Bolthole Index

Juneau County, Wisconsin

Building permits, zoning and septic rules in the Town of Clearfield, Wisconsin

The Town of Clearfield in Juneau County, Wisconsin, issues its own building permits and runs its own zoning, and a building permit is required before a building, dwelling, mobile home or accessory building is placed, built or structurally changed.12 Every building permit application goes to the Town Clerk before it goes to General Engineering Company, the Town's inspection contractor.3 Septic (sanitary) permits do not move to the Town: Juneau County issues them, and the state requires one before any local building permit for a building with a private sewage system.4

At a glance

Building permit
Required before covered construction, placement or structural alteration2
Zoning
Town zoning applies; confirm the parcel's district with the Town Clerk15
Building inspections
Required for permitted building work6
Septic
A county sanitary permit is required for new systems and specified system work47
RV living
Limited by duration, sanitation, registration and seasonal rules8
Owner-builder
An owner-occupant may use the contractor-certification exemption, but permits still apply9
Private well
Advance Wisconsin DNR notice is required for a new non-high-capacity well10

Who to call

Zoning

Town of Clearfield Zoning Administrator

Town zoning questions and the first step for building, zoning, camping and driveway permits

(608) 547-3543

N8856 State Road 80, New Lisbon WI 53950

Septic permits

Juneau County Sanitation

Sanitary permits for private septic systems and non-plumbing sanitation systems in Juneau County

Zoning

Juneau County Shoreland Zoning

Shoreland building permits for mapped county shoreland and floodplain areas

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 9, 2026.

Off-grid gear

Going off-grid in Town of Clearfield means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

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Do you need a building permit in the Town of Clearfield, Wisconsin?

Yes. The Town of Clearfield requires a building permit before erecting or placing a building, structure or dwelling, or before converting, enlarging or structurally altering one.2 The requirement also covers moving a mobile home onto land, building a home or accessory building, and remodeling.11 Building inspections are required, and starting before obtaining the permit doubles the permit and inspection fees.612

Clearfield has adopted Wisconsin building codes, inspections and building permits for residential, commercial and ancillary structures.13 New Wisconsin one- and two-family dwellings are also governed by the statewide Uniform Dwelling Code.14 An owner-occupant may apply without Dwelling Contractor Certification, but that allowance does not waive the building permit or code requirements.9

Who issues building permits in the Town of Clearfield?

For building permits and zoning approval, begin with the Town of Clearfield Zoning Administrator and Town Clerk at N8856 State Road 80, New Lisbon, Wisconsin; the office phone is (608) 547-3543.15 Clearfield directs applicants to contact the Town Clerk at least one month before starting and requires every permit to reach the Town Clerk before it goes to General Engineering Company.3

General Engineering Company performs building inspections and lists (608) 745-4070 on the Town contacts page.15 The Town publishes applications and a new-home permit packet on its Forms & Permits page.16 For a new dwelling, the application process also calls for plans, required project information, contractor license details and the permit fee, followed by the required construction inspections.17 Clearfield has not published ordinary building-permit fee amounts in the reviewed material, so ask the Town Clerk for the current fee schedule before budgeting.18

Does the Town of Clearfield have zoning?

Yes. The Town of Clearfield has its own zoning ordinance and zoning map, available through the Town website or Town Clerk.15 The available material does not establish the district-specific minimum lot size, dwelling size, setbacks, lot coverage or height limits, so obtain the parcel's zoning district and current dimensional schedule from the Town Zoning Administrator before relying on a site plan.19

County rules can overlap the Town's zoning near water and in flood-prone areas, and in a mapped floodplain a county land use permit is required before any development.2021 Juneau County shoreland jurisdiction covers land within 1,000 feet of a lake or flowage, within 300 feet of a navigable river or stream, and all floodplains, with a county permit required before construction starts in those areas.22 County shoreland standards include a general 75-foot water setback, but parcel-specific exceptions and other setbacks require review of the current ordinance.23

How do septic permits work inside the Town of Clearfield?

