Building permits in Milwaukee, WI

Short answer: In Milwaukee, permits are issued by City of Milwaukee Department of Neighborhood Services (DNS); of the 6 common projects we checked, 2 always need a permit, 1 do not, and 2 depend on the details (1 unverified).

Permitting authority: City of Milwaukee Department of Neighborhood Services (DNS). Rules shown are for 1-2 family homes. Historic properties need a Certificate of Appropriateness for exterior changes regardless of permit rules.

Permit rules in Milwaukee
Project	Answer	Verified
Deck	Permit required Yes. Building a deck needs a permit. Repairing or replacing deck boards does not (except at historic properties).	2026-10-19
Fence	Permit required Yes. New and replacement fences need a permit.	2026-10-19
Interior / bathroom remodel	Depends on your project Replacing fixtures without altering supply, drain or vent piping, and tile or cabinet work, need no permit. All other plumbing work and most…	2026-10-19
Roof replacement	No permit required No permit to replace roof covering (any amount) or roof decking without changing framing. A new roof with new rafters needs a permit.	2026-10-19
Shed	Depends on your project No permit for a tool or storage shed under 150 sq ft in the rear yard and at least 3 ft from property lines. Other sheds need a permit.	2026-10-19
Water heater replacement	Unverified, confirm locally Milwaukee says plumbing work other than like-for-like fixture replacement needs a permit, but it does not say directly whether a water heate…	2026-10-19

Fee schedule: https://city.milwaukee.gov/DNS/permits/PermitChecklist

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Not legal advice. Always confirm with your local building department. Rules change, and your parcel's zoning, HOA, historic district, floodplain or utility work can change the answer. We show the official source and the date we last checked it so you can verify for yourself.