Fitchburg, Wisconsin Building Permit Guide

In the City of Fitchburg, building, electrical, plumbing and HVAC permits come from the city’s Building Inspection Department at City Hall, 5520 Lacy Road (608-270-4240), and every application is filed online through the city’s OpenGov portal. On the department’s 2026 fee schedule a new house pays a zoning fee of $50 plus 9 cents per square foot and building, electrical, plumbing and HVAC fees by floor area, with $300 residential plan review. Larger commercial projects go to E-Plan Exam for plan review.

What work requires a building permit in Fitchburg?

The department’s Permit Requirements page lists the common jobs that need a permit and inspections, and says the list is not complete; call Building Inspection at 608-270-4260 when a project is not on it.

Exempt work must still meet the building and zoning codes. The city’s fences, decks and pools handout says fences need no building or zoning permit, but perimeter fences may not exceed 6 feet, and front-yard fences must be decorative, at least half open and no taller than 4 feet. A pool needs building and zoning permits and must sit at least 10 feet from side and rear lot lines.

What Fitchburg decides and what the state holds

Fitchburg holds UDC delegation from DSPS (list current as of 9/24/2026), so city inspectors review plans and inspect new one- and two-family homes. The state writes the Uniform Dwelling Code and the commercial code; the city sets its permit fees, police and water impact fees, park fees, its zoning code (including the SmartCode in Chapter 23 for some neighborhoods) and the electrician rule printed on its fee schedule.

Fitchburg building department: who handles permitting

The Building Inspection Department issues all building and trade permits inside city limits, reviews residential plans and smaller commercial plans, and inspects the work. Zoning sign-off is part of each building permit, and larger land-use approvals go to the Planning & Zoning Department.

The city’s open-data GIS site shows parcels and zoning, and the department’s general line takes questions about whether a project needs a permit at all.

Fitchburg permit types and filing documents

All applications go through the OpenGov portal; you create an account, pick the record type and upload plans. Contractors who file often can complete the Frequent Contractor Registration once so their details fill in automatically.

Residential permits

• New Construction and Additions covers new buildings and anything that enlarges a footprint or raises a structure.
• Alterations and Repairs to Existing Buildings covers interior remodels, basement finishing, re-roofing, re-siding and minor electrical or plumbing fixture changes.
• Deck and Shed covers decks 24 inches or more above grade, sheds or storage buildings of 64 square feet or more, and every detached garage.
• Solar Building Permit covers new solar arrays and additions to them.
• Swimming Pool covers in-ground and above-ground pools.

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

Commercial permits

Fitchburg splits commercial plan review by size. New structures under 5,000 square feet and interior alterations under 10,000 square feet are reviewed together with the building permit, so the plans are uploaded in the OpenGov application. New structures and interior alterations of 10,000 square feet or more send building, HVAC, plumbing and sprinkler or fire alarm plans to E-Plan Exam. Ask the department how a new building between 5,000 and 10,000 square feet is handled, since the page does not say.

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

What comes before the building permit

• Zoning. Every new building and addition pays a zoning fee on the building permit. Rezonings, conditional uses, architectural design review, land divisions and sign permits are filed in the OpenGov Planning portal for Plan Commission or staff review.
• Land division. A certified survey map costs $590 plus $160 per parcel, a preliminary plat $575 plus $180 per parcel and a final plat $575 plus $120 per parcel on the 2026 planning fee schedule.
• Board of Appeals. A zoning variance or appeal costs $600; a UDC variance through Building Inspection is $100.
• Right-of-way. Driveway, occupancy and excavation permits are one Public Works right-of-way application in OpenGov.
• Erosion control and stormwater. Public Works takes the Erosion Control and Stormwater Management Application in OpenGov.
• Floodplain. Fitchburg participates in the National Flood Insurance Program (community 550610, map effective September 17, 2014).

Fitchburg building-permit fees and plan review costs

Building fees are set in the Building Inspection Department’s 2026 Permit Fee Schedule; the posted PDF does not show the date the city adopted it. New construction and additions are priced per square foot of all floor levels, basements, attached garages, porches and enclosed roofed space, with the department measuring the area. Alterations are priced as a percentage of construction cost (labor and materials). Building and HVAC fees are the higher of the schedule or the state fee table it cites, and all fees round to the nearest dollar.

Impact and utility fees. The schedule adds a police protection impact fee of $882 for a single-family home, $1,764 for a two-family home and $588 per multifamily unit, and a 2026 water impact fee of $958 per single-family home, $1,916 per duplex and $632 per unit in buildings over three units. Park improvement fees on the planning schedule are $670 per single-family unit, $335 per two-family unit and $160 per multifamily unit, and land divisions can owe $4,330 per dwelling unit in lieu of park land.

