Remodel permits in Madison and Dane County, town by town

Every town around Madison writes its own permit rules. Sun Prairie wants a $75 permit to swap a water heater. Madison doesn't issue a building permit for a fence at all. We read each town's code, handouts and fee schedule, and put the answers in one place with a link to the source.

Every town and project at a glance

Pick a cell for the full rule in that town. "Depends" usually means a dollar limit, or the line between a like-for-like swap and work that changes walls, plumbing or wiring.

Yes permit neededNo no permitDepends depends on the workAsk not published, call the office

Checked against each town's own website and code, October 2026.

Rules that apply in every town

Towns set their own permit lists, but these state rules sit underneath all of them.

The state code sets the standard; your town decides on the permit

Wisconsin's Uniform Dwelling Code (UDC) covers homes started on or after June 1, 1980, and additions and alterations to them must meet the code in force when the permit is applied for. But the UDC only requires a permit for an alteration "when required by local ordinance", which is why the answer changes from town to town. Older homes follow the UDC only where the town has adopted it for them. Source

Electrical and plumbing: licensed trades, with a homeowner exception

Wiring has to be done by a licensed electrician, and plumbing under a licensed master plumber. State law lets you do your own wiring in a home you own and live in, and your own plumbing in a one-family home you own and live in (the plumbing exception doesn't cover a duplex). A town can still require a license, as Middleton's code does. Source

• Electrical: Wis. Stat. 101.862(4)(a).
• Plumbing: Wis. Stat. 145.06(4)(a). Fixing faucets, valves and clogs is exempt.

Contractors who pull permits must be state-certified

Anyone other than the owner-occupant who applies for a UDC permit needs a Dwelling Contractor certification and must be, or employ, a certified Dwelling Contractor Qualifier. The certification requires a bond or at least $250,000 of liability insurance per occurrence. If you pull the permit yourself, you sign a state warning that hiring an unbonded or uninsured contractor can leave you liable. You can check a contractor on the state's license lookup. Source

The lien notice in your contract

If your contractor uses subcontractors or suppliers, Wisconsin law requires a lien notice in the written contract, in bold or capital letters. It warns that unpaid subs and suppliers may have lien rights on your home. Subs who deal with you directly send their own notice within 60 days of starting. Keep lien waivers as you pay. Source

Egress windows for basement bedrooms

A basement used for sleeping needs two ways out. An egress window in each bedroom can be the second one. Under SPS 321.03: Source

• Clear opening at least 20 by 24 inches, opening from inside without tools.
• Bottom of the opening no more than 60 inches above the floor, with a permanent step if it's over 46 inches.
• Below grade, a window well at least as wide as the window and 36 inches out from the wall, with a ladder if it's deeper than 46 inches.

Deck footings and frost

Footings go below the frost line or at least 48 inches below grade, whichever is deeper. Decks attached to a UDC home must meet the code's footing, load, guard and stair rules, and a deck built to the UDC's Appendix B deck guide counts as compliant. A detached deck that isn't an exit is outside the UDC, though your town may still want a permit for it. Source

Lakefront lots

Land within 1,000 feet of a lake is in the shoreland zone. Dane County issues shoreland permits only in the rural towns. In the nine cities and villages here, the town's own shoreland, floodplain and erosion rules apply, so start with the local permit office. Recently annexed lakefront land can still fall under the county ordinance. Source

Permit rules by town

• City of Madison
• City of Middleton
• City of Fitchburg
• City of Monona
• Village of Shorewood Hills
• City of Sun Prairie
• City of Verona
• Village of McFarland
• Village of Maple Bluff

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a permit to replace windows in Madison?

Yes. Madison requires a building permit even when the new windows fit the same openings. If the opening doesn't change, you or your contractor can apply online with no plan review. Every other town on this page also requires one, except Middleton, which exempts same-size windows when the whole job is under $1,000.

Do I need a permit to finish a basement?

Yes, in every town on this page. Most want a floor plan, and electrical, plumbing and HVAC work each need a permit. Sun Prairie and Verona fold the trades into one combined permit. A basement bedroom also needs an egress window, which is its own structural change.

Do I need a permit to build a deck?

Almost always. Every town here requires one for a new or rebuilt deck except Fitchburg, which exempts uncovered decks under 24 inches off the ground. Madison and McFarland require footings at least 48 inches deep, and setbacks from the lot line get bigger once a deck is 3 to 4 feet off the ground.

Do I need a permit to replace a water heater?

Yes, in every town on this page except possibly Maple Bluff, whose permit materials don't name water heaters but do require permits for mechanical installations, so call first. It's a plumbing permit, usually pulled by the plumber who installs it. Sun Prairie and Verona charge a flat $75.

Can a homeowner pull their own permit?

Often, for a single-family home you own and live in. Madison lets owner-occupants apply for all permits. Sun Prairie and McFarland limit homeowner electrical and plumbing permits to an owner-occupied single-family home, and Shorewood Hills does the same for electrical. Middleton's code issues electrical, plumbing and HVAC permits only for state-licensed trades.

What happens if I start work without a permit?

The fee usually doubles. Fitchburg, Verona, Sun Prairie, McFarland and Middleton all add a penalty equal to the permit fee when work starts first. Sun Prairie can also fine you for each day until a permit is pulled, and McFarland can issue a stop-work order.

Do you pull the permits when you do the work?

Yes. When we do a remodel, we pull the permits and schedule the inspections as part of the job.

Get a free quote for your remodel.