Hudson, Wisconsin Building Permit Guide

In the City of Hudson, building permits come from the Building Inspector in the Community Development Department at City Hall, 505 Third Street (715-386-4765), led by Community Development Director Mike Johnson. Each project gets a single combination permit for the building and trade work, priced from the project’s value: 1% between $6,001 and $200,000 under the schedule adopted March 12, 2018. New one- and two-family homes are filed through the state’s eSLA portal, which forwards them to the city.

What requires a building permit in Hudson?

The city’s rule is short: every building project needs a permit, from new construction to remodeling and decks, except small projects and repairs worth less than $500. The inspector’s page lists the jobs on existing homes that most often need one:

Section 106-6 D of the city code sets out the exceptions in the right-hand panel, and the city’s general information sheet confirms that roofing, same-size window and door, and siding replacements need no permit or inspection; state, national and manufacturer installation rules still apply. A minor repair under the code is maintenance or replacement work on a one- or two-family home that does not affect room arrangement, light and ventilation, exits, fire protection or the exterior appearance.

What the city decides and what the state holds

Hudson sets its own zoning (Chapter 255), floodplain zoning (Chapter 253), St. Croix Riverway rules (Chapter 252), fence and sign rules, erosion control and permit fees. The technical building rules are the state’s. DSPS’s list of UDC delegated agents, current as of September 24, 2026, shows the city as delegated for new one- and two-family dwellings. DSPS’s commercial lists of October 19, 2026 also show Hudson delegated for plan review of small commercial buildings, for commercial building inspection and for commercial electrical permits and inspection. The Town of Hudson and the Village of North Hudson hold separate delegations and use their own inspectors.

Hudson building department: who handles permitting

The Community Development Department oversees planning and building inspection under the city’s zoning, subdivision and building codes. Its building inspector issues permits and oversees every phase of construction inside the city limits, with one inspector for commercial projects and one for residential work, both also serving as assistant zoning inspectors. The Fire Department reviews and inspects fire sprinkler and fire alarm plans. Because a “Hudson” mailing address does not prove a parcel is in the city, staff ask applicants to check the St. Croix County GIS map first.

Hudson permit types

Hudson issues one permit per project, and the building, electrical, plumbing, mechanical and structural work all share it. The application therefore asks for every contractor on the job up front, and a Subcontractor Change Form updates the list if a trade changes after the permit is issued.

Residential permits

• New one- and two-family homes. Apply through the state’s eSLA portal; the state forwards the application to the city. Then give the inspector’s office the house plan (with wall bracing and HVAC plans), a site plan, a REScheck energy calculation (version 4.2.2 or newer) and the erosion control worksheet.
• Additions, alterations and accessory buildings. The city’s Residential Building Permit Application (revised January 2026), emailed with plans to the residential inspector. Any project that adds or changes a footprint, including decks, needs a scaled site plan showing distances to the property lines.
• Fences. A separate $50 permit reviewed by planning staff in 3 to 5 business days; a fence in a drainage or utility easement needs a $100 easement agreement that takes 2 to 4 weeks to reach the City Council.
• Retaining walls. A separate permit from the Engineering Department.

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

Commercial permits

New buildings with three or more dwelling units, new businesses, fire sprinkler and alarm systems, and remodeling of existing facilities all need a permit. The Commercial Permit Application covers building, electrical, plumbing, HVAC and fire protection, and is filed with a site plan and the state-approved plans where the project needed state review. Hudson can review small commercial buildings itself (new buildings under 50,000 cubic feet, small one-story additions and alterations under 100,000 cubic feet); larger plans go to DSPS first.

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

What comes before the building permit

• Zoning check. Confirm the parcel’s district on the official zoning map; staff issue written zoning verification letters on request.
• Plan Commission. Development projects, conditional uses, rezonings and subdivisions go to the Plan Commission, which meets at 6:00 p.m. on the Tuesday after the first Monday of the month in the Council Chambers; the city posts 2026 submission dates.
• Board of Zoning Appeals. Variances, special exceptions and appeals of the inspector’s or director’s decisions; it meets as needed and the process usually takes 45 to 60 days. Ordinance 7-24, adopted September 3, 2024, updated its standards.
• Downtown and riverway overlays. The Downtown Overlay District was rewritten on June 17, 2024 (Ordinance 11-23) and has a design checklist and a Downtown Design Review Certificate; the St. Croix Riverway chapter was adopted as Ordinance 3-24.
• Erosion control and grading. A $150 erosion control fee applies to each new one- or two-family unit; multifamily, commercial and industrial grading permits are $250 under 5 acres and $500 at 5 acres or more.

Hudson permit costs and fees

Hudson prices building permits from the Building Permit Fee Schedule adopted by the Common Council on March 12, 2018. The valuation must include everything needed to build the project except land, and the inspector can check it against nationally recognized construction costs. The schedule prints a full lookup table; the formula behind it is below.

Worked example from the schedule’s own table: a $40,000 basement finish is $400, and a $350,000 new house is $2,450 (0.7%). The house also pays the $33 state permit seal, the $150 erosion control fee and the $822 open space and park fee per dwelling unit, $3,455 before water and sewer connection charges. Note the minimum in the second band: any project valued between $200,001 and $285,000 pays $2,000.

