Oconto County, Wisconsin Building Permit Guide

Oconto County’s Planning, Zoning and Solid Waste Department at 301 Washington Street, Oconto (920-834-6827), issues the county’s land use, shoreland, floodplain, sign and sanitary (septic) permits and assigns rural addresses. It does not issue building permits: DSPS lists no county Uniform Dwelling Code delegation, so the building permit for a house comes from the inspector hired by each town, city or village. Under Resolution R2026-04-04, in effect since April 23, 2026, a county land use permit for a new house costs $200, or $300 within 300 feet of a lake or stream.

What requires a permit in Oconto County?

Two layers of permits apply in the towns. The county’s land use permit covers zoning, shoreland and floodplain rules and the septic system; the local building permit covers the construction itself under the state codes. The county’s own application sets out when its permit is needed.

No land use permit is issued for a structure intended for human occupancy until the sanitary permit has been approved. In the shoreland area, defined on the county form as within 300 feet of a navigable stream or 1,000 feet of a lake, filling and grading face extra limits: work within 35 feet of the water, on slopes over 20%, or over set areas on gentler slopes needs review, and any disturbance over one acre also needs a DNR stormwater permit.

What the county decides and what the state holds

The county sets zoning districts, shoreland setbacks, floodplain rules, septic rules and its own fees. Its zoning ordinance also sets dwelling standards: at least 700 square feet of living space, a width of at least 14 feet and a roof pitch of 3 in 12, with older or narrower units allowed only as a conditional use; structures are capped at 35 feet unless exempted. Construction standards for homes are the state’s Uniform Dwelling Code, which applies to dwellings built since June 1, 1980 and their additions and alterations; commercial buildings follow the state Commercial Building Code.

Oconto County building department: who handles permitting

The county department, led by Department Head Patrick Virtues, administers the general zoning, subdivision, sanitary, floodplain, shoreland and wetland, animal waste and nonmetallic mining ordinances, reviews certified survey maps and plats, and runs the public hearings for rezonings, conditional uses and variances. The county’s own warning about fake permit invoices notes that the office takes zoning permit and hearing fees only by cash or check, and that real county e-mail addresses end in @ocontocountywi.gov.

Who issues building permits in each community

The DSPS list of Uniform Dwelling Code delegated agents (current as of 9/24/2026) has no row for Oconto County itself. Each listed city, village and town holds its own delegation, and where a municipality is not listed, a DSPS-appointed inspector covers new homes, found through the state’s inspector lookup tool.

The county keeps its own list, revised in June 2026, of the inspector each of the 23 towns has contracted, with a phone number for each. It notes that permit requirements for alterations and additions vary by municipality, while the state code applies whether or not a permit is required.

Oconto County permit types

County applications are paper or PDF forms filed with the Planning and Zoning office with the fee; incomplete applications are not processed, and the zoning page links to the county’s Ascent Permit Management system. Staff ask applicants to start with a conversation about the proposal, since they check which approvals apply before any permit is written.

Residential permits

• Land use permit: the form asks for the dimensions and type of construction (for example, a 16 by 20 foot addition), the estimated cost, and a site plan with setbacks to lot lines, the septic system, the road centerline, the right-of-way and any waterway. Accessory buildings need a floor or building plan, and shoreland lots add the shoreland development form and an impervious surface worksheet.
• Footings and foundation permit: a foundation may go in before the land use permit if a sanitary permit has been issued for the lot, setbacks are met, the owner signs a disclaimer, and the building follows within one year, or the foundation must be removed.
• Sanitary permit: designed with a licensed soil tester and installed by a licensed plumber. A new house needs its sanitary permit before the land use permit.
• Town building permit: the land use form itself tells owners to contact the town clerk or township building inspector about the Uniform Dwelling Code permit.

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

Commercial permits

Commercial and industrial buildings need a county land use permit at the commercial rate, and new uses or expansions may need a rezoning or conditional use hearing first. Building plans for commercial buildings follow the state Commercial Building Code, with DSPS plan approval for the sizes the state reviews, and the local building permit comes from the municipality. Large commercial septic systems over 2,000 gallons a day pay an added per-gallon fee.

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

• Wetlands: a wetland delineation if one is needed to permit the use, following DNR guidance.
• Rezoning, conditional use or variance: each a public hearing.
• Certified survey map: needed to create or reconfigure a parcel; the Property Lister confirms the new tax parcel number.
• Driveway: town roads through the town clerk or building inspector, county roads through the county Highway Department, state and federal highways through WisDOT.
• Physical address: a county fire number application if the parcel has no address.
• State or federal permits, floodplain permit and the county land use permit, then the local building permit, in that order on the county’s step sheet.

