Remodel Permits in Stoughton, WI: What Needs One

Do You Need a Permit in Stoughton?

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

Project	Permit	What the rule says
Kitchen remodel	Yes	The City's 'Do I need a permit?' handout lists kitchen remodels as needing a building permit, and any electrical, plumbing or heating work needs its own trade permit. The remodel fee is $9 per $1,000 of cost ($90 minimum, $125 maximum for kitchens); there is no fee under $500, but the fee schedule says the permit is still required. Swapping cabinets or counters alone is not addressed separately. Permits: building, electrical, plumbing.(source)
Bathroom remodel	Yes	A bathroom remodel is a home alteration, and the City requires a permit for 'any type of electrical, plumbing or heating work.' The plumbing code requires a permit for all plumbing except fixing leaks or stoppages. A homeowner may repair or replace fixtures in an owner-occupied single-family house without a plumbing license; new circuits can be pulled by the owner-occupant only for branch circuits. Permits: building, plumbing, electrical.(source)
Finish a basement	Yes	Basement remodels are named in the City's permit handout. Expect separate electrical, plumbing and HVAC permits for that work, with underground, rough and final inspections. Permits: building, electrical, plumbing, HVAC.(source)
Remove or move a wall	Yes	Stoughton's building code requires a permit for any alteration of a building, which covers removing or moving walls whether or not they are load-bearing. The building inspector may let minor repairs under $300 go without a permit, but nothing names wall removal as minor. Permits: building.(source)
Build or replace a deck	Yes	New decks need a building and zoning permit, applied for online with a site plan and a deck plan meeting one of the UDC deck methods (SPS 321.225). Inspections: footings before concrete is poured, rough framing, and final. Decks follow district setbacks, except decks 1 ft high or less may sit 20 ft from the rear lot line. No size or height exemption is published. Permits: building, zoning.(source)
Replace deck boards or railings	Depends	Not addressed directly. Repairs are a permit category on the fee schedule ($9 per $1,000, $90 minimum, no fee under $500), and the code lets the building inspector allow minor repairs under $300 without a permit. Ask the building inspector before replacing boards or railings. Permits: building.(source)
Replace windows, same size	Yes	Window replacement needs a permit ($45; no fee if the job, labor included, is under $500). Storm windows need no permit. Permits: building.(source)
New or larger window (egress)	Yes	Cutting a new or larger opening is an alteration of the building, so it needs a building permit. Permits: building.(source)
Replace exterior doors	Yes	Exterior door replacement needs a permit ($45; no fee under $500). Storm doors and overhead garage doors need no permit. Permits: building.(source)
Re-roof	Yes	Re-roofing needs a permit ($45; no fee if the job, labor included, is under $500). Tear-off vs overlay and sheathing are not addressed separately. Gutters and downspouts need no permit. Permits: building.(source)
Replace siding	Yes	Re-siding needs a permit ($45; no fee if the job, labor included, is under $500). Permits: building.(source)
New flooring	No	The City's handout lists flooring changes (carpet, inlaid tile or wood) among projects that need no permit.(source)
Replace a water heater	Yes	Water heater and water softener installs or replacements need a permit (residential plumbing remodel/repair/misc. $60). The homeowner exemption for plumbing work leaves out water heaters and softeners, so a licensed plumber does this work. Permits: plumbing.(source)
Build a fence	Yes	Fences need a zoning permit with a $90 zoning review. In residential areas fences may be up to 6 ft (10 ft along a line next to business or industrial zoning); in the front setback the limit is 4 ft. Keep fences 3 ft from side and rear lot lines, or 6 inches if the fence is maintenance-free or the neighbor agrees in writing. Finished side faces the neighbor, no fences in utility easements, and corner lots keep a 10 ft vision triangle clear between 2.5 and 10 ft high. Permits: zoning.(source)
Build a shed	Yes	Sheds need a building and/or zoning permit, with a $90 zoning review; no small-shed exemption is published. Accessory buildings: up to 900 sq ft each, at least 4 ft from side and rear lot lines, 10 ft from the house unless building/fire codes are met, not between the house and the street, and not in utility easements. One detached garage plus two other accessory buildings are allowed; more than three, or more than 1,000 sq ft combined, needs a conditional use permit. Accessory height limits vary by district (20 ft in SR-5). Permits: building, zoning.(source)
Install a pool	Yes	A pool more than 36 inches deep needs a swimming pool building permit and a $90 zoning review; electrical and plumbing work need their own permits. Pools go in side or rear yards, at least 6 ft from any lot line or building. They need a fence at least 5 ft high, at least 4 ft from the pool edge, with no gaps over 4 inches and self-closing, self-latching gates. An above-ground pool's own rail can count if the total height is 5 ft. Storable pools up to 36 inches are exempt. Permits: building, zoning, electrical.(source)
Add a hot tub	Yes	The City's handout lists spas, hot tubs and whirlpools among projects that need a permit, and the electrical hookup needs an electrical permit. A spa or hot tub with a lockable top is exempt from the pool fence and setback rules. Permits: building, electrical.(source)
Build a pergola or gazebo	Yes	The fee schedule requires a $90 zoning review for pergolas, and the City treats a pergola as an accessory structure (900 sq ft max, 4 ft from side and rear lot lines, not between the house and the street). A pergola attached to the house or another structure must meet all zoning and permit rules. Trellises and arbors are exempt if under 200 sq ft, 4 ft from lot lines and no more than half the accessory height limit. Permits: zoning, building.(source)
Backyard fire pit	Depends	No fire-pit permit exists. The code bars any open fire within 30 ft of a lot line, fence, sidewalk, building or structure. Inside the 'fire limits' a fire outside a stove or fireplace is allowed only in a metal receptacle the fire chief approves in advance. The Fire Department says open burning is prohibited in the City. Most city lots can't meet 30 ft, so call the Fire Department (608-873-7218) before using a fire pit.(source)
Build a patio	Depends	The zoning code exempts walks, steps and terraces from zoning and permits only if they stay under 200 sq ft and 4 ft from property lines, out of utility easements. Larger patios are not addressed; ask the zoning administrator. Paved surfaces must be 1 ft from side and rear lot lines, and each district has a minimum landscape surface ratio (40% in SR-5). A private driveway permit is $35. Permits: zoning.(source)

