How to Start a Campground or RV Park in North Dakota: DHHS License Fees from $110 to $505 by Lot Count and the Free Transfer Rule

Starting a campground or RV park is one of the more involved small business projects you can take on in North Dakota, mostly because it touches several agencies at once. You will form an entity with the Secretary of State, get a health license from the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), clear zoning with your city or county, and meet contractor licensing rules if you are building anything. This guide walks through how to start a campground business in North Dakota in the order most operators find works best, using the exact fees the state publishes.

This article is informational, not legal or tax advice. Fees and rules change, so confirm every figure with the agency named before you commit money. For entity choice, lease terms, insurance, and the tax treatment of lot rentals, work with a qualified North Dakota attorney and a CPA.

What Counts as a Campground Under North Dakota Law

DHHS regulates a campground or RV park as a parcel with three or more lots for recreational vehicles or tents. If you plan to rent two or fewer lots, you do not need this license. Plan around the number of lots you will actually build and rent, because that number sets your annual fee for as long as you hold the license. The rules come from North Dakota Century Code Chapter 23-10 and North Dakota Administrative Code 33-33-02.

Mobile home parks use the same fee scale under 33-33-01-07. A park that mixes RV sites with mobile home lots should ask DHHS how those lots will be counted before it files.

Materials and Information You Need Before You Start

Gather these items before you file anything. A missing item usually delays your application rather than sinking it, but delays can cost you a construction season.

• A site plan drawn to scale showing every lot, road, utility hookup, water source, restroom or shower building, and dump station
• A parcel map and proof of site control, such as a deed, purchase agreement, or lease
• Your planned lot count, which determines your fee tier
• A business name you have checked in the Secretary of State's business search
• A North Dakota registered agent who has agreed to serve
• A federal employer identification number (EIN) from the IRS, which you will need for payroll and most business tax filings
• A FirstStop account for Secretary of State filings and an ND TAP account for the sales tax permit
• Written zoning confirmation from the city or county where the park will sit
• A budget that covers filing fees, the DHHS license, permits, and construction

Step-by-Step: How to Start a Campground Business in North Dakota

Step 1: Count your lots and pick your fee tier

Your lot count controls your DHHS fee for as long as you operate, so settle it early. Parks of 3 to 10 lots pay the lowest annual fee, and each tier boundary raises the bill. An 11 to 25 lot park pays $160 a year, while a 26 to 50 lot park pays $210. Design a realistic count, and avoid a layout that sits just over a tier boundary unless the extra lots clearly earn more than the higher fee costs.

Step 2: Check your name and reserve it if you need time

Search your proposed name in the Secretary of State's business search at https://firststop.sos.nd.gov/search/business. Under NDCC 10-32.1-11, an LLC name must include limited liability company, L.L.C., or LLC. It must also be distinguishable from every other registered name in the state and may not suggest a purpose the company is not organized for. If you need time to finish paperwork, you can reserve the name for 12 months for $10. Reservations renew in successive 12 month periods at https://www.sos.nd.gov/business/business-services/register-business.

Step 3: Form the entity

Most small campgrounds form a limited liability company. Articles of Organization under Chapter 10-32.1 cost $135 and are filed through the FirstStop portal at https://firststop.sos.nd.gov/. A corporation files Articles of Incorporation under Chapter 10-19.1 for $100. Both carry annual reports. The LLC report costs $50 and is due November 15 each year. A corporation's Business Corporation Annual Report costs $25 and is due August 1. If your LLC qualifies as a farming or ranching LLC, the due date is April 15 instead, so confirm which date applies to you. North Dakota levies no franchise tax, and the $50 annual report is the only recurring state charge on an LLC itself.

Step 4: Name a North Dakota registered agent

Corporations and LLCs must maintain a North Dakota registered agent with a physical address in the state. A business cannot serve as its own agent. The agent must be an individual who resides in North Dakota, or a North Dakota or out of state corporation or LLC that is registered with the Secretary of State and has a business office in the state. Get the agent's approval before you name them, because failing to do so may result in involuntary dissolution. A statement changing the agent or address costs $10, and service of process costs $25.

Step 5: Register a trade name if your park's name differs from your legal name

If you will operate as Cedar Ridge RV Park while your legal name is Prairie Holdings LLC, you need a trade name registration. It costs $25 to register, $25 to amend, and $25 to renew. Renewal is required every 5 years. The registration gives you exclusive rights to that name within North Dakota only. Trade names are filed with the Secretary of State, not the county. Details are at https://sos.nd.gov/business/business-services/trade-name-franchise-name/north-dakota-trade-name-faqs.

Step 6: Clear zoning with the city or county

North Dakota has 53 counties, and counties do not license businesses. City permits and zoning approvals are separate from the DHHS license, and they often set your timeline. Contact the city planning or zoning office, or the county if your parcel sits outside city limits. Ask whether a campground is a permitted use on your parcel, what setback and density rules apply, and whether a conditional use permit is required. Get the answers in writing. Cities license specific activities only, so a general city business license will not stand in for zoning approval.

Step 7: Apply to DHHS at least 30 days before you build or take over

Under NDCC Chapter 23-10 and NDAC 33-33-02, apply to DHHS at least 30 days before you start construction or take over an existing park. DHHS may need up to 30 days for plan review, so a park built from scratch should file early. Your site plan is the document reviewers check first, which is why the lot count from Step 1 needs to be final. Confirm the current application form and submission method with DHHS before you file.

