Bolthole Index

Juneau County, Wisconsin

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

New one- and two-family homes in the Town of Finley, in Juneau County, require a Wisconsin Uniform Dwelling Code building permit, and Finley is listed as the delegated permitting authority.1 Juneau County handles qualifying septic plan review, while county land-use controls apply in mapped floodplain and shoreland areas.23 We could not confirm a general Finley zoning ordinance, so ask the town about the parcel before relying on a proposed use.

At a glance

Building permit
Required for new one- and two-family dwellings; Finley is the delegated UDC authority1
Building inspections
Required through the inspector named on the UDC permit4
General zoning
A Finley-wide ordinance or map could not be confirmed; county shoreland and floodplain controls still apply where mapped3
Septic
Juneau County reviews delegated system types and requires sanitary permits for covered work25
Floodplain development
A county land-use permit is required before covered work in mapped floodplain areas6
Owner-builder
Available to an owner who occupies or will occupy the home, but required permits remain7
Private well
State notification is required before most new private-well construction8

Who to call

Zoning

Juneau County Sanitation & Zoning Department

Land-use, shoreland and floodplain zoning, sanitary permits and plan review for Juneau County

608-847-9391

[email protected]

650 Prairie Street Mauston, WI 53948

Septic permits

Juneau County Sanitation & Zoning Department

Sanitary permits and private onsite wastewater plan review in Juneau County

608-847-9391

[email protected]

650 Prairie Street Mauston, WI 53948

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 10, 2026.

Off-grid gear

Going off-grid in Town of Finley 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 Finley, Wisconsin?

Yes. A UDC building permit is required before construction of a new one- or two-family dwelling in the Town of Finley, including a stick-built, modular, or manufactured-home installation.9 Wisconsin DSPS lists Finley as a delegated municipality, so the local delegated process applies rather than treating Juneau County as the UDC issuer.10 The application must include the permit form, contractor license information, legible building plans, required project data, and the permit fee.10 Permit requirements for additions or alterations can vary, so ask the town’s UDC inspector about work that is not a new dwelling.11

Who issues building permits in the Town of Finley?

The Town of Finley is the delegated UDC authority for new one- and two-family dwellings, but we could not confirm a current Finley application page or inspector contact.1 Start with the town and request the current UDC application, fee schedule, and inspector contact before submitting plans. The permit’s named inspector handles the required footing, foundation and reinforcement, rough-work, insulation, and final inspections.4 Juneau County Sanitation & Zoning remains the contact for sanitary permits and county-administered shoreland or floodplain land-use questions; it is not presented here as Finley’s UDC building department.12

Does the Town of Finley have zoning?

We could not confirm a general Town of Finley zoning ordinance, zoning map, or town-wide dimensional schedule, so ask the town whether a parcel has local zoning before assuming an RV, tiny home, accessory dwelling, or agricultural building is allowed. Juneau County does administer specialized shoreland, wetland, and floodplain controls, but that does not establish general county zoning for every Finley parcel.3 A county land-use permit is required before covered development, repair, modification, addition, or change of use begins in a regulated floodplain.6 County shoreland jurisdiction also requires a permit before construction in the covered area.13 Where a Finley lot falls inside Juneau County's shoreland-wetland zoning area, the county sets dimensions: a main building on a lot without public sewer needs at least 20,000 square feet and 100 feet of frontage at the water's edge, and with public sewer at least 10,000 square feet and 65 feet1415. Those lot sizes apply only in the shoreland-wetland area, not to every parcel in Finley14. Fees for floodplain permits are set by the county Zoning Committee and listed at the county Zoning & Sanitation Department office16.

How do septic permits work inside the Town of Finley?

Juneau County reviews qualifying at-grade and mound POWTS plans serving up to 1,000 gallons per day; plans outside that delegation, including individual site designs, go to Wisconsin DSPS, which may also review plans that would otherwise go to the county.217 A county sanitary permit is required for a new or replacement home, a qualifying connection to an existing septic system, and certain additions, with the plumber applying after the necessary approvals.5 The county requires notice to its Zoning Department on the working day before a septic inspection, excluding weekends and holidays.18 Only 0.5% of Juneau County soils are rated without severe limits for a conventional drain field, so make the site evaluation an early feasibility step.19

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

We could not confirm a Town of Finley rule allowing or prohibiting long-term RV occupancy, temporary camping, or tiny-home occupancy on private land. Ask the town about the intended parcel and use before buying or moving a unit onto the land. A tiny home used as a new one- or two-family dwelling still falls within the confirmed UDC permit framework when it is stick-built, modular, or a manufactured-home installation.20 County floodplain rules separately regulate campground RVs in mapped floodplain districts, but those campground provisions do not answer whether someone may live in an RV on an ordinary private parcel.21 The same county rules say camping equipment in a regulated campground may not be permanently attached or used as a habitable structure.22

