Which Fond du Lac projects need a permit
The city's Inspection Services page says: "A permit is required for but not limited to: new buildings, additions, interior and exterior alterations, siding, roofing".[2] That list is open-ended, so the answer for any one job comes down to the specifics below (page checked October 2026).
| Job | Permit needed? | Condition the city states |
|---|---|---|
| Roof replacement | Yes | Minor alterations or maintenance repairs may be waived by the City Building Inspector |
| Driveway and flatwork | Depends | Patios are on the list; driveways and sidewalks are not named |
| Deck | Yes | None stated |
| Basement waterproofing | Check with the city | Not named on the list |
| Fence | Yes | None stated |
Roofs, decks and fences
Roofing, decks and fences are all named on the city's permit list.[2] The city also identifies minor alterations such as fences and roofing as work typically issued at the Inspection Services counter without formal plan review.[9]
A waiver for a minor repair is the Building Inspector's call. Phone (920) 322-3570 to verify before you assume one applies.[2]
Driveways and flatwork
The city names patios as permit work, but it does not name driveways or sidewalks.[2]
Call the Building Inspection office at (920) 322-3570 and describe the job. If you need a pro for the concrete, Badger Flatwork and Fox Valley Concrete are our sister directories.
Basement waterproofing
Waterproofing is not named on the city's list, and that list is "not limited to" the items shown.[2]
Check with the city through its Inspection Services page before work starts. For a contractor, see Badger Basements.
Fee schedule for Fond du Lac permits
No fee for any of these five jobs appears on the city's pages. Check the city's fee schedule on its Permits and Fees page.[2]
The city says the building-permit cost depends on the total job cost, including labor and materials.[9]
Ask the office a few things before you apply:
- Is the fee based on the project's cost or a flat amount?
- Does a plan review fee apply separately?
- Does the contractor's quote include the permit fee?
Applying and inspections through Fond du Lac Inspection Services
The office is Inspection Services (Building Inspection) at the City of Fond du Lac, and its page is fdl.wi.gov/inspection-services.[1] The phone number for questions and waiver checks is (920) 322-3570.[2]
The city has the final word on what your job needs.
Pro tip
Describe your job to the Building Inspection office by phone before you start, and ask whether a waiver could apply.
Other offices cover other Fond du Lac addresses. If your property is in the Town of Fond du Lac, the Village of North Fond du Lac or the Town of Empire, contact that municipality instead. For how other cities handle the same jobs, compare Oshkosh or browse the permit table by city.
Fond du Lac sits in the Fox Valley region in our own grouping, which is not an official boundary.
Snow load and footing rules in Fond du Lac County
Two state rules sit on top of the city's permit process.
Fond du Lac County is in Zone 2 for roof snow load, which is 30 psf, and it is not on the zone line (Zone 1 is 40 psf).[3] See the snow load by county table for neighboring counties.
| Zone | Roof snow load |
|---|---|
| Zone 1 | 40 psf |
| Zone 2 | 30 psf |
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.[4] Footings may not be placed on frozen material.[4]
Wisconsin has no county frost-depth table, so ask the building inspector if you think your site needs more. The frost depth guide explains the rule, and the Wisconsin deck code guide applies it to decks.
Qualifications needed to pull the permit
For a one- or two-family dwelling, the person who obtains the building permit must hold a Dwelling Contractor certification (or a Restricted certification), held through a certificate of financial responsibility.[5][6] That person must also hold, or employ, a Dwelling Contractor Qualifier.[7][8]
An owner who lives or will live in the dwelling and applies for a permit to do work on it is exempt.[6] Wisconsin's permit-reporting guidance describes the same exception when the applicant resides or will reside in the dwelling.[10]
The credential is a permit-pulling credential, not a trade license.
It does not say which trades may work, only who may obtain the building permit.[5] Read the Dwelling Contractor license guide for details, and use the license lookup guide to verify a contractor.
Quick answers
Can an owner pull the permit?
An owner who lives or will live in the dwelling and applies for a permit to do work on it is exempt from the certification.
Is a roof replacement permit required?
Yes, roofing is named on the city's list, though minor repairs may be waived by the City Building Inspector.
Who do I call with questions?
Call the Building Inspection office at (920) 322-3570.
Sources
- City of Fond du Lac. "Fond du Lac building permits and inspections." https://www.fdl.wi.gov/inspection-services/. Accessed October 17, 2026.
- City of Fond du Lac. "Fond du Lac: building permit rules (city page)." https://www.fdl.wi.gov/inspection-services/permits-fees/. Accessed October 17, 2026.
- Wisconsin Legislature. "Wisconsin Uniform Dwelling Code, SPS 321.02 (roof snow load) and Figure 321.02." https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/document/administrativecode/SPS%20321.02. Accessed October 17, 2026.
- Wisconsin Legislature. "Wisconsin Administrative Code, SPS 321.16 (Footings and foundations)." https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/document/administrativecode/SPS%20321.16. Accessed October 17, 2026.
- Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services. "Dwelling Contractor (DC) (DSPS)." https://dsps.wi.gov/a-z-professions-list/dwelling-contractor-dc/. Accessed October 17, 2026.
- Wisconsin Legislature. "Wis. Stat. 101.654; SPS 305.31." https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/document/statutes/101.654. Accessed October 17, 2026.
- Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services. "Dwelling Contractor Qualifier (DCQ) (DSPS)." https://dsps.wi.gov/a-z-professions-list/dwelling-contractor-qualifier-dcq/. Accessed October 17, 2026.
- Wisconsin Legislature. "SPS 305.31(1)(b); Wis. Stat. 101.654(1m)." https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/document/administrativecode/SPS%20305.31. Accessed October 17, 2026.
- City of Fond du Lac. "FAQ - City of Fond Du Lac - Wisconsin.gov." https://www.fdl.wi.gov/faq/. Accessed October 17, 2026.
- Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services. "Information for Municipality UDC Permit Reporting under 2015 Wisconsin Act 211." https://dsps.wi.gov/esla-information/municipality-permit-filing-information/. Accessed October 17, 2026.