Brown Deer, Wisconsin Building Permit Guide

In the Village of Brown Deer, building permits come from the village’s Building Inspection Department on the main level of Village Hall, 4800 W. Green Brook Drive (414-371-3035). Since April 10, 2023 the village has contracted North Shore Inspections for plan review, permit processing and inspections, with office hours at Village Hall on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 8 to 10 a.m. and by appointment. DSPS lists Brown Deer as a delegated agent for the Uniform Dwelling Code. The 2026 fee schedule charges most buildings $0.35 per square foot, most permits at least $75, and a 20% administration fee on top.

What requires a building permit in Brown Deer?

The village posts a list of the most common projects that need a permit and suggests calling the Inspection Department before starting anything not on it.

A basement remodel that adds rooms, including a bathroom, needs plans before a permit issues. The village’s guide lists what the inspector checks: a bedroom needs natural light equal to 8% of the floor area and two exits, habitable rooms and the hall to them need 7-foot ceilings, ductwork must supply and return air to the new space, and smoke and carbon monoxide detectors must be hard-wired. Fences need a copy of the plat survey marked with the fence location, type and height; pools and spas follow Chapter 105, Article VIII of the village code.

What Brown Deer decides and what the state holds

The village applies the state building, plumbing and electrical codes and adds its own building, housing, occupancy, sign and zoning codes. It also runs an architectural review: the Building Board considers permits for every structure that needs one, looking at architectural appeal, the site, exterior elevations and the effect on neighbors. Every business and every new home needs a village occupancy certificate, and home occupations must meet Section 121-155 of the code.

Brown Deer building department: who handles permitting

The Building Inspection Department is a village department, but its work is done under contract by North Shore Inspections, which the DSPS list of UDC delegated agents (current as of September 24, 2026) also shows as the village’s inspection agency. Planning and zoning applications go to the Community Services Department.

Brown Deer permit types

Brown Deer uses paper applications: download the form or pick one up at Village Hall, then call the department to learn which plans or documents must go with it and to confirm the fee. Separate forms cover building, electrical, plumbing, HVAC, occupancy, signs and erosion control.

Residential permits

The building permit application asks for the square footage under construction, the estimated cost, the owner and contractor, and, for one- and two-family work, the Dwelling Contractor and Dwelling Contractor Qualifier numbers. The form prices fences and decks at $100 each and adds the 20% administration fee to the total. Erosion control needs its own permit, $180 a lot for a new one- or two-family home. The village says permits must be obtained by the contractor doing the work, and recommends that homeowners agree in writing with their contractor who is responsible for it.

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

Commercial permits

Commercial building, HVAC and plumbing plans are submitted to E-Plan Exam through the link on the village’s permits page, and the village plan examination fee for new or altered commercial buildings is $270. New development also goes through the Community Services application: a conceptual review ($250), the Plan Commission, and a final site and operational plan ($700). The project checklist asks for a professionally prepared site plan, three copies of a stormwater management plan, a grading plan to village datum, and landscape and lighting plans, and the applicant pays the village’s contracted review costs. A commercial occupancy permit is $190, with a $10,000 performance deposit on new buildings and major alterations.

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

What comes before the building permit

• Building Board. Architectural review on the first and third Mondays at 4:00 p.m., held virtually; the review fee is $75.
• Plan Commission. Site plans, zoning changes and plats, second Monday at 6:30 p.m. at Village Hall, with recommendations to the Village Board. Rezoning is $550 and a conditional use $500.
• Board of Appeals. Variances, special exceptions and appeals of the Building Inspector’s zoning decisions ($350). File three complete sets with a survey, plans and a notarized statement by noon ten days before the hearing; the village supplies the list of owners within 200 feet (residential) or 500 feet (commercial).
• Driveway approach and culvert. Every drive approach replacement needs a Public Works permit ($35), even without a culvert. Public Works inspects the culvert first, so call at least 10 working days ahead; culvert work is billed after it is done.
• Stormwater. Developments that need one sign a stormwater maintenance agreement ($500 permit).

Brown Deer permit costs and fees

Fees are set by resolution of the Village Board in the 2026 fee schedule. A 20% administration fee is added to the full permit cost, the minimum for most permits is $75 plus that fee, amounts are rounded up to the next dollar, and nothing is refunded once a permit is issued. Area is measured on exterior dimensions and includes the garage and every finished floor, but not an unfinished basement.

For a new house with 2,000 square feet of gross area, the area fee is 2,000 × $0.35 = $700. The schedule then adds the 20% administration fee and separate charges of $220 for plan examination, $75 for the seal, $75 for the energy inspection, $75 for occupancy and $180 for erosion control, and the $5,000 performance deposit is returned when the occupancy certificate is issued. Starting work before a permit doubles the fees the first time and triples them after that.

