Building Permit Fees in Waukesha, WI (2026)

What common projects cost

Kitchen or bath remodel

$25,000 value, remodel 300 sq ft

$280.00

$125.00 building permit + $145.00 plan review + $10.00 assessor fee (residential alteration/addition)

Room addition

$75,000 value, addition 400 sq ft

$319.00

$164.00 building permit + $145.00 plan review + $10.00 assessor fee (residential alteration/addition)

New single-family home

$350,000 value, new single-family 2,400 sq ft

$1,509.00

$984.00 building permit + $315.00 plan review + $150.00 assessor fee (residential new single-family) + $60.00 occupancy permit (residential 1 & 2 family new construction)

How Waukesha calculates your permit fee

The city charges a building permit fee using $0.41 per square foot, with a $125.00 minimum. Plan review is a separate charge: a flat $315.00. Electrical, plumbing and mechanical work gets its own permits.

The fee table

Residential 1 & 2 family: new structure, addition, alteration, attached garage

$0.41 per square foot, with a $125.00 minimum.

Business, institutional and office

$0.39 per square foot, with a $125.00 minimum.

Added to every matching permit

Assessor fee (residential new single-family): a flat $150.00 (Residential · new construction)
Assessor fee (residential alteration/addition): a flat $10.00 (Residential · additions, remodels and alterations)
Occupancy permit (residential 1 & 2 family new construction): a flat $60.00 (Residential · new construction)

What counts as project value

Floor area (square feet). Building permit fees are per square foot ('$0.41/sf.' for residential 1 & 2 family). '$14 per $1,000 Valuation' only for buildings/structures 'where square feet or cubic contents cannot be calculated'; how that valuation is determined is not stated.

Worked example: a $350,000 new home

Building permit fee: 2,400 sq ft × $0.41 = $984.00
Plan review fee: flat = $315.00
Assessor fee (residential new single-family): flat fee = $150.00
Occupancy permit (residential 1 & 2 family new construction): flat fee = $60.00
Total before trade permits: $1,509.00.

Fees people miss

May also apply (not in the totals above)

Wisconsin Uniform Building Permit Seal: when a Wisconsin Uniform Building Permit seal is issued for the permit; $35.00 on the standard projects.

Fee	Amount
Reinspection feeWhen: failed or extra inspection	$120.00 each
Work started without permitWhen: work started before permit issued	2 times permit fee total
Expired permit renewalWhen: renewal of expired permit	50% of expiring permit fee total
Erosion Control, Grading and Driveway Permit (residential 1 & 2 family)When: separate erosion control/grading/driveway permit	$175.00 each
Expedited priority plan reviewWhen: applicant requests priority review	200% of the plan review fees
Minor plan revisionWhen: minor revision to reviewed/approved plans	$75.00 each
Impact fees, new single-family residence (parks $3,301, library $109, police $484, wastewater $1,593 per REC)When: new dwelling units	per residence

Trade permits are separate. Electrical: Residential new/additions/alterations: $100 base fee plus $0.16/sqft; rewires/repairs residential $75 base plus $30 each. Minimum permit fee $125. Plumbing: Residential new/addition/alteration: $125 base fee plus 0.25/sqft; replacement/repairs residential $75 base plus $30 each. Minimum permit fee $125. Mechanical: HVAC residential 1 & 2 family: A/C, split units, furnace, boiler $60 per unit; distribution system $0.03/s.f. Minimum permit fee $125.

How to apply

Gather your plans and your project's total value and floor area.
Submit to Community Development, Building Inspection Division.
Pay the permit and plan review fees when invoiced.

Source record

Effective: not stated
Verified: 2026-11-05
Issuer: Community Development, Building Inspection Division
Valuation: Floor area (square feet)
Confidence: medium

2025 Development Fees (Revised November, 2025)

What this page does not cover (5)

No precise effective date: schedule is labelled '2025 – Revised November, 2025'; no 2026 schedule was checked beyond the registry link
Wisconsin Uniform Building Permit Seal ($35) is listed without saying which permits pay it; likely new 1-2 family dwellings. Stored as conditional
Commercial plan review is by E-Plan Exam's area table (fees 'subject to change'); not modelled
Trade permits are separate permits and are not in the calculator total; summarised only
Separate residential Erosion Control/Grading/Driveway permit ($175) and impact fees for new dwellings are not in the total

Separate electrical, plumbing, mechanical, fire, impact, utility and school fees are usually not included unless they are listed. BuildingPermitCost is not a government permit office, and this is not legal advice.

Report an error · How we verify fees

How Waukesha compares

A $25,000 remodel costs $280.00 in Waukesha: 26% below the national median of $380.00.

A $75,000 addition costs $319.00 in Waukesha: 61% below the national median of $820.58.

A $350,000 new home costs $1,509.00 in Waukesha: 48% below the national median of $2,918.63.

Same standard projects everywhere, including plan review and required surcharges. All Wisconsin places · Compare side by side

Waukesha permit fee FAQ

How much is a building permit in Waukesha, WI?

A $25,000 remodel: $280.00. A $75,000 addition: $319.00. A $350,000 new single-family: $1,509.00. These include every fee the schedule applies to that project; trade permits are separate.

Is plan review included in the Waukesha permit fee?

No. Plan review is charged separately at a flat $315.00.

How does Waukesha determine project value?

Floor area (square feet). Building permit fees are per square foot ('$0.41/sf.' for residential 1 & 2 family). '$14 per $1,000 Valuation' only for buildings/structures 'where square feet or cubic contents cannot be calculated'; how that valuation is determined is not stated.

Are electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits included?

No. They are separate permits. Electrical: Residential new/additions/alterations: $100 base fee plus $0.16/sqft; rewires/repairs residential $75 base plus $30 each. Minimum permit fee $125. Plumbing: Residential new/addition/alteration: $125 base fee plus 0.25/sqft; replacement/repairs residential $75 base plus $30 each. Minimum permit fee $125. Mechanical: HVAC residential 1 & 2 family: A/C, split units, furnace, boiler $60 per unit; distribution system $0.03/s.f. Minimum permit fee $125.

When did these Waukesha fees take effect?

The schedule does not state an effective date. We last checked it against the official source on Nov 5, 2026.