Administrative overview · FIPS 55029
Door 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
Door County Land Use Services Department
For a project in or near Door 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
920-746-2323
Call before mobilizing if the project has a boundary, occupancy, fire, septic, or utility question.
Permit counter
Door County Government Center, Land Use Services, 421 Nebraska Street, Sturgeon Bay, WI 54235
Operating hours
Monday-Thursday, 7:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m.; Friday, 7:00 a.m.-11:00 a.m.; closed holidays.
Review expectation
Regular zoning-permit timeline: N/A. For shoreland applications, the county determines completeness within 21 calendar days and makes a final decision within 48 calendar days after notice that the application is complete, unless material project changes restart the period.
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 Door County
Who handles permitting for this jurisdiction?
Door County Land Use Services Department 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?
Begin with the online permit gateway listed in the application guide. If the portal does not recognize the address or project type, contact 920-746-2323.
How long might review take?
Regular zoning-permit timeline: N/A. For shoreland applications, the county determines completeness within 21 calendar days and makes a final decision within 48 calendar days after notice that the application is complete, unless material project changes restart the period.
How are inspections scheduled?
Request an onsite zoning inspection through the Door County CitySquared portal or call Planning & Zoning at 920-746-2323. Stake the proposed structure and its closest lot lines before review; the Zoning Administrator may require a surveyor's staking plan and as-built site plan. County staff regularly inspect permitted work and issue a certificate of compliance; contact the town building inspector separately for building-code inspections.
Which codes and exemptions should I review?
The Door County Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance applies in all areas of nine towns enrolled in county zoning; its enforcement chapter was amended effective April 7, 2026. The Shoreland and Floodplain Zoning Ordinances and Land Division Ordinance apply in all 14 towns, and the Height Limitation Zoning Ordinance applies around Cherryland Airport. Land Use Services also administers the county POWTS/Sanitary Ordinance derived from Wisconsin administrative code. Town building inspectors administer structural building permits and applicable Wisconsin Uniform Dwelling Code requirements. Under the comprehensive ordinance, a regular zoning permit is not required for a structure less than six inches above preconstruction grade, a stoop of 25 square feet or less, or a stairway that projects less than six feet from a building and is no more than five feet wide. Signs follow separate sign-permit rules, and exemptions do not eliminate shoreland, floodplain, sanitary, town-building, or other approvals.