Ashwaubenon, Wisconsin Building Permit Guide

In Ashwaubenon the Building Inspection Department, part of Community Development at Village Hall (2155 Holmgren Way; 920-492-2309), issues building, electrical, plumbing and HVAC permits and holds the village’s own state delegation for new one- and two-family homes. The village no longer accepts paper plans: applications and PDF plans go to build@ashwaubenon.gov. On the fee schedule effective May 1, 2026, a new house pays 20 cents a square foot of finished living area for the building permit, 4 cents a square foot for each trade permit and a $971 park impact fee.

What requires a building permit in Ashwaubenon?

The village’s forms and fee schedule set out what it permits. New homes, remodels and additions, attached garages, decks, pools and hot tubs, detached accessory structures, fences, driveways and curb cuts, moving or demolishing a building, and electrical, plumbing and HVAC work all carry a permit, and remodeling that cannot be measured in square feet is priced by valuation.

What the village decides and what the state holds

Ashwaubenon writes the local rules: zoning in Chapter 17 of its code (accessory structures under 17-4-400, driveways under 17-6-400), fences in Chapter 5, Article 8, and shoreland zoning in Chapter 23. Its accessory structure sheet, for example, caps a garage or shed at 576 square feet on a lot under 15,000 square feet, 768 on lots of 15,000 to 25,000, and 936 on larger lots, sends anything over 576 square feet to the Site Plan Review Committee, and limits height to 15 feet, with the building kept in the rear yard. The construction standards are the state’s: the Uniform Dwelling Code for one- and two-family homes and the Commercial Building Code, with state plan approval where it applies, for other buildings.

Ashwaubenon building department: who handles permitting

The Building Inspection Department, which also runs code enforcement, sits within Community Development under Director Aaron Schuette, and its staff include the chief building inspector, a plumbing inspector and an assistant zoning administrator. The department works with the Village Board, the Plan Board, the Site Plan Review Committee and the Zoning Board of Appeals, and the village is on the state’s list of municipalities with their own delegation for new one- and two-family dwellings.

Ashwaubenon had 17,398 residents in the 2025 Census estimate. The village, not Brown County, issues building permits for every address inside it.

Ashwaubenon permit types

Every application form ends with the same instruction: email the completed application and plans to build@ashwaubenon.gov. Forms cover the general building permit, a new home, accessory buildings, decks, fences, pools, driveways and curb cuts, the electrical service spot, occupancy sign-off, temporary structures and storage units, and the zoning applications.

Residential permits

For a new single-family house the packet asks for the general application with every contractor’s license number (including the Dwelling Contractor and Qualifier numbers), a site plan showing the driveway, an erosion control plan, building plans with a wall brace plan, floor and foundation plans, wall sections and elevations, energy calculations, a deck plan and worksheet if there is a deck, and a shoreland permit where one applies. Owners who do not hire a Wisconsin licensed contractor for a shed, fence or driveway sign a waiver form.

The new home packet prints the R-1 district standards: a 10,000 square foot lot at least 90 feet wide, a 20-foot front yard, side yards of 8 feet for one-story and 10 feet for taller homes (on lots under 80 feet wide, one-tenth of the width but at least 4 feet), a rear yard of 25 feet or the building height, whichever is greater, a 36-foot height limit and 25 percent green space. A deck ($100) is reviewed against the deck standards in Appendix B of the Uniform Dwelling Code; plans that do not meet them need engineering, footings must reach at least 4 feet deep, and the deck is inspected at the footing, rough framing and final stages.

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Commercial permits

Commercial buildings are priced by square footage of all floor levels, basements, garages and covered space, with rates by occupancy group: 20 cents for apartment buildings, 15 cents for motels, daycares and community-based residential facilities, 12 cents for offices, stores, assembly and industrial buildings, and 10 cents for unheated warehouses. Site plan review is $240, and the commercial park impact fee is set by the number of full-time-equivalent employees.

For tenant improvements and new commercial builds, Alliance handles commercial permit filing through issuance. More on this: commercial building permits explained.

What comes before the building permit

• Zoning. Conditional uses ($250), rezoning hearings ($400), site plan review and variances ($400) are decided before a permit can issue.
• Shoreland. South of West Main Avenue, a building within 1,000 feet of a lake, pond or flowage or 300 feet of a river or stream, or to the landward side of the floodplain, needs a shoreland permit under Chapter 23; it expires in two years if work has not started.
• Floodplain. A floodplain development permit ($400), with a site plan and grading plan where floodplain exists or was removed by a LOMR-F.
• Laterals. Sanitary, storm and water connections are permitted with the plumbing permit.
• Right-of-way. An Engineering permit for work in the street.

Ashwaubenon permit fees

The Village Fee Schedule effective May 1, 2026 sets residential building permits at 20 cents a square foot, where area means every floor level with finished living space under a roof, and rounds every fee up to the next dollar. The minimum residential permit is $50 and the minimum commercial permit $125.

