Rice County, MN zoning map, flood zone and property lines by address
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Towns in Rice County: Faribault, Northfield, Lonsdale.
Flood zone by address
ParcelSheet reads FEMA's National Flood Hazard Layer at the lot: the zone, whether it is a high risk area where lenders ask for flood insurance, and the base flood elevation where FEMA lists one. FEMA's countywide study for Rice County has 35 FIRM panels, the newest effective April 2022; no coastal V zones are mapped in it.
The official panel and any Letter of Map Amendment are at FEMA's Map Service Center. An elevation certificate for a Rice house comes from a licensed surveyor and is often on file with the county or city building office.
Property lines
The parcel outline, parcel number and mapped size come from the Minnesota open parcel layer (Minnesota Geospatial Information Office, from the counties that share their parcels), so a Rice lot shows the same lines the county assessor draws. Rice County covers about 317,311 acres of land and 12,867 acres of water.
Mapped lines are approximate. The Rice County assessor keeps the parcel record (Rice County website); a licensed surveyor sets the true corners.
Zoning
In Minnesota zoning is set by the county, the township or the city, depending on where the lot is: in Rice County, Faribault, Northfield, Lonsdale each zone the land inside their limits. ParcelSheet shows the use code on the lot's parcel record and the municipality it sits in; the county, township or city zoning office has the district, the uses it allows and the lot size it needs. The Rice County website lists the county's municipalities.
ADU and guest houses
Under Minnesota's zoning laws (Minnesota Statutes chapters 394 and 462), the county, the township or the city, depending on where the lot is can allow an accessory dwelling unit on a lot with a house. Whether a Rice lot can add one depends on its district; the county, township or city zoning office has the rule. ParcelSheet shows the mapped lot size and the ground's slope, the first two things the question turns on.
Septic and soil
ParcelSheet reads the USDA soil survey at the lot: the soil's name, its septic absorption rating and whether it is prime farmland. Rice County is soil survey area MN131, Rice County, Minnesota, last updated September 2026, on Web Soil Survey.
A new or changed septic system in Rice County needs a permit from the Rice County septic (SSTS) program under the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency rules.
Setbacks
Setbacks in Rice County come from the zoning district: the front, side and rear distances a house must keep. ParcelSheet does not draw setback lines; the county, township or city zoning office gives them for the lot's district, and Faribault, Northfield, Lonsdale for land inside their limits.
Hazards that apply
- Wetlands and wildfire. ParcelSheet shows the National Wetlands Inventory near a Rice lot and the Forest Service wildfire hazard rating at it.
Questions
Is my house in a flood zone in Rice County?
Type the address in the box above and ParcelSheet reads FEMA's flood zone at the lot's center. FEMA's countywide flood map for Rice County has 35 panels, the newest effective April 2022. A lender or insurer uses the official FIRM panel; FEMA's Map Service Center has it.
How do I find property lines in Rice County?
Open the Minnesota map, type the address, and the parcel outline from the Rice County assessor shows on the map with its parcel number and mapped size. Mapped lines are approximate; only a licensed surveyor sets the true corners.
What is my property zoned in Rice County?
Zoning in Rice County is set by the county, the township or the city, depending on where the lot is (such as Faribault, Northfield). ParcelSheet shows the use code on the parcel record and names the municipality; the county, township or city zoning office has the final word.
Can I build an ADU in Rice County?
Under Minnesota's zoning laws (Minnesota Statutes chapters 394 and 462), the county, the township or the city, depending on where the lot is can allow an accessory dwelling unit, and each sets its own rules. In Rice County ask the county, township or city zoning office for the lot's district first; ParcelSheet shows the lot size as mapped so you can see the room you have.
Do I need a septic permit in Rice County?
Yes. A new or changed septic system in Rice County needs a permit from the Rice County septic (SSTS) program under the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency rules. ParcelSheet shows the USDA soil survey's septic rating at the lot, from survey area MN131 (Rice County, Minnesota).
What can I build on 5 acres in Rice County?
Zoning in Rice County is set by the county, the township or the city, depending on where the lot is (such as Faribault, Northfield). The zoning district decides the uses, how many homes and the smallest lot it allows on 5 acres. ParcelSheet shows the lot size as mapped and the use code on the parcel record; the county, township or city zoning office has the district and its rules. See the Rice County website.
What are the residential setbacks in Rice County (2026)?
Setbacks in Rice County come from the zoning code of the municipality the lot sits in: the front, side and rear distances depend on the lot's district. ParcelSheet does not draw setback lines or give a number it did not read; the county, township or city zoning office gives them for the district. See the Rice County website.
Next to Rice County: Dakota County, Dodge County, Goodhue County, Le Sueur County, Scott County, Steele County, Waseca County.
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