Madison, WI Building Safety: Electrical Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit required
- Before any electrical installation or alteration
- Issuing agency
- Building Inspection Division, Dept. of Planning & Comm. Econ. Dev.
- License required
- Wisconsin-licensed electrician or contractor
- Permit lapse
- Void if not started in 6 months, finished in 24
- New residential fee
- $0.09/sq ft, $25 minimum
- General penalty range
- $10 to $1,000 forfeiture per violation
Summary
Madison requires a permit from the Building Inspection Division before any electrical installation, alteration, or wiring change begins, under Madison General Ordinances § 19.09. The permit must be pulled by a person licensed under § 19.08, and minor repairs like swapping a broken switch or outlet are the only exception.
(1)It shall be unlawful for a person to enter upon the erection, construction, alteration or change of any electrical installation, work or wiring, except minor repair work as defined in Subsection (2) of this section, until a permit has been obtained from the Building Inspection Division of the Department of Planning and Community and Economic Development by a person properly licensed for the category of work to be performed as set forth in Section 19.08 of this Code... (6)Electric permits shall lapse and be void unless the work authorized thereby is commenced within six (6) months from, and completed within twenty-four (24) months of the date issued.
Full Breakdown
08. The application must describe the proposed work, give the premises location, and be signed by the license holder, with fees paid in full at submission. 08 requires anyone working as an electrician or electrical contractor to be licensed or registered with the State of Wisconsin, with a narrow residential-owner exception for a single-family home the owner occupies. 09(4) lets work begin without a permit number at night or when the office is closed, provided the number is obtained the next business day and paperwork follows within 10 days. 09(6). 11. 15.
Violations & Fines
Working without a permit doubles the required fee and adds a $100 penalty for each day the work continues after a stop-work notice, per § 19.11. Connecting service without a certificate of service inspection is separately unlawful under § 19.10(1), and general chapter violations carry a $10–$1,000 forfeiture under § 19.15, with each day a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to rewire an outlet in Madison?
Who can pull an electrical permit in Madison?
How long does a Madison electrical permit last?
What happens before power can be turned on to new wiring in Madison?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Madison
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Electrical Permits in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Dane County handle electrical permits.