Marinette, Wisconsin Building Permit Guide

Inside the City of Marinette, the Building Inspection Department at City Hall, 1905 Hall Avenue (715-732-5128), issues building and zoning permits, reviews site plans and inspects the work; Curt Demlow is the Building Inspector. DSPS lists the city as a delegated agent for the Uniform Dwelling Code. There is no online portal: you file the Wisconsin uniform building permit application at City Hall, and the city’s posted fee schedule charges a new house $0.14 per square foot of all floor areas plus zoning, erosion control, occupancy and the state seal.

What requires a building permit in Marinette?

The department’s page on residential permits gives a practical list. A permit is needed whenever the footprint or the structure of the house changes, when unfinished space becomes living space, and for most electrical, plumbing and heating changes.

Small sheds and decks under 100 square feet pay a flat $20 building fee plus $20 zoning; larger accessory buildings and decks are charged by area. Fences in residential zones may be up to 6 feet high in side and rear yards and 3 feet in the front yard, must sit 4 feet back from an alley property line, and need a drawing showing the fence against lot lines and buildings.

What Marinette decides and what the state holds

The building standards are the state’s Uniform Dwelling Code and Commercial Building Code. The city sets its own fees, runs zoning under Chapter 465 of the city code, issues land use permits in shoreland, wetland and floodplain areas, licenses sign erectors, and controls street openings under Section 6.0204.

Marinette building department: who handles permitting

The Building Inspection Department handles building, zoning and trade permits, inspections and site plan review in one office. The DSPS list of UDC delegated agents (current as of September 24, 2026) shows the City of Marinette with its own delegation, so new one- and two-family homes are permitted and inspected by the city. Land outside the city limits lies in towns that hold their own delegations on the same list, where Marinette County’s zoning, shoreland and sanitary permits come first.

Marinette permit types

Marinette uses the Wisconsin Uniform Building Permit Application for both one- and two-family and commercial work. The one form lists the owner, the construction contractor with its Dwelling Contractor number, the Dwelling Contractor Qualifier, and the electrical, plumbing and HVAC contractors with their license numbers; it also asks for the area of the basement, living space and garage, the heating equipment and the estimated cost. The office fills in the building, zoning, electrical, plumbing, HVAC and state seal fees on the same sheet, and the permit expires two years after it is issued unless a city ordinance sets a shorter term.

Residential permits

A new house, addition, accessory building over 100 square feet or deck is charged by area, a remodel by valuation, and re-roofing, residing or window and door replacement at $40 a permit. Each project also carries a zoning permit, and new dwellings and additions an erosion control permit and an occupancy permit. An owner who will live in the home may sign the owner-occupant statement on the form instead of naming a Dwelling Contractor, after reading the cautionary statement. The department posts a deck building guide.

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

Commercial permits

Commercial buildings are priced per square foot by use, from $0.12 for special occupancies to $0.19 for schools, hospitals, repair garages and storage, with a $175 minimum, and the zoning permit and site plan review come first. Commercial plans that need state approval go to DSPS before the city issues its permit. Signs go to the Plan Commission: file 14 sets of drawings with a survey or plot plan, an elevation with dimensions and lighting, and photos of existing signs at least 10 business days before the meeting.

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 permit. Issued by Building Inspection with every project; fences need only the zoning permit.
• Plan Commission and zoning board. Conditional uses ($200), rezonings ($200, or $400 when the comprehensive plan must change or the request covers a wider area) and Zoning Board of Appeals cases ($150).
• Shoreland, wetland and floodplain. A land use permit is required: $100 for a home, $350 for commercial property.
• Erosion control. Required for new homes and additions; a project disturbing one acre or more also falls under the state’s NR 151 erosion and stormwater rules.
• Street openings and driveways. Work in city right-of-way needs a street opening permit from Public Works ($50 plus a deposit and proof of insurance, with a sketch approved by the engineer); a driveway onto a state highway needs a WisDOT connection permit.

Marinette permit costs and fees

Fees come from the city’s posted Building Permit Fee Schedule. The posted copy carries no adoption date; its rezoning fee cites Ordinance 2011-2210 of November 1, 2011. Residential work started before a permit is issued pays double fees, and commercial work triple fees with a $200 minimum.

Commercial rates: $0.17 per square foot for multifamily, motels, offices, stores, restaurants, churches and manufacturing office areas; $0.19 for schools, institutions, hospitals and vehicle repair; $0.14 for warehouses and shells; remodels and re-roofs $10 per $1,000 of value ($150 minimum); erosion control $200 for the first acre and $100 for each added acre; zoning permits $200 for a new structure and $150 for an addition; commercial HVAC $45 plus $0.07 per square foot and plumbing $60 plus $0.07. Commercial occupancy, temporary occupancy and change-of-use certificates are $75 per unit, commercial razing $0.07 per square foot ($125 minimum), a commercial solar system $200, a new or altered parking lot $200, and zoning review $150 for work valued under $10,000 or $300 above it. The schedule also prices a special Plan Commission meeting at $250.

