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Green Bay Building Permits: Rules for Roofs, Decks and Fences

Green Bay's permit answers differ a lot by job. A driveway needs one, a deck needs one, and a roof replacement on a house usually doesn't. A fence depends on how long it is. The city publishes its own permit chart, and this page reads it job by job, then adds the state rules that sit on top. Rules and fees were checked October 2026.

Updated Oct 17, 2026 Sources at the foot of the page

A residential street in Wisconsin’s Northeast & Lakeshore region

Permits in Green Bay

Green Bay permit rules at a glance

Brown County · Northeast & Lakeshore (our grouping). Read from the city’s own pages; open a job for what the page says and the date we read it. Community & Economic Development: Building Permits & Inspections

What the city’s page says
Roofing Residential (No structural changes, i.e. replacing plywood sheathing) No
When it applies
Residential roofing with structural changes needs a permit (city table). The city FAQ adds that roofing needs a permit on a building of 3 or more units or within a historic residential area.
Source
City page
Checked
Oct 17, 2026
On this page
  1. Green Bay permit needs for each project
  2. Green Bay permit fees
  3. Application office and inspection contacts in Green Bay
  4. Brown County snow load and footing rules
  5. Eligibility to pull the permit

Green Bay permit needs for each project

Here is the city's answer for each of the five jobs, taken from its "Do I Need a Permit?" chart.[2]

Job Permit needed? Condition the city states
Roof replacement Usually no Permit if structural changes; also on 3+ unit buildings or in a historic residential area
Driveway and flatwork Yes Patio slab also yes; right-of-way work needs Public Works
Deck Yes Replacing decking boards (non-structural) needs none
Basement waterproofing Check with the city Building Plan Review page
Fence Depends Chart says only over 50 feet; FAQ says yes

Roof replacement

The chart reads "Roofing Residential (No structural changes, i.e. replacing plywood sheathing) No," and "Roofing Residential (With structural changes) Yes Inspections."[2] The city FAQ adds that roofing needs a permit on a building of 3 or more units or within a historic residential area.[3]

Ask the city about the fee. Check the city's permit guides and fee schedule for house-roofing fees. For costs, see our roof replacement cost guide.

Worker replacing shingles on a house roof
A house roof during replacement

Driveway and flatwork

The chart lists "Driveway Install, Alterations/Parking Slab Yes Inspections" and "Patio Slab Yes Inspections."[2] Sidewalks, aprons and curb in the right-of-way also need Public Works, which is a separate permit from the building permit.[2]

If you need a pro, Badger Flatwork lists concrete contractors statewide.

Deck

A deck is a yes, with inspections.

Replacing decking boards without structural work needs no permit.[2] The city also publishes a one- and two-family deck guide for the application.[6] Our Wisconsin deck code guide covers footings and railings.

Basement waterproofing

Check with the city.

Its plan review page lists foundation repair as needing a project description with the application, and basement remodeling as needing a floor plan. It does not name waterproofing, drain tile or sump work.[7]

Ask the inspector before starting any drain tile, sump or wall repair. Our wet basement guide and Badger Basements can help you find a pro.

Fence

The city's sources disagree.

The chart says "Fence (Only if over 50 feet long) Yes Inspections," and a fence under 50 feet needs no permit, though zoning setbacks and restrictions still apply.[2] The FAQ says you need a permit for a fence, with no length exception.[3]

Confirm with Inspections at 920-448-3300 before you build.

Green Bay permit fees

The city publishes these fees:

  • Driveway: $75 residential, $100 commercial[4]
  • Residential patio: $75[5]
  • Fence: $75 residential, $100 commercial[8]

For a roof or a deck on a house, see the city's permit guides and fee schedule.[14] The same applies to basement waterproofing.

The city's $100 "Roofing replacement" lines sit under multi-family and commercial, so they are not the fee for a house.[16]

Sample document

Published residential permit fees

Fee schedule

  • Driveway$75
  • Residential patio$75
  • Fence$75

Illustrative figures, not a quote.

Fees and rules change, so confirm before you budget.

Application office and inspection contacts in Green Bay

The office is Community & Economic Development: Building Permits & Inspections, and the Inspection Division handles the work.[1] The city's page lists the Inspection Department at 920-448-3300 for project-specific questions.[17]

Per the city, the short application covers driveway expansions, fences and patios. The long application covers other projects. The Inspection Division can ask for site plans, building plans, estimated costs and contractor credential information.[15]

Check the city page before filing anywhere else, so you apply in the right system.