Trade permits and who may pull them

The village’s contractor rule is short: every contractor working in Brown Deer must carry a current Wisconsin state-issued license. On the state side, DSPS licenses electricians and plumbers, registers HVAC businesses, and certifies Dwelling Contractors and Qualifiers for one- and two-family work. Each trade files its own village form.

• Electrical: priced per item, for example $1 per switch, receptacle or lamp, $5 for range and dryer outlets, $10 for a furnace or air conditioner, $50 for a pool or hot tub, and $20 to $60 for a service up to 600 amps. Temporary permits are $75 for 90 days, and the minimum and the re-inspection fee are $75.
• Plumbing: $6 per fixture or device and $30 for the first 100 feet of each building drain or lateral, then $0.35 a foot; minimum $75. Plans and fixture specifications for new or remodeled buildings go in with the application, as SPS 382.20 requires.
• HVAC: furnaces, air conditioning, fireplaces, wood stoves and space heaters, priced by unit size; commercial exhaust systems such as kitchen hoods are $155.
• Signs and solar: signs and banners are $1 per square foot ($75 minimum) and solar arrays $12.50 per $1,000 of value.

How to apply for a Brown Deer building permit

Review, corrections and what causes delay

Inspectors are at Village Hall only two mornings a week, so book an appointment for anything that needs a conversation. Building Board review meets twice a month and the Plan Commission once, and Community Services applications must arrive by the deadlines on the village’s 2026 meeting schedule. A two-day priority plan review is possible when the workload allows, at double the plan review fee.

Inspections in Brown Deer

Inspections are required before any work is covered, when the work is complete and before the space is used or occupied, and final inspections are mandatory. Request them at least 24 hours ahead with the permit number and address; the scheduling contact for North Shore Inspections is printed on each permit form. The village charges $100 for failing to call for a required inspection (doubled for a second offense), $100 when the work is not ready at the scheduled time, and $75 for a re-inspection.

A new home or business cannot be used until the occupancy certificate is issued, and the residential performance deposit of $5,000 (commercial $10,000) is held until then. A deposit is forfeited only after the owner has been notified by certified mail, and a forfeiture can be contested before the Board of Appeals. A certificate of compliance inspection costs $150.

Wisconsin building code in Brown Deer

Brown Deer enforces the state codes through its own UDC delegation, with North Shore Inspections doing the reviews and inspections. FEMA’s Community Status Book lists the village (community 550271) as participating in the National Flood Insurance Program, with a current flood map dated October 24, 2024.

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

Brown Deer permit search and official resources

The village has no online permit search. For copies of permits, plans or inspection records, complete the Village Hall open records request form and return it to the Village Clerk’s Office; the fee schedule charges nothing for records sent electronically and asks for prepayment when copy costs pass $5. A zoning compliance letter for a property is $100.

• Building Inspection Department
• Inspection services and guidelines
• Permits and applications
• 2026 fee schedule
• Building permit application
• Electrical permit form and fees
• Plumbing permit form and fees
• HVAC permit form
• Projects that need a permit
• Basement remodeling guidelines
• Fence guidelines
• Swimming pool and spa regulations
• Occupancy certificates
• Community Services application and checklist
• Board of Appeals application
• Building Board
• Plan Commission
• Driveway approach and culvert permits
• Open records requests
• E-Plan Exam commercial plan submission
• DSPS UDC delegated agents list
• FEMA Community Status Book, Wisconsin

Brown Deer building permit FAQs

Who handles building permits in Brown Deer?

The village’s Building Inspection Department, staffed under contract by North Shore Inspections since April 2023.

How much does a fence or deck permit cost?

$100 each, plan review included, plus the 20% administration fee.

Do I need a permit to re-roof?

Yes, for a tear-off or a second layer; a residential re-roof is $75 plus the administration fee.

Do I need a permit for a shed?

Yes. A shed up to 200 square feet is $100; from 200 to 400 square feet it is $0.35 per square foot plus $75 plan review.

Can a homeowner pull the permit?

The building permit form has an owner signature line tied to the state cautionary statement. When a contractor does the work, the village says that contractor must obtain the permit.

What is the performance deposit?

$5,000 for a new home or major residential work and $10,000 for commercial work, returned when the occupancy certificate is issued.

Do I need a permit to replace my driveway approach?

Yes, from Public Works ($35), whether or not there is a culvert; call 414-371-3020 at least 10 working days ahead for the culvert inspection.

Who reviews commercial plans?

E-Plan Exam, through the village’s submission link, with $270 village plan examination for new or altered commercial buildings.

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