Do I need approval to repair a chimney in a Minneapolis or St. Paul historic district?

Minneapolis Fireplace & Chimney · November 2, 2026

Why historic chimneys get extra attention

Older housing is the rule in both cities. Census ACS 2024 five-year estimates show 42.8 percent of Minneapolis homes and 41.6 percent of St. Paul homes were built before 1940. In the designated districts, the chimney is part of what is being preserved: its height, its brick, its corbeling at the top and the look of the mortar joints. Replacing a tall, detailed stack with a short plain one, or taking it off the roof altogether, changes the roofline the district was designated to protect.

St. Paul: a permit for tuckpointing, whatever it costs

St. Paul's DSI handout on when a permit is required spells it out. Outside historic areas, non-structural work beyond normal maintenance needs a permit once it passes $500. Inside a Historic Preservation Area, the handout says a permit is required for exterior work or repairs such as tuckpointing, siding, window replacement and roof patching, regardless of the value.

So repointing a few joints on a chimney in a St. Paul historic area is permit work, even though the same job across the district line might not be. The handout lists the Heritage Preservation Commission staff line, 651-266-9078, for questions about whether a property falls inside an area.

St. Paul also treats factory-built fireplaces and wood stoves as mechanical permit work under its Legislative Code, whatever district you are in.

Minneapolis: preservation review

Minneapolis handles routine historic work through administrative review by preservation staff in its planning department. The city's page says staff send a decision by email within about 10 business days of a complete application, and that staff review can take several weeks overall. Appeals carry a $450 fee. Questions go to 311 or the city's main line.

What counts as a complete application is where most delays start. A clear set of photos of each side of the chimney, a written description of the work, and the mortar and brick to be used make it much easier for staff to say yes. Chimney removal or a major change to a historic chimney is a bigger ask than repair, and it can face a longer review.

How we approach a historic chimney

We start by checking whether the property is in a designated district or is individually designated. Then we write a scope that matches the old work rather than modernizing it.

• Photos of every face of the chimney, the crown and the flashing, plus close-ups of damaged brick.
• A written scope that says which joints will be repointed and which bricks replaced.
• Mortar chosen to match the original color, texture and joint profile, and no harder than the old brick can tolerate.
• Replacement brick matched in size and color, salvaged when a new match is not available.
• Repairs that keep the chimney's height and top detailing instead of cutting it down.

What the work costs

Historic projects are priced the same way as any other chimney repair; the review adds time, not a surcharge from us. Tuckpointing to match the old mortar typically runs $500–$2,500. Replacing spalled brick runs $1,000–$3,500, depending on how many and how hard they are to match. A partial rebuild of the top of the stack runs $1,000–$5,000+.

Our inspection is free and includes the photos and written scope you need for the city. We do not file the review for you or promise an outcome; we help you prepare, and we schedule the work after the city has signed off.