Building a home in the Town of Finley: steps in order

  1. Ask the Town of Finley to identify the current UDC inspector and confirm any parcel-specific town zoning, setbacks, driveway approval, and local fee schedule.
  1. Contact Juneau County Sanitation & Zoning before design if the parcel uses private septic or lies near water or a mapped floodplain.12
  1. Have the plumber obtain the sanitary permit before the building permit is issued for a dwelling using private septic.23
  1. Submit the UDC application, plans, contractor credentials, required data, and fee through Finley’s delegated process.10
  1. Call the inspector named on the permit as each required stage becomes ready.4
  1. Obtain a DNR notification number before constructing most new private wells and submit the well report after construction.8

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

Confirm local zoning, allowed occupancy, minimum dwelling size, lot size, setbacks, road access, and the UDC contact directly with the Town of Finley because we could not confirm a published town ordinance or application page. Ask Juneau County Sanitation & Zoning whether county shoreland or floodplain rules cover the parcel and whether the proposed septic design falls within county review.12 A new connection to a Wisconsin state trunk highway requires a WisDOT connection permit; a county or town road may have a different permitting authority.24 Juneau County’s soil rating makes septic feasibility especially important before closing.19

Watch-outs

  • A Finley building permit does not replace the county sanitary permit required for a home using private septic.23
  • Mapped floodplain development requires a county land-use permit before covered work begins.6
  • The owner-builder allowance applies to an owner who occupies or will occupy the home, but it does not waive the building permit.7

Sources

  1. UDC (Uniform Dwelling Code / One- and Two-Family Dwellings) (Town of Finley), quoted and re-checked
  2. Delegated Agents for Private On-Site Wastewater Treatment System (POWTS) Plan Review (Town of Finley), quoted and re-checked
  3. Sanitation & Zoning, quoted and re-checked
  4. UDC (Uniform Dwelling Code / One- and Two-Family Dwellings) (Town of Finley), quoted and re-checked
  5. Rural Building Beginning Procedures for Sanitary and Building Permits (Town of Finley), quoted and re-checked
  6. Juneau County Floodplain Zoning Ordinance (Town of Finley), quoted and re-checked
  7. Permit Requestor FAQs, quoted and re-checked
  8. Well and heat exchange notification (Town of Finley), quoted and re-checked
  9. UDC (Uniform Dwelling Code / One- and Two-Family Dwellings) (Town of Finley), quoted and re-checked
  10. UDC permit and plan review (Town of Finley), quoted and re-checked
  11. Wisconsin’s Uniform Dwelling Code (Wisconsin statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  12. Juneau County Sanitation & Zoning Department (co.juneau.wi.gov)
  13. General Shoreland Zoning Provisions, quoted and re-checked
  14. Juneau County Code, Appendix A, Sec. 3.1 — Lots not served by public sanitary sewer, quoted and re-checked
  15. Juneau County Code, Appendix A, Sec. 3.2 — Lots served by public sanitary sewer, quoted and re-checked
  16. Juneau County Floodplain Zoning Ordinance, quoted and re-checked
  17. Juneau County POWTS Plan Review Delegation Letter, quoted and re-checked
  18. Chapter 15 — Private Onsite Wastewater Treatment Systems Ordinance (Town of Finley), quoted and re-checked
  19. 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
  20. UDC (Uniform Dwelling Code / One- and Two-Family Dwellings) (Town of Finley), quoted and re-checked
  21. Juneau County Floodplain Zoning Ordinance, quoted and re-checked
  22. Juneau County Floodplain Zoning Ordinance, quoted and re-checked
  23. Requirement for Plan Review Prior to Issuing Local Permits, quoted and re-checked
  24. Frequently asked questions – State highway connection permits (Wisconsin statewide rule), quoted and re-checked

Written October 10, 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 Finley

Town of Finley’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    New one- and two-family dwelling units inside Finley town.

    • The UDC permit requirement includes stick-built, modular, and manufactured home installations.
    • Finley town is listed as delegated for UDC authority.
    “A permit under the UDC is required for new one- and two-family dwelling units. This includes stick-built, modular, and manufactured home installations.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • Required — New one- and two-family dwelling units, including stick-built, modular, and manufactured-home installations, inside Finley town.
      “A permit under the UDC is required for new one- and two-family dwelling units. This includes stick-built, modular, and manufactured home installations.”
  • InspectionsRequired

    New one- and two-family dwellings inside Finley town.

    • Required UDC inspections are footings, foundation and foundation reinforcement, rough construction, insulation, and final inspection.
    • The applicant must notify the inspector identified on the UDC permit.
    • Finley town is listed as delegated for UDC authority.
    “The following inspections are required on new one- and two-family dwellings. When ready for inspection, notify the inspector identified on your UDC permit.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
  • Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

    POWTS plan review inside Finley town is handled by Juneau County for delegated system types.

    • Juneau County delegation covers at-grade systems up to 1,000 gallons per day.
    • Juneau County delegation covers mound systems up to 1,000 gallons per day.
    • Plans outside the delegation or using individual site designs must be submitted to DSPS.
    • The DSPS page states that plan reviews may be submitted to either the delegated agency or DSPS.

    maximum design wastewater flow: <= 1000 gallons per day (at-grade and mound systems)

    “County of Juneau (29999) | PDF Letter | At-grade systems ≤ 1,000 gpd Mound systems ≤ 1,000 gpd”
  • Permit processPartial

    New one- and two-family dwelling permitting inside Finley town.

