Coronavirus (COVID-19) Updates
Beginning June 8, 2020 the Building Inspection plan review and zoning review counters will be open to the public by appointment only.
For information about scheduling an appointment and other Building Inspection services please see the Building Inspection Coronavirus (COVID-19) page.
View all impacts to City service on the City's COVID-19 website.
Construction
What We Do
»
It is our responsiblity to inspect all new buildings for compliance with numerous building codes in each of the three construction phases:
- Site approval
- Plan approval
- Construction
We also review all building plans for new work.
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1 & 2 Family Residential »
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Building Moving Permit Procedures »
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Building Plan Review Counter Appointment »
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Construction Noise »
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Contractor Training »
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Demolition »
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Non-Residential »
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Other Residential »
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Permit Reports »
Last Updated: 09/28/2020
Search BI services
Contact
Permits & Inspection Requests
- Inspection Requests: (608) 266-4551
Resources
Inspection Districts
Resources
Forms
- Current Codes
- City Assessor
- Appeals - Petition for Variance
- One & Two Family Home Building Permit Data Sheet
- Erosion Control Form
- Electrical, HVAC, and Plumbing Data Sheets
- Building Plan Approval Application
- Compliance Statement
- Disproportionality
- General Plumbing Approval Application
- Application for Appeal of an MGO
- Fire Marshall Position Statement
- Inspection Request
- Plan Duplication Application
- Street Occupancy Permit
- Street Occupancy Permit for Recycling
- Certificate of Insurance
A-Z Services
- A
- Additions to a Home - One & Two Family Residential
- Attic - alterations or conversions
- B
- Basement - alterations or conversions
- Bathroom - alterations
- Beekeeping
- C
- Central Air Conditioner - install
- Chickens (Raising)
- D
- Deck - build
- Demolition of Structures
- Development Services Center
- Door Replacement
- Dwelling Units, Change Number of - 1 & 2 Family Residential
- Dwelling Units, Change Number of - Other Residential
- E
- Electrical Work, All
- Exterior Building & Property Complaints
- F
- Fence - install or replace
- Furnace - install
- G
- Garage - build or replace
- Garage - demolish
- Graffiti Enforcement
- H
- Home Heating and Cold Weather Safety
- Hot Tub, Whirlpool, Spa - install
- Hourly Living Wage
- House (1 & 2 Family) - New Construction
- Housing Complaint
- I
- Interior Property Complaints
- J There are no listings.
- K
- Kitchen - alterations
- L There are no listings.
- M
- Multi-Family Residential - New Construction
- N
- Non-Residential - New Construction
- O
- Occupancy Standards
- P
- Parking Lot
- Plumbing
- Q There are no listings.
- R
- Rent Abatement
- Rental Property Emergency Contact
- Roofing - Reroof your house or garage
- S
- Screened Porch
- Security Deposits and Rent Credits
- Shed - build or replace
- Shed - demolish
- Siding - replace on house or garage
- Signs & Street Graphics
- Snow Enforcement
- Snow Sidewalk Clearing
- Solar Energy System - install
- Street Occupancy
- Swimming Pool
- T
- Tavern Capacities
- U There are no listings.
- V There are no listings.
- W
- Water Heater - install
- Water Softener - install
- Weights & Measures, New Business
- Windows & Frames - replace
- Wisconsin DFI Interest Rates
- X There are no listings.
- Y There are no listings.
- Z There are no listings.
Translation Services
For interpreter, translator, materials in alternate formats or other accommodations, please call the Building Inspection Division at (608) 266-4551.
Español: Si necesita interprete, traductor, materiales en diferentes formatos, u otro tipo de ayuda para acceder a estos formularios, por favor llame al (608) 266-4551.
Hmoob: Yog tias koj xav tau ib tug neeg txhais lus, txhais ntawv, los sis xav tau cov ntaub ntawv pab kom paub txog cov lus qhia no, thov hu rau Chaw Haujlwm Koog Soj Ntsuam Tsev (Building Inspection Division) (608) 266-4551.
Learn what your property is zoned for; view tax descriptions, sales, special assessments & more.
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Do I need a permit?
You can determine if you need a permit, however, this does not exclude you from getting approvals on projects that may NOT require a permit. Please contact Zoning Staff for further clarification: (608) 266-4551.
