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

Town of Wausau’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Building work inside the Town of Wausau.

  • The building inspector must find the proposal complies with Chapter 14, other municipal ordinances, state law, and lawful orders.
  • No work may commence before issuance.
  • New-home projects require a $1,000 bond.
  • Permits lapse if visible on-site construction does not begin within six months or is suspended for 60 days; permits are generally valid 24 months.

  new-home bond: 1000 USD (Required by the town board for all new-home construction projects.)

  “In no event shall work commence on any building prior to a building permit being issued.”

• Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

  New one- and two-family dwellings inside the Town of Wausau.

  • The incorporated code includes future amendments, revisions, or modifications.
  • The Town building inspector administers and enforces the Uniform Dwelling Code.

  “Administrative Code provisions describing and defining regulations with respect to new one (1) and two (2) family dwellings in Comm. 20-25 of the Wisconsin Administrative Code are hereby adopted by the Town of Wausau, Marathon County and by reference made a part of this ordinance as if fully set forth herein.”

• InspectionsRequired

  New residences inside the Town of Wausau.

  • Applicant must request inspections at stated construction stages.
  • Construction may not proceed beyond an inspection point until the inspection is completed.
  • Final inspection must find no dwelling-code or ordinance violations before occupancy.

  inspection response: <= 48 hours (Except final inspection.)

  “It shall be the responsibility of the applicant who is building a new residence to request inspections of the Building Inspector at certain stages of progress during construction.”

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

  Buildings and structures inside the Town of Wausau.

  • Final inspection must be completed.
  • A certificate cannot issue with safety or health violations.
  • The building inspector may permit pre-certificate occupancy in hardship cases under §14.113(3).

  “A building or structure cannot be occupied until a final inspection is completed and a certificate of occupancy is issued.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside the Town of Wausau.

  • Uses and structures must comply with the applicable zoning district.

  “This Chapter shall be known as, referred to or cited as the TOWN OF WAUSAU ZONING ORDINANCE.”

• Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

  Residential buildings in the R-1/20 Residential District.

  • Applies to residential buildings erected, moved, or structurally altered.

  minimum living floor area: >= 1000 square feet

  “Buildings used in whole or in part for residential purposes that are hereafter erected, moved, or structurally altered shall have a minimum of one thousand (1,000) square feet of floor area dedicated to living space.”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  R-1/20 Residential District.

  minimum lot area: >= 20000 square feet

  “Lot area. The minimum lot area shall be twenty thousand (20,000) square feet.”

• Lot coverageSpecified

  R-1/20 Residential District.

  maximum building lot coverage: <= 30 percent (Includes accessory buildings.)

  “No building, together with its accessory buildings, shall occupy in excess of thirty percent (30%) of the area of any lot.”

• Building heightSpecified

  R-1/20 Residential District.

  • Except as otherwise provided in Chapter 17.

  maximum building height: <= 35 feet (Except as otherwise provided in Chapter 17.)

  “Height, except as otherwise provided in this chapter no building or structure shall exceed a height of thirty-five (35) feet.”

• Living in an RVProhibited

  Permanent living or sleeping in a recreational vehicle inside the Town of Wausau.

  • The prohibition covers permanent living, sleeping, materials storage, or other purpose.
  • A recreational vehicle may not be permanently connected to water, gas, electric, or sanitary sewer service.

  “At no time shall a recreational vehicle be used for permanent living, sleeping, materials storage or other purpose. No recreational vehicle shall be permanently connected to water, gas, electric, or sanitary sewer service.”

• Camping on your landLimited

  Owner or immediate-family use of tents, motor homes, self-contained campers, or camping trailers in the A-1/80 Agricultural District.

  • Temporary occupancy may not exceed 60 days in a calendar year.
  • Town Board or designee approval is required for use exceeding 30 days.
  • The cited provision was amended March 11, 2024.

  maximum temporary occupancy: <= 60 days per calendar year (Owner or immediate family.) · approval threshold: > 30 days (Town Board or designee approval required.)

  “Tents, motor homes, and self-contained campers or camping trailers may be occupied by the owner or their immediate family on a temporary basis, not to exceed sixty (60) days in a calendar year. Approval by the Town Board or its designee is required if the use is to exceed thirty (30) days. (Amended 3/11/2024)”

• Manufactured homesAllowed (with conditions)

  Manufactured homes qualifying under the Town definition inside the Town of Wausau.

  • The home must be certified and labeled under 42 USC Sections 5401 to 5426.
  • It must be set on a qualifying foundation, installed under manufacturer instructions, and properly connected to utilities.
  • The Town treats it as a single-family residence and, where appropriate, a two-family residence.

  “For purposes of this Chapter, a manufactured home shall be treated the same as a single-family residence and, where appropriate, a two (2)-family residence.”

• Accessory dwellingsProhibited

  Separate dwelling use of an accessory building in the AT-1/40 Agricultural Transition District.

  • This is a district-specific prohibition; other district provisions require separate review.

  “Accessory buildings, including private kennels and private garages and buildings clearly incidental to the residential use of the property, provided, however, that no accessory building may be used as a separate dwelling unit.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Land divisions and plats within the Town of Wausau.

  • Town Board approves or disapproves final plats.
  • The planning commission and zoning administrator administer the chapter.
  • No permit issues for covered subdivision, replat, or condominium-platted land until requirements are met.

  “All land divisions shall be created by use of a certified survey map (CSM) and a town land division application must be completed.”

• Driveway accessRequired

  A proposed driveway intersecting a Town road inside the Town of Wausau.

  • County or state highway intersections are governed by the Wisconsin Department of Transportation or Marathon County Highway Department.
  • Application is through the zoning administrator with appropriate fee and requested attachments.
  • Town Board or designee may approve, deny, or condition the permit.

  “If the proposed driveway will intersect a town road, the applicant shall obtain a Driveway/Highway Access Permit from town board, subject to the requirements in this section.”

• Short-term rentalsLimited

  Bed-and-breakfast establishments and tourist rooming houses in the AT-1/40 Agricultural Transition District.

  • Requires conditional-use approval recommended by the Planning Commission after a public hearing and approved by the Town Board.
  • Subject to Wisconsin Statutes Chapter 254.

  “Bed and breakfast establishment and tourist rooming house subject to Wis. Stats. Chapter 254.”

• Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

  Town building and zoning permits.

  • Building-inspector fees for new homes are established in the inspector contract.
  • Zoning permit fees are established and approved by the Town Board.
  • The Town's ordinance page links a September 25, 2025 fee document.

  “Permit fees are established within the contract of the Building Inspector for erection of new homes. Zoning permit fees are established and approved by the town board.”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Building permits inside the Town of Wausau.

  • Applicant must apply and pay the permit fee before beginning a project requiring a permit.
  • Approval requires compliance with Town ordinances, state law, and lawful orders.

  “No person shall conduct or begin construction for any project requiring a permit for such actions without first applying for a permit and payment of such permit fees established by the town board.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential work inside the Town of Wausau.
• Tiny homes — Tiny-home occupancy inside the Town of Wausau.
• Septic permit — Private sewage systems serving land inside the Town of Wausau.
• Septic inspection — Private sewage systems serving land inside the Town of Wausau.
• Well permit — Private wells inside the Town of Wausau.

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.