Administrative overview · FIPS 55043
Grant 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
Grant County Conservation, Sanitation and Zoning Department
For a project in or near Grant 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
608-723-6080
Call before mobilizing if the project has a boundary, occupancy, fire, septic, or utility question.
Permit counter
150 W. Alona Lane, Suite 1, Lancaster, WI 53813
Operating hours
Monday-Thursday, 7:00 AM-4:30 PM; Friday, 7:00 AM-3:30 PM
Review expectation
Ask the agency for its current review estimate
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 Grant County
Who handles permitting for this jurisdiction?
Grant County Conservation, Sanitation and Zoning 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?
No verified online portal was located in the reviewed public materials. Contact 608-723-6080 and request the current application route before preparing a final submittal.
How long might review take?
A typical review timeline was not verified. Ask the agency for its current completeness and review estimate.
How are inspections scheduled?
Stake or flag the proposed footprint before construction so county staff can verify setbacks. The applicant must contact Grant County Conservation, Sanitation and Zoning at 608-723-6080 for each inspection directed by the zoning administrator or technician. For a dwelling, ask the department for the applicable local UDC building inspector; that inspector requires the county sanitary and zoning permit numbers.
Which codes and exemptions should I review?
Grant County Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance Chapter 3, Shoreland Zoning Ordinance Chapter 316, Floodplain Zoning Ordinance Chapter 290, Private Onsite Waste Treatment Systems Ordinance Chapter 225, Subdivision of Land Ordinance Chapter 305, and related county ordinances. A separate Wisconsin Uniform Dwelling Code permit under SPS 320-325 is required from the appropriate local building inspector for a new building with living quarters; county staff provide that inspector's contact information. Under the county comprehensive zoning ordinance, no zoning permit is required for maintenance repairs regardless of cost, or for improvements or alterations to an existing structure costing $500 or less when they do not change the use or encroach on a required yard or open space. Separate shoreland, floodplain, sanitary, town, and UDC requirements may still apply.