Cedarburg, Wisconsin Building Permit Guide

In the City of Cedarburg, the Building Inspection Department at City Hall reviews applications, issues permits and inspects building, electrical, HVAC and plumbing work, and it also enforces the sign rules (262-375-7609). Jeff Thoma is the Building Inspector. Residential plans are reviewed in-house, while commercial building and HVAC plans go to the state or E-Plan Exam and every commercial plumbing plan goes to E-Plan Exam. The 2026 adopted fee schedule charges $0.42 per square foot for a new house and attached garage, and the city says issuing any permit can take up to seven days. The Town of Cedarburg next door is a separate municipality with its own permits.

What requires a building permit in Cedarburg?

The Building Inspection Department’s “Do I Need a Permit?” page is a list of project types that need a permit, and it is longer than many homeowners expect: exterior replacement work such as reroofing, residing and window replacement is on it.

The city asks applicants to plan ahead because the volume of permits means issuing one can take up to seven days. It also publishes handouts on decks, fences, floor area ratio and lot coverage, garages and accessory buildings, and yard setbacks, and expects owners to read them before calling the inspector.

What Cedarburg decides and what the state holds

Cedarburg is delegated by DSPS to enforce the Uniform Dwelling Code on new one- and two-family homes (DSPS list current as of 9/24/2026), holds a special delegation for commercial building and HVAC plan review, is listed for commercial plumbing plan review through E-Plan Exam, and is a delegated agent for commercial electrical inspection. The city adopts its own fee schedule, zoning, historic preservation and sign rules; the building codes and trade licenses are state law.

Cedarburg building department: who handles permitting

The Building Inspection Department, which also runs the city cemeteries, issues every building and trade permit inside city limits and performs the inspections. Planning handles zoning, land development and the Landmarks Commission; Engineering and Public Works issues stormwater, street opening, culvert and driveway approach permits. Inspections keep staff out of the office for most of the day, but the department says the inspector is often available to answer questions by phone.

Cedarburg permit types

Cedarburg uses paper and PDF applications from its Forms & Applications page: a building permit application, separate electrical, plumbing and HVAC applications, and forms for erosion control, fire protection systems, occupancy, signs, temporary uses and chicken coops. Supporting documents must be submitted with the application, and the department warns that an incomplete set will delay review.

Residential permits

• New houses: one set of 11-by-17-inch plans plus a digital copy (foundation plan, floor plans, elevations and a cross section), a site survey with setbacks, easements and spot elevations at the building and property corners in USGS datum, an erosion control plan showing slope and construction access, and a heat-loss calculation in ResCheck or the Wisconsin Energy Worksheet.
• Additions: the same plan set and a survey showing the addition’s distance to property lines and other structures.
• Remodels: scaled plans with room sizes, doors, windows, and the furnace and water heater locations.
• Decks: scaled plans with joists, beams, posts and footings, a survey, and the completed typical deck framing plan (Figure 35 of the state dwelling code’s Appendix B).
• Sheds and detached garages: a floor plan and cross section or rendering, and a survey locating the building.

The application asks for the cost of building, HVAC and labor only, leaving out plumbing, electrical and landscaping. Contractors working on a one- or two-family dwelling must give their Wisconsin contractor and qualifier license numbers; an owner doing the work writes “SELF” and attaches the signed cautionary statement the city gives owners under Wis. Stat. 101.65(1r).

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

Commercial permits

Commercial building and HVAC plans must be approved by the State of Wisconsin or E-Plan Exam before the city issues a permit, and all plumbing plans go through E-Plan Exam. The city now partners with E-Plan Exam, which takes building, HVAC, plumbing, fire alarm and sprinkler submittals online and guarantees a 15-day turnaround from a complete submission with fees paid. After approval, bring three sets of approved plans with the approval letter stapled to each, the building permit application, the commercial zoning form and, for a new tenant, the business occupancy form.

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

• Zoning and land development. Planning reviews projects under the zoning code and the land development application; the Plan Commission adopts and amends the city’s master plan.
• Historic districts. The Landmarks Commission designates landmarks and historic districts. The city maps the Washington Avenue and Columbia historic districts, the Historic Preservation Overlay District and a small piece of the Town’s Hamilton Historic District, and posts a Landmarks Commission application with its planning forms.
• Appeals. The Board of Appeals hears claims that an official erred in enforcing the zoning, building or fire codes.
• Street and drainage permits. Driveway approaches and sidewalks need the Engineering permit, with a $1,000 indemnity bond or certified check and insurance from the contractor; stormwater management, street opening and culvert permits are on the same page.

Cedarburg building permit fees

Fees come from the city’s 2026 adopted fee schedule (headed “Approved Fee Schedule 2026”). Every permit has a $65 minimum, and a $5 technology fee is added to each permit.

Worked example from the schedule: a new house of 2,000 square feet with a 500-square-foot attached garage is 2,500 square feet at $0.42, or $1,050. Adding the $300 plan examination, $205 erosion control fee, $80 state permit seal and $65 occupancy permit brings it to $1,700, plus the $5 technology fee on each permit and the separate trade permits.