Commercial plan review. City review of new structures costs $300 up to 2,000 square feet and $400 from 2,001 to 5,000; remodels run $300 to $500 up to 10,000 square feet. Fire alarm and suppression plan review fees follow the state table, from $30 to $6,400 by area. Projects routed to E-Plan Exam pay that service separately.

The department’s Permit Requirements page still quotes a $30 charge for re-inspections; the 2026 schedule sets $75, so budget the higher figure. Starting work before a permit is issued adds a penalty equal to the permit fee.

Trade permits and who may pull them

Electrical, plumbing and HVAC work each carry their own fee on the building inspection schedule, and city inspectors check the rough work with the framing inspection and again at final. Standalone jobs such as a furnace swap, a water heater or a service upgrade go in OpenGov as alterations and repairs, priced on the cost-based rates.

Dwelling contractor credentials, plumber licenses and HVAC business registration are state requirements (see Wisconsin rules). Low-voltage wiring under 24 volts needs no permit.

How to apply for a Fitchburg building permit

Review, corrections and what causes delay

Residential plans are reviewed by the city’s own inspectors, and the department calculates floor area itself, so drawings that show every level, garage and porch avoid back-and-forth. Commercial applicants slow themselves down by filing a project of 10,000 square feet or more with the city instead of E-Plan Exam, or by starting the building permit before Plan Commission approvals are in place. If the OpenGov right-of-way form will not submit, Public Works accepts screenshots and attachments by email to PWPermits@fitchburgwi.gov.

Fitchburg construction inspections and closeout

Call Building Inspection at 608-270-4240 at least 24 hours ahead. Inspections run Monday to Thursday 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and Friday 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.; if you reach voicemail, leave the site address, the time you want and a call-back number, and staff will call if the inspector cannot make that time.

• Footings after they are dug and before concrete is poured.
• Foundation after walls are poured and before backfilling.
• Rough once framing, plumbing, HVAC and electrical are in.
• Insulation before it is covered.
• Final: a dwelling may not be occupied until a final inspection finds no code violations that could affect health and safety.
• Pools get two visits: rough electrical, then a final after the barrier fence is up.

Re-inspections for unfinished work or code violations, and other extra visits, are charged before finals are approved. Occupancy permits cost $75 per residential unit and $100 per commercial unit.

Wisconsin building code

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

Fitchburg permit search and official resources

The Building Permit Reports page posts a list of all permits issued this year (updated monthly) and full lists for 2019 to 2025, plus a summary report. For permit or property information that is not in those lists, the department asks for a written request to BuildingPermits@fitchburgwi.gov saying exactly what you are looking for.

• Fitchburg Building Inspection Department
• Permit Requirements and exemptions
• 2026 Permit Fee Schedule (PDF)
• OpenGov building permit portal
• Inspection Request Information
• Fences, Decks and Pools handout (PDF)
• Building Permit Reports, 2019–2026
• Planning & Zoning permit forms and fee schedules
• 2026 Planning and Development fee schedule (PDF)
• Public Works permits: right-of-way and erosion control
• DSPS UDC delegated agents list

Fitchburg building-permit FAQ

Who issues building permits in Fitchburg?

The City of Fitchburg Building Inspection Department at City Hall, 5520 Lacy Road; applications go through the city’s OpenGov portal.

Do I need a permit for a fence in Fitchburg?

No building or zoning permit is needed for a fence, but height and design limits apply: 6 feet for perimeter fences and 4 feet, half open, in front yards.

Does a deck or shed need a permit in Fitchburg?

Decks 24 inches or more above grade, sheds of 64 square feet or more and all detached garages need a Deck and Shed permit; a deck costs $275.

How much does a permit for a new house cost in Fitchburg?

Zoning is $50 plus $0.09 per square foot, building $0.10 and each trade $0.08 per square foot, plus $300 plan review, a $75 seal, $300 erosion control and impact fees.

How do I schedule an inspection in Fitchburg?

Call 608-270-4240 with at least 24 hours’ notice; inspectors work Monday to Thursday 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and Friday until 1:30 p.m.

Can I do my own electrical work in Fitchburg?

Only in a home you own and occupy; otherwise the city requires a DSPS-certified master or journeyman electrician or a City of Madison licensed electrician.

Where do large commercial plans go?

New structures and interior alterations of 10,000 square feet or more go to E-Plan Exam; smaller projects are reviewed with the building permit.

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