Other charges, from the fee page and the 2026 fees listed in the city’s New Housing Fee Report (January 20, 2026):

• Permit to start construction $60; re-inspection or special inspection $60; demolition $100.
• Starting before the permit is issued: double fee for a first violation, triple after that.
• Park fee on commercial or industrial development: $1,050 under 9,999 square feet, $1,575 from 10,000 to 24,999, and $2,100 above 25,000.
• Fire Department review and inspection of sprinkler or alarm systems: 1.2% of the system value in the 2026 fees (the fee page still says 0.8% to 1.2%); projects without such systems pay $0.08 per square foot.
• Sewer and water connection charges under code sections 198-10(E)(1) and 254-12, set in the annual fee schedule by meter size.
• Certified survey map $200 plus $100 per lot; preliminary and final plats $750 plus $50 per lot each.

Trade permits and who may pull them

There is no separate electrical, plumbing or HVAC permit to buy in Hudson: the trades ride on the project’s combination permit, and the city’s inspectors check the trade work at the rough and final stages. The application will not be accepted without the name and state credential number of each Dwelling Contractor, Dwelling Contractor Qualifier, electrical contractor, master electrician, HVAC contractor and plumber.

The city’s general information sheet says Hudson has no local contractor registration or license of its own and lists what the state requires:

• House builders, remodelers and garage builders: Dwelling Contractor certification plus a Dwelling Contractor Qualifier certification.
• Commercial general contractors (including buildings with three or more units) and most subcontractors: no state credential required at this time.
• HVAC: HVAC contractor registration.
• Plumbing: a master plumber license, with journeymen and apprentices working under a master plumber.
• Electrical: electrical contractor certification and a Wisconsin master electrician, with every electrician individually licensed.
• Elevators, fire sprinklers and tanks: contact DSPS.

The sheet adds that these state requirements do not apply to homeowners working on property they own and occupy.

How to apply for a Hudson building permit

Review, corrections and what causes delay

Missing contractor credentials stop an application at intake. Commercial projects over the city’s small-building review limits wait on DSPS. Variances take 45 to 60 days because of notice and publication rules, and fences in easements need a Council-approved agreement. Work started before the permit is picked up is charged double, then triple for repeat violations.

Inspections and occupancy in Hudson

The required inspections are printed on the permit card. Call 715-716-5722 between 8:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. to book; requests in that window can usually be scheduled for the next business day, later calls are not guaranteed, and there are no weekend appointments. Most visits are booked for 30 minutes; framing and final inspections on new homes take 60. The city’s scheduling guide (revised January 2026) describes each stage:

• Water and sewer laterals, footings, foundation forms or block, and dampproofing before backfill
• Underground plumbing with an air test, and the 6-mil vapor retarder before the slab is poured
• Electrical service before the utility energizes it
• Rough plumbing, HVAC, electrical, gas line (air tested), fireplace and framing
• Insulation before interior finishes
• Final, before any use or occupancy

Pools are inspected in four stages: forms, electrical bonding, any gas line, and the finished equipment with its fence or safety cover. A re-inspection costs $60.

Wisconsin building code in Hudson

Hudson enforces the state codes as the delegated agency for one- and two-family dwellings and, within DSPS’s limits, for small commercial buildings, alongside its own zoning, floodplain, riverway and erosion control chapters. The zoning code, sign, subdivision and fence chapters are under staff review for an update. FEMA’s Community Status Book lists Hudson (community 555558) as participating in the National Flood Insurance Program, with flood maps effective March 16, 2009.

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

Hudson permit search and official resources

The city posts a permit report every month (January to October 2026 so far) and annual building permit reports back to 2016 on its Permits Issued & Fees Report page. For the file on a particular address, contact the inspectors at 715-716-5755 (commercial) or 715-716-5733 (residential).

• Building Inspector: permits, guides and contacts
• Building permit fees
• Building permit fee schedule (adopted March 12, 2018)
• 2025 New Housing Fee Report with 2026 fees
• Residential building permit application
• Commercial permit application
• General information on building (credentials, new homes)
• Building inspection scheduling guide
• Permits and forms (fence, sign, grading, zoning)
• Fence permit application
• Zoning maps and code chapters
• Zoning code update and overlay ordinances
• Plan Commission
• Board of Zoning Appeals
• Permits issued and fees reports
• DSPS eSLA portal (new homes)
• DSPS UDC delegated agents list
• DSPS commercial delegated agent lists
• FEMA Community Status Book, Wisconsin

Hudson building permit FAQs

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

No, as long as there are no structural changes: roofing, siding, gutters and same-size windows and doors are exempt. Changing the size of a window or door opening is not covered by that exemption.

How much is a building permit in Hudson?

It depends on value: $60 up to $6,000, then 1% up to $200,000 and 0.7% from $200,001 to $500,000. A $350,000 house is $2,450 before the seal, erosion control and park fees.

Can I pay by card?

No. The city takes cash or check only, paid at City Hall when you sign the permit.

Do I need separate electrical or plumbing permits?

No. Hudson issues one combination permit per project that covers the building and all trade work, but every contractor’s state credential must be on the application.

How do I apply for a new house permit?

Through the state’s eSLA portal, which forwards it to the city; then send the house plan, site plan, REScheck and erosion control worksheet to the inspector’s office.

How soon can I get an inspection?

Call 715-716-5722 between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. and the inspection can usually be set for the next business day; there are no weekend inspections.

Does Hudson require a local contractor license?

No. The city has no local registration or license; contractors need only the state credentials for their trade.

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