Nelson County, ND zoning map, flood zone and property lines by address
Free, no account. Or open the North Dakota map and tap a lot.
Towns in Nelson County: Lakota.
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 Nelson County has 48 FIRM panels, the newest effective February 2009; 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 Nelson 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 North Dakota GIS Hub parcel layer (from each county), so a Nelson lot shows the same lines the county director of tax equalization draws. Nelson County covers about 628,362 acres of land and 17,316 acres of water.
Mapped lines are approximate. The Nelson County director of tax equalization keeps the parcel record (Nelson County website); a licensed surveyor sets the true corners.
Zoning
In North Dakota zoning is set by the county, the township or the city, depending on where the lot is: in Nelson County, Lakota zones the land inside its 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 Nelson County website lists the county's municipalities.
ADU and guest houses
Under North Dakota's zoning laws (N.D. Cent. Code chapters 11-33 for counties and 40-47 for cities), 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 Nelson 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. Nelson County is soil survey area ND063, Nelson County, North Dakota, last updated September 2026, on Web Soil Survey.
A new or changed septic system in Nelson County needs a permit from the Nelson County local public health unit (installers are licensed by the ND Department of Environmental Quality).
Setbacks
Setbacks in Nelson 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 Lakota for land inside its limits.
Hazards that apply
- Wetlands and wildfire. ParcelSheet shows the National Wetlands Inventory near a Nelson lot and the Forest Service wildfire hazard rating at it.
Questions
Is my house in a flood zone in Nelson 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 Nelson County has 48 panels, the newest effective February 2009. A lender or insurer uses the official FIRM panel; FEMA's Map Service Center has it.
How do I find property lines in Nelson County?
Open the North Dakota map, type the address, and the parcel outline from the Nelson County director of tax equalization 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 Nelson County?
Zoning in Nelson County is set by the county, the township or the city, depending on where the lot is (such as Lakota). 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 Nelson County?
Under North Dakota's zoning laws (N.D. Cent. Code chapters 11-33 for counties and 40-47 for cities), 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 Nelson 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 Nelson County?
Yes. A new or changed septic system in Nelson County needs a permit from the Nelson County local public health unit (installers are licensed by the ND Department of Environmental Quality). ParcelSheet shows the USDA soil survey's septic rating at the lot, from survey area ND063 (Nelson County, North Dakota).
What can I build on 5 acres in Nelson County?
Zoning in Nelson County is set by the county, the township or the city, depending on where the lot is (such as Lakota). 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 Nelson County website.
What are the residential setbacks in Nelson County (2026)?
Setbacks in Nelson 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 Nelson County website.
Next to Nelson County: Benson County, Eddy County, Grand Forks County, Griggs County, Ramsey County, Steele County, Walsh County.
The North Dakota map · All North Dakota counties · Flood zones explained · FIRM panels and LOMAs · All 50 states