Remodel Permits in Deerfield, WI: What Needs One

Do You Need a Permit in Deerfield?

Yes permit neededNo no permitDepends depends on the workAsk not published, call the office

Project	Permit	What the rule says
Kitchen remodel	Depends	New cabinets and counters alone need no permit: the Village code exempts installing cabinetry and finishing interior surfaces. Any new or altered plumbing, wiring, gas line or ductwork, or a change to walls or other structure, needs a permit from SAFEbuilt, the Village's contracted inspector. Remodels where square footage can't be figured cost $15 per $1,000 of valuation, plus mechanical permits ($100 minimum each). Permits: building, electrical, plumbing, HVAC.(source)
Bathroom remodel	Depends	New tile, paint or a vanity cabinet alone need no permit. Moving or adding plumbing, new circuits or a new fan need building, plumbing and electrical permits. A like-for-like fixture swap is unclear: the building code exempts normal plumbing repairs, but the plumbing article exempts only leak and stoppage repairs from a plumbing permit, and says all plumbing work must be done by a state-licensed plumber. Ask SAFEbuilt before swapping a toilet, sink or tub. Permits: building, plumbing, electrical.(source)
Finish a basement	Yes	Finishing a basement means framing, wiring and usually plumbing and ductwork, so it needs a building permit plus electrical, plumbing and HVAC permits from SAFEbuilt. Upload the permit application and plans through the Village's online submittal portal. Plan review for alterations to a one- or two-family home is $355 on the posted fee schedule, and work over 120 sq ft also carries a $65 occupancy permit. Basements can't be made into a separate dwelling unit. Permits: building, electrical, plumbing, HVAC.(source)
Remove or move a wall	Depends	Removing or moving a load-bearing wall is an alteration to the building structure and needs a building permit. A non-load-bearing wall isn't named, but the code's definition of minor repairs (which are exempt) leaves out work that changes room arrangement, so moving any wall likely needs a permit. Ask SAFEbuilt. Permits: building.(source)
Build or replace a deck	Yes	A new deck, attached or freestanding, needs a building permit: upload the permit, plans and a survey or GIS map to the Village's online portal. Village staff can approve decks without a Plan Commission review. Decks count as part of the building for setbacks; in R-1 and E-1 the rear yard can shrink from 40 ft to 28 ft with an open-air deck. Fees: $100 under 100 sq ft, $190 for 100 sq ft or more, plus $65 plan review. No size or height exemption or local frost depth is published; the state Uniform Dwelling Code sets construction rules. Permits: building, zoning.(source)
Replace deck boards or railings	Depends	Not named. The code exempts repairs the building inspector deems minor, and the definition of minor repairs leaves out work on structural parts. Replacing boards or railings in kind likely qualifies, but replacing joists, beams or posts is structural. Ask SAFEbuilt. Permits: building.(source)
Replace windows, same size	Depends	Not named in the code. Same-size replacement may count as a minor repair, which is exempt at the building inspector's discretion; ask SAFEbuilt. On Main Street between Liberty and Nelson streets (the design overlay district), any change in window design needs a building permit and Plan Commission approval first. Permits: building.(source)
New or larger window (egress)	Yes	Cutting a new or larger opening, such as a basement egress window, alters the building structure and needs a building permit from SAFEbuilt. Permits: building.(source)
Replace exterior doors	Depends	Not named in the code. Replacing a door in the same opening may count as a minor repair, which is exempt at the building inspector's discretion; ask SAFEbuilt. A new or wider opening is a structural alteration and needs a permit, and on Main Street between Liberty and Nelson streets any change in entryway design needs a permit and Plan Commission approval. Permits: building.(source)
Re-roof	Depends	The Village code says re-roofing needs no building permit (an owner may ask for one, with load calculations, for a third layer of shingles). But SAFEbuilt's posted fee schedule lists a $65 fee for reroofing, residing and trim, and the Village permit form has a Roofing/Siding/Fence box. Ask SAFEbuilt before you start. Tear-off and sheathing replacement aren't addressed separately. Permits: building.(source)
Replace siding	Depends	The Village code says re-siding needs no building permit, but SAFEbuilt's posted fee schedule lists a $65 fee for reroofing, residing and trim, and the Village permit form has a Roofing/Siding/Fence box; ask SAFEbuilt. On Main Street between Liberty and Nelson streets (design overlay district), a change in siding needs a building permit and Plan Commission approval. Permits: building.(source)
