Zoning, building permits and septic rules in New London, Wisconsin

New London’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Erecting, enlarging, altering, moving or demolishing buildings inside New London city

  • Permit obtained from the building inspector by owner or authorized agent
  • 'except as herein provided' exceptions exist in chapter 14

  “no new building or structure, or any part thereof, shall hereafter be erected, or ground broken for the same, or enlarged, altered, moved, demolished or used within the city, except as herein provided, until a permit therefor shall first have been obtained by the owner, or his authorized agent, from the building inspector.”

• Building code adoptedAdopted

  Buildings inside New London city

  • Adopts Wis. Adm. Code chs. 20-25 and 50-64 (Uniform Dwelling Code etc.) and state electrical, plumbing, flammable liquids and well drilling codes by reference

  “wis. adm. code ind. chs. 20 through 25 and chs. 50 through 64, the state electrical code, the state plumbing code, the state flammable liquids code and the state well drilling code are hereby adopted by reference”

• Local zoningPresent

  Land inside New London city limits

  • Ordinance 17-620 shows 'adopted: february 18, 2026'; effective on passage and publication per section 17-620.01.09

  “this chapter is applicable to all territory located within the corporate limits of the city of new london.”

• Zoning districtsPublished

  Zoning districts inside New London city

  • Residential districts in bulk table: SR single-family, MRL, MRM, MRH mixed residential, MH mobile home residential

  “new london is divided into zoning districts that have regulations governing the use of property, location of buildings, size of buildings”

• Minimum lot sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Residential districts SR, MRL, MRM, MRH, MH inside New London city

  • Bulk table text was garbled in extraction; per-district figures not reliably readable

  “maximum impervious surface percentage of lot minimum lot area (1) minimum lot width (at front setback line) (1) minimum lot frontage (at right-of-way)”

• SetbacksDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Principal and accessory buildings by zoning district inside New London city

  • Yard setback adjustments and projections in secs. 17-620.04.30 and .40

  “principal building setbacks minimum front and street side corner setback minimum porch setback - front and street side setback minimum side yard setback - interior (1) minimum rear yard setback (2)”

• Lot coverageDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Maximum impervious surface percentage by district inside New London city

  • Bulk table shows maximum impervious surface percentages (e.g., 70%, 75%) but column assignment unreliable

  “density and intensity limits maximum impervious surface percentage of lot”

• Building heightDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Maximum building height by district inside New London city

  • Exceptions to maximum height in sec. 17-620.04.20

  “minimum rear yard setback (2) maximum building height minimum water setback”

• Off-grid sanitationProhibited

  Outhouses, privies and vaults inside New London city

  • Owners of lots with privies must connect to sanitary sewer and water as prescribed by the board of public works or board of health

  “no outhouse, privy or vault shall be built, constructed or maintained upon any lot or part of a lot in the city.”

• Mandatory utility hookupWater and sewer (with conditions)

  Plumbing inside New London city

  • Applies where mains are available in a street, alley or public way adjoining the lot

  “all plumbing, as defined in this subchapter, within the city shall connect properly with the sanitary sewer and water mains of the city, where such mains are available in a street, alley or public way adjoining the lot or lots upon which such plumbing exists.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Lots inside New London city

  • Subdivision of land is governed by Chapter 18 of the municipal code

  “all lots shall conform to chapter 18 subdivision of land of the municipal code and the minimum requirements herein.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask New London or Waupaca County directly.

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builders inside New London city
• Inspections — Construction inspections inside New London city
• Certificate of occupancy — Occupancy inside New London city
• Minimum dwelling size — Dwellings inside New London city
• Living in an RV — RV occupancy inside New London city

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.