County Building Permits
Burnett County, WI - 2026 Building Permit Guide
How to apply for a building permit in unincorporated Burnett County, Wisconsin. Permit authority, application steps, fees, and inspection requirements.
Permit Authority
Unincorporated Burnett County, including county land use, sanitary, shoreland, floodplain, wetland, subdivision, setback, and related permits
- Department
- Burnett County Land Services, Zoning Division
- Address
- Burnett County Government Center, 7410 County Road K, Suite 120, Siren, WI 54872
- Phone
- 715-349-2109
Application Process
- Start with the appropriate application form from the county forms page.
- Prepare plot plan, maps, and supporting documents required by the land use application.
- Submit the completed application, maps, plans, and fee to Burnett County Land Services.
- County staff performs an onsite visit to verify site conditions.
- If the application is complete and compliant, Land Services approves and issues the permit.
General Requirements
Burnett County issues land use permits for structures, additions, accessory structures, boathouses, fill/grading, solar panels, signs, towers, camping units, driveways, and related work in unincorporated areas.
Required Documents
- Completed land use application
- Plot plan or survey-style drawing
- Maps and plans
- For commercial/industrial work, construction plans showing interior layout, exterior profiles, and exterior heights
- Permit validity
- Land use permit expires one year from issuance. One extension may be granted if applied for before expiration.
- Building code
- County zoning pages cite state-mandated floodplain, wetland, shoreland, and subdivision regulations. UDC authority for dwellings is through the town's UDC inspection agency, not the county.
- Owner-builder
- Land use application may be submitted by owner. UDC requirements still apply for dwellings and bunkhouses, and the county application directs the owner to contact the town UDC inspector before any dwelling, dwelling addition, manufactured home, manufactured home addition, or bunkhouse work starts.
- Contractor requirements
- The county form asks for contractor and sewer installer information, but no county-wide contractor registration rule was found on the county pages reviewed. For UDC work, separate inspector and code rules apply.
Fees
- Permit fee formula
- Fee is permit-type specific, not a single formula schedule.
- Reinspection fee
- $100 sanitary re-inspection
- Penalty (no permit)
- After-the-fact permits may cost up to three times the normal fee; installation of sanitary system without permit may cost double fee; construction started without permit may cost up to triple fee.
Fees change. Verify current amounts at the official fee schedule.
Work That Does NOT Require a Permit
Contact the Burnett County Land Services, Zoning Division to confirm whether your project requires a permit before starting work.
Inspections
How to Schedule
- County staff site visit during review (site_visit)
- Inspection hours
- Monday through Friday, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm
Typical inspection sequence: County staff performs an onsite visit during permit review. For UDC dwellings, the applicant must contact the town UDC inspector before construction.
Additional Resources
- Building code: County zoning pages cite state-mandated floodplain, wetland, shoreland, and subdivision regulations. UDC authority for dwellings is through the town's UDC inspection agency, not the county.
- Zoning information: View zoning info
- Application forms and information
- Setback reference
- County GIS / maps
- License lookup guide: Wisconsin Contractor License Requirements
- Contract template: Wisconsin Homeowner-Contractor Agreement
- Wisconsin hub: Wisconsin Contractor License & Permit Hub
Information on this page was last verified: March 2026. Permit rules and fees change — confirm current requirements directly with the Burnett County Land Services, Zoning Division before applying.
Frequently Asked Questions
Burnett County Building Permit FAQ
- Do I need a building permit in unincorporated Burnett County, WI?
- Burnett County issues land use permits for structures, additions, accessory structures, boathouses, fill/grading, solar panels, signs, towers, camping units, driveways, and related work in unincorporated areas.
- How much does a building permit cost in unincorporated Burnett County, WI?
- Fees are calculated as: Fee is permit-type specific, not a single formula schedule..
- How do I apply for a building permit in unincorporated Burnett County, WI?
- 1. Start with the appropriate application form from the county forms page. 2. Prepare plot plan, maps, and supporting documents required by the land use application. 3. Submit the completed application, maps, plans, and fee to Burnett County Land Services. 4. County staff performs an onsite visit to verify site conditions. 5. If the application is complete and compliant, Land Services approves and issues the permit.
- How do I schedule a building inspection in unincorporated Burnett County, WI?
- Inspections can be scheduled via: County staff site visit during review.
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