Administrative overview · FIPS 27031
Cook 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
Cook County Land Services Department
For a project in or near Cook 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
218-387-3630
Call before mobilizing if the project has a boundary, occupancy, fire, septic, or utility question.
Permit counter
Cook County Courthouse, 411 W 2nd Street, Grand Marais, MN 55604
Operating hours
Monday-Friday, 8:00 AM-4:30 PM
Review expectation
Land Services asks applicants to allow up to 4 weeks for permit processing, with longer times possible during high-volume periods.
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 Cook County
Who handles permitting for this jurisdiction?
Cook County Land Services Department 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 218-387-3630.
How long might review take?
Land Services asks applicants to allow up to 4 weeks for permit processing, with longer times possible during high-volume periods.
How are inspections scheduled?
For septic compliance inspections, submit the Septic Inspection Request through the county e-permitting portal or call Land Services at 218-387-3630. The portal lists $500 for an onsite-sewage compliance inspection and $300 for a vault-privy or holding-tank inspection. No separate building-inspection scheduling procedure was published.
Which codes and exemptions should I review?
Cook County Land Services administers the Cook County Zoning Ordinance, Subdivision Ordinance, septic requirements, and applicable Minnesota state standards. The 2025 county zoning ordinance requires a Land Use Permit before structures are erected, placed, removed, replaced, altered in exterior dimensions, or moved; no separate county construction-code edition was identified. A Land Use Permit is required for structures with a footprint greater than 160 square feet or any habitable structure regardless of size. Detached decks over 64 square feet require a permit; commercial-building roof solar and ground arrays over 160 square feet require permits. Routine sign maintenance/repairs are exempt, and agricultural hoop greenhouses/high tunnels over 300 square feet may be relocated without an additional permit when the applicable FAR-1/2/3 zoning and setbacks are met.