Administrative overview · FIPS 38049
McHenry 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
McHenry County Planning Commission (Zoning) / Tax Equalization Office
For a project in or near McHenry 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) 537-5359
Call before mobilizing if the project has a boundary, occupancy, fire, septic, or utility question.
Permit counter
407 Main Street South, Towner, ND 58788
Operating hours
Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-12:00 PM and 1:00 PM-4:30 PM (county auditor office hours)
Review expectation
Ask the agency for its current review estimate
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 McHenry County
Who handles permitting for this jurisdiction?
McHenry County Planning Commission (Zoning) / Tax Equalization Office 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) 537-5359 and request the current application route before preparing a final submittal.
How long might review take?
A typical review timeline was not verified. Ask the agency for its current completeness and review estimate.
How are inspections scheduled?
The Planning Commission/Zoning authority performs permit-compliance inspection; submit zoning applications by the first Friday for the month and public hearings generally occur on the fourth Thursday. No separate inspection-booking portal is published.
Which codes and exemptions should I review?
N/A; the current county pages publish zoning regulations but do not identify a specific 2026 building-code edition. N/A; county zoning regulations apply to construction and structural alteration in the county jurisdiction, subject to organized cities and townships with their own zoning authority.