Richland County, Wisconsin Building Permit Guide

In rural Richland County the Zoning & Sanitation Department, Richland County Courthouse, 181 West Seminary Street, Room 100, Richland Center (608-647-2447), issues land use permits under the county zoning, shoreland, subdivision and floodplain ordinances, and sanitary (septic) permits. Building permits for new homes are Uniform Dwelling Code permits from the local UDC inspector; the county holds a DSPS delegation that covers the towns of Akan and Eagle. A new house pays $0.20 per square foot of its largest living floor ($225 minimum) for the land use permit, plus $550 for a sanitary permit.

What requires a permit in Richland County?

All permits must be obtained before construction starts. For a new dwelling, the county lists what is needed: a soil test filed with the county, a sanitary permit, a land use permit, a driveway permit where needed, a county address sign and the UDC building permit from the local inspector. For anything other than a new dwelling, the land use permit and any driveway permit are the county’s requirements.

The county’s land use page says it issues land use permits for the towns of Akan, Buena Vista, Dayton, Eagle, Forest, Henrietta, Marshall, Orion, Richland, Richwood, Westford and Willow. Its building brochure (updated August 27, 2024) adds that Bloom and Sylvan are not under county zoning but still need county land use permits for residential work, and that Ithaca and Rockbridge run their own zoning and issue building permits through the town. On UDC permits for additions, the land use page says “in certain townships” while the brochure says a state building permit is required in all townships for new residences or residential additions, so ask your inspector before building an addition.

What the county decides and what the state holds

The county writes the zoning, shoreland, floodplain, land division and nonmetallic mining ordinances, sets minimum dwelling floor areas by zoning district and runs the private sewage program under its sanitation ordinance and the state POWTS rules. The construction rules for houses are the state Uniform Dwelling Code; DSPS lists Richland County itself as a delegated UDC agency, covering the towns that point to it, and every other municipality in the county as separately delegated. Commercial buildings follow the state commercial code and DSPS plan review.

Richland County building department: who handles permitting

The Zoning & Sanitation Department handles land use, sanitary, address and land division permits, and its Board of Adjustment hears variances and appeals. Applications and permits can be submitted through the county’s Citizen Portal. For UDC building permits the county posts a list of the third-party inspection companies working in each town and village, while noting it does not endorse them.

Towns, villages and city in Richland County

DSPS’s list of UDC delegated agents, current as of September 24, 2026, names Richland County as delegated and shows the towns of Akan and Eagle as served by the county; every other municipality has its own delegation. Inspection firms below are those named on the county’s inspector page; DSPS names General Engineering for Richwood, Rockbridge, Boaz and Cazenovia.

Richland County permit types

The county’s land use application asks for the builder, the township and parcel, the construction and project type, the zoning district, road, side and rear setbacks, building width, length, area and height, any floodplain elevation, nearby stream or river and the sanitary permit number. A scaled or dimensioned drawing on paper no smaller than 8½ by 11 inches must show north and the distances to roads, other structures, the septic system, the well, lot lines and the ordinary high water mark.

Residential permits

• New dwellings. The land use fee is based on the largest floor of living space. Floor area for the district minimums is the gross area of all floors measured from the outside of the exterior walls, excluding attics, unfinished basement rooms, garages, breezeways and unenclosed porches.
• Additions. $75 for an addition worth more than $2,000 that adds less than half the dwelling; above that, $0.20 per square foot.
• Garages, sheds, porches and decks. Flat fees of $75 to $100.
• Sanitary permit. A certified soil tester books an appointment with the department, the system type is set from the test, and mounds and at-grade systems need state-approved plans, which can take up to six weeks. The plumber submits the sanitary permit application, and a notarized maintenance agreement is recorded on the deed. The whole process generally takes two to six weeks.

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

Commercial permits

Commercial and industrial land use permits are $525. Uses that need a conditional or special use permit, a rezoning or a variance pay $500 each ($800 for a rezoning combined with a conditional use), and mobile tower siting is $3,000. Building plans follow the state commercial code and DSPS plan review.

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

What comes before the building permit

• Zoning check. Confirm the zoning district and acreage; a rezoning can take up to three months, and parcels of 10 acres or less need a certified survey map.
• Soil test and sanitary permit. File the soil test ($125) and get the sanitary permit ($550).
• Driveway. Driveway permits must be obtained before the land use permit can be issued: WisDOT for state roads, the county highway department for county roads, the town chairman for town roads.
• Floodplain, shoreland and wetlands. Check the parcel first; work in these areas has its own land use fee.
• UDC permit. Contact the local inspector early to avoid delays.

