Administrative overview · FIPS 38103
Wells 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
Wells County Tax Director / Planning and Zoning Commission
For a project in or near Wells 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
701-547-3220 (Tax Director/Planning and Zoning)
Call before mobilizing if the project has a boundary, occupancy, fire, septic, or utility question.
Permit counter
Wells County Courthouse, 700 Railway St N, Fessenden, ND 58438
Operating hours
Monday-Thursday 7:30 AM-noon and 12:30-4:00 PM; Friday 7:30 AM-1:00 PM
Review expectation
Approximately three days for building-permit processing, according to the county checklist.
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 Wells County
Who handles permitting for this jurisdiction?
Wells County Tax Director / 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 701-547-3220 (Tax Director/Planning and Zoning) and request the current application route before preparing a final submittal.
How long might review take?
Approximately three days for building-permit processing, according to the county checklist.
How are inspections scheduled?
Submit the Building Permit application, scaled site sketch, construction plans, cost estimate, and Rural Living Agreement to the Wells County Tax Director. The county checklist states that building permits generally require approximately three days of processing.
Which codes and exemptions should I review?
N/A; the county's 2008 zoning ordinance incorporates the Uniform Building Code adopted by the County Commission, but the currently effective edition was not identified. N/A; the current county building-permit checklist requires a permit for taxable additional square footage and the ordinance requires permits for construction, reconstruction, relocation, or alteration unless otherwise exempt under applicable law.