County Permit SearchU.S. compliance directory
North DakotaBillings County

Administrative overview · FIPS 38007

Billings 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

Billings County Building Department and Inspections / Planning & Zoning

For a project in or near Billings 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

701-260-5373 (Building Department and Inspections); 701-623-4810 (Planning & Zoning)

Call before mobilizing if the project has a boundary, occupancy, fire, septic, or utility question.

Permit counter

495 4th Street, Medora, ND 58645; mailing address PO Box 247

Operating hours

N/A — the reviewed current applications page did not publish office hours.

Review expectation

Final review can take at least one and a half months; applications without a zoning-board hearing may take up to two weeks.

Compliance workbench

Choose the next project decision.

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 Billings County

Who handles permitting for this jurisdiction?

Billings County Building Department and Inspections / Planning & Zoning 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 701-260-5373 (Building Department and Inspections); 701-623-4810 (Planning & Zoning) and request the current application route before preparing a final submittal.

How long might review take?

Final review can take at least one and a half months; applications without a zoning-board hearing may take up to two weeks.

How are inspections scheduled?

After permit pickup, call the Building Department for inspections; the county process guide states the earliest first inspection is one business day after the request, and recommends scheduling a couple of days in advance. Current Building Department phone: 701-260-5373.

Which codes and exemptions should I review?

Current North Dakota building codes; plans and construction are inspected for compliance, but the reviewed county pages do not identify a specific 2026 edition. Buildings and structures directly used in connection with farming operations and constructed by farmers are exempt from the building-application requirement under the county zoning ordinance; an exemption affidavit may be required. New construction and move-in structures otherwise require an application.

Before contacting the permit counter

Have the project facts ready.

A productive call starts with a clear description of the property and proposed work. Keep the site address, parcel or assessor number, project valuation, existing occupancy, approximate square footage, structural scope, contractor information, and desired start date in front of you. Those facts help the Authority Having Jurisdiction route the question to building, planning, fire, environmental health, or another reviewing discipline.

Questions worth asking

  • • Is the parcel inside an incorporated city or county service area?
  • • Does this scope require building, trade, zoning, fire, or site permits?
  • • What plans and supporting documents make the submittal complete?
  • • How much lead time is needed for each inspection?