Green Bay, WI Building Safety: Electrical Permits (2026)

Section 8-451(a) requires a permit before any person installs, repairs, alters, services, or maintains electrical wiring in the City. The application under subsection (b) goes to the Director on a City form and must list the property owner's and contractor's name, phone number, and email, plus an acknowledgment that both are bound by the article's rules. Subsection (c) requires specifications to reference the exact Code section, not vague phrases like 'in accordance with the Electrical Code'; the Director treats those as incomplete. Permit fees follow the City Fee Schedule under subsection (d), and starting work before the permit issues doubles the fee.

Once approved, subsection (e) has the Director stamp the plans 'approved,' keep one set, and return one to the applicant, who must keep it on site for every inspection. The Director also issues a card the permit holder must post at the site where inspectors can mark it. A permit lapses if work does not start within six months or finish within one year; an extension request needs written reasons filed at least 90 days before expiration, and a denied extension can be appealed to the Board of Appeals. The Director can revoke a permit anytime the work does not match the approved plans, by serving notice on the contractor or crew chief and the owner; the holder can request a Board of Appeals hearing within 15 business days, and a Board decision can go to the Brown County Circuit Court by certiorari. Anyone denied a permit outright is entitled to a hearing before the Zoning Board of Appeals under subsection (f). Violations fall under Chapter 8's general penalty, § 8-6: a minimum $25.00 forfeiture, with each 24-hour period of noncompliance a separate offense.