Inside the Town of Clearfield, septic permits come from Juneau County, not the Town. Juneau County Sanitation requires sanitary permits for new private septic installations, replacement or modification, repair, reconnection, and non-plumbing systems such as outhouses and transfer tanks.24 A licensed plumber must complete the county sanitary-permit application.24 State rules require the sanitary permit before a local building permit is issued for a building that will use a private sewage system.4

A new, reconstructed, repaired, replaced, reconnected or modified private sewage system must be installed, inspected and approved before occupancy when the county ordinance applies.7 Juneau County has delegated plan-review authority for qualifying at-grade and mound systems with design flows up to 1,000 gallons per day; other designs may require Wisconsin DSPS review.25 Juneau County soils rate only 0.5% without severe limits for a conventional drain field, so make the soil evaluation an early contingency rather than assuming a conventional system will work.26 Wisconsin also requires privately owned septic systems to be visually inspected at least once every 3 years.27

Can you live in an RV or tiny home in the Town of Clearfield?

Clearfield limits recreational-vehicle occupancy outside a licensed campground or mobile-home park.8 Ordinary use is capped at 30 calendar days per year; longer use requires the stated approved sanitation, vehicle registration and Town permit conditions.8 No more than 3 units may be stored on a parcel with a permanent dwelling, and units may not remain on vacant property from December 1 through April 1.8

A camping permit must be obtained from the Town Clerk before camping, and the stated seasonal period runs from April 1 through December 1.28 A camper left on the property all year requires at least a 300-gallon holding tank and a state sanitary permit from Juneau County.29 The Town's reviewed materials do not expressly classify tiny homes or confirm where they may be occupied; ask the Zoning Administrator how the proposed structure, foundation, utilities and zoning district will be treated.19

How do you build a home in the Town of Clearfield, step by step?

  1. Ask the Town Zoning Administrator to confirm the parcel's district, dimensional rules and whether county shoreland or floodplain review overlaps the site.520
  2. Contact the Town Clerk at least one month before work and route the building and zoning applications through the Town before sending anything to General Engineering Company.3
  3. If the home will use private sewage, secure the Juneau County sanitary permit before the local building permit and have the licensed plumber complete the sanitary application.424
  4. Obtain the Town building permit before construction and schedule required inspections with the inspector listed through the Town process.615
  5. Obtain a Town permit for a new or altered driveway on a Town road; State and County highways use their respective access processes.30
  6. For a new non-high-capacity private well, provide advance notice to Wisconsin DNR before construction and submit the construction report after completion.10

What should you check before buying land in the Town of Clearfield?

Confirm the Town zoning district and dimensional schedule before treating a parcel as buildable, because the published overview does not establish district-specific lot size, setbacks, coverage or height.19 Check Juneau County shoreland and floodplain jurisdiction separately when the property is near mapped water or flood-prone land.20

Order the septic soil and site work early: only 0.5% of Juneau County soils are rated without severe limits for a conventional drain field.26 For a new non-high-capacity well, Wisconsin DNR requires advance notice and a $50.50 notification fee, with stated exceptions for high-capacity wells, reconstructed wells and wells on Native American property.10 A new or altered driveway on a Town-controlled road needs a Town permit, while State and County highways follow different access authorities.30 Juneau County's effective property-tax rate is 1.5%, and the median annual property-tax bill is $2,517.3132

Watch-outs

  • Starting covered construction before receiving the Town building permit doubles both permit and inspection fees.6
  • A Town driveway permit does not authorize access to a State or County highway.30
  • Clearfield's published material does not confirm a distinct tiny-home occupancy rule, so ask the Town Zoning Administrator how the proposed unit will be classified before purchase or placement.19