• HVAC: $65 per heating unit up to 150,000 BTU plus $18 per added 50,000 BTU; $65 per residential air conditioner, fireplace, duct system or gas piping system; $15 per exhaust fan.
• Electrical: per item, such as $0.75 per switch, outlet or light, $10 per appliance, $40 per 100 amps of service, $150 per generator or solar system, $65 minimum.
• Plumbing: $10 per fixture or appliance and $60 per sewer, storm or water service connection, $65 minimum.
• Signs: permanent signs $75 plus $2.50 per square foot, up to $400; temporary signs $35 each; permanent signs in the B-3 historic district carry a $25 surcharge.
• Commercial sites: erosion control $225 plus $6 per 1,000 square feet disturbed, up to $2,450; multi-family plan examination $355 plus $32 per unit; commercial air conditioning adds $20 per ton over 3 tons, up to $800, and exhaust hoods are $150 per system.
• Impact fees: from January 21, 2026 a single-family home pays $9,921.83 at Building Inspection for sewer connection, library, police, water supply and park facilities; the city’s table adds a $908.69 fee in lieu of park land dedication, charged when a new lot is created and recorded rather than at the building permit, for $10,830.52 per unit in all.
• Penalties: double fees for starting work without a permit, triple for later offenses; a missed inspection call costs $100, doubled the second time and tripled the third.

Trade permits and who may pull them

Electrical, plumbing and HVAC permits each have their own Cedarburg application and are issued and inspected by the Building Inspection Department. For commercial work the city is DSPS’s delegated agent for electrical inspection, and E-Plan Exam reviews commercial plumbing plans for the city.

• Builders: contractors on one- and two-family dwellings list their Dwelling Contractor and Dwelling Contractor Qualifier numbers on the application, and copies are preferred.
• Owners: an owner doing his or her own work signs the cautionary statement, which explains the owner’s exposure if a contractor hired under the permit is not bonded or insured.
• Electricians and plumbers: licensed by the state; the city charges per item installed rather than by job value.
• HVAC: businesses register with the state; Cedarburg prices each furnace, boiler, air conditioner and duct system separately.
• Fire protection: sprinkler and other fire protection systems use the fire protection system permit application.

How to apply for a Cedarburg building permit

Review, corrections and what causes delay

The city says missing documents or an incomplete application delay review, and the inspector may ask for more information. For commercial jobs, E-Plan Exam’s 15-day clock starts only once the submission is complete and its fee is paid. Common slowdowns are a survey without USGS spot elevations, a deck submitted without the Appendix B framing plan, and a commercial package that arrives without the stapled approval letters.

Inspections in Cedarburg

The Building Inspection Department inspects building, electrical, HVAC and plumbing work and performs compliance inspections. Call 262-375-7609 to schedule; the fee schedule charges $100 when work is not ready or must be re-inspected, and a missed required inspection costs $100, doubling and then tripling for repeat misses.

• New homes: inspections follow the state dwelling code’s stages, and an occupancy permit ($65) is issued at the end.
• Special inspections: $100 for a one- or two-family home, $200 per commercial building and $60 for accessory structures, with $100 more for a written report and $175 more after working hours.
• Early start: a footing and foundation permit lets work begin before the full permit, for $250 on a house.
• Commercial occupancy: $255 for business and industrial buildings and $100 for a temporary occupancy of six months or less.

Wisconsin building code in Cedarburg

Cedarburg enforces the state dwelling code and, under its special delegation, reviews commercial plans through E-Plan Exam. FEMA’s Community Status Book lists Cedarburg (community 550312) as participating in the National Flood Insurance Program, with flood maps effective July 31, 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

Cedarburg permit search and official resources

For permit history on a property, contact the Building Inspection Department at 262-375-7609 or City Hall at 262-375-7600; the city’s ordinances are published in its online code library.

• Cedarburg Building Inspection Department
• Do I need a permit?
• Building permit forms and applications
• Information needed for obtaining permits
• 2026 adopted fee schedule
• Permit submittals and E-Plan Exam
• New housing fee report 2025 with current development fees
• Historic properties and preservation
• Board of Appeals
• Engineering and Public Works permits
• DSPS UDC delegated agents list
• DSPS commercial building plan review delegated agents
• FEMA Community Status Book, Wisconsin

Cedarburg building permit FAQs

Do I need a permit to replace my roof or windows in Cedarburg?

Yes. Reroofing, residing and trim, and window replacement are on the city’s permit list; the residential fee is $65.

How much is a permit for a new house?

$0.42 per square foot including an attached garage, plus $300 plan examination, $205 erosion control, $80 permit seal and $65 occupancy permit.

How long does it take to get a permit?

The city says up to seven days because of permit volume; commercial plans first need state or E-Plan Exam approval, which E-Plan guarantees within 15 days of a complete submission.

What impact fees apply to a new home?

From January 21, 2026, a single-family home pays $9,921.83 at Building Inspection for sewer connection, library, police, water supply and park facilities. A further $908.69 in lieu of park land is charged when the lot is recorded, so the city’s per-unit total is $10,830.52.

Can a homeowner pull the permit?

Yes. Write “SELF” on the application and attach the signed cautionary statement; contractors must list their state license numbers.

What happens if work starts without a permit?

Fees are doubled, and tripled for later offenses.

Does the city issue permits in the Town of Cedarburg?

No. The Town of Cedarburg holds its own DSPS delegation, so new homes there are permitted through the town.

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