Worked example. A new house with 2,000 square feet of finished living area pays $400 for the building permit, $80 each for the plumbing, HVAC and electrical permits, $75 plan review, the $35 state seal, $75 erosion control, a $50 occupancy permit and the $971 park impact fee: $1,846. Each sewer, storm or water connection adds $30, and the permit form also lists $71 each for a garbage container and a recycling container.

Trade permits and who may pull them

The Building Inspection Department issues electrical, plumbing and HVAC permits itself and has a plumbing inspector on staff. Each trade permit for a new home or addition is 4 cents a square foot with a $50 minimum, and the building application lists every trade contractor with license numbers.

• Electrical. A separate electrical service spot form goes with new services; service upgrades and changes are $50.
• Plumbing. Laterals to the municipal sanitary sewer, storm sewer and water main are $30 each; in areas served by the Town of Lawrence sanitary sewer system the sewer connection is $1,600.
• Builders. New homes need the state Dwelling Contractor and Qualifier numbers on the application; an owner-occupant may build instead.
• Owners doing small jobs. The shed, fence, pool and driveway forms take a signed waiver when no Wisconsin licensed contractor is hired.
• Licenses. Electricians and plumbers hold state licenses and HVAC businesses register with the state; the village’s pages show no local trade license.

How to apply for an Ashwaubenon permit

Review, corrections and what causes delay

Paper plans are no longer accepted, so a submission without PDF plans is incomplete. An accessory structure larger than 576 square feet waits for the Site Plan Review Committee, and commercial projects go through site plan review. Projects south of West Main Avenue near water or in the floodplain need the shoreland or floodplain permit first. The building inspector may review plans locally at the inspector’s discretion, for a $100 fee on commercial work.

Inspections in Ashwaubenon

The new home packet lists nine required inspections: footings (forms up and drain tile bleeders in place, before the pour), foundation (forms and rebar), laterals for sanitary, storm and water, foundation backfill, underground plumbing, rough-in for all trades before insulation, the electrical service, insulation and vapor barrier, and the final when the home is ready to occupy. Driveways are inspected when the curb cut forms are set and at completion; sheds get a rough electrical inspection if wired and a final.

Failing to call for an inspection costs $50 on residential work; on commercial work it is $50, then $100, then doubling for each further offense. A re-inspection for the same citation is $100.

Wisconsin building code

Ashwaubenon enforces the state codes through its own delegation and inspectors and applies its zoning, fence, driveway and shoreland chapters on top. FEMA’s Community Status Book lists Ashwaubenon as participating in the National Flood Insurance Program, community 550600, with a current map dated May 9, 2023.

Wisconsin's Uniform Dwelling Code covers one- and two-family homes. Its Commercial Building Code covers public buildings, workplaces and buildings of three or more units. Local ordinances must conform to both. Wisconsin rules

Ashwaubenon permit search and official resources

The Building Inspection Department posts monthly permit reports for 2025 and 2026 on its Permit Reports page. For an older permit or a specific property file, use the village’s open records request form or ask the department at 920-492-2309.

• Ashwaubenon Building Inspection
• Permits and applications
• Village fee schedule (effective May 1, 2026)
• New single-family dwelling permit packet
• General building permit application
• Accessory structure permit
• Fence permit
• Pool permit
• Deck permit packet
• Driveway and curb cut permit
• Shoreland permit application
• Monthly permit reports
• DSPS UDC delegated agents list
• Wisconsin Uniform Dwelling Code, SPS 320 to 325
• FEMA Community Status Book, Wisconsin

Ashwaubenon building permit FAQs

How much is a building permit for a new house in Ashwaubenon?

20 cents a square foot of finished living area, plus 4 cents a square foot for each trade permit, $75 plan review, the $35 seal, $75 erosion control, $50 occupancy and a $971 park impact fee.

Can I drop off paper plans?

No. The village takes PDF plans by email to build@ashwaubenon.gov.

Do I need a permit for a fence?

Yes, $50; fences may be 6 feet in side and rear yards and 3 feet in the front yard setback.

How big can a detached garage be?

576 square feet on a lot under 15,000 square feet, up to 936 on lots over 25,000; anything over 576 goes to the Site Plan Review Committee.

How long is a permit good for?

One year from approval; a shoreland permit expires in two years if work has not started.

Who issues electrical and plumbing permits?

The village’s Building Inspection Department, at 4 cents a square foot for homes.

Do I need a shoreland permit?

South of West Main Avenue, within 1,000 feet of a lake or pond or 300 feet of a river or stream, or to the landward side of the floodplain, yes.

Simplify Ashwaubenon permitting with Alliance Permitting

Alliance Permitting is a permit documentation and submission company in Wisconsin. We prepare your paperwork, file it correctly and coordinate with the permitting authority through issuance. We are not a contractor and we do not perform licensed plan review or inspections; that work stays with your licensed team and the jurisdiction.

This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Ashwaubenon permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.