Step 8: Check contractor licensing and workers' compensation

If anyone is paid to build cabins, a bathhouse, or roads, check the contractor rule. When the cost, value, or price of a construction job exceeds $4,000, the person doing the work must hold a North Dakota contractor license from the Secretary of State. Class D covers jobs up to $100,000 and costs $100, while Class A covers jobs over $500,000 and costs $450. Contractor licenses renew annually by March 1. If you hire employees, workers' compensation coverage comes through WorkForce Safety and Insurance (WSI), which is the state's only source of that coverage. Confirm your obligations with WSI before your first hire.

Step 9: Get your sales and use tax permit about 30 days before opening

North Dakota's state sales tax rate is 5%, and cities and counties add their own taxes. Any business making taxable sales must hold a sales and use tax permit from the Office of State Tax Commissioner. Apply through ND TAP at https://tap.tax.nd.gov/?Link=Application about 30 days before you open. Whether nightly lot rentals, firewood, or camp store sales are taxable is a question for the Tax Commissioner or a CPA, so get that answer before you set prices.

Step 10: Add alcohol or food licenses only if you need them

If you plan to sell beer or wine at a camp store, the Attorney General licenses retail alcohol, and local approval is part of that process. If you run a food concession or kitchen, DHHS licenses food establishments, which may be a separate license from your lodging license. Ask both agencies before you sell.

DHHS License Fees by Lot Count

The DHHS license fee depends on how many lots you have, not a flat rate. These annual fees under NDAC 33-33-02-07 were amended effective January 1, 2026.

Number of lots	Annual license fee
3 to 10	$110
11 to 25	$160
26 to 50	$210
51 to 100	$265
101 to 150	$325
151 to 200	$385
201 to 250	$445
Over 250	$505

First-time applicants pay more than the annual fee. Add a $100 administration fee, plus 50% of the annual fee when a plan review is required. For a 40 lot park, the annual fee is $210, so a first year bill with plan review could total $415: $210 annual fee, $100 administration fee, and $105 plan review fee. A reinspection after repeat violations costs $100. Confirm with DHHS whether the plan review amount is billed with the application or separately.

Licenses expire December 31 each year. Renew before that date. If you miss it, there is a 60 day grace period to renew an expired license, so do not treat that window as a plan.

The Free Transfer Rule

If you buy an existing campground, you may avoid paying for a new license. Under 23-10-06.2, DHHS transfers a license free of charge if the new owner applies in writing within 30 days of the sale. Calendar that deadline the day the sale closes, confirm with DHHS which date counts as the sale, and send the written application promptly. The free transfer applies only inside that 30 day window. Outside it, confirm with DHHS what the buyer must do. Also compare the lot count on the existing license with the lots you intend to operate, because the annual fee follows the lot count.

Tips for a Smoother Start

• Start the DHHS conversation early. Plan review can take up to 30 days, and North Dakota construction seasons can be short.
• Lock in the lot count on your site plan before you file. Changing the design after review can restart the process and push back your opening.
• Get zoning in writing. A verbal yes from a planner will not help when a neighbor challenges your permit.
• Ask the North Dakota Small Business Development Centers (ND SBDC), hosted by the University of North Dakota Nistler College of Business and Public Administration, to review your plan and budget at https://und.edu/ndsbdc/index.html. The U.S. Small Business Administration's North Dakota page is at https://www.sba.gov/district/north-dakota.
• Put every renewal on a calendar: DHHS license December 31, LLC annual report November 15, corporation annual report August 1, contractor license March 1, and trade name every 5 years.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Assuming the DHHS fee is flat. It depends on lot count, and building 26 lots when you planned 25 raises the annual fee from $160 to $210.
• Treating the DHHS license as a business license. North Dakota has no general statewide business license. Registering an entity or a trade name is a filing, not a license.
• Applying late. File at least 30 days before construction or takeover, since plan review can take up to 30 days.
• Missing the 30 day transfer window when buying a park.
• Naming a registered agent without getting their approval first.
• Skipping the sales and use tax permit. Apply through ND TAP about 30 days before opening.
• Assuming a city or county handles everything. Counties do not license businesses, and cities license specific activities only.
• Hiring builders without checking contractor licensing when a job exceeds $4,000.

What Results to Expect

A campground license gives you permission to operate. It does not guarantee income. For most parks, construction, land, and utility costs are likely to outweigh the state license fees by a wide margin. The lot count you build affects your revenue ceiling as well as your annual fee, so the layout decision carries more weight than the fee tier alone. Results will depend on your location, season length, marketing, and management, and no one can promise occupancy or profit. A realistic plan assumes a slower first season than you hope and builds in a cash cushion for it.

Next Steps

Work in this order: confirm your lot count, check your name and form the entity, appoint a registered agent, get zoning in writing, apply to DHHS at least 30 days before construction, and obtain your sales and use tax permit about 30 days before opening. For entity questions, contact the Secretary of State at https://www.sos.nd.gov/ or call Business Services at (701) 328-2900 for current timing. For tax questions, see the Office of State Tax Commissioner at https://www.tax.nd.gov/. For the campground license itself, contact DHHS directly, and confirm all figures in this article before you rely on them.