Project |
Need a Permit? |
Who should I contact? |
| Additions - One and Two Family | Yes | Zoning: (608) 266-4551 |
| Aerosol Products - manufacture, store or handle | Contact Fire | Fire: (608) 266-4420 |
| Amusement Buildings - operation | Contact Fire | Fire: (608) 266-4420 |
| Assembly, Places of - operation | Contact Fire | Fire: (608) 266-4420 |
| Attic - alterations or conversions | Yes | Zoning: (608) 266-4551 |
| Aviation Buildings | Contact Fire | Fire: (608) 266-4420 |
| Basement - alterations or conversions | Yes | Zoning: (608) 266-4551 |
| Bathroom - alterations | Yes | Building Inspection: (608) 266-4551 |
| Battery Systems - install | Contact Fire | Fire: (608) 266-4420 |
| Beekeeping | Yes | Zoning: (608) 266-4551 |
| Cellulose Nitrate Film - store, handle or use | Contact Fire | Fire: (608) 266-4420 |
| Central Air Conditioner - install | Yes | Building Inspection: (608) 266-4551 |
| Chickens - raising | Yes | Zoning: (608) 266-4551 |
| Combustible Dust Producing Operation | Contact Fire | Fire: (608) 266-4420 |
| Combustible Fibers - storage or handling | Contact Fire | Fire: (608) 266-4420 |
| Compressed Gases - storage, use or handling | Contact Fire | Fire: (608) 266-4420 |
| Covered Malls | Contact Fire | Fire: (608) 266-4420 |
| Cryogenic Fluids - produce, store, transport on site, use, handle or dispense | Contact Fire | Fire: (608) 266-4420 |
| Cutting or Welding - conduct operations | Contact Fire | Fire: (608) 266-4420 |
| Deck - build | Yes | Building Inspection: (608) 266-4551 |
| Demolition, of Structures | Yes | Zoning: (608) 266-4551 |
| Door - replacement | Yes | Building Inspection: (608) 266-4551 |
| Drive Opening, Commercial - constructing or replacing | Contact Traffic Engineering | Traffic Engineering: (608) 266-4761 |
| Drive Opening, Residential - constructing or replacing (1-2 Family Residential with less than 4 stalls) Obtain: Street Terrace Permit or Permit to Excavate in the Right of Way |
Yes | Engineering: (608) 266-4537 |
| Driveway | Yes | Zoning: (608) 266-4551 |
| Dry Cleaning & Dry Dyeing | Contact Fire | Fire: (608) 266-4420 |
| Dwelling Units, Change Number of - 1 & 2 Family Residential | Yes | Building Inspection: (608) 266-4551 |
| Dwelling Units, Change Number of - Other Residential | Yes | Building Inspection: (608) 266-4551 |
| Electrical Work, All | Yes | Building Inspection: (608) 266-4551 |
| Excavating for ANY reason in the public right-of-way Obtain: Excavate in the Right-of-Way Permit | Yes | Engineering: (608) 266-4751 |
| Explosives - manufacture, storage, handling, sale or use of | Yes | Fire: (608) 266-4420 |
| Fence - install or replace | No (may need approvals) | Zoning: (608) 266-4551 |
| Fireplace | Yes | Building Inspection: (608) 266-4551 |
| Flammable and Combustible Liquids - store, handle or use | Contact Fire | Fire: (608) 266-4420 |
| Furnace - install | Yes | Building Inspection: (608) 266-4551 |
| Garage - build or replace | Yes | Zoning: (608) 266-4551 |
| Garage - demolish | Yes | Zoning: (608) 266-4551 |
| Garages, Repair or Service - operation | Contact Fire | Fire: (608) 266-4420 |
| Hazardous Materials - store, transport on site, dispense, use or handle | Contact Fire | Fire: (608) 266-4420 |
| Hazardous Production Materials (HDM) Facilities - store, handle or use hazardous production materials | Contact Fire | Fire: (608) 266-4420 |
| Grading or Land Disturbance Obtain: Erosion Control Permit (pdf) |
Yes | Engineering: (608) 266-4751 |
| Handicapped Ramp, on private property | Yes | Building Inspection: (608) 266-4551 |
| Hot Tub, Whirlpool, Spa - install | Yes | Building Inspection: (608) 266-4551 |
| House (One and Two Family) - Addition | Yes | Zoning: (608) 266-4551 |
| House (One and Two Family) - New Construction | Yes | Zoning: (608) 266-4551 |
| Insulation | Contact Building Inspection | Building Inspection: (608) 266-4551 |
| Kitchen - alterations | Yes | Building Inspection: (608) 266-4551 |
| Landscaping | No (might need approvals) | Zoning: (608) 266-4551 |
| LPG (Liquid Petroleum Gas) - install (500 - 1,999 gallons) |
Yes | Fire: (608) 266-4420 |
| LPG (Liquid Petroleum Gas) - install (2,000 gallon or larger water capacity, or 4,000 gallon or larger aggregate water capacity) |
