Oregon, Wisconsin Building Permit Guide

In the Village of Oregon, building, electrical, plumbing and HVAC permits are issued by the village’s Building Inspection & Zoning office, staffed under contract by SAFEbuilt, with the Director of Community Development (608-835-6291) at Village Hall, 101 Alpine Parkway. A new 2026 fee schedule approved by the Village Board on November 17, 2025 prices a house at $0.44 per square foot, and the village asks you to allow at least seven business days for any permit. The Town of Oregon around the village is a separate municipality.

What work requires a building permit in Oregon?

Section 14.01 of the village code requires a permit before anyone builds, breaks ground, enlarges, alters, moves or demolishes a building, and the code’s definition of “building” also takes in heating and ventilation installations and anything affecting a structure’s fire safety. Plumbing, electrical and HVAC work have their own permit sections.

Zoning adds its own limits: garages, carports and sheds together over 1,000 square feet, or more than three accessory structures, need a conditional use permit under section 17-206(8)(c).

What Oregon decides and what the state holds

The Village of Oregon is delegated by DSPS to enforce the Uniform Dwelling Code (list current as of 9/24/2026), and the DSPS list names SafeBuilt as its inspection agency. The state writes the codes and runs the online permit system new homes must use first. The village sets the fees (Appendix A, effective January 1, 2026, and the village fee schedule adopted by Resolution 25-58 on December 15, 2025), impact fees, the zoning code (Chapter 17, adopted November 1, 2006), land division rules (Chapter 18), the late-filing penalties and its local electrical and plumbing rules in Chapter 14.

Oregon building department: who handles permitting

Since 2015 the village has contracted SAFEbuilt to handle everything tied to building permits: plan review, inspections, enforcement and code questions. The village’s Director of Community Development oversees the office and answers questions about late filings, zoning and development.

Applications outside the inspector’s hours can be dropped off at Village Hall during business hours or emailed to SAFEbuilt’s permit technician at the address on the village page. The Town of Oregon is a separate DSPS-delegated municipality, so check that a parcel is inside village limits on the village maps page.

Oregon permit types and filing documents

The village’s Building Permit Application (form 05-22, also in a fillable version) covers most projects. Under Appendix A, permits for construction, HVAC, electrical and plumbing can be taken out separately or together on one form, and section 14.01 asks for two complete sets of plans with a plot plan showing streets, lot lines and nearby buildings.

Residential permits

A new one- or two-family home is a two-part filing. First the builder or owner completes the state’s online UDC permit through DSPS’s eSLA portal (also required for an early start). Then the application and plans go to the village and SAFEbuilt with the New 1 & 2 Family Dwellings checklist:

• Proof of the DSPS e-filing and the signed Wisconsin Uniform Building Permit
• Land disturbing permit, signed erosion control measures and an erosion control plan
• Notarized foundation siting affidavit
• Affidavit for public sewer connection and sewer lateral installation form
• Driveway apron (curb opening) permit
• Two sets of plans with a cross section, site plan, elevations, floor plans and wall bracing details
• Water calculation worksheet from the plumber, water usage agreement and HVAC calculations

New construction packets with the extra forms are available at Village Hall. Additions, remodels, decks, sheds and pools use the standard application with plans sized to the job.

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

Commercial permits

Commercial, industrial, institutional and multifamily buildings are priced per square foot (from $0.36 for manufacturing to $0.46 for buildings of three or more units) with $355 plan examination. Plans for buildings under the state commercial code must carry state approval, and fees other agencies charge the village for reviewing plans are due at application.

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 permit. Priced separately in Appendix A: $100 for a new home or addition, $20 for alterations, $40 to $60 for sheds and garages, $60 for decks and patios, $80 for pools and $50 for fences.
• Plan Commission site plan review. Non-residential new buildings and additions generally need it under section 17-908; the village strongly recommends a pre-application meeting with the Zoning Administrator.
• Land division. A certified survey map or plat costs $150 plus a $1,000 deposit, and a stormwater control permit filed separately costs the same.
• Street work. Driveway or access permits cost $30, street excavations $45 plus $10 per 100 feet of trench, and sidewalk work $80 plus a bond.
• Floodplain. The village participates in the National Flood Insurance Program (community 550089, map effective September 17, 2014).

Oregon building-permit fees and plan review costs

Building, electrical, plumbing and HVAC fees are in Appendix A, the Building Permit Fee Schedule, which the Village Board approved on November 17, 2025 and which took effect January 1, 2026. It is the first full revision since 2014 and follows the Building Inspectors Association of Wisconsin, Southeastern Chapter model. The inspector calculates square footage from exterior dimensions, counting the garage, each finished level, basement and crawl space, porches and decks.

