Remodel Permits in Windsor, WI: What Needs One

Do You Need a Permit in Windsor?

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, counters and interior finishes need no permit: the code exempts finishing interior surfaces and installing cabinetry. Any change to plumbing, electrical, heating or the structure (moving a sink, new circuits, opening a wall) needs a permit, applied for online as an 'Interior Remodel, Improvement, Fixture' application. 2026 fees for a one- or two-family home: $50 plan review, $0.30/sq ft construction ($50 minimum), plus $50 each for electrical, plumbing and HVAC. Permits: building, electrical, plumbing, HVAC.(source)
Bathroom remodel	Depends	Moving or adding plumbing, new circuits or a new vent fan need permits: the code covers plumbing, electrical and HVAC work 'whether new construction or remodeling, alteration, additions or replacement.' Tile, vanity cabinets and other finish work alone are exempt. Whether a same-spot fixture swap needs a plumbing permit isn't spelled out; the building inspector can waive permits for minor work with materials under $2,500. Fees: $50 plan review plus $50 per trade (plumbing, electrical, HVAC). Permits: building, plumbing, electrical.(source)
Finish a basement	Yes	Finishing a basement adds framing, electrical, often plumbing and HVAC, so it needs a permit through the Village's 'Interior Remodel, Improvement, Fixture' application, with separate electrical, plumbing and HVAC reviews. Fees for a one- or two-family home: $50 plan review, $0.30/sq ft construction ($50 minimum), $50 per trade. A new bedroom needs an egress window under the state dwelling code. 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 permit. A non-load-bearing wall isn't named; the building inspector may let minor work with materials under $2,500 go without a permit only if it doesn't change structural strength, fire protection, exits, light or ventilation. Ask before you start. Permits: building.(source)
Build or replace a deck	Yes	New decks need a building permit; the code names decks among additions that need one. Apply online with the 'Accessory Structure' application. 2026 fee: $50 (one- and two-family) plus $50 plan review. No zoning permit is needed if setbacks are met. The zoning code counts decks as part of the building, so district side and rear yards apply (R-1: 10 ft per side, 25 ft combined, 35 ft rear). Entry decks or stoops may stick into the front setback if no more than 5 ft high, 12 ft wide and 10 ft out, and unenclosed. No local size or height exemption is published. Permits: building.(source)
Replace deck boards or railings	Depends	Not addressed directly. The building inspector may authorize minor repairs or maintenance with materials under $2,500 without a permit if they don't change structural strength, exits or appearance. Replacing boards or railings in kind may qualify; replacing joists, beams or posts is structural. Ask the inspector. Permits: building.(source)
Replace windows, same size	Yes	Replacing windows in existing openings needs a permit. The 2026 fee schedule lists 'windows in existing openings' at $50 for one- and two-family homes, and the Village's 'Interior Remodel, Improvement, Fixture' application covers modifications to windows. The code also excludes work that changes exterior appearance, light or ventilation from its minor-repair waiver. Permits: building.(source)
New or larger window (egress)	Yes	Cutting a new or larger opening for an egress window changes the structure, light and ventilation, so it needs a building permit. Village rules also cover egress wells in grading: lot grades within 5 ft of property lines must stay unchanged. Permits: building.(source)
Replace exterior doors	Depends	Exterior doors aren't named. The fee schedule's $50 catch-all covers 'other construction where a fee is not otherwise established,' and the minor-repair waiver (materials under $2,500) excludes work that changes exits or exterior appearance. A same-opening swap may or may not qualify; ask the building inspector. New or wider openings need a permit. Permits: building.(source)
Re-roof	Yes	Re-roofing needs a permit ($50 for one- and two-family homes). No more than two layers of roofing are allowed unless structural calculations are provided. If more than 25% of a roof's covering is replaced in 12 months, the whole roof covering must meet current code. Permits: building.(source)
Replace siding	Yes	Re-siding needs a permit ($50 for one- and two-family homes). Permits: building.(source)
New flooring	No	No permit. The code exempts finishing of interior surfaces, which covers new floor coverings. Structural subfloor or joist work is an alteration and does need one.(source)
Replace a water heater	Yes	The Village lists water heater replacement on its 'Interior Remodel, Improvement, Fixture' permit application (along with furnaces and air conditioners). Fee: $50 plumbing review for a one- or two-family home, plus HVAC review ($50) if gas venting changes, and $50 plan review. Permits: plumbing.(source)
Build a fence	Yes	Fences need both zoning and building permit applications ($50 fence building permit fee) with a scaled site plan. Residential: no fences in the primary front yard except open decorative fences up to 4 ft, set 2 ft back from the lot line or sidewalk; on a corner lot's secondary front yard, up to 4 ft and 2 ft back; side and rear yards up to 6 ft and may sit on the property line. No barbed wire or electric fences. Finished side faces the neighbor. None in drainage or path easements; in a utility easement only if you sign that it may be removed at your cost. Keep vision triangles clear. Starting without a permit doubles the fee. Permits: zoning, building.(source)
Build a shed	Yes	Every accessory structure needs a building permit; one of 120 sq ft or more also needs a zoning permit. Fee $50. Sheds under 120 sq ft go at least 4 ft from side and rear lot lines, 120 sq ft and up at least 10 ft, and none closer to the road than the front setback. Over 120 sq ft must be compatible with the house (roof pitch, materials, colors). R-1 to R-4, MF-2, ER and CR lots get three accessory structures (garage, shed, gazebo, pool, coop etc.) and accessory buildings may cover at most 5% of the lot; more needs a conditional use. Height limit 16 ft in R-1 (up to 26 ft to match the house roof pitch). No plumbing fixtures in accessory buildings. Permits: building, zoning.(source)
Install a pool	Yes	Pools (18 inches deep or more, in-ground or above-ground, permanent or portable) need a permit through the 'Accessory Structure' application ($50), plus electrical work permits. A pool counts toward the three-accessory-structure limit and accessory setbacks. In-ground pools need a 4 to 6 ft fence at least 3 ft from the water with self-closing, lockable gates, or a locking cover that holds 250 lb. Above-ground pools skip the fence if walls are at least 4 ft high all around, there's no deck, and the ladder locks; otherwise special-exception rules apply. Permits: building, electrical.(source)
Add a hot tub	Depends	Hot tubs aren't named. Wiring one needs an electrical permit, since all electrical installation work requires a permit. The Village's pool definition covers structures holding 18 inches or more of water 'designed, used, and maintained for swimming and bathing,' so a hot tub may fall under the pool fence/cover rules; the code doesn't say. Ask the building inspector. Permits: electrical.(source)
Build a pergola or gazebo	Depends	The zoning code says open structures without walls, such as pergolas and arbors, are not 'buildings' for permit purposes, so no zoning permit appears to be needed. The building code's permit rule covers any 'structure', and the Village's accessory structure application lists gazebos and play structures but not pergolas. Ask the building inspector; a roofed gazebo counts as an accessory structure.(source)
Backyard fire pit	No	No permit for a recreational fire pit. Outdoor burning is otherwise banned in residential districts, subdivisions and the water/sewer district. Fire pits must be rear-yard only, at least 10 ft from any building and lot line, no more than 36 inches across, lined with noncombustible material, commercially made for the purpose (or fire-department approved), burn only clean wood or charcoal, be supervised by an adult 16 or older with extinguishing equipment, and be out by 11:30 pm.(source)
Build a patio	Depends	Patios need no zoning permit if setbacks are met, but the Village lists patios on its 'Accessory Structure' building permit application, so expect to apply ($50 fee for miscellaneous construction). Patios count toward the district's impervious coverage cap (R-1: 40% of an interior lot, 45% of a corner lot). Keep the grade within 5 ft of property lines unchanged. Permits: building.(source)

