Madison, WI Building Safety: Building Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit threshold
- Required for nearly all construction; waiver only under $500
- Enforcing agency
- Director, Building Inspection Division
- Permit validity
- Void if not started in 6 months, finished in 24
- Late-start penalty
- Double fee plus $100/day after stop-work notice
- Appeal body
- Board of Building Code, Fire Code, Conveyance Code and Licensing Appeals
Summary
Madison requires a building permit from the Building Inspection Division before anyone erects, adds to, alters, converts, or demolishes any building or structure, per Section 29.07(1), MGO. The Director may waive the requirement only for minor work under $500 that involves no structural change and no change of use. Permits lapse if work does not start within six months or finish within 24 months.
No person shall erect or construct any building or structure whatever, or add to, enlarge, move, improve, alter, convert, extend or demolish any building or structure, or cause the same to be done, or commence any work covered by this code on any structure without first obtaining a building permit therefor from the Director of the Building Inspection Division; provided, however, that the Director of the Building Inspection Division may authorize minor improvements not involving structural alterations, change in use and which do not exceed a cost of five hundred dollars ($500) without requiring a building permit to be issued. Such permit shall be issued in the name of the owner.
Full Breakdown
07(2)-(3), MGO). 18 per square foot. 08(4), MGO lapse if construction has not begun within six months or is not completed within 24 months of issuance; owners may request up to two 12-month extensions at half the original inspection fee. 21, MGO, with a $50 filing fee for ordinance appeals or $300 for a State Building Code variance.
Violations & Fines
Starting construction without a permit doubles the required fee and adds a $100-per-day penalty for each day work continues after the city delivers a stop-work notice, under Section 29.09(3), MGO. Separately, Section 29.20(2), MGO makes any Chapter 29 violation punishable by a $10 to $1,000 forfeiture, with each day of continued violation charged as a distinct offense, and the Director may revoke an active permit for noncompliance under Section 29.08(5), MGO.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to remodel my Madison home?
How much does a Madison building permit cost?
What happens if I start work before my Madison permit is issued?
How long is a Madison building permit good for?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Madison
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Building Permits in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Dane County handle building permits.