Building Permits & Zoning Applications
Welcome to the Building Permits and Zoning applications page. All of the following informational documents and applications are intended to guide you through the building and land use process within the City of Lake Elmo. If any of the information contained within this section is unclear, please contact the City of Lake Elmo Planning or Building Department for clarification. We are happy to assist you!
Before you start your project:
Before engaging in Building or Zoning activities in the City, check to see if a permit is needed. The following document should help you determine what types of projects require a building or zoning permit. When are City permits needed?
Please review the City of Lake Elmo Zoning Code regarding your project.
Call before you dig: Gopher State One
*Electrical permits are issued through the State of Minnesota's eTRAKiT system which can be found here.
*For right-of-way permits and information, visit our right-of-way permitting page.
Building Permit Applications
It is important to include all of the required materials in your submission. Please read about the building permit process: The Building Permit Process.
Attention Builders: As of November 29, 2021 the City of Lake Elmo will resume in-house plan reviews.
When submitting new construction plans you will need to submit:
One set of digital plans
One hard copy (18 inches by 24 inches) of plans to be returned.
Once approved with comments, this set is to be kept on-site and made available to inspectors during all inspections.
For new homes, the City requires a building permit application, one certificate of survey to scale, and one set of house plans.
Driveway permits require a contractor/homeowner to obtain a license from the city before they apply for driveway permits. Please contact the Administration Department first to apply for the license.
Building application submittals may be done digitally, please submit application and plans to dwendt@lakeelmo.org. Or you may mail/drop off applications and payment to 3880 Laverne Ave N, Lake Elmo MN 55042.
Permits must be paid in full, approved, and in your hand before you start your project.
To schedule an inspection or for general building related questions, call the Building Department at 651-747-3918. 48-hour notice is required for all inspections.
Planning and Zoning Permit Applications
2023 Land Use Application Due Dates
City Fee Schedule *Please note that not all building fees are listed as some are state required fees.
The City of Lake Elmo is now accepting online payments for building and zoning permits. Payments from checking/saving accounts are charged $1 per transaction, payments from credit cards are charged 2.75%. Payments are capped at $30,000.

Document Center
The Document Center provides easy access to public documents. Click on one of the categories below to see related documents or use the search function.
Documents sorted by HEADER in Ascending Order within category
Permit Applications42 documents
Building Permit Applications17 documents
- Basement Finish Permit Application
- Building Permit Application
- Contractor License Application
- Deck Permit Application
- Demolition Permit Application Packet
- Driveway Permit Application
- Fire Alarm Permit Application
- Fire Suppression Permit Application
- Manufactured Home Installation Permit Application
- Mechanical Permit Application
- New Family Home Permit Application
- Plumbing Permit Application
- Pool Permit Application
- Request for Permit Extension
- Rural Accessory Building Permit Application Packet
- Solar Energy Permit Application
- Urban Accessory Building Permit Application Packet
Land Use Applications19 documents
- Certificate of Zoning Compliance
- Comprehensive Plan Amendment
- Conditional Use Permit
- Easement Vacation
- Final Plat
- Interim Use Permit Handout Packet
- Lot Division Handout
- Lot Line Adjustment
- Minor Subdivision
- Planned Unit Development (PUD) Final Plan
- Planned Unit Development (PUD) Pre-Application Conference Requirements
- Planned Unit Development (PUD) Preliminary Plan
- Preliminary Plat
- Special Event Permit
- Subdivision Sketch Plan Review
- Variance
- Zoning Appeal
- Zoning Map Amendment
- Zoning Text Amendment