Administrative overview · FIPS 38055
McLean 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
McLean County Land Use Administrator / Planning and Zoning Commission
For a project in or near McLean 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) 462-8541
Call before mobilizing if the project has a boundary, occupancy, fire, septic, or utility question.
Permit counter
712 5th Avenue, PO Box 1108, Washburn, ND 58577
Operating hours
Operating hours not verified
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 McLean County
Who handles permitting for this jurisdiction?
McLean County Land Use Administrator / Planning and Zoning Commission 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) 462-8541 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?
Submit the completed application, site plan, floor plans, applicable First District Health Unit septic permit, and fee to the Land Use Administrator. The county ordinance provides for periodic compliance inspections, but no separate inspection-booking instructions are published.
Which codes and exemptions should I review?
N/A; the current county permit form and zoning ordinance do not identify a specific 2026 building-code edition. Routine maintenance or repair of an existing conforming structure is exempt unless it alters the structure's strength, plan, or mechanical installations. Antennas, belfries, chimneys, cupolas, flagpoles, ventilators, water tanks and windmills are exempt from maximum-height requirements, except near Washburn Municipal Airport; this is a height exemption, not a blanket permit exemption.