    • The UDC permit process requires an application, plans, required data, and a permit application fee.
    • Finley is listed as a delegated municipality, but no Finley-specific application instructions were located.
    “Regardless of which agency has authority, your application must include:”

Rules another office applies inside Town of Finley

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

  • Building code adoptedAdopted

    The Wisconsin Uniform Dwelling Code applies to new one- and two-family dwelling units, including manufactured home installations, inside Finley town.

    • Finley town is listed by Wisconsin DSPS as a delegated municipality for UDC permitting and inspection.
    • The source addresses one- and two-family dwellings; other building types may be governed by separate commercial-building rules.
    “The program governing one- and two-family dwelling units (including manufactured homes) is also called the UDC program, referring to the Uniform Dwelling Code. Enforces construction standards and inspection procedures including evaluation of building materials.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • Adopted (with conditions) — New one- and two-family dwellings, including manufactured homes, inside Finley town.
      “The program governing one- and two-family dwelling units (including manufactured homes) is also called the UDC program, referring to the Uniform Dwelling Code.”
  • Septic permitRequired

    New homes, replacement homes, and qualifying connections to existing septic systems inside Finley town.

    • The county procedure states a sanitary permit is required when building a new home, replacing a home, connecting a home to an existing septic system, or making an addition that equals or exceeds 25% of existing area or another qualified addition.
    • The county procedure states the plumber applies to the County for the sanitary permit and the permit is issued after County and State approvals.
    “Sanitary Permit Required When: ▪ Building a new home ▪ Replacing a home (i.e. removing existing home off site and replacing with a new home or replacing a home that has been destroyed.) ▪ Connecting a home to an existing septic system ▪ The addition of bedrooms or addition that equals or exceeds 25% of the existing area or other qualified addition.”
  • Septic inspectionRequired

    POWTS construction and installation inside Finley town.

    • Inspection is required in accordance with the plan review conditional approval letter.
    • Contact the agency that issued the POWTS permit.
    “Inspection of POWTS construction and installation is required in accordance with the plan review conditional approval letter. Contact the agency that issued your POWTS permit.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • Required — POWTS installed, modified, or reconnected inside Finley town.
      “Notice for inspection shall be given to the Zoning Department for all POWTS installed, modified, or reconnected, the working day prior to the inspection, excluding Saturdays, Sundays and holidays.”
  • Well permitLimited

    Construction of new private wells inside Finley town, Wisconsin, under Wisconsin's statewide well-notification requirements.

    • Advance notice to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources is required before construction of a new private well that is not a high capacity well.
    • The notification requirement does not apply to high capacity wells, reconstruction of existing wells, or wells on Native American property.
    • A Well Construction Notification Number must be obtained before constructing both drilled wells and driven point wells.
    • For high capacity wells or other wells requiring written DNR approval, the notification requirements in that approval apply.
    • The well must be constructed by a licensed water well driller or a registered rig operator working under the supervision of a licensed water well driller, except that a property owner may drive or drill a well on the owner's own property.
    • The Well Construction Notification fee is $50.50; the fee and notification number are not refundable or transferable.
    • A Well Construction Report must be completed and submitted to DNR within 30 days of well or drillhole construction.

    Well Construction Notification fee: 50.5 USD (Heat Exchange Notification has no fee.) · Well Construction Report deadline: 30 days after construction

    “Obtain a Well Construction Notification Number prior to constructing a well. This applies to both drilled wells and driven point wells.”
  • Building in a floodplainRequired

    Development, repair, modification, additions, and changes of use in regulated floodplain areas inside Finley town.

    • The Juneau County ordinance applies to all cities, villages, towns, and counties unless specifically exempted by law.
    • A land-use permit is required before development, repair, modification, addition, or change in use, including sewer and water facilities, may begin.
    • The ordinance was approved and became effective March 21, 2023.
    • Additional floodway, floodfringe, general-floodplain, and other district standards may apply.
    “A land use permit shall be obtained before any development; repair, modification or addition to an existing structure; or change in the use of a building or structure, including sewer and water facilities, may be initiated.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • Required — Development inside Finley town that lies in a Juneau County mapped regional-flood or base-flood area.
      “County Building Permit Required If: ▪ Within 1,000 feet of a lake, pond, or flowage ▪ Within 300 feet of a river or stream ▪ Within a Floodplain – County & FEMA Floodplain Regulations must be complied with”

Still unanswered

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

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption potentially applicable to construction inside Finley town.
  • Certificate of occupancy — Certificates of occupancy for buildings inside Finley town.
  • Local zoning — Land inside Finley town, Wisconsin.
  • Zoning districts — Zoning districts and zoning map for land inside Finley town.
  • Minimum dwelling size — Residential dwellings inside Finley town.
16 more unanswered
  • Minimum lot size
  • Setbacks
  • Lot coverage
  • Building height
  • Living in an RV
  • Camping on your land
  • Tiny homes
  • Manufactured homes
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Mandatory utility hookup
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Subdividing land
  • Driveway access
  • Short-term rentals
  • Permit fees

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 Finley publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Juneau County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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