dangerous or potentially dangerous dogs based solely on breed, and any such ordinance is void. Dakota County has no breed ban.
In Dakota County parks it is unlawful to feed or otherwise disturb wildlife under Park Ordinance 107, Section 5.4. Off park land, deer and other wildlife-feeding limits are set by your city and by Minnesota DNR rules; the county has no general residential feeding ban.
Dakota County sets no countywide backyard-chicken rule. Keeping hens or livestock is regulated by each city — Lakeville, Eagan, Farmington, Rosemount and Burnsville allow limited hens with permits and setbacks. Check your city's animal-keeping code before getting chickens.
Dakota County sets no household pet-number limit. Caps on how many dogs or cats you may keep are set by each city's animal ordinance. County parks separately limit dogs to two per owner in the off-leash dog park.
Dakota County has no countywide beekeeping ordinance; hive rules are set by your city. Many Dakota County cities restrict beekeeping to agricultural-zoned land or require a permit, hive setbacks, and a flyway barrier. Check your city code before keeping bees.
Minnesota requires rabies control for cats, and Dakota County parks require pets under control. Cat licensing, at-large, and number limits are set by your city — several Dakota County cities license cats and prohibit cats running at large. The county sets no citywide cat ordinance.
Dakota County does not set building setbacks for incorporated cities. Setbacks (front, side, and rear yard distances) are established by each city's zoning district under Minn. Stat. 462.357. Only unincorporated shoreland/floodplain areas fall under county rules.
Dakota County has no countywide lot-coverage limit. The maximum percentage of a lot that buildings and impervious surface may cover is set by each city's zoning district under Minn. Stat. 462.357.
Dakota County sets no building-height limit for cities. Maximum building height is set by each city's zoning district under Minn. Stat. 462.357, which grants municipalities power over the height and number of stories of buildings.
Minnesota's Noxious Weed Law requires all landowners to control noxious weeds. The mayor of each city and town supervisors serve as local weed inspectors; Dakota County has no separate weed ordinance.
Dakota County has no tree-trimming ordinance for private yards. Trimming your own trees is a city matter, and boulevard or right-of-way trees are managed by your city forester, not the county.
Minnesota law requires every city to allow managed natural landscapes of native or nonnative grasses, wildflowers, and shrubs, even over eight inches tall. Dakota County encourages native and pollinator plantings.
Dakota County does not require a permit to remove a tree on private land. Some cities, such as Lakeville, regulate significant-tree removal during development and require replacement above set thresholds.
Dakota County has no artificial-turf ordinance. Whether synthetic lawn is allowed, and any coverage or drainage limits, is decided by your city's zoning and impervious-surface rules.
Dakota County has no grass-height ordinance. Your city sets the limit, but Minnesota state law caps lawn grasses and weeds at eight inches unless the area is a registered managed natural landscape.
Rain barrels and rain gardens are legal in Dakota County and encouraged for stormwater and groundwater protection. There is no county permit for residential rain barrels; large systems follow city and plumbing codes.
Dakota County does not set watering restrictions. Your city or water utility does, typically odd/even address-day sprinkling and no midday watering during summer. The county promotes voluntary conservation.
Backyard composting is allowed and encouraged in Dakota County. State law bans putting yard waste in the trash, and the county runs free organics (food-scraps) drop-off sites for residents.
Dakota County does not issue backyard residential pool permits; your city building department does. The county's role is limited to public and semi-public pools, which the Minnesota Department of Health regulates, and to septic/well setbacks on unsewered rural lots.
Hot tub and spa rules in Dakota County are set by your city under the Minnesota State Building Code, not by the county. A spa or hot tub generally needs an electrical permit, and either a lockable safety cover or the same 48-inch barrier a pool requires.
Dakota County sets no separate residential pool safety code; the Minnesota State Building Code barrier rules and Minnesota Department of Health rules (Minn. R. 4717) govern. The core safety requirement is a self-latching 48-inch barrier plus alarms or covers where the code requires them.
Residential pool fencing in Dakota County is set by your city under the Minnesota State Building Code, which requires a barrier at least 48 inches high with small openings. Public pools follow the stricter Minnesota Department of Health rule of a five-foot fence with self-latching gates.
Above-ground pools are allowed in Dakota County, but rules on permits, setbacks, and fencing come from your city, not the county. Once a pool holds water over about 24 inches deep, the Minnesota State Building Code barrier requirement usually applies.
Home occupation permits in Dakota County are issued by your city, not the county. Whether you need a permit, and whether it is a permitted or conditional use, depends on your city's zoning ordinance under Minnesota law.
Dakota County licenses in-home family child care on behalf of the state. A family day care may serve up to 10 children, and a group family day care up to 14, under state Rule 9502; licensed homes are a permitted single-family residential use.
Home business zoning in Dakota County is decided by your city under Minnesota's municipal zoning law, not by the county. Most cities allow home occupations in residential zones with conditions, and state law makes a licensed family day care a permitted single-family use.
Cottage food is a statewide program, so Dakota County home cooks follow Minnesota's cottage food law. You may sell non-hazardous home-made foods after registering with the state, with gross receipts capped at $78,000 per calendar year.
