Shorewood, Wisconsin Building Permit Guide

In the Village of Shorewood, permits are issued by the Planning & Development Department at Village Hall, 3930 North Murray Avenue (414-847-2640, pad@shorewoodwi.gov), led by Planning & Development Director Bart Griepentrog. DSPS lists Shorewood as a delegated Uniform Dwelling Code municipality, and village inspectors handle commercial inspections of any size. Permits are generally approved within two to three business days, fees are due when you submit, and residential new construction and additions cost $0.40 per square foot.

What requires a building permit in Shorewood?

The village’s FAQ says building permits are needed for any new building, any addition, and alterations or remodeling that involve structural changes, and also for accessory buildings, decks, driveways, fences, garages, re-roofing, re-siding and swimming pools. Its alphabetical permit information sheet goes further, project by project, and flags where the Design Review Board (DRB), the Plan Commission or a right-of-way permit also comes in.

Any project that changes the exterior of a house or a commercial building needs Design Review Board approval as well as the permit, and the building permit form has a box the department ticks when DRB approval is required.

What Shorewood decides and what the state holds

The state’s dwelling and commercial codes govern construction; the village enforces them and adds its own layers: the fee schedule, the Zoning Chapter 535 rules on uses, setbacks and parking, design review of exteriors, special privilege permits for private use of public space, and right-of-way permits. Shorewood’s zoning code also lists “tourist homes” as a prohibited home occupation in the R-1 to R-7 districts, a ban the village says state law limits for rentals of seven consecutive days or longer.

Shorewood building department: who handles permitting

The Planning & Development Department administers and enforces the village’s building, heating, plumbing, electrical, zoning and housing codes, and it staffs the Plan Commission, Community Development Authority, Design Review Board and Board of Appeals. Bart Griepentrog, AICP, is the Planning & Development Director, with a lead and an associate building inspector on staff. On DSPS’s list of Uniform Dwelling Code agents, current as of September 24, 2026, the Village of Shorewood is delegated. DSPS’s October 19, 2026 lists show Shorewood with commercial building and HVAC plan review for small commercial buildings, commercial building inspection, and commercial electrical inspection, for which the list names KWK Electric as the inspector.

Shorewood permit types

Permits can be applied for online through BSAonline, or mailed, hand-delivered or emailed to the Planning & Development Department; fillable applications can be saved and emailed as attachments, and the village contacts applicants with online payment directions once a permit is approved. All fees are due at submittal, and permits are generally reviewed and approved within two to three business days. Typically the contractor applies, but the village says it is the property owner’s responsibility to see that every required permit is obtained.

Residential permits

• Building permit application: owner and contractor details with the contractor’s Dwelling Contractor and Dwelling Contractor Qualifier numbers, a detailed description including the floor levels, the estimated cost, and drawings and a certified plot plan or survey where needed. The cautionary statement on page two is required whenever a homeowner applies.
• Development review: a residential development application covers conditional uses and parking special exceptions, with written findings.
• Other residential permits: dishwasher, disposal and water heater permits, temporary storage dumpsters on private property, special privilege permits, antenna permits and a voluntary home inspection program.
• Short-term rentals: where allowed, a lodging facility license from the North Shore Health Department is needed.

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

Commercial permits

DSPS has made Shorewood a commercial building code enforcement authority, and village inspectors inspect all commercial building projects regardless of size in place of the state. The village reviews building plans for new buildings and additions of no more than 50,000 cubic feet and alterations affecting no more than 100,000 cubic feet, using the village’s plan review application with digital plans; it does not review fire sprinkler or fire alarm plans. Plans beyond those limits go to DSPS, and state-approved plans must be filed when the permits are pulled. Commercial remodels also file an application with the fire department, and new businesses meet the Planning and Zoning Administrator and obtain an occupancy permit.

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

• Design Review Board. Required for any exterior change, residential or commercial, and for new or replaced commercial signs. The nine-member board meets at 5:00 p.m. on the second and fourth Thursdays (first and third in November and December); applications are due 10 days ahead, with six copies of plans up to 11 by 17 inches or two copies of larger sets, drawn to scale.
• Plan Commission. Conditional use permits and parking special exceptions go to the commission, which meets on the fourth Tuesday as needed; zoning amendments need two Plan Commission meetings and a Village Board public hearing.
• Board of Appeals. Area variances and special exceptions for nonconforming structures; use variances are not allowed. The board meets on the second Tuesday as needed, and applications are due the second-to-last Wednesday of the month before.
• Public way. Driveway approaches, sidewalks and parkways need an alter permit, and street openings an excavation permit, both with insurance and bonding; work in or obstructing the street needs an obstruction permit.

Shorewood permit costs and fees

Fees come from the village fee schedule, effective July 6, 2026 under Resolution 2026-10, which the Village Board adopted that day; the resolution reset the Board of Appeals and residential design review fees and added a $200 plan review fee (per hour on the schedule) for public way work. The same building permit rates are printed on the village’s building permit application.

