Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin Building Permit Guide

Pleasant Prairie is a village with its own state delegation for one- and two-family dwellings, so its Building Inspection Department at Village Hall, 9915 39th Avenue (262-694-9304), issues the building, electrical, plumbing and HVAC permits and inspects the work. Applications go through the village’s online permit portal, are reviewed in the order received and can take up to 10 business days once complete. The 2026 fee schedule charges $0.35 per square foot for new home construction, and new homes also pay $2,587 per unit in impact fees.

What requires a building permit in Pleasant Prairie?

The village’s residential permit page gives a long list. A permit is needed for a new home or an addition, interior remodeling, new or modified mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems and private utilities, and for new, modified or repaired detached accessory buildings, fences, driveways, sports courts, decks, porches, steps and stairs, swimming pools, hot tubs and residential communication structures. Razing a building needs one, and so does any land disturbance, such as regrading a yard or building a berm.

What the village decides and what the state holds

The village has adopted the state building, mechanical, electrical and plumbing codes, so the technical rules are the state’s Uniform Dwelling Code and Commercial Building Code. The village sets its own zoning ordinance, land disturbance and erosion control ordinance, floodplain rules, fees and impact fees, and its single-family application adds local design requirements: a roof pitch of at least 4/12, eaves of at least one foot, siding brought down to within six inches of finished grade, and a basement or crawl space unless a structural engineer finds the soil cannot support one.

Flood rules changed recently along the lake. FEMA issued new coastal flood insurance rate maps for the Lake Michigan shore in the village, effective April 11, 2024, and the village planned to replace the floodplain overlay section of its zoning ordinance (Section 420-131) with a new Chapter 430, Floodplain Zoning Ordinance, set for Village Board consideration on February 12, 2024; ask Community Development which floodplain rules apply to a lot. Land in the regulated floodplain is subject to extra land use restrictions, and building there starts with a floodplain development permit.

Pleasant Prairie building department: who handles permitting

The Building Inspection Department, led by Building Inspection Director Sandro Perez, issues permits and performs all building, mechanical, electrical and plumbing inspections in the village. Its state-certified inspectors review plans for all residential projects, commercial alterations up to 100,000 cubic feet and commercial additions up to 50,000 cubic feet. The department works with Planning and Zoning, Engineering, Utilities, Streets and Fire and Rescue at the final inspection stage.

Pleasant Prairie appears on the state’s Uniform Dwelling Code delegation list (current as of September 24, 2026) as a delegated village, so new one- and two-family homes are permitted and inspected by the village rather than by Kenosha County or a state-appointed inspector. Kenosha County appears in the village’s new-home application only for a sanitary permit where municipal sewer is not available and for a driveway onto a county highway.

Pleasant Prairie permit types and application documents

Permits are applied for online through the village’s SmartGov permit portal, which has a user guide; the paper applications posted with it show what each permit needs. Fees are calculated during plan review from the scope of the project and the current fee schedule.

Residential permits

The New Single-Family Home Application asks for the parcel, the estimated cost, the areas of the living space, basement, garage and decks, the stories, height, bedrooms and roof pitch, the foundation and wall type, the electric service, the plumbing fixtures and HVAC equipment, the heat loss, the sewer and water source, the driveway details, the erosion control party and the garbage cart choice. It lists each contractor: the Dwelling Contractor and Qualifier, HVAC, electrical contractor and master electrician, plumbing contractor and master plumber, and utility contractor. The minimum submittals are construction plans, a plat of survey with a grading and drainage plan, the state Res Check and an A-value worksheet, plus, where they apply, the Property Owner Cautionary Statement for an owner acting as contractor, Architectural Control Committee approval, a Kenosha County sanitary permit, a county highway or WisDOT permit, We Energies approval for work in its easement, and a Village Work in the Right-of-Way application.

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

Commercial permits

Commercial and multi-family projects have their own application page and fee sections. The village reviews commercial building, HVAC and lighting plans as a certified municipality for new buildings or additions up to 50,000 cubic feet and alterations up to 100,000 cubic feet; larger projects need state plan approval first. Fire protection systems are permitted through Fire & Rescue.

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 and site plans. Site and operational plans or residential development plans, with Plan Commission review where required; variances go to the Zoning Board of Appeals.
• Survey. The village explains how to find a plat of survey on Kenosha County’s interactive map for additions, accessory buildings and driveways.
• Floodplain. A floodplain development permit with zoning and engineering review near Lake Michigan or mapped floodplains.
• Erosion control. An erosion control permit and cash deposit before land disturbance.
• Driveway. A village driveway permit; driveways onto state or county highways need a WisDOT or Kenosha County permit first.

Pleasant Prairie permit costs and fees

Fees come from the village’s Schedule of Permit and Development Application Fees, effective January 1, 2026. Work started before a permit may be charged triple fees, and after two failed inspections of the same kind a re-inspection fee is due before the next one can be scheduled.