Sources

  1. Town of Clearfield (Town of Clearfield), quoted and re-checked
  2. Do I need a permit for building or remodeling in the Town of Clearfield? (Town of Clearfield), quoted and re-checked
  3. Town of Clearfield (Town of Clearfield), quoted and re-checked
  4. Requirement for Plan Review Prior to Issuing Local Permits, quoted and re-checked
  5. Town of Clearfield (Town of Clearfield), quoted and re-checked
  6. Do I need a permit for building or remodeling in the Town of Clearfield? (Town of Clearfield), quoted and re-checked
  7. Juneau County Chapter 15 Private Onsite Wastewater Treatment Systems Ordinance (Town of Clearfield), quoted and re-checked
  8. Ordinance 33-2015: Limitations on Recreational Vehicles and Other Non-Permanent Structures (Town of Clearfield), quoted and re-checked
  9. Instructions for Submitting a UDC Permit Application (Town of Clearfield), quoted and re-checked
  10. Well and heat exchange notification (Town of Clearfield), quoted and re-checked
  11. Do I need a permit for building or remodeling in the Town of Clearfield? (Town of Clearfield), quoted and re-checked
  12. townofclearfieldwi.gov (Town of Clearfield), quoted and re-checked
  13. Ordinances & Resolutions (Town of Clearfield), quoted and re-checked
  14. One- & Two-Family (Uniform Dwelling Code) (Wisconsin statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  15. Town of Clearfield Zoning Administrator (townofclearfieldwi.gov)
  16. Do I need a permit for building or remodeling in the Town of Clearfield? (Town of Clearfield), quoted and re-checked
  17. UDC (Uniform Dwelling Code / One- and Two-Family Dwellings), quoted and re-checked
  18. Town Fee Schedule (Town of Clearfield), quoted and re-checked
  19. townofclearfieldwi.gov (Town of Clearfield), quoted and re-checked
  20. Sanitation & Zoning, quoted and re-checked
  21. Juneau County Floodplain Zoning Ordinance, quoted and re-checked
  22. Juneau County Shoreland Zoning (co.juneau.wi.gov)
  23. General Shoreland Zoning Provisions, quoted and re-checked
  24. Juneau County Sanitation (co.juneau.wi.gov)
  25. Delegated Agents for Private On-Site Wastewater Treatment System (POWTS) Plan Review, quoted and re-checked
  26. Share of soils USDA rates "not limited" for a conventional septic drain field (SSURGO). A strict rating: the median county is about 6% and a tenth of counties are 0%, so a low figure means most lots need a site evaluation or an engineered system, not that septic is impossible. Cite it only with that caveat: Bolthole Index county data
  27. Wisconsin Maintenance Program (Wisconsin statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  28. townofclearfieldwi.gov (Town of Clearfield), quoted and re-checked
  29. Town Letter (Town of Clearfield), quoted and re-checked
  30. Ordinance 34-2017 Regarding Driveways (Town of Clearfield), quoted and re-checked
  31. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  32. Median property tax bill: Bolthole Index county data

Written October 9, 2026 from the rules quoted below, each taken from an official source and re-checked by an independent reviewer. This is research, not legal advice: rules change, so confirm with the office before you buy or build.

Answers from the rulebook for Town of Clearfield

Town of Clearfield’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    Buildings, structures, dwellings, mobile homes, accessory buildings, remodeling, conversions, enlargements, and structural alterations inside Clearfield town.

    • A permit must be obtained before the project starts.
    • The Town Clerk should be contacted at least one month before the project.
    • Permit and inspection fees are doubled if work starts without a permit.
    “No buildings, structures or dwellings may be erected, placed upon land, converted, enlarged or structurally altered without a permit.”
    2 more reviewed findings on this topic
  • Building code adoptedAdopted

    Residential, commercial, and ancillary structures inside the Town of Clearfield.

    • The town ordinance page lists Ordinance 7-2024 as adopting Wisconsin building codes, inspections, and building permits.
    “Ordinance 7-2024 Adoption of Wisconsin Building Codes, Inspections, Building Permits”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • Adopted — Town building-code adoption inside Clearfield town.
      “Ordinance 7-2024 Adoption of Wisconsin Building Codes, Inspections, Building Permits”
  • InspectionsRequired

    Building projects inside Clearfield town limits.

    • Building inspections are required.
    • Inspection fees are doubled if construction starts without first obtaining a permit.
    “Building inspections are required. Note: Permit and inspection fees are doubled if you start your building project without first obtaining a permit.”
    2 more reviewed findings on this topic
  • Local zoningPresent

    Land inside the Town of Clearfield.

    • The town states that its zoning ordinance and zoning map are available on its website or from the Town Clerk.
    “Please be aware that the Town of Clearfield is Zoned and Permits are Required in the Town of Clearfield.”
  • Zoning districtsPublished

    Zoning districts and map for land inside Clearfield town limits.

    • The Town states that its zoning ordinance and zoning map are available on the Town website or from the Town Clerk; district names and dimensional schedules were not verifiable from accessible text.
    “The zoning ordinance and zoning map are available at the Town’s website”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • Published — Zoning districts and zoning map inside Clearfield town.
      “Yes, the Town of Clearfield is zoned, and building permits are required. The zoning ordinance and zoning map are available on the Town’s website for free or by contacting the Town Clerk for a paper copy (there is a charge for a paper copy).”
  • Living in an RVLimited

    Recreational-vehicle occupancy and placement on private or public land inside Clearfield town.

