Oak Creek Building Permits: Roofs, Decks, Fences and Driveways

Permit needs for Oak Creek projects, job by job

Start with the job, because the city publishes its rules job by job. The City of Oak Creek's Community Development Department: Inspection keeps the main permit page.^[1]

Roof replacement

Check with Oak Creek. The city's Inspection Permits page is the place to start, and the Inspection office can give you a direct answer for your roof.^[1]

Ask before you sign a tear-off contract.

Driveway and flatwork

A permit is required for the new construction, replacement or expansion of a driveway, driveway approach or parking pad.^[2] The application needs a plat of survey, and a curb cut needs a permit too.^[2]

The city's page does not address patios or sidewalks, so ask the office about those.^[2]

Deck

A permit is required for a deck. The city's deck permit page states: "Homeowners wishing to pull their own permits must physically reside at the address where the work will be done."^[3]

For deck footings and rules statewide, see the Wisconsin deck code guide.

Basement waterproofing

A permit is required for all foundation repairs, including but not limited to wall bracing and drain tile installation.^[4] The application needs WAFRP Appendix C or an engineering report, except for drain tile.^[4]

Coatings or membranes alone are not named, so ask the office about those.^[4] If you need a pro, the Badger Basements directory covers waterproofing statewide.

Fence

A permit is required. The city states: "Fences are a permitted accessory use in any residential district and may be erected upon issuance of a Fence Permit."^[5]

Where to find Oak Creek permit fees

No fee is published for these jobs on the city's pages. Check the city's fee schedule or ask the Inspection office before you budget.

For driveways and basement work, the application itself carries the fee. The city's driveway page says "See application for current fees," so open the application before you commit to a price.^[2]

Wisconsin's model ordinance says permit fees are set locally by resolution.^[13] That is why a figure on a third-party page may not match what Oak Creek charges today.

Application and inspection offices in Oak Creek

Your office is the Community Development Department: Inspection, and its page is oakcreekwi.gov/901/Inspection-Permits.^[1] Start there for applications, and call the office to confirm what your job needs.

A permit for one job may not be the only one you need. Oak Creek's Residential Alteration page says separate electrical, plumbing and HVAC permits may also be required.^[11]

Ask the office whether any wiring or plumbing tied to your project needs its own permit.

The Wisconsin model ordinance also says local zoning, land-use and floodplain rules, and possibly county requirements, must be satisfied before a permit is issued.^[13] City and county staff can tell you which apply to your lot.

For the full comparison, see the permit table by city. Neighboring Franklin has its own page.

Milwaukee County snow load and footing rules

Two state rules sit on top of the city's.

Roof snow load

Milwaukee County is in Zone 2, which is 30 psf, and it is not on the zone line.^[6] Zone 1 is 40 psf.

The rule is SPS 321.02(1)(b)2 and Figure 321.02. See the snow load table by county for the full list.

Footing depth

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.^[7] Footings may not be placed on frozen material.

Wisconsin has no county frost-depth table, so the 48 inches applies everywhere. Ask the building inspector whether your lot needs more.

Details are in the frost depth guide.

Eligibility to pull the permit

For a one- or two-family dwelling, Wisconsin generally requires a Dwelling Contractor certification and a Dwelling Contractor Qualifier, subject to statutory exceptions.^[12] The Dwelling Contractor holds a certificate of financial responsibility, which is valid for one year.^[8] DSPS lists a bond of at least $25,000 or general liability insurance of at least $250,000 per occurrence.^[8]

The Qualifier is the person with the education requirement: 12 hours of approved continuing education to renew.^[10]

This is a permit-pulling credential, not a trade license. It says who may obtain the building permit, not which trades may work.^[8]

An owner who lives or will live in the dwelling and applies for the permit to do the work is exempt from the certification requirement.^[9] In Oak Creek, the city's deck page adds that homeowners pulling their own permits must physically reside at the address.^[3]

Side by side

Who pulls the permit

Owner who lives there

• Applies for the permit to do the work
• Exempt from certification
• Must physically reside at the address

vs

Hired work

• Dwelling Contractor certification
• Dwelling Contractor Qualifier
• Ask for credential details

If you hire out the work, ask for the contractor's credential details and look them up through the DSPS lookup steps. Read more on the Dwelling Contractor license page.

Oak Creek sits in our Southeast grouping, which is our own navigation label and not an official boundary.

The City of Oak Creek and its Inspection office have the final word on every job above.

Quick answers

Is a permit required for a deck in Oak Creek?

Yes. Homeowners pulling their own permit must physically reside at the address where the work will be done.

Is a permit required for a fence?

Yes. Fences may be erected upon issuance of a Fence Permit.

How deep must footings go?

Below the frost penetration level or at least 48 inches below adjacent grade, whichever is deeper.

Can an owner pull their own permit?

An owner who lives or will live in the dwelling and applies for the permit to do the work is exempt from the certification requirement.