Harrison, Wisconsin Building Permit Guide

The Village of Harrison, which lies in both Calumet and Outagamie counties, runs its own building inspection from Village Hall at W5298 State Road 114, Menasha (920-989-1062, ext. 110 for the building inspector). The village holds state delegation for new one- and two-family homes, so its inspector reviews and inspects them, and most projects also need a village zoning permit. Under the 2026 Fee and Penalty Schedule a new house costs $2,035 to $2,335 in permit fees depending on finished area, plus $5,159 in fire, park and transportation impact fees and a $250 zoning permit.

What requires a building permit in Harrison?

Harrison separates two approvals. The Zoning Administrator issues a zoning permit for the exterior projects listed below, and the building inspector issues the building permit for construction and trades. Many projects need both; some need only one.

A detached garage or shed under 200 square feet without electrical work needs only the zoning permit. Repaving an existing driveway or patio without making it bigger, and interior work that does not change height, floor area, setbacks or lot coverage, need no zoning permit but may still need a building permit. Starting before a permit is issued brings a double fee.

What Harrison decides and what the state holds

The Uniform Dwelling Code and Commercial Building Code, and the state credentials for dwelling contractors, electricians and plumbers, come from the state. Harrison decides its zoning districts, setbacks and lot coverage limits, its grading and drainage standards, its impact fees and its permit fees, which are listed in the village’s annual Fee and Penalty Schedule.

Harrison building department: who handles permitting

The village building inspector checks structural quality, architectural requirements and general safety by issuing permits and performing inspections, and a commercial building inspector covers commercial work. The state’s UDC delegated-agent list, current as of 9/24/2026, lists the Village of Harrison as delegated with its own building inspector; the village’s Building Inspector page names Jason Gruetzmacher in that role. Zoning permits, site plan review, land divisions and stormwater review for larger developments run through the Zoning Administrator, and work in the right-of-way through Public Works.

Harrison permit types

Harrison publishes a separate application for each kind of job: residential new construction (as a full packet or the permit form alone), residential additions and remodels, commercial new construction, additions and remodels, and manufactured or moved homes, plus the zoning permit, an impact fee form and a fire number application for new addresses.

Residential permits

• New homes: the packet lists a copy of the sanitary permit (from Darboy Sanitary District, Harrison Utilities, or Calumet County for a mound system), the state Wisconsin Uniform Building Permit application, two sets of plans, the energy worksheet, an erosion control application with site plan, a braced wall plan, a right-of-way permit if needed, the impact fee form and signed contractor and conditions-of-approval sheets. The zoning side needs one more set of plans and a site plan with setbacks, elevations and a grading and drainage plan.
• Additions and remodels: one form lists every fee, from a $50 siding, roofing or window permit (two roof layers allowed, no structural change) to a $300 attached garage or basement remodel. The additions brochure (revised February 2026) notes side setbacks of typically 5 or 7.5 feet and a 25-foot rear setback, and caps lot coverage at 25% in the RS-1 and RR districts and 40% in RS-2 and RT, with impervious surface limits of 35% and 60%.
• Detached garages and sheds: at least 10 feet from the house and 5 feet from side and rear lines in the RS-1, RS-2 and RT districts (10 feet in RR, 25 feet in AG), outside all easements.
• Fences: up to 6 feet in residential areas and 4 feet at street corners; front-yard fences must be wood, brick, vinyl or stone, barbed wire is banned, and the finished side faces the neighbor.

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

Commercial permits

Commercial building, plumbing, electrical and HVAC permits are each charged at $0.10 per square foot plus a base fee, and an early-start permit for footings and foundation costs $200. New and expanded multi-family, commercial, institutional, recreational and industrial developments also need the village’s stormwater management and erosion control review and site plan review ($300 commercial, $500 industrial); state plan approval comes first where the Commercial Building Code requires it.

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

• Zoning permit. $250 for a new building, $100 for an addition or accessory building, $75 for a deck, patio, fence or driveway; allow 7 to 10 days.
• Plan Commission and appeals. The advisory Plan Commission meets the second-to-last Tuesday of each month at 6 p.m.; the Zoning Board of Appeals hears appeals of the Zoning Administrator’s or building inspector’s decisions as needed.
• Grading. McMahon Associates, the village engineer, reviews the site grading plan and sets a grade stake before the foundation goes in.
• Sewer, water or septic. Connections are arranged with Darboy Sanitary District or Harrison Utilities; unsewered lots need a Calumet County sanitary permit for the mound system.
• Right-of-way. Driveway aprons ($50), culverts ($150) and utility cuts in village roads need a Public Works permit; Calumet County handles county roads and the DOT state highways.

