Fitchburg Building Permits: Roofs, Decks, Fences and Driveways

Which Fitchburg projects need a permit

Start with the city's own list. Fitchburg's permit requirements page says "Permits and Inspections are required for the following," and the list includes re-roofing and basement waterproofing.^[2] The five jobs below come from that page.

Roof replacement

A permit is required.

The city's wording is "Re-roofing: Including tear off or overlay," so a straight tear-off or a new layer over the old one both count.^[2] The page also exempts repairs for maintenance and upkeep that do not exceed $2,000 and are not on the permit list.^[2]

Re-roofing is on the list, so that exemption does not cover a roof replacement. For help with the work itself, see roofing in Wisconsin.

Deck

It depends on height.

Uncovered wood decks, attached or detached, with a floor surface less than 24 inches above the adjacent grade are exempt from a building permit.^[2] A deck with its floor 24 inches or more above grade needs one.

Side by side

Deck height and the building permit

Less than 24 inches above grade

• Uncovered wood deck
• Exempt from a building permit

vs

24 inches or more above grade

• Building permit needed

The city also publishes a "Deck and Shed Permit Application."^[2] For construction details, see the Wisconsin deck code guide.

Basement waterproofing

A permit is required.

The city lists "Basement waterproofing" by name among the work needing permits and inspections.^[2] If you are hiring out the job, the Badger Basements directory covers waterproofing pros statewide, and the wet basement guide explains the codes.

Driveway and flatwork, and fences

Check with the city.

The permit requirements page does not address driveways, patios or sidewalks, and it sends fences to a separate link.^[2] Ask Building Inspection before you sign a contract or order materials, using the city permit page.

For concrete pros, see Badger Flatwork.

What do Fitchburg permits cost?

Only the deck has a fee in the city's pages. The 2025 fee schedule lists a deck at $275, made up of $200 for Building Inspection and $75 for Zoning.^[3]

An older city housing fee report shows a $200 deck fee ($175 Building Inspection and $25 Zoning), plus a $100 minimum residential building permit fee.^[11] The two documents disagree, so confirm the current figure with the city before you budget.

For roof replacement and basement waterproofing, no fee is itemized on the city's pages. Check the city's fee schedule.

The permit page also gives a $125 minimum alteration fee for residential work, but the roofing fee is not broken out.^[2] The city's development guide points applicants to the same fee schedule for application fees.^[12]

Where to apply and who inspects in Fitchburg

The office is Building Inspection, and its page is the City of Fitchburg Building Inspection page.^[1] The city directs permit questions to 608-270-4260.^[10]

Zoning also touches the process. The city's development guide says zoning permits are required for development, including construction of buildings or structures, and it names re-roofing and decks as work handled through the permitting process.^[12]

Ask the city whether your job needs more than the building permit before the contractor starts.

Get it in the contract, in writing: who applies, who pays and who schedules inspections. Other jobs, such as a driveway that reaches into the public right-of-way, may carry their own approvals, so ask about that too.^[10]

The city has the final word on every answer here.

This page summarizes its published pages, and the statewide permit table compares other Wisconsin cities. Fitchburg sits in the South Central region in our own grouping, which is not an official boundary.

Snow load and footing rules in Dane County

State rules apply on top of the city's.

Roof snow load

Dane County is in Zone 2, which means 30 psf under SPS 321.02 and Figure 321.02, the zone map for roof loads. Zone 1 is 40 psf.^[4]

Dane County is not on the zone line. See the Wisconsin snow load by county table for neighboring counties.

Footing depth

Wisconsin has one statewide frost rule and no county table. Under SPS 321.16(1)(a), footings and foundations, including those for landings and stoops, go below the frost penetration level or at least 48 inches below adjacent grade, whichever is deeper.^[5] Footings may not be placed on frozen material.^[5]

Bedrock is the exception.

Footings may bear directly on rock less than 48 inches down if the rock is cleaned of all earth, clay in crevices is removed, and water cannot collect along the foundation.^[5] A local inspector can ask for more, so ask the building inspector about your lot.

The frost depth guide covers the rule in more detail.

Certification needed to pull a dwelling permit

For a one- or two-family dwelling, the person who obtains the building permit must hold a Dwelling Contractor certification, or a Dwelling Contractor Restricted certification, under Wis. Stat. 101.654 and SPS 305.31.^[6][7] DSPS lists a bond of at least $25,000 or general liability insurance of at least $250,000 per occurrence.^[6]

That business must also hold, or employ, a Dwelling Contractor Qualifier. The qualifier renews with 12 hours of approved continuing education, 4 of them on construction laws and codes, contracts, liability and risk management.^[8][9]

This is a permit-pulling credential, not a trade license.

It does not say which trades may do the work, only who may obtain the building permit.^[6]

If you live in the home, or will live in it, and apply for a permit to do work on it yourself, you are exempt.^[7] Contractors can be checked through the DSPS license lookup guide, and the Dwelling Contractor license page explains both credentials.