Yes | State of Wisconsin - Department of Commerce |
| Lumberyards, Woodworking Plants, and Building Material Dealers - storage or processing of lumber | Contact Fire | Fire: (608) 266-4420 |
| Magnesium - melt, cast, heat treat, or grind | Contact Fire | Fire: (608) 266-4420 |
| Multi-Family Residential - New Construction | Yes | Building Inspection: (608) 266-4551 |
| Non-Residential - New Construction | Yes | Zoning: (608) 266-4551 |
| Occupancy | Yes | Building Inspection: (608) 266-4551 |
| Organic Coating | Contact Fire | Fire: (608) 266-4420 |
| Parking | Yes | Zoning: (608) 266-4551 |
| Parking Slab (One and Two Family) | Yes | Zoning: (608) 266-4551 |
| Patio | No | Zoning: (608) 266-4551 |
| Plumbing - All | Yes | Building Inspection: (608) 266-4551 |
| Pyrotechnic Special Effects Material | Contact Fire | Fire: (608) 266-4420 |
| Pyroxylin Plastics - storage, handling or the assembly or manufacture of articles involving Pyroxylin plastics | Contact Fire | Fire: (608) 266-4420 |
| Rain Garden - installation in the street terrace or right of way
Obtain: Street Terrace Permit |
Yes | Engineering: (608) 266-4751 |
| Roofing - Reroof your house or garage | Yes | Building Inspection: (608) 266-4551 |
| Sanitary Sewer - connect to
Obtain: Permit to Excavate in the Right of Way |
Yes | Engineering: (608) 266-4751 |
| Sanitary Sewer Lateral - abandoning or plugging Obtain: Permit to Plug Sewer Lateral | Yes | Engineering: (608) 266-4751 |
| Screened Porch | Yes | Zoning: (608) 266-4551 |
| Sewer Deduct Meters - install | Yes | Water Utility: (608) 266-4646 |
| Shed - build or replace | Yes | Zoning: (608) 266-4551 |
| Shed - demolish | Yes | Zoning: (608) 266-4551 |
| Short-Term Rental/Tourist Rooming House | Yes | Zoning: (608) 266-4551 |
| Sidewalk or Residential Drive Apron in Right-Of-Way - replacing or constructing Obtain: Street Terrace Permit |
Yes | Engineering: (608) 266-4751 |
| Siding - replace on house or garage | Yes | Building Inspection: (608) 266-4551 |
| Signs and Street Graphics | Yes | Zoning: (608) 266-4551 |
| Solar Energy System - install | Yes | Building Inspection: (608) 266-4551 |
| Spraying or Dipping - conduct a spraying or dipping operation utilizing flammable or combustible liquids or the application of combustible powders | Contact Fire | Fire: (608) 266-4420 |
| Storage, High-Piled | Contact Fire | Fire: (608) 266-4420 |
| Storage of Scrap Tires, Tire Byproducts (pdf) | Contact Fire | Fire: (608) 266-4420 |
| Storage Tank, containing flammable / combustible / hazardous liquid - install (Less than 5,000 gallons) |
Yes | Fire: (608) 266-4420 |
| Storage Tank, containing flammable / combustible / hazardous liquid - install (5,000 gallons or larger) |
Yes | State of Wisconsin - Department of Commerce |
| Storage Tank, containing flammable / combustible / hazardous liquid - removal or closure | Yes | Fire: (608) 266-4420 |
| Storm Sewer - connect to
Obtain: Permit to Excavate in the Right of Way |
Yes | Engineering: (608) 266-4751 |
| Street Encroachment | Yes | Office of Real Estate Services: (608) 266-4222 |
| Street Occupancy | Yes | Building Inspection: (608) 266-4551 |
| Street Terrace, alterations (sidewalk, terrace, drive apron) | Yes | Engineering: (608) 266-4751 |
| Swimming Pool | Yes | Building Inspection: (608) 266-4551 |
| Trees on the street terrace - planting, maintenance, and removal | Contact City Forestry | Forestry: (608) 266-4816 |
| Waste Handling - operation of wrecking yards, junkyards and waste material-handling facilities | Contact Fire | Fire: (608) 266-4420 |
| Water Heater - install | Yes | Building Inspection: (608) 266-4551 |
| Water Meter (City of Madison) - change the location, its inlet or outlet, valves, the meter bypass, or meter test piping | Yes | Water Utility: (608) 266-4646 |
| Water Service (City of Madison) - install, connect to existing, or replace | Yes | Water Utility: (608) 266-4646 |
| Water Softener - install | Yes | Building Inspection: (608) 266-4551 |
| Windows & Frames - replace | Yes | Building Inspection: (608) 266-4551 |
| Wood Products - store chips, hogged material, lumber or plywood | Contact Fire | Fire: (608) 266-4420 |
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