Skip to main content
City of Madison
  • Accounts
    • All Accounts
    • My Account
    • ePayments
    • Water Customer Care
    • Employment
    • Licenses & Permits
  • Services
  • Jobs
  • Agencies
    • All Agencies
    • Assessor's Office
    • Attorney's Office
    • Building Inspection
    • Civil Rights
    • Clerk's Office
    • Common Council
    • Community Development
    • Development Services Center
    • Economic Development
    • Employee Assistance Program
    • Engineering
    • Finance
    • Fire
    • Fleet Service
    • Golf
    • Goodman Pool
    • Housing Authority
    • Human Resources
    • Information Technology
    • Madison City Channel
    • Madison Public Library
    • Madison Senior Center
    • Mayor's Office
    • Metro Transit
    • Monona Terrace
    • Municipal Court
    • Office of Business Resources
    • Office of Real Estate Services
    • Olbrich Botanical Gardens
    • Parking Utility
    • Parks
    • Planning
    • Planning, Community & Economic Development
    • Police
    • Public Health Madison & Dane County
    • Public Works
    • Streets & Recycling
    • Traffic Engineering
    • Transportation
    • Treasurer's Office
    • Warner Park Community Recreation Center
    • Water Utility
  • Data
  • Contact
    • Mayor
    • City Council
    • City Staff & Agencies

Search form

Coronavirus (COVID-19)

  • City Services
  • Public Health
  • Get Alerts
  • Español
  • Hmoob
City of Madison logo, copyright City of Madison

Development Services Center

  • Home
  • 1 & 2 Family Residential
  • Other Residential
  • Non-Residential
  • Land Development
  • Permits
  • Contact
  1. City of Madison
  2. Development Services Center
  3. 1 & 2 Family Residential
  4. Additions
  5. Decks
Building Inspection Counter Appointments

Building Inspection plan review and zoning review counters will be open to the public by appointment only.

Decks

A building permit is required for all decks. At any time during the planning or construction of your deck, call, write or visit Building Inspection. They’re happy to answer your questions and suggest solutions to your problems.

Process Overview

  1. Determine Zoning

    Before developing a parcel of land, you will need to determine if the parcel is zoned for your desired use or if there are any special development considerations for your project.

    Zoning will be able to tell you the zoning of the property or if there are any special considerations for your project. If your project requires special handling, our staff will inform you of the requirements and next steps.

    Find out the zoning for your property.

    Who to Contact

    Zoning at Building Permits: (608) 266-4551.

  2. Review Requirements

    Placement
    • Decks less than 3 feet above ground can extend up to the lot line in most cases.
    • Decks 3 feet or higher above the ground must meet the zoning setback requirements for your district. Call (608) 266-4551 for zoning requirements in your area.
    Construction
    • Use weather-resistant materials such as treated lumber.
    • Footings must be adequate to support the load. Building Inspection staff will help you determine the type of footing to use.
    • Footings for decks must be at least 48 inches deep to prevent frost heaving.
    Safety
    • Guardrails must surround any deck that is more than 2 feet above ground and they must be a minimum of 3 feet high.
    • Stairs of more than 3 risers require handrails with intermediate rails, balustrades or latticework spaced so that a 4-inch ball cannot pass through.
  3. Submit Building Plans

    Where to Go

    Building Inspection Permit Counter
    Madison Municipal Building
    215 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd Suite 017
    Madison, WI 53703

    Hours: Monday – Friday, 7:30 am – 4:30 pm

    What to Include
    • If your deck is over 3 feet high a drawing (site plan) showing your deck’s location, size and distance from lot lines and other structures will be needed. The site plan must show the entire property and be drawn to scale. Using a scale of 1″=20′ usually works best. Show the measurements of the lot, house, deck, and any other structures. Also show the distances from the house and deck to the lot lines and any other structures. View the site plan example
    • Construction drawings showing the deck size, post locations, beam sizes, and joist size and spacing.
    • Deck data sheet
  4. Obtain a Building Permit

    For decks, your plans can be reviewed and a permit issued by City staff immediately if the design meets the required codes.

    The City charges for building permits to cover the cost of plan review and inspections. The permit fee for most decks under 420 square feet is $35. Staff will calculate your exact fee once they have approved your plans. A fee schedule is available at the Permit Counter.

  5. Start the Work

    Be sure to display the permit where it can be seen from the street during construction.

  6. Call for an Inspection

    When your permit is issued the Permit Counter staff will tell you the name and phone number of the Building Inspector for your area. The Building Inspector will work with you to be sure the work is done correctly. It is your responsibility to schedule an inspection after your footing holes are dug and before the footings are installed.

    On-site inspections of your project during construction assure you that the materials used and the work done are up to code. If any work does not pass inspection, it must be corrected and reinspected.

  7. Completion

    After your final inspection, your project will be considered complete


Related Forms & Handouts

  • Deck Permit Process with Tips and Site Plan Example

1 & 2 Family Residential

  • New Building Construction
    • New Garage
    • New House
    • New Shed
  • Additions
    • Attic Alterations or Conversions
    • Decks
    • General Additions, including Screened Porches
    • Hot Tub, Whirlpool or Spa
    • Swimming Pools (above or in-ground)
  • Alterations
    • Change the Number of Dwelling Units
    • General Alterations, including Bathrooms, Kitchens & Basements
  • Repairs & Replacements
    • Central Air Conditioner
    • Doors
    • Electrical Outlet, Switch or Fixture
    • Fence or Hedge
    • Furnace
    • Roofing, Shingling, Reroofing & Reroof Shingling your House or Garage
    • Siding your House or Garage
    • Soffit & Facia Only
    • Street Terrace Alterations (Sidewalk, Terrace, Drive Apron)
    • Utilities, Hook up or Repair (Excavate in Right of Way)
    • Water Heater or Softener
    • Windows & Frames
  • Solar Energy System
  • Inspections
  • Tips: Shop around for Materials and/or Contractors

Contact Building Inspection

Building Inspection
215 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd
Suite 017
Madison, WI 53703

  • Hours:
    Monday – Friday, 7:30 am – 4:30 pm
  • Conditional Use Questions
  • Variances / Area Exceptions Questions
  • Zoning & Rezoning Questions
  • Other Questions
  • Phone: (608) 266-4551
  • Building Plan Review: (608) 266-4559
  • Fax: (608) 266-6377
  • WI Relay Service

Development Services Center

  • Contact Us
  • Hours:
    Monday – Friday, 7:30 am – 4:30 pm
  • Phone: (608) 266-4551
  • Building Plan Review:
    (608) 266-4559
  • Fax: (608) 266-6377
  • WI Relay Service

Contributing Agencies

  • Building Inspection
  • Engineering
  • Madison Fire Department
  • Planning

Resources

  • Data Sheets
  • Development Assistance Team (DAT)
  • Development Center Terminology
  • Development Review Bodies
  • Neighborhood Resources
  • Project Status Information
  • Additional Resources

Fees

  • Business Licenses
  • Clerk's Office License Fees
  • Fire Code License Fees
  • Food & Drink Licenses
  • Inspection Fees
  • Site Plan Review Fees
  • Traffic Engineering Fees
  • Zoning Fees
City of Madison, Wisconsin logo, copyright City of Madison

Our Madison – Inclusive, Innovative, & Thriving

Copyright © 1995 - 2021 City of Madison, WI
  • Contact Webmaster
  • Accessibility
  • Web Policies
2019 Winner of the Digital Cities Survey by the Center for Digital Government