New flooring	No	No permit. The code exempts finishing interior surfaces; flooring isn't named by word, but it is an interior finish with no structural, plumbing or electrical work.(source)
Replace a water heater	Yes	Replacing a water heater needs a permit; the code names water heaters, furnaces and central air conditioners. All plumbing work must be done by a state-licensed plumber. Residential plumbing permits start at $100. Permits: plumbing.(source)
Build a fence	Yes	A fence needs a permit: upload the permit, plans and a survey or GIS map to the Village's online portal. On residential lots, fences, walls and hedges can be up to 6½ ft along a lot line, but no more than 2½ ft in a required front or corner side yard, and no more than 3 ft within 25 ft of a street intersection. Fences stay inside your lot lines and out of the front setback area as extended to the side lot line, the finished side faces the neighbor, and barbed wire and electric fences aren't allowed. The code requires a survey by a Wisconsin-registered land surveyor before installation. Temporary fences (up to 45 days) need no permit. No separate fence fee is published; the Village's zoning permit is $10. Permits: zoning, building.(source)
Build a shed	Yes	A shed needs a building permit: upload the permit, plans and a survey or GIS map. In R-1, R-2 and R-3 one garden or storage shed up to 200 sq ft is a permitted accessory use; a lot can have a garage plus one other accessory building. Sheds stay out of the front yard, 3 ft from side and rear lot lines and other accessory buildings, no more than 30% of the required rear yard, no taller than 18 ft or the house, and 10 ft from the house. Fees: $0.36 per sq ft; over 120 sq ft adds $120 plan review and a $65 occupancy permit. Village staff can approve sheds without a Plan Commission review. Permits: building, zoning.(source)
Install a pool	Yes	A pool needs a building permit if it costs more than $1,000 with accessories and landscaping ($500 in materials), plus a separate electrical permit. The building inspector approves the location and design, and pools aren't allowed in front yards (except small plastic children's pools). In-ground pools need a fence at least 4 ft high with self-closing, self-latching gates, or a motorized automatic safety cover; above-ground pools with walls at least 4 ft high need no fence, but ladders must be removable or gated. Fees: $15 per $1,000 of valuation ($540 maximum), $65 plan review and a $100 electrical permit. Don't drain a pool onto a neighbor's property. Permits: building, electrical.(source)
Add a hot tub	Yes	Wiring a hot tub needs an electrical permit ($100 on the posted fee schedule), since the code requires a permit for any new electrical wiring or equipment. The fee schedule lists spas with pools for building permits ($15 per $1,000 of valuation, $540 maximum), so a building permit likely applies too; the pool permit rule applies when the cost passes $1,000. The code's pool fence rules don't mention spas or lockable covers. Ask SAFEbuilt. Permits: electrical, building.(source)
Build a pergola or gazebo	Depends	Not named in the building code. The zoning code requires a building permit before constructing any building or structure, and defines a structure as anything built that sits on the ground, so a pergola likely needs one; an attached pergola must also meet the house setbacks. Ask SAFEbuilt. Permits: building, zoning.(source)
Backyard fire pit	Depends	No permit for a store-bought outdoor fireplace or chiminea, or a below-grade outdoor fireplace, with a metal bowl of 8 sq ft or less, a spark screen, and dry wood only. Keep it 15 ft from buildings, structures, lot lines and anything combustible, never use it on a combustible deck, porch or patio or in high winds, and keep a hose or extinguisher ready. Bonfires and ceremonial campfires need a one-day burning permit from the Village Administrator, approved by the fire chief. Burning yard waste, brush or garbage is banned. Fines run $187 to $1,000. Permits: burning.(source)
Build a patio	Depends	Not named in the building code. The zoning code lists patios among minor accessory structures that Village staff can approve without a Plan Commission review, and requires a building permit before building any structure, so ask SAFEbuilt whether a ground-level patio needs one. Off-street parking pads stay out of the front yard (driveways excepted) and 5 ft from side and rear lot lines. Grading 4,000 sq ft or more triggers the Village's erosion control rules. Driveway or other work in the street right-of-way needs a separate Village permit ($75 plus a $2,000 refundable deposit). Permits: zoning, building.(source)

