Wisconsin Permit Requirements
Permit data for Wisconsin's municipalities and counties. Building, electrical, plumbing, HVAC, business license, and contractor licensing requirements verified from official sources.
How Wisconsin Permits Work
Wisconsin uses a dual-authority permit system. The state Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS) sets minimum standards for commercial buildings under the Wisconsin Commercial Building Code (SPS 361-366). Individual municipalities have authority to adopt and enforce their own permit requirements for residential construction, zoning, signage, and business licensing — which is why fees and timelines vary significantly between jurisdictions.
For residential projects, your municipality is the primary permit authority. For commercial projects, you may need both a DSPS plan review and a local municipal permit. The municipality pages below cover local requirements; see the DSPS Industry Services portal for state-level commercial requirements.
Wisconsin Uniform Dwelling Code (UDC): All one- and two-family dwellings must comply with the UDC (SPS 320-325). Municipalities that have not registered with DSPS for UDC enforcement fall under county or DSPS jurisdiction. Check your municipality page for specific enforcement details.
Municipalities
20 trackedCounty Permit Offices
County offices handle zoning, land use, and permit requirements for unincorporated areas. Municipalities within each county may have separate permit requirements.
| County | Office | Phone | Website |
|---|---|---|---|
| Milwaukee | Dept. of Administrative Services | (414) 278-4705 | county.milwaukee.gov |
| Dane | Zoning & Land Regulation | (608) 266-4017 | dane.county.gov |
| Brown | Planning & Land Services | (920) 448-4466 | browncountywi.gov |
| Kenosha | Dept. of Planning & Development | (262) 857-1895 | kenoshacounty.org |
| Racine | Development Services | (262) 636-3277 | racinecounty.com |
| Outagamie | Planning & Zoning | (920) 832-5278 | outagamie.org |
| Waukesha | Dept. of Parks & Land Use | (262) 548-7790 | waukeshacounty.gov |
| Winnebago | Planning & Zoning | (920) 232-3360 | winnebagocountywi.gov |
| Eau Claire | Planning & Development | (715) 839-4735 | eauclairecounty.org |
| Rock | Planning, Economic & Community Development | (608) 757-5587 | co.rock.wi.us |
| La Crosse | Planning, Resources & Development | (608) 785-9700 | lacrossecounty.org |
| Sheboygan | Planning & Conservation | (920) 459-3060 | sheboygancounty.com |
| Fond du Lac | Planning & Parks | (920) 929-3135 | fdlco.wi.gov |
| Marathon | Conservation, Planning & Zoning | (715) 261-1570 | marathoncounty.gov |
Track permit changes across all Wisconsin jurisdictions
Fee increases, new requirements, code amendments — get notified the moment anything changes in the municipalities you work in. Built for contractors, expeditors, and compliance teams.