Local building department guide · Updated 2026-07-30

Dane County Building Department | Permits, Inspections & Contact

Use this guide to find the official Dane County Planning and Development Zoning Division, start a permit application, search permit records, schedule an inspection, and locate the correct zoning or plan review contact.

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Apply for a building permit

Review the typical application path and prepare your project details.

See permit steps

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Track or search permits

Find Dane County permit search resources and application status links.

Search permits

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Schedule a building inspection

Learn what to have ready before requesting your next inspection.

Schedule inspection

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Open the department's official online services and permit portal.

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Dane County Planning and Development administers zoning and development permits in the unincorporated and rural areas of Dane County. It is not a replacement for the City of Madison or another incorporated city or village building department. The county’s official zoning page states that most towns also require their own building permit after the county zoning permit is approved.

Dane County zoning and development permits

A county zoning permit is required before many rural projects, including new structures, decks, pools, additions, alterations, structural repairs, and changes involving nonconforming buildings. Applications generally require a scaled site plan, building plans, elevations, information about wells and septic systems, and any required driveway, sanitary, erosion-control, floodplain, or shoreland approvals. Dane County’s Planning and Development Department reviews land-use and development activity under the Dane County zoning ordinance.

For a rural project, first confirm the town and whether it requires prior site-plan approval. Then obtain the county zoning approval before applying for the town building permit. Incorporated cities and villages may administer their own complete building and zoning process.

Inspections, code compliance, and certificates of compliance

Dane County generally performs a foundation or first inspection and a substantially-complete second inspection for county zoning permits. If the project complies with the ordinance, the county issues a certificate of compliance. These are county zoning inspections and should not be confused with the building, electrical, plumbing, or HVAC inspections handled by the applicable town, city, village, or delegated inspector.

Official contact information

Dane County Zoning lists 210 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Room 116, Madison, Wisconsin 53703-3342, and (608) 266-4266. Use the county’s official permits-and-applications pages for current forms and instructions, and contact the local town or municipality for the separate building permit and construction-inspection requirements.

Permit process

How to Apply for a Dane County Building Permit

Confirm the project scope

Identify the work, property address, project valuation, and whether plans are required.

Prepare your documents

Gather plans, owner and contractor details, site information, and any zoning approvals.

Submit and monitor

Submit through the department’s stated process, pay fees, and watch for review comments.

Field work & closeout

Building Inspections & Code Compliance in Dane County

Most permitted work must remain accessible for inspection at defined stages. Before scheduling, check your permit record for the required inspection sequence and make sure the site is safe and ready. Final inspections can be especially important for code compliance and a certificate of occupancy.

Helpful preparation

Keep the permit card or approval number available, confirm the property address, and ask the official office about lead times or reinspection fees.

Planning & review

Zoning and Plan Review Requirements

A building permit is not always the only approval your project needs. Zoning guidelines may affect use, setbacks, height, parking, signage, or lot coverage. Residential and commercial building permits can also follow different plan review tracks, so confirm the correct path before investing in a full plan set.

For a project in Dane County, start with the official department below and ask which zoning, planning, conservation, or fire review approvals apply to your address.

Keep this handy

Official Contact Information

Department	Dane County Planning and Development Zoning Division
Phone	(608) 266-4266
Address	210 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Room 116, Madison, WI 53703-3342
Official website	https://www.danecountyplanning.com/Permits-Applications/Zoning-Permit
Last verified	2026-07-30

Official source pages used for this guide

These links were checked on 2026-07-30. Requirements, fees, office hours, and portal addresses can change; use the official source as the final authority.