Oconto County permit costs and fees

County fees are set by Resolution R2026-04-04, effective April 23, 2026. Every state sanitary permit includes a $100 state fee that the state can change, and permits applied for after the work has started cost triple. Building permit fees are set separately by each town, city or village and its inspector.

Worked example from the schedule: a new house on a lake lot with a mound system pays $550 for the sanitary permit (including the $100 state fee) and $300 for the shoreland land use permit, or $850 to the county, before the town’s own building permit. The same house away from the water with a conventional system pays $425 and $200, or $625.

Trade permits and who may pull them

The county issues no electrical, plumbing or HVAC permits for buildings. For a new house, the Uniform Dwelling Code sets the heating, plumbing and electrical standards, and the municipality’s UDC inspector checks them along with the construction.

• Septic work: the county says that, with few exceptions, all work on a private onsite wastewater system must be done by a licensed plumber under a county permit; a licensed soil tester evaluates the soil first, and the county posts lists of soil testers and plumbers.
• Existing systems: a licensed master plumber or master plumber–restricted service fills in the evaluation the county needs before an addition over 150 square feet; changing plumbers on an open permit costs $75.
• Dwelling contractors: the local inspector checks the state Dwelling Contractor certification and Qualifier for one- and two-family work; owner-occupants are exempt.
• Maintenance: owners must have systems serviced at least every three years, and permits issued after July 1, 2000 come with a maintenance plan; the county sends notices from late spring to early fall.

How to apply for permits in Oconto County

Review, corrections and what causes delay

The county does not process incomplete land use applications, and a missing sanitary permit, septic evaluation or sanitary district sign-off holds the land use permit. Rezonings, conditional uses and variances each need a public hearing, and re-noticing a hearing costs $175. Lots near water may need a wetland delineation before review. A land use permit lapses if work does not start within 12 months (the zoning administrator may extend it up to six months), and a dwelling must be finished within two years.

Inspections in Oconto County

Two sets of inspections apply. County staff may visit the site at any time until the project is done, the land use permit must be posted on site, and septic installations are inspected by the county, with a $75 fee for re-inspections that include minor repairs. For a house, the municipality’s UDC inspector inspects each phase of construction before it is covered up.

The state UDC brochure the county posts says the inspector has two business days after a request, once the work is ready, before the builder may cover it, and that a dwelling’s exterior must be finished within two years of the permit. Occupancy follows a final inspection with no major health or safety violations; some municipalities issue occupancy permits.

Wisconsin building code in Oconto County

Houses throughout the county are built to the state Uniform Dwelling Code and enforced by municipal inspectors under DSPS delegation, while the county enforces its zoning, shoreland, floodplain and sanitary ordinances. FEMA’s Community Status Book lists Oconto County (community 550294) as participating in the National Flood Insurance Program, with a current effective map dated March 21, 2023; the county posts its flood insurance study and a list of current letters of map change.

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

Oconto County permit search and official resources

The county posts yearly reports of land use, sanitary and physical address permits for 2024 through 2026, with older years in an archive, and its zoning page links to the Ascent Permit Management system. For a specific septic or zoning file, contact the Planning and Zoning office at 920-834-6827.

• Oconto County Planning, Zoning and Solid Waste
• Zoning: ordinances and permits
• Sanitary (POWTS) program
• Planning and Zoning fees, Resolution R2026-04-04
• Steps to acquiring permits (December 2024)
• Land use permit instructions
• Land use permit application
• Land disturbance supplemental information
• Dwelling and foundation requirements
• UDC inspectors contracted by towns (June 2026)
• Uniform Dwelling Code information
• Land use and sanitary permit reports
• Flood insurance rate maps and study
• Zoning forms and documents
• DSPS UDC delegated agents list
• DSPS inspector lookup tool
• FEMA Community Status Book, Wisconsin

Oconto County permit FAQs

Does Oconto County issue building permits?

No. The county issues land use, shoreland, floodplain, sign and sanitary permits; the building permit comes from the town, city or village inspector.

How much is a county land use permit for a new house?

$200, or $300 within 300 feet of the ordinary high-water mark, under Resolution R2026-04-04.

Do I need the septic permit first?

Yes. A new house needs its sanitary permit before the county will issue the land use permit.

Who inspects a new house in the Town of Gillett?

The town is not on the DSPS delegation list, so a DSPS-appointed UDC inspector covers new homes there.

Can I pour a foundation before the house permit?

Yes, with a $75 footings permit if the lot has a sanitary permit, setbacks are met, you sign a disclaimer and the house follows within a year.

How long is a land use permit good for?

Work must start within 12 months, with up to six months’ extension, and a dwelling must be finished within two years.

What does starting without a permit cost?

County permits applied for after the fact cost three times the normal fee.

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