Richland County permit fees

These are the county’s zoning and sanitation fees as posted on its Fees page. Work started without a land use permit carries a $500 late fee on top of the original fee.

Worked example from the fee page: a new house whose largest living floor is 1,400 square feet pays 1,400 × $0.20 = $280 for the land use permit (above the $225 minimum), plus $550 for the sanitary permit, $125 to file the soil test and $100 for the address sign, $1,055 to the county. A smaller house hits the minimum: the county’s own example of 768 square feet works out to $153.60, so $225 applies. The UDC building permit is priced by the local inspector, and driveway fees vary by road authority.

Trade permits and who may pull them

The county issues no electrical, plumbing or HVAC permits for buildings; that work on a new home falls under the UDC permit from the local inspector, and commercial trade work follows the state codes. The county’s trade role is septic: the department keeps lists of plumbing companies, pumpers and certified soil testers.

• Septic installation: the plumber submits the sanitary permit application and plans; installation proceeds once the department approves them.
• Maintenance: state rules (SPS 383.54) make the county collect proof every three years that each septic tank has been inspected or pumped; a licensed plumber or pumper signs the county’s notice with the owner, and it is due back within 90 days.
• Non-plumbing systems: vault privies need a watertight tank of at least 200 gallons, pit privies a full soil test, and composting toilets NSF approval; portable toilets are not approved systems.

For the UDC permit on a new one- or two-family home, the builder needs the state Dwelling Contractor and Dwelling Contractor Qualifier certifications unless the owner will live in the home.

How to apply for Richland County permits

Review, corrections and what causes delay

The sanitary permit usually takes two to six weeks, longer where a mound or at-grade system needs state plan approval, and a rezoning can take up to three months, so the county advises planning both well ahead of a start date. The land use permit waits for the driveway permit. The land use drawing must show distances to the septic system, well and high water mark, and starting without a permit adds the $500 late fee.

Inspections and final approval

The county inspects for zoning and sanitation: the land use form records an inspection date and comments, the floodplain and shoreland permit has a version that includes an inspection, and septic installations are approved by the department. Construction inspections on new homes are made by the town or village UDC inspector under the building permit, so book those with the inspector, not the county.

Variances and special exceptions go to the Board of Adjustment, which meets at 3 p.m. in the County Board Room and hears requests under the zoning, land division, nonmetallic mining, shoreland and floodplain ordinances; file the county’s Notice of Appeal form with the Zoning office to start one.

Wisconsin building code in Richland County

FEMA’s Community Status Book lists Richland County (community 550356) as participating in the National Flood Insurance Program, and new flood maps for the county take effect on January 22, 2027. Projects near rivers and streams should check both the current and the new maps with the Zoning & Sanitation Department.

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

Richland County permit search and official resources

Permits and applications are handled through the county’s Citizen Portal, and the public GIS map shows parcels and zoning layers with search and print tools. For copies of older land use or sanitary permits, contact the Zoning & Sanitation Department; copies cost $0.25 each and scanned copies $1 a sheet.

• Zoning and Sanitation Department
• Richland County Citizen Portal
• Public GIS map
• Land use: building in rural Richland County
• Land use permit application
• Zoning and sanitation fees
• Sanitation: septic permits and maintenance
• Richland County sanitation ordinance
• Uniform Dwelling Code inspectors
• Building brochure with town information
• Board of Adjustments
• DSPS UDC delegated agents list
• FEMA Community Status Book, Wisconsin

Richland County building permit FAQs

Does Richland County issue building permits?

The county issues land use and sanitary permits; UDC building permits come from the local inspector, with the county’s own delegation covering Akan and Eagle.

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

$0.20 per square foot of the largest living floor, with a $225 minimum.

How long does a septic permit take?

Generally two to six weeks; mounds and at-grade systems need state-approved plans, which can take up to six weeks.

Do I need a driveway permit first?

Yes. The driveway permit must be obtained before the county will issue the land use permit.

Which towns run their own zoning?

Ithaca and Rockbridge; building permits there come from the town.

When do the new flood maps take effect?

January 22, 2027, according to FEMA’s Community Status Book.

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