Worked example using the schedule: a 600-square-foot residential addition is 600 × $0.40, or $240, plus the $50 residential plan review, a $75 zoning review and the $75 residential design review, for $440 before trade permits; a new house adds the $80 state seal and a $150 zoning review instead of $75. Online permits carry a $3 online fee. Trade minimums are $75 each for electrical, HVAC and plumbing, a Board of Appeals case is $300 and a conditional use permit $250, with engineering or staff review billed at $210 an hour on larger zoning cases.

Trade permits and who may pull them

Electrical, HVAC and plumbing permits are separate applications, and all three can be paid online after approval. The village’s FAQ says there are some cases in which a homeowner can do electrical or plumbing work and asks owners to call 414-847-2640 to find out what they may do.

• Plumbing: the permit sheet says a homeowner may pull a plumbing permit for a single-family home they live in. Fixtures installed, removed, relocated or replaced are $10 each, private sewer, storm or water service lines $65 for the first 100 feet, and downspout connections need a permit with no fee.
• Electrical: all new, replacement or repair work needs a permit, apart from some minor repairs. Services up to 100 amps are $30 and up to 200 amps $45, and solar is $0.60 per kilowatt to a $250 maximum. DSPS names KWK Electric as the village’s commercial electrical inspector.
• HVAC: furnaces, boilers and heat pumps need HVAC and electrical permits; a heating unit with its ductwork is $40 up to 150,000 BTU, plus $15 for each further 50,000 BTU.
• Boilers: the village also licenses boiler operators, with an exam and a $40 license.

How to apply for a Shorewood building permit

Review, corrections and what causes delay

Most permits are approved in two to three business days; board approvals take longer, since DRB meets twice a month, and a variance waits for the monthly Board of Appeals. A permit that lapses can be reinstated for $50, and an active project needing more time should call for an extension before the four months run out. Commercial building or large remodeling work also carries a plan examination fee.

Inspections and occupancy in Shorewood

Building, electrical, plumbing, HVAC and occupancy inspections are typically done Monday to Friday between 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Phone the department at 414-847-2640, its preferred method, or email with the permit number, job address, contractor and owner, whether it is a rough or final inspection, the date and time requested, and a contact. Forms inspections are required before every concrete pour, rough inspections may be required, and a final inspection is required when the work is finished.

Failing to call for a rough or final inspection costs $50 each, and a re-inspection to check corrected work is $50. New residential units pay $50 each for occupancy, a residential addition $50, and commercial occupancy $150, with temporary occupancy at $50 for each 30 days; moving in before the occupancy permit is a triple fee.

Wisconsin building code in Shorewood

Shorewood enforces the state codes as a delegated village and does its own commercial inspections. FEMA’s Community Status Book lists Shorewood (community 550282) as participating in the National Flood Insurance Program, with flood maps effective October 24, 2024.

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

Shorewood permit search and official resources

In 2023 the village scanned its paper property files into its permitting software, so building and trade permits, special privileges and occupancies for any address can be found online: open the BSAonline record search, search the address under “Search for a Building Department Record,” and scroll to “Attachments”; records before 2014 are in files titled “PROP REC.” The village notes that these files are not a live view of permit status. Other records go through the village’s open records request form.

• Shorewood Planning & Development Department
• Building, trade and other permits
• Permit information sheet
• Building permit application
• Permit, license and application forms
• Village fee schedule (July 2026)
• Resolution 2026-10, fee schedule amendments
• Commercial inspections and plan reviews
• Schedule an inspection
• Architectural and site review (Design Review Board)
• Zoning considerations: Plan Commission and Board of Appeals
• BSAonline: apply for permits and search Building Department records
• DSPS UDC delegated agents list
• FEMA Community Status Book, Wisconsin

Shorewood building permit FAQs

How long does a building permit take in Shorewood?

Generally two to three business days after submittal, with fees paid up front; Design Review Board or Board of Appeals cases add their meeting dates.

Do I need design review to replace my siding or windows?

Any project that changes the exterior of a building needs Design Review Board approval; call the department to see whether a like-for-like replacement counts.

How much is a permit for an addition?

$0.40 per square foot with a $75 minimum, plus the $50 residential plan review and zoning and design review fees.

Can I do my own plumbing?

Yes, in a single-family home you live in, according to the permit sheet; for electrical work the village asks you to call first.

How do I find old permits for my house?

Search the address in the BSAonline Building Department record search and open the “Attachments” section; files before 2014 are titled “PROP REC.”

Are short-term rentals allowed?

The zoning code prohibits tourist homes as a home occupation in residential districts, a ban state law limits for stays of seven consecutive days or more; legal rentals need a North Shore Health Department lodging license.

How long is a permit valid?

It becomes void four months after issue if work has not started, or if work stops for more than four months; call for an extension if needed.

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