Administrative overview · FIPS 55025
Dane County permit authority
The first compliance decision is jurisdictional: identify the office with statutory authority over your parcel, then use its filing and inspection sequence to keep the project moving.
Jurisdictional status
County
This county profile is the primary starting point for unincorporated-area permitting.
Responsible agency
Dane County Department of Planning and Development, Zoning Division
For a project in or near Dane County, this office is the identified point of contact for permit intake, statutory code enforcement, plan review coordination, and inspection release conditions. Confirm the parcel’s boundary and project type before relying on the county lane.
Direct contact
608-266-4266
Call before mobilizing if the project has a boundary, occupancy, fire, septic, or utility question.
Permit counter
Dane County City-County Building, Room 116, 210 Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, Madison, WI 53703
Operating hours
Business hours Monday-Friday, 7:45 a.m.-4:30 p.m.; service counter Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m., except holidays.
Review expectation
Complete zoning-permit applications are generally reviewed and issued in 1-3 days; the county notes that permits may take a few days when all required information is available.
Compliance workbench
Choose the next project decision.
Apply online
Open the verified digital gateway, application form, and review timeline.
Open guide →Fees & penalties
Understand fee schedules, enforcement exposure, and stop-work liabilities.
Open guide →Codes & exemptions
Read the code framework, minor-work exemptions, and inspection lane.
Open guide →Agency website
Visit the primary public source for current notices and contact changes.
Open guide →Source trail
Official sources for this profile
Use these direct agency or licensing links to confirm current instructions before you file, pay, or schedule work. External pages control if their information differs from this directory.
Project questions
Frequently asked questions for Dane County
Who handles permitting for this jurisdiction?
Dane County Department of Planning and Development, Zoning Division is the identified county-level authority for this profile. Confirm that the property is in its service area before filing.
How should I begin an application?
No verified online portal was located in the reviewed public materials. Contact 608-266-4266 and request the current application route before preparing a final submittal.
How long might review take?
Complete zoning-permit applications are generally reviewed and issued in 1-3 days; the county notes that permits may take a few days when all required information is available.
How are inspections scheduled?
Call Dane County Zoning at 608-266-4266. The first zoning inspection is required after foundation or basement walls are built and before construction proceeds, unless an approved location survey is submitted; call again for the second inspection when the building is substantially complete. A certificate of compliance follows a successful final zoning inspection. Town building/UDC inspections are scheduled separately with the local building inspector.
Which codes and exemptions should I review?
Where Dane County zoning jurisdiction applies, the county administers Code Chapter 10 Zoning (updated April 30, 2025), Chapter 11 Shoreland/Shoreland-Wetland/Inland-Wetland, Chapter 14 Erosion Control and Stormwater Management, Chapter 17 Floodplain Zoning (updated February 28, 2025), Chapter 46 Private Sewage Systems, and Chapter 75 Land Division and Subdivision. Cities, villages, and towns that opted out administer their own zoning; towns issue structural building permits and enforce applicable Wisconsin Uniform Dwelling Code requirements. A Chapter 10 county zoning permit is not required for an accessory building of 120 square feet or less on a nonpermanent foundation if it meets all setback, height, and lot-coverage rules. Covered enclosures for domestic fowl require a permit regardless of size. Ordinary cosmetic work that does not erect, enlarge, structurally alter, or change the use of a building is not listed as permit-triggering, but separate town, shoreland, floodplain, erosion-control, sanitary, or other approvals may apply.