Harrison permit costs and fees

Village fees are set in Exhibit A, the 2026 Fee and Penalty Schedule linked from the village’s fee page (the posted copy is labeled updated 10-26-26). The new-house figures bundle the permit, trade and engineering checks. The new-home application lists the same pieces for a house up to 2,000 square feet: a $300 finished-area fee, the $35 state stamp, an $860 lot grade check, a $185 driveway grade check, a $175 administrative fee and $480 for electric service, wiring, plumbing and HVAC, which add up to $2,035, with the $110 erosion control fee listed separately.

Impact fees are the largest single item on a new house: $758 + $1,366 + $3,035 comes to $5,159 per single-family home, the figure printed on the manufactured-home application. Sewer connection fees depend on the service area, from $200 in the Lakeshore area to $2,060 in the Lift Station 6 area per single-family connection, and the schedule separately lists a $1,500 lot grade and driveway grade check and a $1,500 grading escrow if final grading is not finished at occupancy.

Trade permits and who may pull them

New homes carry the trades inside the bundled permit; additions, remodels and commercial work list them separately. Every application names each contractor with the matching state number.

• General contractor: the forms ask for the builder’s dwelling contractor certificate and qualifier numbers, which the village must have before it issues a one- or two-family permit to a contractor.
• Electrical: the electrical contractor number and the master electrician license number; residential service and wiring permits are $100 each on remodels, and commercial service runs from $100 under 200 amps to $300 for three-phase service over 200 amps.
• Plumbing: a master plumber license number; commercial jobs add a $200 early-start fee for underground plumbing, and sprinkler systems a $75 inspection fee.
• HVAC: HVAC contractor and qualifier numbers; HVAC businesses register with DSPS.
• Sewer and water laterals: coordinated with Darboy Sanitary District (920-788-6048) or Harrison Utilities (920-989-1062, ext. 801), depending on who serves the lot.

How to apply for a Harrison building permit

Review, corrections and what causes delay

Planning staff and the building inspector review the applications together; the village asks for 7 to 10 days once materials are complete, and either permit can carry conditions of approval. Missing sanitary approval, an incomplete grading plan or an unsigned conditions sheet holds the packet, and on new homes the foundation inspection is not approved until McMahon Associates confirms the top of the foundation is 8 inches above the planned grade, within 2 inches.

Inspections and occupancy in Harrison

When the permit is issued, the building inspector tells you which inspections are required and how to request them; scheduling is the owner’s or builder’s job. The forms list the possible stages: erosion control, footings, foundation, underground plumbing, electrical service, rough-in, insulation and final. A deck also needs an inspection after the footing holes are dug and before the footings are placed.

For a new home, the builder or owner contacts the building inspector for the occupancy permit. If final grading is not done by then, a $1,500 grading escrow or a grading permit is needed; village staff check the lot grades and seeding within a year and return the escrow once they pass.

Wisconsin building code in Harrison

Harrison enforces the Uniform Dwelling Code on new homes under its own delegation, and its applications bind permit holders to the state code and village ordinances; permits are valid for 12 months. FEMA’s Community Status Book lists the Village of Harrison (community 550367, in Outagamie and Calumet counties) as participating in the National Flood Insurance Program, with flood maps effective July 22, 2010.

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

Harrison permit search and official resources

To see an existing permit or inspection record, file the village’s Public/Open Records Request Form with the Clerk’s Office. Readily available records can be seen during office hours; records needing research are provided within 10 business days, copies cost $0.25 a page, and prepayment is required when the cost will exceed $25. Real estate inquiries have their own $30 form.

• Building Inspector page
• Building permit applications
• 2026 Fee and Penalty Schedule (Exhibit A)
• Residential new construction permit packet
• Residential additions and remodel permit
• Commercial new construction, additions and remodel permit
• Impact fee schedule
• Grading guidelines
• Zoning permit application
• Do I need a zoning permit?
• Brochures for home projects
• Zoning applications
• Right-of-way permits
• Open records request form
• DSPS UDC delegated agents list
• FEMA Community Status Book, Wisconsin

Harrison building permit FAQs

Do I need a permit to re-roof or replace windows in Harrison?

Yes. The village requires a building permit for replacing roofing, siding and windows; it costs $50, with two roof layers allowed and no structural change.

Does a small shed need a permit?

A shed under 200 square feet without electrical work needs only a $100 zoning permit; larger sheds or any with wiring also need a building permit.

How much are impact fees on a new house?

$5,159 for a single-family home: $758 fire, $1,366 park and $3,035 transportation.

Do fences need a permit?

Yes, a $75 zoning permit; residential fences are limited to 6 feet, or 4 feet at street corners.

How long does review take?

The village asks for 7 to 10 days once the zoning and building applications are complete.

Who checks foundation and lot grades?

McMahon Associates, the village engineer, checks the foundation height, lot grades and driveway grade against the grading plan.

Which county handles my septic permit?

The village’s checklist sends mound system sanitary permits to Calumet County; sewered lots connect through Darboy Sanitary District or Harrison Utilities.

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