Checked October 2026 against the Village of Deerfield sources listed below.

Who to Call

Village of Deerfield Building Permits
Phone: 608-764-5404
Email: Wiinspections@safebuilt.com
Permit office website

Plan review and inspection are contracted to SAFEbuilt. Fill out the village's building permit application, then upload it with plans to the village's online submittal portal, linked on the Building Permits page. Fences, decks, sheds, additions and accessory buildings also need a survey or GIS map. Request inspections by 4 p.m. at Wiinspections@safebuilt.com or 262-420-4732. Right-of-way permits come from the village. This is the Village of Deerfield; the Town of Deerfield is a separate municipality.

Permit Fees

SAFEbuilt fee schedule titled 'Village of Deerfield FEE SCHEDULE 2025' (posted March 2025; the newest building fee schedule on the Village site in October 2026), one- and two-family: new dwellings and additions $0.44/sq ft ($160 minimum); erosion control $205; remodels and repairs where square footage can't be figured $15 per $1,000 of valuation; detached garages and accessory buildings $0.36/sq ft; decks $100 under 100 sq ft, $190 at 100 sq ft or more; reroofing, residing and trim $65; pools and spas $15 per $1,000 of valuation ($540 max, $65 minimum); occupancy permit $65 per dwelling unit, addition, alteration or accessory building over 120 sq ft; temporary occupancy $102; early start $250; plan review $355 for additions or alterations, $120 for accessory buildings over 120 sq ft, $65 for decks and pools; razing $0.14/sq ft ($102 minimum, $995 max); re-inspection $65; minimum permit fee $65. Plumbing, electrical and HVAC: $100 residential minimum each; new or remodeled area $0.12/sq ft per trade; furnace or AC replacement $100 each; electrical service upgrade $100; hot tubs and pools $100 electrical; failure to call for an inspection $75. Double fees if work starts before the permit is issued; state seal $80 for new homes. Village fee resolution for 2026 (Res. 2025-06, adopted July 28, 2025, https://app.membershipware.com/api/blob/viewBlob?rf=t&i=imEIXQXiccnIFeOtgLMhd3rWfzVA39x3TlecMyfiehEDtyAlIM4lOaaW%2FESZ7Mam): zoning permit $10; address placard $10; conditional use permit and variance $200 each (non-refundable); rezoning $750 minimum; right-of-way permit $75 plus a $2,000 refundable deposit; sewer connection $1,600 per residential unit; EMS impact fee $679 per dwelling unit; park impact fees per Sec. 109-8; erosion control and stormwater permits $0.004 per sq ft disturbed plus $0.005 per sq ft of new impervious area (includes gravel). The 2026 resolution says building permit fees are 'as attached', but no attachment is in the posted PDF.(fee schedule)

Worth Knowing in Deerfield

Starting work before the permit is issued doubles the permit fee.(source)
Projects costing $10,000 or more (labor and materials) need a completion deposit, set by the Village Board and refunded after final inspection; it is forfeited if you move in before the final inspection or the exterior isn't finished within two years. The deposit amount isn't published.(source)
Request inspections at least 48 hours ahead: footing, foundation, rough carpentry, HVAC, electric and plumbing, drain tile and basement floor, underfloor plumbing, electric service, insulation, final and erosion control. Nothing counts as approved by default if an inspection was skipped, and you pay to uncover work that wasn't inspected.(source)
Permits are valid for two years, and a permit card must be posted at the job site where it can be seen from the street.(source)
A building permit requires a plat of survey meeting Wis. Admin. Code ch. A-E 7; for additions or accessory buildings the inspector may accept an earlier survey. Fences require a survey by a Wisconsin-registered land surveyor before installation, although the Building Permits page asks for a 'survey or GIS map'.(source)
The Village plumbing code says all plumbing work must be done by a state-licensed plumber, and electrical permits are pulled by the electrician or whoever does the work.(source)
Homes on Main Street between Liberty Street and Nelson Street are in the design overlay district: exterior remodeling, including any change to windows, entryways, facade or siding, needs Plan Commission approval before the building permit, with elevations and material details.(source)
Shoreland zoning covers land within 1,000 ft of a lake or pond or 300 ft of a river or stream, where principal buildings sit at least 50 ft back from the ordinary high-water mark. The Village also has its own floodplain zoning (Chapter 107).(source)
Village erosion control rules apply to land disturbance of 4,000 sq ft or more or 400 cubic yards of fill or excavation; new construction needs a stone tracking pad at the driveway until the site is stabilized.(source)
Demolishing a structure or part of one over 400 sq ft needs a demolition permit from the building inspector.(source)
Work in the street right-of-way (such as a driveway apron) needs a Village right-of-way permit ($75 plus a $2,000 refundable deposit); that form goes to the Village, not SAFEbuilt.(source)
The Village is rewriting its whole zoning code in 2026-2027 (adoption targeted for August 31, 2027), so setbacks, accessory building and fence rules may change. The Village Attorney told the Plan Commission in January 2026 that the zoning map is unclear because of missing Village records, so confirm your zoning district with Village Hall.(source)

Other Towns

Sources

Permit rules and fees change. We checked each answer against the town's own website, code or fee schedule in October 2026 and linked the source. Confirm with the permit office before you start. This is a guide, not legal advice.

Remodel Permits in Deerfield, WI