In Duluth, MN, painting, flooring, tile, cabinets and countertops need no permit, but new decks, window and door replacement, tub-to-shower conversions, new wiring and retaining walls over four feet do. Superior, WI publishes its own list of work that needs no permit, and pools, hot tubs and retaining walls aren't on it. The table below covers 17 common projects in both cities.
Duluth and Superior permitting: rules for 17 common projects
These rules come from the City of Duluth permit page, its small projects page, residential FAQ, deck page and fence page, and from Superior's Permits Not Required list, building permits page and accessory structures page. Townships and nearby cities set their own rules, so an address outside city limits needs its own check: see who issues permits in each Twin Ports town, from Hermantown and Cloquet to the St. Louis County townships and the Douglas County towns.
| Project | Duluth, MN | Superior, WI |
|---|---|---|
| Painting, wallpaper, flooring, tile | No permit (finish work) | No permit |
| Kitchen cabinets and countertops | No permit | No permit if the layout doesn't change; plumbing or electrical permits may still apply |
| Drywall or plaster repair | Building permit if the work affects more than half a sheet of drywall | No permit under 100 sq ft outside a required fire separation |
| Swapping a faucet or toilet | No permit if the water supply isn't altered | No permit if the piping isn't altered |
| Replacing a tub with a shower | Building permit, plus plumbing | Plumbing permit for the altered piping; ask building inspection about the rest |
| Light fixture, switch or outlet, like for like | No permit | No permit |
| New light, outlet or circuit | Electrical permit, through the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry | Electrical permit for new wiring |
| Replacement windows and doors | Building permit | Screen and storm doors need none; ask about other replacements |
| New deck | Building permit, unless it's a low platform: 30 in or less above grade, not attached and not on frost footings | Building permit |
| Replacing deck boards and stair treads | Not on the exempt list; ask Construction Services | No permit |
| Fence | Fence permit at 4 ft or taller; building permit and engineer-stamped plans over 7 ft | Building permit; replacing under a quarter of the boards needs none |
| Retaining wall | Building permit and engineer-stamped plans over 4 ft, or at any height when it holds up a driveway or building | Not on the no-permit list; call building inspection |
| Shed | No building permit up to 200 sq ft, one story, detached | No permit under 64 sq ft |
| Above-ground pool | No building permit for a prefabricated pool up to 5,000 gallons and 24 in deep | Not on the no-permit list; call building inspection |
| Hot tub | Electrical permit for the new circuit; ask Construction Services about the tub | Not on the no-permit list; call building inspection |
| Finishing a basement | Building permit; follows the city's attic rules for stairs, headroom and an egress window | Building permit for the alteration |
| Home addition | Building permit with a site plan tied to a boundary survey and scaled plans | Building permit |
Who can pull the permit?
In Duluth, the homeowner or the contractor can pull a building permit, and a contractor needs a Minnesota license to pull one for someone else. Electrical permits in Duluth come through the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry. In Wisconsin, whoever pulls a building permit for a one- or two-family home needs a Dwelling Contractor certification; owner-occupants are exempt.
For every project on this list, we check what your address needs, and who the office requires to pull the permit, before we quote.
Do I need a permit to build a deck in Duluth?
Almost always. Duluth exempts only a low platform: 30 inches or less above grade, not attached to the house, not on frost-depth footings and not part of an accessible route. Any deck attached to the house, or built on frost footings, needs a building permit. See deck building for footings and costs.
How tall can a Duluth retaining wall be without a permit?
Four feet, measured from the bottom of the footing to the top of the wall, as long as it doesn't hold up a driveway or building. Taller walls, and a wall of any height carrying that kind of load, need a building permit and plans stamped by a Minnesota-licensed structural engineer. See retaining wall repair for leaning or failing walls.
Which bathroom remodel jobs need a permit in Duluth?
Most of them. Swapping a toilet or faucet without altering the water supply needs none, and tile work needs none, but replacing a tub with a shower needs a building permit, and new plumbing, wiring or an exhaust fan brings plumbing, electrical and HVAC permits. See bathroom remodeling.
How long does a Superior building permit take?
Superior asks you to allow 10 business days for review once the application is complete. Plan exterior work such as decks and fences around that, because the Northland building season is short. Superior's no-permit list skips the wait for deck boards, stair treads and sheds under 64 square feet. Building inspection can be reached at (715) 395-7288.
Does a permit exemption mean anyone can do the work?
No. A permit exemption covers the city's building permit, not licensing: in Minnesota a contractor working in more than one skill area needs a residential building contractor license, and electrical and plumbing work need licensed trades. An exempt job still needs the right trade for any wiring or plumbing it touches. Our Minnesota handyman license guide explains the rules.
Send your project list with your address, and your flat price in writing will say which permits apply and who pulls them.
Next steps. If you want help with this, start with the home repairs and odd jobs page. We serve Duluth and Superior.
Keep reading: Fence or Retaining Wall Between Neighbors in MN and WI and Stair Handrail Requirements in Minnesota and Wisconsin.