County · code 38103
Wells CountyNorth Dakota
Wells County is a county in North Dakota, founded in 1873, with its county seat at Fessenden.
- Founded1873
- County seatFessenden
- Land area1,271 sq mi + 20 sq mi water
- Population3,982 2020 Census
- Parcels mapped8,777 checked 14 October 2026
Where it is
Wells on the map of North Dakota
North Dakota has 53 counties and county equivalents, each with its own records office. Shapes with a page are links.
History
Founded in 1873
An old deed may name a county that no longer exists, or a boundary that has since moved.
Wells County gained territory from Foster County on March 31, 1885. Wells became a county in the state of North Dakota on November 2, 1889.
- 1885Gained territory Wells gained from Foster. · Dak. Terr. Laws 1885, 16th sess., ch. 43/p. 282
- 1889Became part of North Dakota Wells became a county in the state of North Dakota. · U.S. Stat., vol. 25, ch. 180[1889]/pp. 676-684 and vol. 26, no. 5/pp. 1548-1549; Swindler, 7:526-527; Van Zandt, 134
Land and parcels
What the maps cover in Wells
Who publishes each layer, how good it is, and when we last checked.
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Parcels Good enough
Lot lines and tax-map numbers for 8,777 parcels from State of North Dakota GIS Hub (NDIT; State Parcel Program, counties as custodians). Drawn for tax purposes: usually within a few feet of a survey, but not a survey.
edited 12 October 2026 · checked 14 October 2026 -
Address points Official
One point per address, 2,666 in all from State of North Dakota — NDGISHUB / ND Department of Emergency Services (owner NDGISHDP-DES).
edited 12 October 2026 · checked 13 October 2026 -
Buildings Reference
Roof outlines traced from aerial imagery from FEMA Response Geospatial Office with Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). Good for seeing what is on a lot; not accurate enough to set a fence from.
checked 18 October 2026
- Official
- from the office that keeps the record
- Good enough
- a reliable statewide or national copy
- Fallback
- a guide only; check the official record
- Missing
- nothing public found yet
People and land
Wells by the Census
Source: US Census Bureau, 2020 Census; US Census Bureau, 2020 Gazetteer Files. Not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Rules and offices
Who to ask before you build, dig or sell
Official county pages only. We link to them; we do not copy them, because they change.
Inside a city or town, permits usually come from that city rather than the county.
Permits
County government
- County government
The official website of Wells County.
See your own lot on these maps
Open Wells County on Parcel Chart's free map and click your parcel. Save it with a free account; the full record of your place (site map, projects, documents) is Pro, in early access.
Questions
Common questions about Wells County
- When was Wells County founded?
- Wells County was founded in 1873.
- What is the county seat of Wells County?
- The county seat of Wells County is Fessenden.
- Is there an online parcel map for Wells County?
- Yes. State of North Dakota GIS Hub (NDIT; State Parcel Program, counties as custodians) publishes a parcel map of 8,777 parcels, rated good enough here. You can click any parcel on it in Parcel Chart's free map, no sign-in needed.
- Has Wells County's boundary or name changed?
- Atlas of Historical County Boundaries records 2 changes for Wells County. Since then the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries records 2 later changes, chiefly involving Foster County.
- Who issues building permits in Wells County?
- The county's page on building permits: Special Weight Permit. Inside a city or town, ask that city first.
- Is my lot in a flood zone?
- We do not have flood maps for Wells County yet. Look up the address on FEMA's Flood Map Service Center, which shows the effective flood map for any lot.
Nearby