Worked example. For a new house the inspector measures at 2,500 square feet, the building fee is 2,500 × $0.44 = $1,100 and each of the electrical, plumbing and HVAC permits is 2,500 × $0.12 = $300. Adding $300 plan examination, the $80 seal, $205 erosion control and the $100 zoning permit gives $2,685 in permit fees.

Impact fees. Under the village’s 2026 Schedule of Fees, a new home with a standard 5/8- or 3/4-inch meter owes a $2,263 water facilities impact fee, plus $1,380 for the library and $1,922 for park improvements per dwelling unit, and a $2,039 parkland acquisition fee where no land was dedicated earlier. Impact fees are indexed for inflation each January 1.

Trade permits and who may pull them

Electrical, plumbing and HVAC permits are issued by the same office and inspected by SAFEbuilt. The village code adds local rules on who may do the work:

New homes list the construction, electrical, plumbing and HVAC contractors and the Dwelling Contractor Qualifier on the state’s uniform permit form. Licenses and dwelling contractor credentials themselves are state matters (see Wisconsin rules).

How to apply for a Village of Oregon building permit

Review, corrections and what causes delay

New home permits cannot be accepted until the DSPS online filing is done, so sending the village packet first only delays the permit. Missing checklist items, such as the notarized foundation siting affidavit or the plumber’s water calculation, stop review, and the January 2024 letter asks applicants to give plenty of contact information so SAFEbuilt can reach them with questions. Priority review within two business days is possible at double the plan review fee when the inspector’s workload allows, but not for submittals that also need other village approvals.

Oregon construction inspections and closeout

Call SAFEbuilt’s inspection line at 262-420-4732, or use the inspections-only email on the village page, by 4:00 p.m. for an inspection the next business day. For very small items SAFEbuilt may do a virtual inspection over video, the village’s 2024 letter says.

• Foundation when the forms are complete or before the foundation is laid (section 14.01).
• Rough before lath, drywall or paneling goes on, with electrical, plumbing and HVAC rough-ins.
• Plumbing before any work is covered; the inspector issues a certificate of compliance when it passes.
• Final on all new buildings and alterations, followed by the occupancy permit.

Re-inspections cost $65 for building work and $75 for trades, and failing to call for a required HVAC inspection costs $75. A permit lapses if work does not start within six months or is not finished for occupancy within 18 months; one three-month renewal is available for 25% of the original fee, with a $10 minimum. Occupancy permits are $65 per residential unit, and a temporary occupancy permit of up to six months is $102.

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

Oregon permit search and official resources

Questions about a permit’s status go to the Building Inspection & Zoning office or SAFEbuilt’s inspection line. Chapter 26 of the village code governs public records: the Village Clerk is custodian for the Village Board and its committees, and each other office’s chief administrative officer for its own files. Copies cost $0.25 a page, with a search charge only when locating a record costs $50 or more; the Clerk’s Office is at 608-835-3118.

• Village of Oregon Building Inspection & Zoning
• Appendix A: 2026 Building Permit Fee Schedule (PDF)
• Village Schedule of Fees, Resolution 25-58 (PDF)
• Building Permit Application 05-22 (PDF)
• New 1 and 2 Family Dwelling checklist (PDF)
• Driveway and Sidewalk Permits (PDF)
• Letter to Permit Applicants, January 9, 2024 (PDF)
• Village of Oregon Municipal Code
• Village maps: zoning and land use
• DSPS online UDC permit filing (eSLA)
• DSPS UDC delegated agents list

Village of Oregon building-permit FAQ

Who issues building permits in the Village of Oregon?

The village’s Building Inspection & Zoning office at Village Hall, 101 Alpine Parkway, staffed by its contract inspection firm SAFEbuilt.

How much does a building permit for a new house cost in Oregon?

Under the 2026 Appendix A, $0.44 per square foot ($160 minimum), plus $0.12 per square foot for each trade, $300 plan examination, an $80 seal, erosion control, zoning and impact fees.

Do I need to file with the state for a new home?

Yes; the village accepts one- and two-family dwelling permits only after the builder or owner completes the DSPS online permit, including for early starts.

How long does it take to get a permit?

Allow at least seven business days from the application date.

What happens if I start work without a permit?

Fees double if you apply after starting and triple if the inspector has to ask for the application.

Can I do my own electrical or plumbing work?

A homeowner may replace switches, receptacles and fixtures, and may do plumbing with a permit in a single-family home they own and occupy; other electrical work needs a state master electrician.

When can I talk to the building inspector?

At Village Hall on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10:30 a.m. to noon, or by calling the Director of Community Development at 608-835-6291.

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