Williston Building Department | Permits, Inspections & Contact

The City of Williston Department of Building Safety administers building permits, inspections, certificates, and code enforcement for the City and the City’s extra-territorial zoning jurisdiction. Williams County is the surrounding county; county planning or state agencies may have separate authority outside the City’s jurisdiction.

How to apply for a Williston building permit

Contact Building Safety before construction, alteration, moving, repair, demolition, or a change in use. Williston’s building-code provisions establish the City Building Official’s responsibility to receive applications, issue permits and certificates, maintain records, and inspect permitted work. Commercial construction and many residential alterations require plans, a project description, contractor information, and evidence of the applicable North Dakota contractor license and insurance.

For zoning-sensitive projects, confirm the property’s district, permitted use, setbacks, floodplain requirements, and whether an administrative review, special permitted use, variance, or other approval is required. A building permit does not replace zoning approval.

Williston inspections and occupancy

The Building Official or authorized inspector conducts the inspections required by the building code and keeps inspection and certificate records. Leave required work accessible until it has been inspected and corrected. Williston’s development standards state that a building or structure may not be occupied before completion and issuance of a certificate of occupancy by the Department of Building Safety.

Williston zoning and code enforcement

Williston’s zoning ordinance requires a building permit for covered construction and regulates uses, site conditions, and special approvals. The City also operates code enforcement for construction and property-maintenance issues. Confirm the jurisdiction with Building Safety when a parcel is near the City boundary or in the extra-territorial area, because Williams County and other local authorities may control property outside the City’s authority.

Official Williston contact information

City materials identify the Building Safety office at 113 4th Street East, 2nd Floor, Williston, North Dakota 58801, phone 701-577-8115. The reviewed official sources do not expose a confirmed public self-service permit-search portal. Contact Building Safety for the current application, inspection-request, and record-search process before relying on an older form or link.