Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Town of Perry, Wisconsin

Town of Perry’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  New buildings, including accessory buildings, and additions or additional stories inside Perry town

  • Town page also states that building permits will not be issued until a site plan has been approved by the town of perry.
  • Town page states that no building permit will be issued until the driveway (if needed) is constructed according to the driveway ordinance.
  • The town page states that before applying to the town, the owner should confirm with the county that building size and location conform to county zoning requirements (Dane County Chapter 10).
  • The town page refers to exemptions under section 1.07 of the building ordinance, but section 1.07 of the 2014 ordinance text is the variance section.

  “The construction of new buildings, including accessory buildings, and all additions or additional stories (except the ones exempted under section 1.07 of the Building Ordinance) require approval from the Town of Perry and Dane County.”

• InspectionsRequired

  Projects needing a building permit from the town building inspector (new buildings including detached structures, additions that increase dimensions, alterations to structure, plumbing, HVAC and electrical work) inside Perry town

  • Projects that need no inspector permit include re-siding, re-roofing, interior finishing, window replacement, cabinetry, and minor repairs or equipment replacement, per the inspector page.
  • The inspector is Todd Parkos, 310 North Kenzie Street, Barneveld, WI 53507, (608) 516-1251.

  “All required building inspections must be performed by the building inspector.”

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  Town of Perry building permit application fees for projects inside the town

  • The instructions list the fees as payable to the Town of Perry with the application.
  • The town building-permits page separately says to submit the application and a $300 fee; the instructions list $550 for dwellings. The two sources differ, so confirm with the clerk before paying.
  • Applications requiring more than one site visit incur an extra $125 per visit; applications needing only one visit may be eligible for up to a 50% refund (per town page).
  • Fees are as stated on the town instructions dated 7/6/2026.

  dwellings, zoning changes, driveways permit fee: 550 USD · accessory buildings, detached garages, inground swimming pools, ground-mounted solar permit fee: 300 USD · additions, decks/porches, attached garages permit fee: 15 USD · additional site visit fee: 125 USD (per site visit when an application requires more than one site visit)

  “Applications that require more than one site visit will incur an additional $125.00 fee per site visit. However, applications requiring only one site visit for approval may be eligible for up to a 50% refund.”

Rules another office applies inside Town of Perry

Town of Perry does not set these itself; the county, a health district or the state does, and they apply to every address inside its limits.

• Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

  Private on-site septic systems serving new homes or plumbed buildings inside Perry town

  • Public Health Madison and Dane County is a county-level health agency; the sanitary permit is issued by it, not by the town.
  • Dane County Chapter 10 zoning is the county zoning ordinance that the town page points to; septic approval is separate from zoning.

  “We issue permits and inspect private septic systems and private wells to protect county surface and groundwater resources from contamination.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Town of Perry or Dane County directly.

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption for a homeowner building their own home in Perry town
• Building code adopted — Which construction code applies to dwellings in Perry town
• Certificate of occupancy — Whether a certificate of occupancy is required before occupying a new home in Perry town
• Local zoning — Whether Perry town itself adopts and administers a zoning ordinance for land inside its limits
• Zoning districts — Zoning district map and district list applying to land in Perry town

Each answer was extracted from an official source and independently re-checked against that source by a second reviewer. That is an evidence check, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with the authority before you buy or build.