Checked October 2026 against the City of Stoughton sources listed below.

Who to Call

City of Stoughton Planning & Development
Phone: 608-873-7626
Permit office website

Apply online through the city's iWorQ portal with a site plan and drawings, using the Building and Zoning Application for an existing one- or two-family home. The city's own building inspector does the inspections. Zoning questions go to the Zoning Administrator at 608-646-0421. Exterior work on a landmark or in a local historic district needs Landmarks Commission approval first.

Permit Fees

Fee	Amount	Notes
Remodel and addition
Addition, including decks	$0.21 per sq ft	$90 minimum, plus $45 erosion control
Remodel and repair	$9 per $1,000 of cost	$90 minimum; kitchens max $125; no fee under $500
Reroofing, residing, window or exterior door replacement	$45 each	No fee under $500
Razing or demolition	$90
Trades
Plumbing remodel, repair or misc.	$60	No fee under $500
Electrical rewire, remodel or misc.	$60	No fee under $500
HVAC remodel, replacement or misc.	$60	No fee under $500
Zoning and site
Residential zoning review	$90 each	Sheds, fencing, pools, detached garages, accessory structures, pergolas, additions including decks; not trellises, arbors, swing sets, clothes lines
Private driveway	$35
Driveway in right-of-way or sidewalk	$55
Zoning letter	$55
Variance or appeal	$525
Conditional use	$525	+ $45 recording
Downtown Design Overlay structural project or demolition	$525

Planning & Development fee schedule effective February 19, 2026. Applies to 1- and 2-family residential.
Fees double if work starts without a permit.

Source: City of Stoughton (fee schedule)

Worth Knowing in Stoughton

A permit is required even when no fee is due (jobs under $500). If work starts before a permit, the City may double the fee and issue a citation; the handout adds it can fine per day until a permit is obtained.(source)
Exterior changes to a designated landmark or a property in a local historic district (windows, roofing, paint colors, fences, additions) need a Certificate of Appropriateness from the Landmarks Commission first; the building inspector can't issue the permit without it. The Commission decides within 60 days. Apply on the iWorQ portal.(source)
Downtown, structural projects and demolitions in the Downtown Design Overlay zoning district need their own $525 application.(source)
Owner-occupants of a one- or two-family home may pull electrical permits, but only to install branch circuits; other electrical work needs a licensed electrical contractor.(source)
Without a plumbing license, a homeowner may only repair or replace fixtures, clear stoppages and repair valves in a single-family home they own and live in; water heaters and water softeners are excluded.(source)
Permits for one- and two-family remodels and additions are valid 24 months. Zoning permits expire after 12 months if work hasn't started.(source)
Post the permit in a street-facing window until the job is done; underground, rough and final inspections are required, and passing the final is the only way to close a permit.(source)
An erosion control permit is needed for land disturbance over 4,000 sq ft or over 400 cubic yards of fill or excavation, or for smaller high-risk sites next to lakes, rivers, streams or wetlands. Residential additions, including decks, carry a $45 erosion control fee.(source)
The City adopts the state rules for buildings built before 1914 (SPS 375-379) along with the Uniform Dwelling Code.(source)
Stoughton has its own floodplain (Ch. 30), shoreland-wetland (Ch. 31) and shoreland (Ch. 32) zoning chapters; check them for lots near the Yahara River.(source)
The City's handouts say the Planning office does not track deed or plat restrictions; check with the Register of Deeds before building.(source)

More about living in Stoughton: property tax rate and due dates, utilities, trash pickup and schools.

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 Stoughton, WI