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

Who to Call

Village of Windsor Building Inspection
Phone: 608-888-0066
Email: inspector@windsorwi.gov
Permit office website

Inspection is contracted to General Engineering Company. Apply online through the village's CivicReview portal, linked from its Building Inspection page: "Interior Remodel, Improvement, Fixture" for remodels, roofs, windows, siding and water heaters, and "Accessory Structure" for sheds, fences, pools, decks and patios. Pay by check to the Village of Windsor or by card. Zoning questions go to the Planning & Zoning Specialist at the village office.

Permit Fees

Village 2026 Fee Schedule (adopted March 5, 2026) and the Building Permit Fees sheet dated March 18, 2026. One- and two-family remodel/improvement: plan review $50; construction $0.30/sq ft ($50 minimum); electrical $50; plumbing $50; HVAC $50 per unit. Porches, decks, siding, roofs, windows in existing openings, sheds, pools, fences and other construction with no other fee: $50. Fence building permit $50. Time extension $50; early start permit $500; state permit seal $50 (new homes). Erosion control $100 for lots of 1 acre or less. New construction: plan review $100, $0.30/sq ft ($600 minimum), design diversity review $150, grading plan review $200 plus $1,000/unit escrow. Impact fees apply to new dwelling units (public safety $875.03 single-family, traffic $1,524.08 east or $1,142.59 west, water $3,000, parkland $1,955.97 plus $1,535.66). Sanitary sewer connection $500 per lateral plus $100 per unit. Conditional use permit $350 plus up to $2,500 escrow; variance $350 plus up to $1,000 escrow. Fees double if work starts before the permit is issued.(fee schedule)

Worth Knowing in Windsor

Starting work before the permit is issued doubles the permit fee; fences built without permits are also charged double.(source)
The building inspector may skip the permit for minor repairs or maintenance with materials under $2,500 that don't change occupancy, exterior appearance, structure, fire protection, exits, light or ventilation. Plans can be waived for alterations or repairs under $2,000.(source)
Permits other than for one- and two-family dwelling units lapse if work doesn't start within 6 months or finish within 15 months; one 6-month extension is possible ($50). Permits for dwellings expire 24 months after issuance if the exterior isn't done.(source)
Grading: the established grade within 5 ft of any property line, and in drainage and utility easements, must stay unchanged; the zoning staff can require a grading plan on infill lots.(source)
Accessory buildings (sheds, detached garages, pool houses) may not have plumbing fixtures, and residential lots are limited to three accessory structures and 5% of lot area for accessory buildings unless approved otherwise.(source)
Fences can't go in drainage or path easements, or within 2 ft of a path or sidewalk; in a utility easement you must agree in writing that it can be removed at your cost.(source)
Lots near lakes, streams and wetlands fall under the Village's shoreland overlay (Ch. 54), floodplain zoning (Ch. 25) and a new shoreland-wetland zoning chapter (Ch. 56, Ord. 2026-06, March 2026).(source)
Zoning amendments adopted December 18, 2025 (Ord. 2025-18) are not yet in the online Municode code (codified through Ord. 2025-11, June 2025); the Village's district fact sheets (May 2026) reflect the new layout.(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 Windsor, WI