The impact fee is collected when the building permit is issued and splits into $1,078 for fire and EMS, $671 for police, $593 for public works and $245 for parks; multi-family units pay $2,433 and non-residential buildings $3.82 per $1,000 of value. The erosion control deposit is returned once grading and site work are approved, less a 6% processing fee. Zoning and development reviews have their own rows: a floodplain development permit is $100 for zoning review plus $100 for engineering review, with a $50 floodplain certificate of compliance; stipulated shoreland and conservancy permits are $100 each; a zoning variance, conditional use permit or certified survey map starts at $250; and a site and operational plan needing Plan Commission review starts at $850, in each case plus the actual staff time billed at the hourly rates on the schedule. Razing a house is $100 and a residential accessory building $60. Work in the village right of way is $200, and a driveway culvert application is $25, with culverts installed by Public Works and invoiced at cost. Commercial work is priced separately, for example $0.40 per square foot for a new building with build-out, with a $100 minimum permit fee, and village plan review of a new commercial building up to 50,000 cubic feet costs $250 for building, $150 for HVAC and $100 for lighting.

Trade permits and who may pull them

Electrical, plumbing and HVAC permits are all issued and inspected by the village’s Building Inspection Department, which posts a separate application for each trade and charges by item: $100 for an electric service, $0.75 per electrical opening, $60 per heating or cooling unit, $15 per exhaust fan and $10 per plumbing fixture.

• Credentials. The new-home application asks for the license numbers of the master electrician and master plumber and the Dwelling Contractor and Qualifier for the builder.
• Owners. An owner acting as their own contractor signs the Property Owner Cautionary Statement with the application.
• Fire protection. Sprinkler, alarm and suppression permits are reviewed and charged by Fire & Rescue under the same fee schedule.
• Sewer and water. Water, sewer and storm sewer connections are $60 each on a home, and the $1,600 sewer connection charge is paid when the building or plumbing permit is applied for.

How to apply for a Pleasant Prairie building permit

Review, corrections and what causes delay

Applications are reviewed in the order received, and processing can take up to 10 business days after a complete application is submitted. If information is missing, the village contacts the applicant and may ask for more before it continues. For a new home the application treats the plat of survey, grading and drainage plan, energy forms and contractor details as minimum submittals, and outside approvals such as a county sanitary permit or highway permit must be attached where they apply. Withdrawn applications may not be refunded once review has substantially started.

Inspections in Pleasant Prairie

Every building inspection must be called in to schedule a morning or afternoon appointment at least two business days in advance. The village’s inspectors handle the building, mechanical, electrical and plumbing inspections, and at the final stage the department coordinates with Planning and Zoning, Engineering, Utilities, Streets and Fire and Rescue; the certificate of compliance for a home is $60.

A builder who needs to pour footings and foundations for a new dwelling early uses the separate Early Start application ($150 for a home, $300 for multi-family and $500 for commercial). Water meters and hydrant meters are requested from Public Works on their own forms. Overtime inspections cost $90 for homes, and failing to call for a required inspection costs $60. After two failed inspections of the same type, each further inspection needs a $60 re-inspection fee paid first.

Wisconsin building code

FEMA’s Community Status Book lists Pleasant Prairie (community 550613) as participating in the National Flood Insurance Program; its current effective flood map, dated April 11, 2024, includes the new coastal floodplain maps along Lake Michigan that the village describes on its floodplain page.

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

Pleasant Prairie permit search and official resources

Permit applications are filed through the village’s SmartGov portal. For older records, the village takes open records requests through its Open Records page, and the Building Inspection Department can answer questions about a specific address at 262-694-9304.

• Pleasant Prairie Building Inspection Department
• Single-family and two-family residential permits
• SmartGov permit portal
• Permit portal user guide
• Permit fees page
• 2026 Permit and Development Fee Schedule
• New single-family home application
• Floodplain and coastal areas along Lake Michigan
• DSPS list of UDC delegated agents
• FEMA Community Status Book, Wisconsin

Pleasant Prairie building permit FAQ

Is Pleasant Prairie a city or a village?

A village. Its Building Inspection Department at Village Hall issues building and trade permits.

How long does a permit take?

Up to 10 business days after a complete application, reviewed in the order received.

How much are the fees for a new house?

Among other items, $0.35 per square foot of new construction, $120 for plan review, a $125 zoning permit, a $200 administrative fee, $1,600 for the sewer connection and $2,587 in impact fees.

Do I need a permit for a fence or a shed?

Yes. Fences, sheds and other accessory structures need permits; the zoning permit is $60 per structure.

Can I apply online?

Yes, through the village’s SmartGov permit portal; the village posts a portal user guide that walks through the steps.

How do I schedule an inspection?

Call the Building Inspection Department at least two business days ahead for a morning or afternoon slot.

What if I start work without a permit?

The fees for reviewing and processing the application may be tripled.

Do I need a permit for a new driveway?

Yes. A village driveway permit ($60 zoning fee per entrance) is required, plus a WisDOT or Kenosha County permit for a connection to a state or county highway.

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