Step 1: The application
Permits run through the City of Bismarck Community Development Department, Building Inspections Division (701-355-1465). For a basement finish that includes an egress window, the form is the Basement Finish Application; permit applications must be submitted and approved before work starts — beginning construction without a permit is prohibited. Applications and online submission are on the city's permits page.
Step 2: The fee (exact math, not a guess)
Verified — City of Bismarck fee schedule
Bismarck prices residential permits off your project's bid amount: $67.75 for the first $2,000, plus $8.40 for each additional $1,000. Worked examples:
- $3,500 egress install → about $80
- $5,000 egress install → about $93
- $7,000 install → about $110
- 600 sq ft basement finish (valued at the city's $21.50/sq ft ≈ $12,900) → about $159
Most residential permits are issued within one business day.
Step 3: Two inspections
The framing inspection comes after all framing is in place — and final framing approval isn't given until plumbing, mechanical, and electrical are complete. The final inspection covers all permitted work and closes the permit. Schedule at least 24 hours ahead; requests before 3:30pm may get same-day scheduling.
The rule that catches people: no temporary occupancy
The City of Bismarck does not issue temporary Certificates of Occupancy, and occupying the space before the Certificate is issued is an infraction under city ordinance. If the new basement bedroom has a move-in date, schedule the final inspection before it.
Mandan and Lincoln are different offices
Mandan (Morton County) and Lincoln (Burleigh County) enforce the same ND state code — same 5.7 sq ft opening, 44-inch sill, and well rules — but permits and inspections go through their own offices, not Bismarck's. Confirm the local process before starting outside city limits.
Skipping the permit is a bad trade
Unpermitted structural work can surface at resale — buyers and their lenders can check the city's building records — and can complicate insurance claims on the finished space. Against a roughly $85–$110 permit fee on a typical job, there's no version of the math where skipping it wins.
Sources
- City of Bismarck Building Inspections FAQ — permit turnaround, temporary CO policy.
- Residential Permit Fees (revised 1/01/25) — fee table and valuation rates.
- Required Inspections — framing/final sequence and scheduling.
- Permit Applications and Forms — Basement Finish Application.
General information for the Bismarck-Mandan area, not legal advice. Fees and processes are the city's and can change — confirm with Building Inspections (701-355-1465) before you apply.