Woodbury building department

Woodbury’s Building Inspections Division at City Hall reviews plans, issues permits and inspects construction throughout the city. The city also runs its own electrical inspections, so most projects need only one permit, issued by the city, that covers every trade.

Applying through the EnerGov portal

Woodbury takes all permit applications through its Tyler EnerGov online permitting and licensing portal. If a contractor already has a Tyler Civic Access login from another community, that login also works in Woodbury. The city emails the applicant once an application is approved, and fees are paid when the permit is issued.

Combination permits vs. stand-alone permits

For these project types, Woodbury issues one combination permit to the general contractor, or to a homeowner doing their own work:

• additions, basement finishes, decks and porches
• new construction, remodels, repairs and miscellaneous work

The combination permit bundles the building, plumbing, HVAC and electrical fees for the job. You only need a separate trade permit when the trade work has no related building permit. Stand-alone permits carry flat fees and go to the licensed contractor or to the homeowner doing the work:

Trade	Typical stand-alone permits
HVAC	Furnace, air conditioner, garage heater, rooftop unit replacement
Plumbing	Water heater, water softener, RPZ, curb stop or sewer repair, backflow preventer, connecting to city utilities
Electrical	EV charger outlet and other work with no building permit

Backflow and RPZ devices need a permit and an inspection both when first installed and when replaced. Send test reports to Woodbury Public Works at [email protected].

What to upload

New homes and other residential building permits: foundation plan, floor plan, cross sections, truss specs and elevations. You also need a signed, to-scale certificate of survey showing:

• easements and setback lines
• cantilevers, decks and porches
• existing and proposed grades, swales, curb and sidewalk

Add an energy code compliance certificate. On rural lots, include a copy of the Washington County septic permit application. Questions about the engineering requirements go to Woodbury Engineering at 651-714-3593.

Basement finishes: a dimensioned floor plan showing the area to be finished, existing and new walls, the use of each room, and smoke detector locations.

Decks: footing type and forms, post, beam and joist sizes and spacing, lumber type, decking brand and style, cantilevers, height above grade, guardrail design, and stair and stringer spacing. The site plan must show ponds, lakes, streams or wetlands. The division may already have a survey of your property on file. Email [email protected] to check.

Commercial projects: the full plan set, specs, structural and energy calculations, soils report, and fire suppression and alarm specs. Some approvals from other agencies must also come in before the city issues the permit:

• DLI plumbing plan approval, or the DLI minor-remodel plumbing checklist
• a Met Council SAC determination letter
• Minnesota Department of Agriculture review for retail food establishments
• Washington County Health Department review for food preparation

Project-specific rules

Sheds and other accessory buildings

A permit is required for accessory buildings over 200 square feet. Smaller buildings still have to meet the building code and city ordinance. Under Woodbury’s ordinance summary, accessory buildings:

• must sit at least 5 feet from property lines and stay off drainage and utility easements
• cannot have walls taller than 12 feet
• must be anchored to a slab or by another method the division approves
• generally cannot be placed in front of the house

Each lot may have one garage, attached or detached. An attached garage may be no larger than 1,000 square feet or 30% of the home’s main floor area, whichever is greater.

Pools and solar

Both in-ground and above-ground pools need a building permit. The plans must show whether the pool is heated, plus the type and height of the temporary and permanent fencing.

Solar arrays must meet the city’s Solar Energy System Ordinance (City Code Sec. 24-406). If a project can’t meet those standards, the owner can seek an interim conditional use permit under Sec. 24-407. Applications need:

• an electrical diagram
• spec sheets for modules, inverters and racking
• plans showing fire pathways, property-line setbacks and battery storage placement

Fire alarm systems

You need a fire alarm permit to install, replace or modify a system. A separate fire alarm permit is issued only when there is no related building permit, or when an alarm is added after the building permit was issued. Email is the preferred way to submit. Send:

• the city’s application form
• a scaled plan
• equipment data sheets
• backup battery calculations

Hard-copy submittals require two sets of plans. Before calling for inspection, the system must be fully working and self-tested.

Inspection times

Call 651-714-3543 to schedule inspections.

Inspection	Window	Call by
Building, morning	9:30–11:30 a.m.	9 a.m.
Building, afternoon	1:30–3:30 p.m.	1 p.m.
Electrical, same-day morning or afternoon	Scheduled by the city	9 a.m.

Some building inspections can be done by video call over FaceTime or Google Duo. Electrical inspections are always on site. Siding jobs have required an electrical inspection since June 1, 2017. The city’s staff directory lists the electrical inspector, Jason Kohout, at 651-210-1987.

Codes and licensing

Woodbury enforces the 2020 Minnesota State Building Code family, effective March 31, 2020. That includes the 2020 Minnesota Residential Code, Building Code, Plumbing Code and Fire Code. The 2024 Minnesota Commercial Energy Code took effect January 5, 2024. The Minnesota Board of Electricity adopted the 2026 National Electrical Code, effective August 17, 2026. Electrical permits filed before that date follow the 2023 NEC.

Residential contractors and subcontractors working in Woodbury must hold a valid Minnesota state license or mechanical bond. You can verify either through the DLI license lookup.

Rental properties

Most residential properties rented out in Woodbury, including single-family homes, townhouses and condos, need an annual rental license. The 2026 fee for a single-dwelling license is $80 per unit. For new homes, apply after the Certificate of Occupancy is issued. City code prohibits rentals shorter than 30 days.