Permits & Licenses

The City is in the process of transitioning to an online permitting portal. Please read below for more information regarding online permitting, as well as which permits and licenses are available online. To apply for a permit or license, click on the titles listed below. 

Please note: the City of Minot does not require business licenses. To start a business, please refer to the North Dakota Secretary of State's website to register. 

Click here to access the City of Minot's online Permitting Portal.

To create an account and utilize the portal, you will need a valid email address. The permitting portal accepts payments via credit card, debit card, or e-check. 

Please view the training tutorials to familiarize yourself with the permitting portal: Online Permitting Portal Videos. These videos will walk you through creating an account, applying for a license or permit, renewing, and more. 

Screenshot of the City's online permitting portal login page

  • Accessory Building Permit
  • Alcoholic Beverage Special Event Permit (online 2024): A permit issued pursuant to Section 5-02-01.1, N.D.C.C. to allow a licensee to operate at premises other than the licensed premises to which the license relates, shall be issued administratively by the city clerk.
  • Alcoholic beverage license applications (online) are processed by the City Clerk. An application for a new license or the application for the renewal of an existing license will be submitted to the city council for its consideration within forty-five (45) days of receipt of all application materials required under section 5-18, including but not limited to the annual license fee.
  • Animal Performance Events (pdf): Any individual, group or organization desiring to conduct an animal performance event that will involve or display or in any other way bring animals that are on the prohibited animal list into the city for the event shall first obtain an animal performance event permit from the city.
  • Building Permits: Information on Building Permits can be found here
  • Cats & Dogs License: It shall be unlawful for any person to keep, own, or harbor within the city any dog six (6) months or older or any cat six (6) months or older without first obtaining a license for the dog or cat. No license shall be issued for any dog or cat unless there shall first have been presented to the city proof in the form of a veterinarian's certificate or affidavit that the animal has been inoculated with rabies vaccine within a period of two (2) years prior to the date of application for the animal license.
  • Excavation License (online): No person may engage in the activity of excavating, constructing, removing, repairing, or patching any roadway, sidewalk, curb, gutter or approach in a street—even if such activity is merely incidental to other work rather than an end to itself—unless such person holds a valid street contractor's license issued by the city engineer.
  • Demolition Permit (pdf)
  • Encroachment Agreement Application (pdf)
  • Exterior Plumbing Permit - see Right of Way Permit
  • Ground Transportation Permit (pdf): The purpose of this permit is to promote high quality and reasonably priced ground transportation services to the public for safety and convenience to ensure a safe transport of passengers and property to and from Airport property. This also creates competition among the ground transportation Owners / Drivers to deliver the highest quality service possible.
  • Hunting in City Limits Application (pdf): No person shall hunt, by archery or crossbow, on city-owned lands within city limits unless properly permitted by the State of North Dakota Department of Game and Fish and City of Minot in accordance with the City of Minot Wildlife Management Program (Chapter 7 Article IV). 
  • Mechanical Permit
  • Migrant Merchant Permit: No person who has not established his domicile within the City of Minot shall carry on the business or activity of a migrant merchant or contribution solicitor within the City of Minot without first obtaining a migrant merchant license or contribution solicitor license, respectively. 
  • Moving Permit Commercial (pdf): No person shall move any building into, from or within the city and its extraterritorial zoning area without first obtaining a moving permit from the city council or the city engineer pursuant to section 9-47 of the City of Minot Code of Ordinances. The provisions of the article shall supersede any conflicting provisions in the Uniform Building Code, which is adopted by reference in section 9-1 and amended in section 9-2.
  • Moving Permit Residential (pdf): No person shall move any building into, from or within the city and its extraterritorial zoning area without first obtaining a moving permit from the city council or the city engineer pursuant to section 9-47 of the City of Minot Code of Ordinances. The provisions of the article shall supersede any conflicting provisions in the Uniform Building Code, which is adopted by reference in section 9-1 and amended in section 9-2.
  • Outdoor Dining Permit (pdf): Streeteries and Parklets are platforms with fencing on three sides that extend from a downtown sidewalk’s curb into a parking space and have the footprint a little smaller than a full-sized car. The level platform improves and expands outdoor dining which can help address general demand for outdoor seating and additionally during Covid-19. The platforms are only temporary and can be in place for 6 months from April 15 until October 15. Additional information can be found here
  • Pawnbroker's License (pdf): No person shall engage in the business of a pawnbroker or secondhand dealer, scrap dealer, or dealer of precious metals or precious gems, in the city without first obtaining a license from the city clerk. A separate license is required for each occupation. 
  • Planning Commission Applications can be found here
  • Plumbing Permit: No person shall engage in activity for which a state master plumber license is required under NDCC 43-18-11, unless such person also obtains a city master plumber license.
  • Remote Alarm Permit (online): No person other than an employee or agent of the city shall interconnect a remote alarm to, or set up an arrangement whereby a remote alarm will communicate to, the city central dispatch, without first receiving a written permit from the chief of police.
  • Residential Building Permit
  • Right-of-Way Permit (online)
  • Secondhand Dealer Application (online): No person shall engage in the business of a pawnbroker or secondhand dealer, scrap dealer, or dealer of precious metals or precious gems, in the city without first obtaining a license from the city clerk. A separate license is required for each occupation.
  • Sexually Oriented Business Employee License (pdf): It shall be unlawful for any person who operates a sexually oriented business to employ an employee, if such employee is not in possession of a valid employee license ("employee license") issued to such employee by the city pursuant to section 18-191
  • Sexually Oriented Business Operator License (pdf): It shall be unlawful for any person to operate a sexually oriented business without a valid operator's license ("operator's license") issued by the city pursuant to section 18-191
  • Sign Permit Application (pdf)
  • Taxi Cab Service License (pdf): No person shall operate a taxicab within the City of Minot unless some person with a legally recognized interest in the taxicab obtains a license therefor in accordance with section 30-37.
  • Taxicab Driver License (pdf): No person shall drive a taxicab in the city without just obtaining a license therefor in accordance with section 30-52
  • Temporary Permit
  • Tent Permit Application (pdf): Temporary structures that cover an area greater than 750 square feet including connecting areas or spaces with a common means of egress or entrance which are used or intended to be used for the gathering together of 75 or more persons shall not be erected, operated or maintained for any purpose without obtaining a permit from the Building Official.
  • Tobacco License (online): No person shall conduct business within the city in such a manner as to require such person to hold a state tobacco retailer dealer's license under Chapter 57-36 of the North Dakota Century Code, unless such person also holds a valid and current city tobacco retailer's license.
  • Towing License Application: A natural person, partnership or corporation may be granted a license permitting him or it to tow or otherwise to remove vehicles from private no parking areas or from private restricted parking areas within the City of Minot and to store such vehicles following the removal, or to do either. Such license shall be for a period of one year and may be renewed for any number of like periods.