County Building Permits
Pepin County, WI - 2026 Building Permit Guide
How to apply for a building permit in unincorporated Pepin County, Wisconsin. Permit authority, application steps, fees, and inspection requirements.
Permit Authority
County-administered zoning, sanitary, shoreland, floodplain, bluffland, highway setback, sign, addressing, and related land use permits in the unincorporated area. The county page states that five townships have their own local zoning, and that the City of Durand, Village of Pepin, and Village of Stockholm are zoned locally rather than by the county.
- Department
- Pepin County Land Conservation and Planning Department, Zoning staff
- Address
- 740 7th Ave West, Durand, WI 54736
- Phone
- 715-672-8897
- akbauer@co.pepin.wi.us
Online Permit Portal
Platform: AllPaid credit card payment portal for permits • Account required: No • Submission: In-person only
Application Process
Source: Pepin County Land Conservation and Planning Department, Zoning staff
General Requirements
county materials say a permit is needed before starting development activities; development includes excavating, dredging, grading, and related work.
Required Documents
- completed application, checklist, site plan drawn to scale, sanitary permit if applicable, and permit fee. Shoreland/floodplain/bluffland projects need more detailed site plans.
- Permit validity
- land use permits are valid for 1 year, except floodplain permits which are valid for 6 months. No substantial work must commence within that time or the permit becomes void. One extension may be requested before expiration.
- Building code
- county zoning page references state-mandated sanitary, floodplain, and shoreland rules. UDC building work is not administered directly by the county in the same way as land use; the county permit packet says all towns require Uniform Dwelling Code permits issued by Fred Weber.
- Owner-builder
- county materials state Wisconsin property owners cannot install their own septic system.
- Contractor requirements
- sanitary work requires a licensed plumber; septic design and installation are handled by a plumber after soil testing. County resources also list certified soil testers, plumbers, pumpers, surveyors, and floodplain engineers.
Fees
- Minimum permit fee
- land use permit fees vary by permit type; highway setback land use permit is $100 and sign permit is $50
- Plan check fee
- not separately published in a standalone fee table; applications require review of site plan and ordinance compliance
- Permit fee formula
- bluffland, great river road preservation, floodplain, and shoreland primary structures are $200; non-enclosed accessory structures are $100; grading/filling/paving related activities are $100; site inspection before permit is $50; sanitary permits vary by system type
- Reinspection fee
- fees double when work begins before permit issuance or required approvals
Work That Does NOT Require a Permit
Contact the Pepin County Land Conservation and Planning Department, Zoning staff to confirm whether your project requires a permit before starting work.
Inspections
How to Schedule
- call the zoning office at 715-672-8897 for county land use questions; sanitary inspections are arranged through county s (phone)
- Inspection hours
- county office hours are 8:00 am to 4:30 pm
Typical inspection sequence: submit application, county review, obtain permit, complete work, county inspection, and certificate of compliance where required.
sanitary inspections must be done no later than the end of the next workday after 24-hour notice from the plumber in charge.
Additional Resources
- Building code: county zoning page references state-mandated sanitary, floodplain, and shoreland rules. UDC building work is not administered directly by the county in the same way as land use; the county permit packet says all towns require Uniform Dwelling Code permits issued by Fred Weber.
- Zoning information: View zoning info
- County ordinances
- County government hours
- Address application
- 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 Pepin County Land Conservation and Planning Department, Zoning staff before applying.
Frequently Asked Questions
Pepin County Building Permit FAQ
- Do I need a building permit in unincorporated Pepin County, WI?
- county materials say a permit is needed before starting development activities; development includes excavating, dredging, grading, and related work.
- How much does a building permit cost in unincorporated Pepin County, WI?
- The minimum permit fee is land use permit fees vary by permit type; highway setback land use permit is $100 and sign permit is $50. Fees are calculated as: bluffland, great river road preservation, floodplain, and shoreland primary structures are $200; non-enclosed accessory structures are $100; grading/filling/paving related activities are $100; site inspection before permit is $50; sanitary permits vary by system type. Plan check fee: not separately published in a standalone fee table; applications require review of site plan and ordinance compliance.
- How do I schedule a building inspection in unincorporated Pepin County, WI?
- Inspections can be scheduled via: call the zoning office at 715-672-8897 for county land use questions; sanitary inspections are arranged through county s.
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