    • Permanent human habitation means use for more than 30 calendar days in a year, unless in a licensed and authorized campground or mobile-home park.
    • No more than three units may be stored on an individual premises containing a permanent dwelling.
    • Units may not be left on vacant property between December 1 and April 1.
    • Units remaining over 30 days require a state-approved septic system or properly maintained state-approved porta-potty, DOT registration, and permits on file with the Town Clerk.
    • Licensed campgrounds and mobile-home parks are excepted subject to applicable regulations.

    permanent habitation threshold: > 30 calendar days per year (Unless located in a licensed and authorized public or commercial campground or mobile home park.) · maximum recreational vehicles per parcel: <= 3 units (Unless located in a licensed and authorized public or commercial campground or mobile home park.)

    “No person may make use of or permit other persons on land under their ownership or control to make use of a recreational vehicle or other form of non-permanent structure, whether on or off wheels, for permanent human habitation purposes.”
    2 more reviewed findings on this topic
  • Camping on your landLimited

    Camping activities and camper placement inside Clearfield town.

    • A camping permit must be obtained from the Town Clerk before camping begins.
    • Camping is permitted between April 1 and December 1 without a holding tank.
    • If a camper remains all year, a minimum 300-gallon holding tank and a state sanitary permit from Juneau County are required.
    • The town letter states there is no charge for the camping permit, but an unpermitted camper may incur a fee and violation fee.

    seasonal camping period: April 1 through December 1 (Year-round placement requires a 300-gallon minimum holding tank and state sanitary permit.) · holding tank minimum: >= 300 gallons (Required when the camper remains on the property all year.)

    “According to Ordinance 22 Camping, a camping permit must be obtained from the Town Clerk before camping activities begin. There is no charge for this camping permit.”
    2 more reviewed findings on this topic
    • Limited — Camping activities inside Clearfield town.
      “According to Ordinance 22 Camping, a camping permit must be obtained from the Town Clerk before camping activities begin. There is no charge for this camping permit. Camping is permitted between April 1 and December 1 of a calendar year.”
    • Limited — Camping activities and camper placement inside Clearfield town limits.
      “Camping is permitted between April 1 and December 1 of a calendar year with no holding tank needed.”
  • Septic inspectionRequired

    New, reconstructed, repaired, replaced, reconnected, or modified private sewage systems inside Clearfield town.

    • A private sewage or non-plumbing sanitation system for a newly constructed structure or structure requiring a reconnection permit must be installed, inspected, and approved before occupancy.
    • The permit card may not be removed until the system has been installed, inspected, and approved by the County.
    “The private sewage system or non-plumbing sanitation system for newly constructed structures or structures requiring a Reconnection Permit shall be installed, inspected, and approved before the structure may be occupied.”
  • Off-grid sanitationLimited

    Recreational vehicles and other non-permanent structures used for human habitation inside Clearfield town.

    • A state sanitary permit is required for septic systems, holding tanks, certain above-ground septic tanks, and privies.
    • Sewage may not be deposited on the ground or into surface waters.
    • A camper on a parcel served by a well must also have a state-permitted septic system or holding tank.
    “No sewage shall be permitted to be deposited upon the ground or into lakes, rivers, ponds, streams, or wetlands.”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Land divisions and subdivisions inside Clearfield town.

    • The Town comprehensive plan describes the Town land-division ordinance as regulating subdivision and requiring roads serving newly created parcels.
    “Land Division and Building Ordinance #7 governs land divisions in the Town of Clearfield. It identifies and regulates the process to subdivide property in the community consistent with state statutes including requirements for roads to serve newly created parcels.”
  • Driveway accessRequired

    All new driveways and alterations to existing driveways inside Clearfield town limits.

    • The driveway permit application is obtained through the Town Clerk.
    • The Town's ordinance is intended to regulate safe access to property abutting Town roads.
    “have a fire number and a driveway permit”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • Required — New, reconstructed, altered, or enlarged private driveways within the dedicated portion of public roads under Town control inside Clearfield town.
      “No person shall construct, reconstruct, alter, or enlarge any private driveway within the hmits of the dedicated portion of any public road under the control and jurisdiction of the Town without first obtaining a permit as provided by this Subchapter. This permit procedure does notapply to State and County Highways.”
  • Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

    Town building and inspection permits inside Clearfield town.

