Baraboo, Wisconsin Building Permit Guide

In the City of Baraboo, permits come from the Department of Building Inspection in the Municipal Building, 101 South Boulevard (608-355-2730), part of the Planning and Zoning functions overseen by City Engineer and Director of Public Works Tom Pinion. The city reviews and inspects one- and two-family dwellings itself, but it is not a delegated agency for commercial plan review, so state plan approval comes first. New houses are charged $0.205 per square foot, garage, decks and basement included, with a $500 minimum.

What requires a building permit in Baraboo?

Chapter 14 of the city code requires a permit from the Building Inspector before any building is moved into or within the city, and before a new building is erected or ground is broken for it. The same rule covers enlarging, improving, altering, converting, moving, wrecking or demolishing an existing building. The city’s permit bulletin turns that into a homeowner’s list:

The commercial guidelines say purely cosmetic work such as painting or new flooring or cabinets needs no permit, but roofs, HVAC installations and adding or removing doors and walls do, as does a change of use. Code limits worth knowing before you draw plans: a detached garage may sit 3 feet from a side or rear lot line but no closer than 25 feet to a street line, and frame garages are capped at 750 square feet and 14 feet in height. Fences may be 6 feet tall along property lines and 4 feet in a street yard, must sit at least 4 inches inside your own line, and barbed wire is not allowed in residential districts.

What the city decides and what the state holds

Baraboo adopts the state Uniform Dwelling Code and the commercial, plumbing and electrical chapters by reference in section 14.05 and adds its own rules on garages, fences, pools, erosion control, housing maintenance and zoning (Chapter 17). The DSPS list of UDC delegated agents, current as of September 24, 2026, shows the city as delegated for new one- and two-family dwellings; the Town of Baraboo and the Village of West Baraboo hold their own delegations. For commercial buildings the city states that it is not a delegated community for plan review or inspection, so projects that need state review go to DSPS.

Baraboo building department: who handles permitting

Section 14.04 sets up a Department of Building Inspection with building, plumbing and electrical inspector posts, which may be held by one person, and gives it the zoning code to enforce as well. The building inspector’s office handles building, plumbing, electrical, HVAC and zoning questions. For commercial work the state’s inspectors take over where the state issued the permit, and the state’s plumbing and electrical inspectors inspect all commercial plumbing and electrical work.

Baraboo permit types

One Building Permit Application covers construction, electrical, plumbing, HVAC and erosion control, with check boxes for residential additions, detached accessory buildings, remodels, fences, service upgrades and razing, and for new commercial buildings or commercial additions and alterations. It asks for the parcel number, zoning district, setbacks, building height, finished project value and every contractor’s state certification number. Sign permits, conditional uses, variances, rezonings and annexations each have their own form on the Planning and Zoning page.

Residential permits

• New one- and two-family dwellings. Plans and a plot plan showing the house in relation to streets, lot lines and other buildings; the permit is priced by square footage with mechanicals included.
• Additions and remodels. Priced at the same rate per square foot, with a $100 minimum.
• Garages, sheds, decks and fences. A drawing showing setbacks from the lot lines and the house; deck designs can follow the UDC’s prescriptive deck appendix or be backed by calculations.
• Early start. A $66 residential early start permit is listed in the fee schedule.

Building or remodeling a home here? Alliance handles residential permit filing, so the crew isn't waiting on the counter.

Commercial permits

A commercial project that needs state review is sent by the applicant directly to DSPS; the approved plans are then submitted with the city application, because a local building permit is still required on top of the state permit. Smaller projects exempt from state review need the local permit only. The city will not issue a building permit for a commercial project until it sees proof of the commercial electrical permit, which only DSPS issues.

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

What comes before the building permit

• Utilities and street. The code bars a permit for a new home until sewer and water are in and the street is graded and graveled; where public sewer or water is not available, a well, septic or holding tank permit must be issued first. The lot must front a dedicated street.
• Grades. The City Engineer reviews sidewalk, street, sewer and building grades before work starts.
• Conditional use or rezoning. The Plan Commission meets on the third Tuesday of the month; the application and $250 fee are due by the end of the previous month, and 16 copies of the documents by 4:30 p.m. on the Tuesday before the meeting.
• Variance. Setback relief comes from the Zoning Board of Appeals ($250, non-refundable); appeals of code decisions must be filed within 30 days.
• Erosion control. Land disturbance needs an approved erosion and sediment control plan and permit from the Building Inspector or City Engineer, who decide within 45 business days of a complete application.
• Driveway and right-of-way. A driveway permit is $25; digging in the street right-of-way is $500.

Baraboo permit costs and fees

Building fees are in the City’s Official Fee Schedule, published as part of Chapter 1 of the code; the building inspection fees cite Resolution 11-134. Section 14.08(10)(e) doubles every permit fee when work starts before the permit is obtained and paid for.

Worked example from the schedule: a new house whose floor area, garage, decks and basement add up to 3,000 square feet pays 3,000 × $0.205 = $615, plus the $33 state seal and $100 erosion control, $748 before impact fees.

