North Dakota Foster Home Inspection: Well Water Testing and Outbuilding Requirements

Most prospective foster parents in North Dakota prepare carefully for the interview portions of the home study and spend less time thinking about the physical inspection. That is a mistake — particularly for families on rural properties. The inspection uses the SFN 1037 checklist and follows NDAC 75-03-14-03 (Minimum Physical Standards), and there are a handful of North Dakota-specific requirements that catch families off guard. Well water and outbuildings are the two most common.

Why Rural Properties Get Extra Scrutiny

North Dakota is a predominantly rural state, and a significant portion of its licensed foster families live on farms, acreages, or properties served by private wells rather than municipal water. The licensing inspection reflects this reality: there are specific requirements for private water systems, agricultural buildings, and outdoor hazards that do not appear on the checklists used in states with more suburban or urban foster home populations.

Understanding these requirements before your licensing specialist visits — rather than learning about them during the inspection — saves time and prevents delays.

Well Water Testing Requirements

If your home is served by a private well (rather than a municipal water system), North Dakota requires a water quality test as part of the licensing process. This is not optional and cannot be substituted with a claim that the water "has always been fine."

What the test must cover: The state requires testing for at minimum coliform bacteria and nitrates. In some cases, the licensing specialist may request additional testing for arsenic or other contaminants based on the geographic location of your property (North Dakota has regions with naturally elevated arsenic and other mineral levels in groundwater).

Who conducts the test: You must use a state-certified laboratory. The North Dakota Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) maintains a list of certified labs. Many county extension offices can facilitate well water testing and walk you through sample collection procedures.

Cost: Testing typically runs between $30 and $80 depending on the lab and the panel of tests ordered. This is an out-of-pocket cost for the applicant — the state does not cover water testing fees.

If the test fails: If your water tests positive for coliform bacteria or elevated nitrates, licensing is paused until the problem is treated and the well retests clean. Common interventions include chlorination, filtration systems, or, in persistent cases, connecting to an alternative water source. A failed test does not end your application, but it does extend the timeline — sometimes significantly if the well requires multiple treatment attempts before achieving a clean result. Do not wait until the last minute to schedule the test.

For renewals: Water test results must remain current. If your license renewal coincides with a significant period since your last test, expect the licensing specialist to require a fresh test, especially if you are in an agricultural area with elevated contamination risk.

Outbuilding and Agricultural Property Inspection

Foster families on farms or rural properties face an additional layer of the home inspection that urban applicants do not: assessment of outbuildings and agricultural hazards. The licensing specialist will evaluate the entirety of the property that a foster child could access, not just the house.

Quonset huts and barns: These structures are not part of the foster home living space, but if they are accessible to children, they must be assessed for safety. Key concerns include: hazardous equipment or tools stored accessibly, unsecured agricultural chemicals (pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers), and structural hazards. The state does not require you to demolish or permanently seal outbuildings, but it may require that they be secured against unsupervised child access — padlocked doors, fenced perimeters, or similar measures.

Grain bins: Grain bin suffocation is a real and significant risk — children can be buried in grain within seconds of entry. If your property has active grain storage, the licensing specialist will evaluate whether bins are secured against child entry. This is a non-negotiable safety requirement.

Stock tanks, ponds, and agricultural "dugouts": North Dakota's water safety rules require that open water bodies accessible to children under six be fenced or otherwise secured. A stock tank that doubles as a swim spot is a hazard from the licensing perspective. Even ornamental ponds are addressed if they are within the area children will access.

Farm machinery: Active farm equipment — tractors, augers, combines, and similar machinery — must be stored or secured in ways that prevent unsupervised access. The licensing specialist assesses risk based on the age of children anticipated to be placed, with more rigorous evaluation for younger children.

Livestock: Pets and animals must be properly vaccinated, with documentation on file. For farms with larger animals — horses, cattle, pigs — the licensing specialist will assess whether they pose a realistic risk to foster children and may require fencing or separation requirements depending on the animal's temperament and the anticipated ages of children in placement.

Bedroom Window Egress Requirements

This applies to all homes, not just rural properties, but it is one of the most commonly missed items on the inspection checklist. Every bedroom used by a foster child must have:

• Two means of egress: a door and a window
• Windows that meet minimum fire code dimensions: typically at least 24 inches high and 20 inches wide
• Windows that open fully and are not blocked from outside by landscaping, bars, or other obstructions

Older homes, particularly in rural North Dakota, sometimes have bedrooms with very small windows or windows painted shut. Identifying and correcting these issues before the inspection avoids a failed visit and a re-inspection delay.

Other Common Inspection Items

Beyond water and outbuildings, the inspection covers:

• Fire extinguisher: Must be 2A-10BC rated — not just any extinguisher. Keep the purchase receipt, as licensing specialists may request it.
• Smoke and carbon monoxide detectors: Required in every bedroom and near the kitchen. Test and replace batteries in advance.
• Written evacuation plan: Must be posted visibly in the home.
• Firearm and ammunition storage: Separately locked storage is required — firearms and ammunition must be stored in separate locked locations.
• Pet vaccination records: Must be current and on file.

The North Dakota Foster Care Licensing Guide includes a complete pre-inspection checklist tailored to both rural and urban properties — organized by category so you can walk your home systematically before the licensing specialist arrives.

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