Dakota County sets no county-wide home business sign rule; sign size, placement, and lighting for a home occupation are governed by your city's zoning ordinance. Most cities allow only one small, non-illuminated nameplate sign, if any, in residential zones.
Dakota County does not run a countywide blight or nuisance-abatement code for private yards. In Minnesota, cities regulate blight, junk, and dilapidated structures under their police power and zoning authority (Minn. Stat. Ch. 462). Report blight to your city (Eagan, Burnsville, Lakeville, Hastings, etc.).
Dakota County sets no countywide grass-height limit; cities set their own (commonly 8 inches) under Minn. Stat. Ch. 462. For designated noxious weeds, the Minnesota Noxious Weed Law (Minn. Stat. 18.78) requires all landowners to control them as ordered by the local weed inspector.
Cart set-out and storage rules are set by your city or hauler, but Dakota County Ordinance 110 requires trash, recycling, and organics containers to carry a visible, color-coded label (blue recycling, green organics, gray/black trash) showing accepted materials.
Dakota County has no countywide vacant-lot maintenance ordinance. Cities require owners to keep vacant lots free of tall grass, weeds, junk, and debris under their nuisance codes (Minn. Stat. Ch. 462). The county's Noxious Weed Law duty (Minn. Stat. 18.78) still applies to any land.
Dakota County has no countywide garage- or yard-sale ordinance. Whether you need a permit, and how many sales per year you may hold, is set by your city under Minn. Stat. Ch. 462. Some cities require a free permit; many allow a limited number of sales without one.
Where and when you set out carts is set by your city and hauler, but Dakota County Ordinance 110, Sec. 16.06, requires every trash, recycling, and organics container to have a visible, legible, color-coded label - blue for recycling, green for organics, gray or black for trash - showing accepted
Yard waste, household hazardous waste, electronics, appliances, and tires are banned from Dakota County trash and recycling. Ordinance 110 makes it unlawful to put yard waste in mixed municipal solid waste. Take hazardous waste to The Recycling Zone in Eagan.
Illegal dumping is prohibited by Dakota County Ordinance 110 and Minnesota law. Ordinance 110 bars disposing of solid waste anywhere except a county-licensed facility. Under Minn. Stat. 609.68, unlawfully depositing garbage or litter on public or others' private land is a petty misdemeanor.
Dakota County uses open-hauler collection: residents contract directly with a licensed hauler, and every hauler serving the county must be licensed and accept the county's designated recyclables. Under Ordinance 110, no one may collect solid waste in the county without a license (except hauling your own household waste).
All Dakota County residents, businesses, multifamily properties, schools, and governments must recycle a designated list of materials, and every licensed hauler must accept them. The Designated List of Recyclables is set by the County Board and posted online. Recycling supports Minnesota's goal to recycle 75% of waste by 2030.
Dakota County does not zone accessory dwelling units. In Minnesota, cities regulate ADUs, lot size, and setbacks under Minn. Stat. 462.357. Check your city (Eagan, Burnsville, Lakeville, Apple Valley, etc.) for whether ADUs are allowed and any size or owner-occupancy limits.
Dakota County publishes no carport ordinance for incorporated land. Carports are accessory structures regulated by your city's zoning code under Minn. Stat. 462.357, which controls placement, setbacks, and whether a permit is required.
Dakota County has no county-wide shed ordinance for incorporated land. Whether you need a permit for a shed, and its size and setback limits, are set by your city under Minn. Stat. 462.357. Small sheds are often exempt from a building permit but still must meet zoning setbacks.
Converting a garage into living space is a municipal zoning and building matter in Dakota County. Cities regulate it under Minn. Stat. 462.357 and the Minnesota State Building Code. You will generally need a city building permit; some cities require you to keep off-street parking.
Dakota County has no tiny-home ordinance for incorporated land. Whether a tiny home is allowed depends on your city's zoning under Minn. Stat. 462.357 and, for movable units, state code. Tiny houses on wheels are often treated as RVs, which cities usually bar as permanent dwellings.
Dakota County has no light-trespass ordinance. Glare and light spilling onto a neighbor's property are addressed by your city's zoning or nuisance code under Minn. Stat. 462.357, and potentially as a private nuisance. Report a persistent problem to your city, not the county.
Dakota County has no dark-sky or outdoor lighting ordinance. In Minnesota, cities regulate light fixtures, shielding, and glare through their zoning codes under Minn. Stat. 462.357. Some Dakota County cities require full cut-off, shielded fixtures for new development; check your city code.
Minnesota law bars cities from restricting the size or number of noncommercial signs, including political signs, from 46 days before the state primary until 10 days after the general election. Dakota County has no county sign ordinance; outside that window your city's sign code applies.
Dakota County has no ordinance on garage sale signs. Where and how long you may post them, and whether signs are allowed in the public right-of-way, are set by your city's sign code under Minn. Stat. 462.357. Signs in state or county road right-of-way are generally prohibited.
Ordinance data for Dakota County is sourced from the following official government references. Click any topic above for detailed citations.