Do you need a permit? Common home projects in Madison

Decks, fences and sheds

• Decks: you need a permit. The fee for most decks under 250 square feet is $75. Decks less than three feet off the ground can usually extend to the lot line; taller decks must meet your district's setbacks and need a site plan. Any deck more than two feet above ground needs guardrails. Replacing deck boards doesn't need a permit if the work costs under $500.
• Fences: no building permit, but height limits apply. Front-yard fences top out at four feet (a bit higher for mostly see-through ornamental fences), backyard and interior side-yard fences can be six feet, and anything within 25 feet of a corner lot's corner is limited to 30 inches. Uncoated chain link is allowed only in side and rear yards.
• Sheds: you need a permit if the shed is over 150 square feet, heated, or within ten feet of a home on the same lot. Sheds can be up to 15 feet tall, must sit at least three feet from the house and from rear and side lot lines, and all accessory buildings together can't cover more than 1,000 square feet.

Roofing, siding and windows

Re-roofing, re-siding and replacing windows or doors in existing openings are handled as building repair or replace permits, which you can apply for online. For other general repairs over $500, call Building Inspection at 608-266-4551 to ask whether you need one. A roofer or general contractor will normally handle the permit as part of the job.

Water heaters, furnaces, electrical and plumbing

Replacing a water heater or plumbing fixtures needs a plumbing permit. Replacing a furnace, boiler or air conditioner needs an HVAC permit, and a new outdoor AC unit needs a site plan. Electrical work, including replacing a service panel, needs an electrical permit.

If you own a single-family home and live in it, Madison lets you do your own electrical, heating, plumbing and structural work, but your work still needs a permit and inspections. Wisconsin's own exemptions for homeowner wiring and plumbing apply to owner-occupied single-family homes, so if you own a duplex, check with Building Inspection first.

Otherwise, hire licensed pros: electricians, plumbers and HVAC contractors in Wisconsin are licensed by the state, and they'll pull the permit for you.

Basements, kitchens, bathrooms and additions

Changing a space without adding square footage, such as finishing a basement or redoing a kitchen or bathroom, is an alteration, and alterations need a permit. Plans must be drawn to scale (at least 1/8 inch to 1 foot).

Additions must meet zoning setbacks. The city suggests meeting with Zoning staff a month or more before you apply. Simple projects can be approved at the counter; more complex ones can take 10 to 15 business days to review. Additions can't be applied for online.

If you're adding egress windows to a basement bedroom, or doing anything that changes the structure, ask Building Inspection what applies before you cut. An architect can draw plans that will pass review.

Who should pull the permit

If you own and live in your home, you can apply for any permit yourself. Otherwise, licensed professionals must apply.

Wisconsin also requires contractors who pull building permits for one- and two-family homes to hold a Dwelling Contractor certification, with a certified qualifier on staff. (Owners who live in the home are exempt.) The city recommends writing into your contract that the contractor obtains and pays for the permits. That's a good test: a contractor who'd rather skip the permit is one to skip. Our guide to hiring a contractor covers what else to put in writing.

How to apply and get inspected

Apply through the City of Madison's online licenses and permits portal (it runs on Accela; you'll need a verified account). Projects that need plan review go through digital plan submittal.

Most permits come with inspections at set stages, such as footings, framing and insulation for building work, and rough and final inspections for trade work. Schedule them by calling 608-266-4551. If you're doing the work yourself, you request the inspections for each permit.

One warning from the city: scammers have posed as city officials to collect "permit fees." Pay only through the city's own portal or office.

Call before you dig

Planning fence posts, a deck footing or a new garden bed? By law everyone, including homeowners digging in their own yard, must contact Diggers Hotline at least three working days before digging. Call 811 or use the online portal; weekends and holidays don't count toward the three days.