    • Building and inspection fees are doubled if work begins before the required permit is obtained.
    • The town page does not publish the ordinary fee amounts in the cited passage.

    late-start surcharge: double the permit and inspection fees

    “Building inspections are required. Note: Permit and inspection fees are doubled if you start your building project without first obtaining a permit.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • Published — Town permit fees inside Clearfield town.
      “Town of Clearfield Resolution 16-2010 Town Fee Schedule”
  • Permit processPartial

    Building-permit process inside Clearfield town limits.

    • Applicants should contact the Town Clerk at least one month before starting.
    • The Town provides building-permit forms and a new-home permit packet on its Forms & Permits page.
    • Starting work without a permit doubles permit and inspection fees.
    “at least one month before you plan to start your building project.”
    2 more reviewed findings on this topic
    • Published (with conditions) — Building and zoning permit process inside Clearfield town.
      “All permits MUST come to the Town Clerk before going to GEC. If a permit is sent to GEC and not the Town of Clearfield a Violation may be given. Please Contact the Town of Clearfield Clerk before starting a project.”
    • Published (with conditions) — Building and zoning permit process inside Clearfield town.
      “All permits MUST come to the Town Clerk before going to GEC. If a permit is sent to GEC and not the Town of Clearfield a Violation may be given. Please Contact the Town of Clearfield Clerk before starting a project.”

Rules another office applies inside Town of Clearfield

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

  • Owner-builder exemptionAvailable (with conditions)

    Owner-occupant applying for a Wisconsin UDC erosion-control or construction permit for a dwelling inside Clearfield town.

    • The applicant must vouch that they are or will be the owner-occupant.
    • The exemption is from Dwelling Contractor Certification, not from the building permit or UDC requirements.
    “You will leave those areas blank. At Step 5, you will check the box above your electronic signature which states “I vouch that I am or will be an owner-occupant of this dwelling for which I am applying for an erosion control or construction permit without a Dwelling Contractor Certification and have read the cautionary statement regarding contractor responsibility on the reverse side of the last ply of this form.””
  • Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

    Juneau County administers the identified sanitary-permit requirement inside Clearfield town for campers left on property year-round.

    • The town page specifically addresses campers left on the property all year; it does not establish that Juneau County is the exclusive authority for every septic matter.

    holding tank capacity: >= 300 gallons · sanitary permit issuer: Juneau County

    “If you leave the camper on the property, all year you must have a 300-gallon minimum-sized holding tank and a state sanitary permit from Juneau County.”
  • Septic permitLimited

    A camper left on property year-round inside Clearfield town requires a state sanitary permit from Juneau County.

    • The requirement applies when the camper remains on the property all year.
    • A 300-gallon minimum-sized holding tank is also required.
    • The source does not establish the permit rule for every residential private sewage system.

    holding tank capacity: >= 300 gallons

    “you must have [...] a state sanitary permit from Juneau County.”
  • Well permitLimited

    New private wells serving parcels inside Clearfield town.

    • Advance DNR notice and a Well Construction Notification Number are required before construction of a new private well that is not a high-capacity well.
    • Exceptions include high-capacity wells, reconstruction of existing wells, and wells on Native American property.
    • High-capacity wells and other wells requiring written DNR approval follow the approval requirements.

    well construction notification fee: 50.5 USD (Heat exchange notifications have no fee.)

    “Wisconsin law requires that a property owner provide advance notice to DNR before construction of any new private well that is not a high capacity well, and advance notice of any heat exchange drillhole construction (geothermal system) that does not require a written DNR approval.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • Limited — New private wells serving property inside Clearfield town.
      “Wisconsin law requires that a property owner provide advance notice to DNR before construction of any new private well that is not a high capacity well”

Still unanswered

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

  • Certificate of occupancy — Occupancy of buildings inside Clearfield town.
  • Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size in Clearfield town zoning districts.
  • Minimum lot size — Minimum lot size in Clearfield town zoning districts.
  • Setbacks — Setbacks in Clearfield town zoning districts.
  • Lot coverage — Lots inside Clearfield town.
8 more unanswered
  • Building height
  • Tiny homes
  • Manufactured homes
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Mandatory utility hookup
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Building in a floodplain
  • Short-term rentals

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.

Unanswered questions are usually a sign that Town of Clearfield publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Juneau County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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