Administrative overview · FIPS 27019
Carver County permit authority
The first compliance decision is jurisdictional: identify the office with statutory authority over your parcel, then use its filing and inspection sequence to keep the project moving.
Jurisdictional status
County
This county profile is the primary starting point for unincorporated-area permitting.
Responsible agency
Carver County Public Services Division, Land Management Department; Metro West Inspection Services for building inspections, with cities handling city-jurisdiction work
For a project in or near Carver County, this office is the identified point of contact for permit intake, statutory code enforcement, plan review coordination, and inspection release conditions. Confirm the parcel’s boundary and project type before relying on the county lane.
Direct contact
Land Management: (952) 361-1820; Metro West building inspections: (763) 479-1720
Call before mobilizing if the project has a boundary, occupancy, fire, septic, or utility question.
Permit counter
Carver County Land Management, 600 East 4th Street, Chaska, MN 55318
Operating hours
Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
Review expectation
N/A; no fixed county review timeline was published. Incomplete or unpaid applications can expire after 180 days, and the current application requires complete plans and supporting documents before review.
Compliance workbench
Choose the next project decision.
Apply online
Open the verified digital gateway, application form, and review timeline.
Open guide →Fees & penalties
Understand fee schedules, enforcement exposure, and stop-work liabilities.
Open guide →Codes & exemptions
Read the code framework, minor-work exemptions, and inspection lane.
Open guide →Agency website
Visit the primary public source for current notices and contact changes.
Open guide →Source trail
Official sources for this profile
Use these direct agency or licensing links to confirm current instructions before you file, pay, or schedule work. External pages control if their information differs from this directory.
Project questions
Frequently asked questions for Carver County
Who handles permitting for this jurisdiction?
Carver County Public Services Division, Land Management Department; Metro West Inspection Services for building inspections, with cities handling city-jurisdiction work is the identified county-level authority for this profile. Confirm that the property is in its service area before filing.
How should I begin an application?
Begin with the online permit gateway listed in the application guide. If the portal does not recognize the address or project type, contact Land Management: (952) 361-1820; Metro West building inspections: (763) 479-1720.
How long might review take?
N/A; no fixed county review timeline was published. Incomplete or unpaid applications can expire after 180 days, and the current application requires complete plans and supporting documents before review.
How are inspections scheduled?
After application submittal, review, approval, and issuance are complete, schedule inspections with Metro West Inspection Services at (763) 479-1720. Inspections require at least 24 hours' advance notice and are scheduled Monday-Friday, 7:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m.; same-day service is not guaranteed. The applicant must keep approved plans and inspection records on site and ensure work is exposed and accessible.
Which codes and exemptions should I review?
Carver County administers zoning and building-code permits in the county's townships; construction in city jurisdictions is reviewed by the city. The current Minnesota framework is the 2020 Minnesota State Building Code and related 2020 Minnesota Residential, Mechanical and Fuel Gas, Plumbing, Accessibility, Existing Building, and other chapters, with the 2024 Minnesota Commercial Energy Code; electrical permits filed before August 17, 2026 follow the 2023 NEC, with the 2026 NEC scheduled to take effect August 17, 2026. The county's current application requires an energy-code compliance certificate and routes inspections to Metro West Inspection Services. Building permits are required for structures over 200 square feet and for new construction, additions, driveways, work to existing structures, and regulated electrical, gas, plumbing, or mechanical work. Structures 200 square feet or less do not require a building permit, but setbacks still apply. The county's building-code overview also lists common exempt work such as painting, papering, tiling, carpeting, cabinets, countertops, qualifying small sheds, low decks, fences up to seven feet, certain retaining walls, sidewalks and driveways, and small above-ground pools; trade permits may still be required. Agricultural structures on parcels of at least 20 acres used exclusively for qualifying agricultural purposes are not subject to the State Building Code but still require an agricultural permit.