The city has the final word on every answer here. Make sure your address is inside the City of Green Bay and not a neighboring town.

Brown County snow load and footing rules

Brown County's roof snow load is Zone 2, 30 psf, under SPS 321.02 and Figure 321.02.[9] The zone line runs along the county's north edge and then out into the bay. Ask the county or municipal building inspector which zone your lot is in before designing a roof or addition.

Zone 1 is 40 psf. See the county snow load table.

Footings, including those for landings and stoops, go below frost or at least 48 inches below adjacent grade, whichever is deeper. They may not be placed on frozen material.[10]

Wisconsin has no county frost table, and an inspector can ask for more, so ask the building inspector. The frost depth guide explains the rule.

Eligibility to pull the permit

For a one- or two-family dwelling, the person who obtains the permit must hold a Dwelling Contractor certification (or the Restricted version). They must also hold or employ a Dwelling Contractor Qualifier.[11][12][13] The Dwelling Contractor credential requires a bond of at least $25,000 or liability insurance of at least $250,000 per occurrence.[11]

An owner who lives or will live in the dwelling and applies for a permit to do work on it is exempt.[12]

This credential covers who may obtain the permit, not which trades may work.[11]

Ask your contractor for their credential number and who is pulling the permit. You can verify it through the license lookup, and read more on the Dwelling Contractor license page.

Green Bay sits in our Northeast & Lakeshore grouping, which is our own navigation label and not an official boundary. Compare other cities in the permit table.

Quick answers

Do I need a permit for a fence in Green Bay?

The city's sources disagree. The chart says only over 50 feet, while the FAQ says a permit is needed with no length exception. Confirm with Inspections at 920-448-3300.

Does a roof replacement need a permit?

Usually not, unless there are structural changes, the building has 3 or more units, or it is in a historic residential area.

Can a homeowner pull their own 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 contractor credential.

Sources

  1. City of Green Bay. "Green Bay building permits and inspections." https://www.greenbaywi.gov/312/Building-Permits-Inspections. Accessed October 17, 2026.
  2. City of Green Bay. "Green Bay: building permit rules (city page)." https://www.greenbaywi.gov/977/Do-I-Need-a-Permit. Accessed October 17, 2026.
  3. City of Green Bay. "Green Bay: building permit rules (city page)." https://www.greenbaywi.gov/FAQ.aspx. Accessed October 17, 2026.
  4. City of Green Bay. "Green Bay: building permit rules (city page)." https://www.greenbaywi.gov/1586/Driveway-Permit. Accessed October 17, 2026.
  5. City of Green Bay. "Green Bay: driveway and flatwork permit (more)." https://www.greenbaywi.gov/1594/Patio-Permit. Accessed October 17, 2026.
  6. City of Green Bay. "Green Bay: deck permit (more)." https://www.greenbaywi.gov/DocumentCenter/View/2759/Deck-Permitting-Guide-PDF. Accessed October 17, 2026.
  7. City of Green Bay. "Green Bay: basement waterproofing permit." https://www.greenbaywi.gov/318/Building-Plan-Review-Process. Accessed October 17, 2026.
  8. City of Green Bay. "Green Bay: building permit rules (city page)." https://www.greenbaywi.gov/1587/Fence-Permit. Accessed October 17, 2026.
  9. 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.
  10. 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.
  11. 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.
  12. Wisconsin Legislature. "Wis. Stat. 101.654; SPS 305.31." https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/document/statutes/101.654. Accessed October 17, 2026.
  13. 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.
  14. City of Green Bay, Department of Community and Economic Development. "Permit Guides, Forms & Fees." https://www.greenbaywi.gov/313/Permit-Guides-Forms-Fees. Accessed October 17, 2026.
  15. City of Green Bay, Department of Community and Economic Development. "Permitting Process." https://www.greenbaywi.gov/315/Permitting-Process. Accessed October 17, 2026.
  16. City of Green Bay. "City of Green Bay Fee Schedule." https://www.greenbaywi.gov/DocumentCenter/View/944/City-of-Green-Bay-Fee-Schedule-PDF. Accessed October 17, 2026.
  17. City of Green Bay, Department of Community and Economic Development. "Community & Economic Development Inspection FAQ." https://www.greenbaywi.gov/FAQ.aspx?QID=369. Accessed October 17, 2026.

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