Administrative overview · FIPS 27029
Clearwater 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
Clearwater County Office of Environmental Services
For a project in or near Clearwater 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
218-694-6183
Call before mobilizing if the project has a boundary, occupancy, fire, septic, or utility question.
Permit counter
Clearwater County Courthouse, Second Floor, 213 Main Avenue North, Department 206, Bagley, MN 56621-8304
Operating hours
Monday-Friday, 8:00 AM-4:30 PM
Review expectation
N/A for land-use permits; final onsite sewage-treatment-system inspection is stated as three working days.
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 Clearwater County
Who handles permitting for this jurisdiction?
Clearwater County Office of Environmental Services 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?
No verified online portal was located in the reviewed public materials. Contact 218-694-6183 and request the current application route before preparing a final submittal.
How long might review take?
N/A for land-use permits; final onsite sewage-treatment-system inspection is stated as three working days.
How are inspections scheduled?
For onsite sewage treatment systems, the Office of Environmental Services must perform a final inspection before the system is covered; the office states it has three working days to complete that inspection. Call 218-694-6183 for permit or inspection coordination.
Which codes and exemptions should I review?
Clearwater County administers the Shoreland Management Ordinance, Subdivision Controls Ordinance, Sewage and Wastewater Treatment Ordinance, and Minnesota Wetlands Conservation Act. In shoreland areas, county permits are required for building construction/alteration, sewage systems, and grading/filling; no separate county construction-code edition was identified. In shoreland areas, permits are required for all structures regardless of size or cost. Interior remodeling and necessary maintenance are exempt when the building's outside dimensions do not change. Countywide individual sewage-treatment-system permits are required; grading/filling permits apply in shoreland areas.