New homes also carry impact fees: a library fee of $415 per residential dwelling unit, a park fee of $807 per single-family home ($475 per multifamily unit), and police ($965) and fire ($870) impact fees under Ordinance 2342 of August 24, 2010. The sewer utility charges a $650 reserve capacity fee per lateral unless a higher special assessment applies. The schedule still shows a $0.05 commercial electrical rate, but the city’s bulletin says state rules stop it from issuing commercial electrical permits. A residential stormwater management permit is $40, and a conditional use without a public hearing $100.

Trade permits and who may pull them

For houses, the city issues electrical, plumbing and HVAC permits on the same form as the building work, either bundled into a new-home or addition fee or at $66 for a stand-alone trade job. The city inspects that work itself. Commercial electrical work is permitted, reviewed and inspected by DSPS at any size, and the state’s plumbing and electrical inspectors inspect all commercial plumbing and electrical work.

• Electrical: a permit is needed for every new receptacle, switch or fixture, a new main switch and a new wiring system, but not for repairs or one-for-one replacements. The city FAQ says an owner may do their own wiring only in a home they live in; otherwise a licensed electrician is required.
• Plumbing: any added fixture or a moved or remodeled system needs a permit; general repairs and fixture swaps with no new piping do not.
• HVAC and appliances: furnace, air conditioner and water heater replacements need a permit; newly vented or plumbed appliances need only a final inspection if everything stays exposed.

The application asks for state certification numbers for the construction contractor, the Dwelling Contractor Qualifier (who must be an owner, CEO, chair of the board or employee of the firm), and the HVAC, electrical and plumbing contractors. Its bulletin states the one exception: a property owner working on the single-family home he or she occupies. Wisconsin has no general contractor license for commercial work; DSPS licenses electricians and plumbers and registers HVAC businesses.

How to apply for a Baraboo building permit

Review, corrections and what causes delay

If plans fall short of code or information is missing, staff contact the applicant before the permit is finalized. Residential permits wait on sewer, water and street grading in new subdivisions, and commercial permits wait on DSPS approval and the state electrical permit. A permit lapses if work does not start within 6 months or makes no significant progress within a year; most permits carry an expiration date one year from application.

Inspections and occupancy in Baraboo

The owner or contractor must call in every inspection, at least two business days ahead, and all work must be seen before insulation or drywall covers it. The city’s residential reference guide lists the stages:

• Footing and foundation excavation, after forms and reinforcement are placed
• Foundation, after completion and before backfill
• Rough inspections of the basement floor area, framing, electrical, plumbing and HVAC
• Insulation and vapor retarder, before they are covered
• Final, before the home or new space is occupied

After a request the inspector has two business days to inspect; if that does not happen, the applicant may continue, and the city encourages photos before work is concealed. The Building Inspector issues a certificate of occupancy for new or converted buildings after inspecting the structure, plumbing, wiring and fire hazards, and must issue it within 5 days of a written request if the building qualifies. A temporary certificate can run up to 6 months and be renewed once.

Wisconsin building code in Baraboo

Baraboo enforces the state codes adopted in section 14.05 as the delegated agency for one- and two-family dwellings, with its own garage, fence, pool, erosion control and housing rules in the rest of Chapter 14 and plumbing and electrical chapters 15 and 16. The city posts every code chapter as a PDF on its ordinances page. FEMA’s Community Status Book lists Baraboo (community 550392) as participating in the National Flood Insurance Program, with flood maps effective November 20, 2013.

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

Baraboo permit search and official resources

Section 14.04 requires the Building Inspector to number every permit in order of issue and keep records of all inspections, so permit history for an address comes from the building inspector’s office at 608-355-2730.

• Building permit page
• Building permit application
• Steps to obtain a building permit
• Building permit bulletin
• Commercial building guidelines
• Reference guide for residential inspections
• City’s Official Fee Schedule
• Chapter 14: building, construction site and housing codes
• Code of Ordinances (all chapters)
• Planning and Zoning applications
• Planning, inspection and zoning FAQ
• Quick links and applicable codes
• DSPS UDC delegated agents list
• FEMA Community Status Book, Wisconsin

Baraboo building permit FAQs

Do I need a permit to replace my roof in Baraboo?

Yes. Roofing, siding and windows all need a permit; the fee starts at $35 and is based on value, and new roofing may go over only one existing layer.

How much does a fence permit cost?

The fee schedule lists $66 for fences. The city’s older FAQ still says $60, so the schedule is the figure to use.

Can I do my own electrical work?

Yes, if you own and live in the home. If you do not live there, a licensed electrician must do the work, and a permit is still needed for new circuits, outlets, fixtures or a service.

Does Baraboo review commercial plans?

No. The city is not delegated for commercial plan review or inspection; projects that need state review go to DSPS, and you then apply for the local permit with the approved plans.

How close to the lot line can I build a garage?

A detached garage at least 5 feet behind the house may be 3 feet from a side or rear lot line, measured from the eaves, and no garage may be closer than 25 feet to a street line.

What happens if I start work without a permit?

The code doubles every permit fee, and each day a violation continues is a separate offense.

How long is a permit good for?

Work must start within 6 months and make significant progress within a year, and most permits are given an expiration date one year from application.

Simplify Baraboo 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 Baraboo permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.