Excelsior, MN

Excelsior issues a single combined permit for driveway and curb-cut work, officially called the Sidewalk, Curb & Gutter, Driveway & Drive Access Permit. It covers new or modified driveways, curb cuts, and drive-access points in the public right-of-way. The Excelsior Building Inspection Department reviews plans, issues permits, and conducts inspections under the requirements of the State Building Code. The City of Excelsior contracts for building plan review and inspections with Metro West Inspections — call 763-479-1720 to schedule an inspection (have your permit number available).

Applications are submitted online. To obtain a permit, you'll need to create a profile account through Community Connect, the city's online permit portal; once you have an account, you can apply for a permit. A PDF version of the Sidewalk, Curb & Gutter, Driveway & Drive Access Permit Application is also available on the city's permit applications page at ci.excelsior.mn.us/382/Permit-Applications.

The permit-processing timeframe is 3 to 5 business days, though all projects are different and timeframes may change depending on project complexity or required reviews. Some projects require additional review by the Heritage Preservation Commission, the Planning Commission, and/or the City Council, which can extend timelines. If your property is a designated Heritage Preservation Site, a Site Alteration Permit (SAP) is required in addition to the standard driveway permit — this is a common situation in Excelsior, which has many older homes in protected districts.

A quick verification step before applying: confirm the property you're requesting a permit for is within Excelsior city limits. As a quirk of local addressing, any address with more than three digits isn't in Excelsior — that's a useful test before assuming the city has jurisdiction. Excelsior is in Hennepin County. The City of Excelsior has adopted the Minnesota State Building Code, which adopts the 2020 Minnesota Building Code with amendments by reference. Excelsior's specific residential driveway width and side-setback figures aren't published verbatim on the city's permit page, so confirm exact numbers for your zoning district at 952-474-5233 or in the Excelsior Municipal Code at library.municode.com/mn/excelsior.

The specific permit fee amount is not published on the public-facing permit page — it's set by City Council resolution and may be updated annually. Contact City Hall at 952-474-5233 to confirm the current 2025-2026 fee before submitting your application. There's a fraud alert worth noting: the city has been made aware of fraudulent invoices issued to applicants, and the City of Excelsior will never request a wire transfer from an applicant. If you receive a wire-transfer request claiming to be from Excelsior, call City Hall directly at 952-474-5233 to verify before paying.

Key contacts: Excelsior City Hall is at 350 Highway 7, Suite 230, Excelsior, MN, phone 952-474-5233. City Hall hours are Monday through Thursday, 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. (no Friday hours). Metro West Inspections handles inspection scheduling at 763-479-1720. The Permit Applications page is at ci.excelsior.mn.us/382/Permit-Applications, and the Excelsior Municode is at library.municode.com/mn/excelsior. Always call Gopher State One Call at 811 before any digging — required by Minnesota law statewide.