Worked example from the schedule: a new house with 2,800 square feet of floor area (basement, living space and garage) pays 2,800 × $0.14 = $392, plus the $125 zoning permit, $100 erosion control, $40 occupancy and $45 state seal, or $702. Electrical, plumbing and HVAC permits add $35 + 2,800 × $0.06 = $203 each, and the plumbing side adds $50 for the new sewer and water laterals, so the full set is $1,361.

Trade permits and who may pull them

Marinette issues its own electrical, plumbing and HVAC permits through the same department, on the same uniform application, and the inspections needed for each trade are marked on the permit: electrical rough, service and final; plumbing rough, underfloor and final; HVAC rough and final.

• Electrical: needed to add or remove wiring or move a receptacle; swapping a switch, outlet or fixture in place is exempt. Electrical contractors list their state license number on the form.
• Plumbing: needed to move any water or drain pipe or replace a water heater, but not to replace a faucet, toilet, sink or tub. New homes pay $50 for the sewer and water laterals from the house to the right-of-way.
• HVAC: needed to replace a furnace or change ventilation.
• Credentials: the form takes the Dwelling Contractor and Qualifier numbers for one- and two-family work; electricians and plumbers hold DSPS licenses, and HVAC businesses register with DSPS.
• Fire protection and signs: commercial sprinkler work is $50 for alterations under 20 heads and $200 above that, and sign erectors need a $175 annual city license.

How to apply for a Marinette building permit

Review, corrections and what causes delay

Thursday and Friday are appointment-only for the inspector, so plan questions and inspections early in the week. Plan Commission items need their drawings 10 business days before the meeting, and the commission meets only once a month outside May to September. Starting before the permit is issued doubles residential fees and triples commercial ones.

Inspections in Marinette

Call 715-732-5127 to request an inspection; the inspector is available Monday to Wednesday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and by appointment on Thursday and Friday. The uniform permit lists the building inspections (footing, foundation, rough, insulation, basement floor and final) and the trade inspections that apply. A re-inspection, or failing to call for a required inspection, costs $50 each time, and new buildings and additions need an occupancy permit ($40 per dwelling unit) before use.

Street openings have their own inspection: call the Engineering Department at 715-732-5134 within two days of finishing, lawn restoration included. Restoration must be finished within five working days of the work, or the city restores the opening and takes the cost from the deposit, and the permit holder warrants the restoration for 12 months. Before a road closure, notify Marinette County Central Dispatch at 715-732-7332 at least 24 hours ahead.

Wisconsin building code in Marinette

Marinette enforces the state codes through its own UDC delegation. FEMA’s Community Status Book lists the city (community 550261) as participating in the National Flood Insurance Program, with a current flood map dated March 15, 1978; the city’s land use permit covers floodplain, shoreland and wetland sites.

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

Marinette permit search and official resources

Marinette has no online permit search. Ask Building Inspection (715-732-5128) about past permits on an address, or contact the City Clerk’s office at City Hall (715-732-5140), which manages city records.

• Building Inspection Department
• When a residential permit is required
• Wisconsin uniform building permit application
• Building permit fee schedule
• Fence requirements
• Deck building guide
• Sign permit forms and Plan Commission schedule
• City zoning map
• Street opening permit (2026 forms)
• City code of ordinances
• City Clerk
• DSPS UDC delegated agents list
• WisDOT state highway connection permits
• FEMA Community Status Book, Wisconsin

Marinette building permit FAQs

Can I apply online in Marinette?

No. File the Wisconsin uniform building permit application at City Hall, 1905 Hall Avenue.

How much is a permit for a new house?

$0.14 per square foot of all floor areas plus $125 zoning, $100 erosion control, $40 occupancy and the $45 state seal; a 2,800-square-foot house is $702 before trade permits.

Do I need a permit for a fence?

Yes, a $40 zoning permit for every new or replacement fence; residential fences top out at 6 feet in side and rear yards and 3 feet in front.

Do I need a permit to replace windows?

Replacing a single window or door with one of the same size needs no permit. Changing a size or adding a skylight does, and window and door replacement permits are $40.

Does a new furnace need a permit?

Yes. Replacing a furnace or changing ventilation needs an HVAC permit, $60 minimum for replacement items.

How do I schedule an inspection?

Call 715-732-5127; Thursday and Friday inspections are by appointment only.

What if I start work without a permit?

Residential fees are doubled and commercial fees tripled, with a $200 minimum.

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