North Slope Borough moves planning permits to electronic filing in 2026

North Slope Borough planning applicants had to switch to electronic filing as the borough rolled out a new fee schedule that took effect Jan. 1 and replaced older amounts listed in form instructions. The change affects development, land use, subdivision, study permit, rezoning, master plan and residential requests across the borough’s 89,000 square miles.

All permit applications go to NSBPermitSubmittal@north-slope.org for processing, and applicants are told to include every required document and piece of information to avoid delays.

For subdivision work, Form 900 requires applicants to call the Platting Administrator at (907) 852-0333 before completing the application, and incomplete applications will not be accepted. Form 400 requires land-use permits for development and uses within borough boundaries and out to three nautical miles offshore, while Form 1200 says NSBMC Title 19, Section 19.30.090 authorizes the Planning and Zoning Commissions to establish the fee schedule by resolution.

The new 2026 Planning Commission fee and penalty schedule sets Administrative Approval at $3,000, Development Permit at $4,000 plus $1,000 per well, and Conditional Development Permit at $6,000. New Master Plan applications without a rezoning change and Master Plan updates without a rezoning change are each listed at $10,000, a new rezoning application that includes a new master plan is $20,000, and a rezoning amendment with a master plan update is $15,000. Special Planning Commission meetings are listed at $25,000 outside Barrow and $1 in Barrow.

The borough’s Land Management Regulation division administers planning and zoning ordinances and carries out enforcement under borough municipal codes. The process applies across a borough that includes eight villages, with village populations listed from 250 to 4,429 and a 2020 borough population of 11,031.