Madison building department

The City of Madison Building Inspection Division, part of the Department of Planning, Community and Economic Development, issues building, electrical, plumbing, and HVAC permits inside the City of Madison. It also reviews plans, inspects construction, and handles zoning and property-maintenance enforcement. Staff work from the Madison Municipal Building, 215 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Suite 017. Plan review and zoning help are by appointment only; walk-ins are not accepted. Unincorporated towns around Madison use Dane County zoning plus a town building permit, so confirm the parcel is in the city first.

What needs a permit

The city’s permit table sends each project to Zoning (608-266-4551 ext. 3) or Building Inspection (ext. 2):

• Permit required, start with Zoning: additions, attic and basement conversions, new or replacement garages, screened porches, new houses, driveways, and demolition.
• Permit required, start with Building Inspection: decks, bathroom and kitchen alterations, reroofing a house or garage, window and frame replacement, pools, hot tubs, all electrical and plumbing work, furnaces, central air, water heaters, and solar energy systems.
• No building permit, though other approvals may apply: fences, landscaping, patios, radon mitigation systems, and adding or replacing wall-mounted cabinets.
• Sheds: a permit is needed if the shed is over 150 sq ft, heated, or less than 10 feet from a dwelling on the same lot. Smaller unheated sheds still have to meet zoning rules:
  • Maximum height of 15 feet
  • At least 3 feet from the house and from side and rear lot lines
  • All accessory buildings combined limited to 1,000 sq ft of ground-floor area

Grading, sewer connections, and excavation in the right-of-way go through City Engineering (608-266-4751). New water service goes through the Madison Water Utility (608-266-4646). See also our guides on shed permits and kitchen remodel permits.

Online permits in Accela

Madison’s Licenses & Permits portal runs on Accela Citizen Access at aca-prod.accela.com/madison. You need an account with a verified email. Contractors opening new accounts have their license verified by Building Inspection staff. Only projects that need no plan review can be permitted online:

• Owner-occupants of one- and two-family homes: siding, roofing, and gutters; windows and doors in existing openings; trim, drywall, and insulation; deck board and railing replacement; basement drainage without structural repair.
• Licensed electricians, plumbers, and HVAC contractors: remodels of existing spaces, fixture and water heater replacements, and furnace, boiler, and AC replacements.

Additions, wall changes, fixture relocations, and structural work need plan review through the city’s Digital Plan Submittal process. If a project also needs site plan review, that approval must come before building, sign, or demolition permits are issued.

Decks

Decks under 3 feet high can usually extend to the lot line. Decks 3 feet or taller must meet the district setbacks. Other rules:

• Decks more than 2 feet above grade need guards at least 3 feet high.
• Stairs with three or more risers need handrails.
• Footings must be at least 48 inches deep.
• Deck boards may be replaced without a permit when the cost is under $500.

Submit a scaled site plan, construction drawings at ¼” = 1’ showing posts, beams, and joists, and the deck application. Lakefront lots also need a survey. The city says most decks under 250 sq ft cost $75. Inspections include the footing holes before footings are placed and a final.

Fee highlights

From the city’s Building Inspection Fees page, for one- and two-family homes:

Item	Fee
Plan review, new one- or two-family building	$100
Plan review, alteration or remodel	$25
New buildings and additions	$0.37/sq ft total: building $0.10, electrical $0.09, plumbing $0.09, HVAC $0.09 ($25 minimum each)
Alterations and repairs to existing buildings	$11 per $1,000 of value ($25 minimum)
Plumbing fixtures	$8 per fixture ($25 minimum)
Electrical openings	$25 for the first 10, $1 each additional
Accessory building or detached garage	$0.06/sq ft ($25 minimum)
Zoning review	$0.03/sq ft ($25 minimum)
Raze one-family / two-family dwelling	$150 / $250

New dwellings also pay the state Uniform Building Permit seal fee.

Adopted codes

Building type	Codes Madison lists
One- and two-family dwellings	Wisconsin Uniform Dwelling Code (SPS 320–325); electrical under SPS 316 and SPS 324 with the 2017 NEC
Commercial and multifamily	2021 IBC with SPS 362 amendments; 2023 NEC; 2021 IMC, IFGC, and IECC with state amendments; 2017 ANSI A117.1 accessibility; 2024 International Fire Code

Inspections

Building permits get footing, foundation, under-slab insulation and vapor barrier, rough framing, insulation, and final inspections. Plumbing, electrical, and HVAC permits each get underground, rough, and final inspections. Homeowners request inspections separately for each permit; general contractors may consolidate building permit inspections.

• Phone: 608-266-4551 ext. 1, 7:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m. on business days. Voicemail and email requests are not accepted.
• Online: contractors can schedule in Accela Citizen Access and see results and inspector arrival times there.
• Same-day cutoff: requests must be in before 8:30 a.m.

Work must be ready before you call. Give lockbox or access instructions for interior inspections.

Contact

• Building Inspection Division: 215 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Suite 017, Madison, WI 53703. Mailing address: PO Box 2984, Madison, WI 53701-2984.
• Phone: (608) 266-4551. Inspections ext. 1, plan review ext. 2, zoning ext. 3, urgent complaints ext. 4.
• Email: [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected] (site plans)
• Hours: Monday–Friday, 7:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.