Milwaukee and Madison use different permit rules — here's what that means for your bids
Wisconsin's two largest cities operate independent permit offices with different fee schedules, processing timelines, and application procedures. If you work in both, you're managing two separate systems — or should be.
Side-by-side comparison
| Category | Milwaukee | Madison |
|---|---|---|
| Building permit fee basis | $8.00 per $1,000 of construction value | Tiered schedule based on project cost bracket |
| Minimum building permit fee | $55 | $75 |
| Electrical permit fees | Flat rate by service size + per-circuit charges | Per-circuit schedule with panel upgrade surcharge |
| Online application availability | Partial — some permit types online via ePlan | Broader online filing via MyPermitNow portal |
| Residential building permit processing | 10–15 business days | 7–14 business days |
| Commercial building permit processing | 15–30 business days | 10–25 business days |
| Permit office hours | Mon–Fri 8:00 AM–4:45 PM | Mon–Fri 7:45 AM–4:30 PM |
| Number of permit types tracked | 35+ distinct permit categories | 40+ distinct permit categories |
| Plan review required for decks | Yes, for decks over 30 inches above grade | Yes, for all attached decks |
| Contractor license verification | State DSPS license required + Milwaukee registration | State DSPS license required + Madison registration |
Why the fee difference matters for bidding
Milwaukee's flat-rate model ($8.00 per $1,000 of construction value) is straightforward to calculate but makes permit costs proportional to project size at a fixed ratio. A $100,000 project in Milwaukee generates an $800 permit fee before any trade permits.
Madison's tiered schedule means the effective per-thousand rate decreases at higher project values — which can make Madison cheaper per dollar of work on larger projects, and more expensive on small ones. Contractors bidding similar projects in both cities need separate calculations, not a single formula.
Either city can update its fee schedule at any time — typically with the budget cycle, but sometimes mid-year. Permit Guide monitors both and alerts you within 24 hours of any published change.
Track both cities with Permit Guide
- Track Milwaukee and Madison permit requirements side-by-side in one dashboard
- Automatic alerts when either city updates its fee schedule or procedures
- Bid accurately for projects in both cities without calling two permit offices
- Historical fee data for both jurisdictions to benchmark cost changes over time
- Document checklists for each permit type in each city
- Extend to 190+ additional Wisconsin municipalities as you expand
Frequently asked questions
Do Milwaukee and Madison use the same permit fee schedules?
No. Milwaukee calculates most building permit fees using a rate of $8.00 per $1,000 of construction value. Madison uses a tiered bracket schedule where the per-thousand rate decreases as project cost increases. This means a $50,000 project can have meaningfully different permit costs in each city, and contractors bidding in both need to run separate calculations for accurate estimates.
Which city — Milwaukee or Madison — is faster for permit approvals?
Processing times vary by permit type, complexity, and current office volume. Generally, Madison's digital portal (MyPermitNow) has reduced administrative delays for common permit types, and residential permits in Madison often come in at 7–14 business days versus Milwaukee's 10–15. Commercial projects in both cities can run 2–5 weeks depending on plan review complexity. Both offices experience seasonal backlogs in spring. Current processing times are tracked in Permit Guide.
Why do contractors working in both Milwaukee and Madison need a permit tracking tool?
Milwaukee and Madison each maintain independent permit fee schedules, procedural requirements, inspection sequences, and application portals. A change in Madison's deck permit fee schedule has no relationship to Milwaukee's schedule — both can and do change independently, on different timelines. Contractors active in both cities face twice the monitoring burden. Permit Guide tracks both jurisdictions simultaneously and alerts you when either city changes any requirement, so you don't need to manually check two separate municipal websites.
Track both Milwaukee and Madison permit changes automatically
One dashboard for both cities — fee schedule updates, requirement changes, and processing time shifts. Free for up to 3 locations.