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Plan Review/Permit

Requesting Delegation

Review the requirements for a local government agency to be delegated for plan review, permitting, or inspection responsibilities.

General

All delegation requests must be submitted via the SBD-8127, Delegation Request, form. 

If the request is coming from a 3rd-party (i.e. inspection agency) on behalf of a local government agency, the system will automatically route the form to the municipality/county for digital signature.

Go to SBD-8127, Delegation Request

If you need to adopt a new building ordinance, the below templates are available for your use. Ensure they are appropriately edited for your use.

Template Ordinance (All Codes)Template Ordinance (UDC)

See the below delegation types for information about responsibilities and specific information required for your request.

Commercial Structural/HVAC/Fire Suppression/Fire Alarm Inspection

Level of Authority

Choose one of the following:

  1. Small commercial buildings: Defined by Wis. Stat. 101.12(3)(b) as meeting one or more of the following:

    • A new building or structure containing less than 50,000 cubic feet of total volume.

    • An addition to a building or structure where the area of the addition results in the entire building or structure containing less than 50,000 cubic feet of total volume.

    • An addition containing no more than 2,500 square feet of total floor area and no more than one floor level, provided the largest roof span does not exceed 18 feet and the exterior wall height does not exceed 12 feet.

    • An alteration of a space in a building containing less than 100,000 cubic feet of total building volume.

  2. Commercial buildings without size limitation. 

Note that this authority is for all of the following inspections: architectural; structural; HVAC systems; fire suppression systems; and fire alarm systems. 

Enforcement Contact

Include the following inspector information as required for the level of inspection requested:

Structural, Architectural, or HVAC

  1. Name, phone number, and email address.

  2. Active Wisconsin-issued Commercial Building Inspector credential number.

Fire Suppression or Fire Alarm

  1. Name, phone number, and email address.

  2. Active Wisconsin-issued credential number for one of the following:

    • Fire Detection, Prevention, and Suppression Inspector, or

    • Commercial Building Inspector.

Building Ordinance

The building ordinance must identify the requesting agency and include:

  1. Adoption of Wis. Admin. Code chapters SPS 361-366.

  2. Requirement for customer to obtain commercial building plan review/permit.

  3. Appeals process.

  4. Fines and penalties.

Building Fee Schedule

Establish the building fee schedule available to customers. The fee schedule must identify commercial permit/inspection fees.

Commercial Structural/HVAC Plan Review

The following information must be provided under the SBD-8127, Delegation Request, form.

Level of Authority

Choose one of the following:

  1. A 2nd class city reviewing commercial buildings without size limitation.

  2. Small commercial buildings: Defined by Wis. Stat. 101.12(3)(b) as meeting one or more of the following:

    • A new building or structure containing less than 50,000 cubic feet of total volume.

    • An addition to a building or structure where the area of the addition results in the entire building or structure containing less than 50,000 cubic feet of total volume.

    • An addition containing no more than 2,500 square feet of total floor area and no more than one floor level, provided the largest roof span does not exceed 18 feet and the exterior wall height does not exceed 12 feet.

    • An alteration of a space in a building containing less than 100,000 cubic feet of total building volume.

  3. Plan review of buildings not described above. You will need to describe the request.

Note if requesting plan review authority, you must also request commercial building inspection authority.

Enforcement Contact

Include the following plan reviewer information as required for the level of plan review requested:

Small Commercial Buildings

  1. Name, phone number, and email address.

  2. Active Wisconsin-issued Commercial Building Inspector credential number.

Other Commercial Buildings

  1. Name, phone number, and email address.

  2. Active Wisconsin-issued credential number for both of the following:

    • Commercial Building Inspector, and

    • Professional Engineer or Architect.

Building Ordinance

The building ordinance must identify the requesting agency and include:

  1. Adoption of Wis. Admin. Code chapters SPS 361-366.

  2. Requirement for customer to obtain commercial building plan review/permit.

  3. Appeals process.

  4. Fines and penalties.

Building Fee Schedule

Establish the building fee schedule available to customers. The fee schedule must identify commercial permit/plan review/inspection fees.

Commercial Fire Suppression/Fire Alarm Plan Review

The following information must be provided under the SBD-8127, Delegation Request, form.

Level of Authority

Choose one of the following:

  1. Small commercial buildings: Defined by Wis. Stat. 101.12(3)(b) as meeting one or more of the following:

    • A new building or structure containing less than 50,000 cubic feet of total volume.

    • An addition to a building or structure where the area of the addition results in the entire building or structure containing less than 50,000 cubic feet of total volume.

    • An addition containing no more than 2,500 square feet of total floor area and no more than one floor level, provided the largest roof span does not exceed 18 feet and the exterior wall height does not exceed 12 feet.

    • An alteration of a space in a building containing less than 100,000 cubic feet of total building volume.

  2. Commercial buildings without size limitation. 

Notes:

  • If requesting plan review authority, you must also request commercial building inspection authority.

Enforcement Contact

Include the following plan reviewer information:

  1. Name, phone number, and email address.

  2. Active Wisconsin-issued credential number for one of the following:

    • Fire Detection, Prevention, and Suppression Inspector, or

    • Commercial Building Inspector.

Building Ordinance

The building ordinance must identify the requesting agency and include:

  1. Adoption of Wis. Admin. Code chapters SPS 361-366.

  2. Requirement for customer to obtain commercial building plan review/permit.

  3. Appeals process.

  4. Fines and penalties.

Building Fee Schedule

Establish the building fee schedule available to customers. The fee schedule must identify commercial permit/plan review/inspection fees.

Commercial Plumbing Plan Review

Level of Authority

Plan review of:

  1. New installations, additions, and alterations to drain systems, vent systems, water service systems, and water distribution systems involving 16 or more plumbing fixtures to be installed in connection with public buildings.

    • For the purposes of plan review submittal, water heaters, floor drains, storm inlets, roof drains, multi-purpose piping (MPP) fire sprinklers and hose bibbs are to be included in the count. For a phased project such as a mall or office complex fixture count includes all proposed fixtures connected to a common building sanitary sewer, a common water service and all storm sewers serving the building.

    • For the purpose of plan submittal, public buildings do not include zero-lot-line row houses where each living unit is served by an individual water service and an individual building sewer.

  2. Grease interceptors to be installed for public buildings.

  3. Garage catch basins, carwash interceptors and oil interceptors to be installed for public buildings and facilities.

  4. Sanitary dump stations.

  5. Piping designed to serve as private water mains.

  6. Piping designed to serve as private interceptor main sewers greater than 4 inches in diameter when sized for gravity flow.

  7. Stormwater systems, not including infiltration plumbing systems, involving 16 or more plumbing fixtures and serving a public building or facility where the drainage area is one acre or more.

    • Plan review involving 16 or more plumbing fixtures also applies.

  8. Mixed wastewater holding device.

Notes:

  • 1st Class Cities may also perform plan review of:

    • Water supply systems and drain systems to be installed for manufactured home communities and campgrounds.

    • Chemical waste systems regardless of the number of plumbing fixtures.

  • This authority does not include commercial plumbing inspections.

Enforcement Contact

Include the following plan reviewer information:

  1. Name, phone number, and email address.

  2. Active Wisconsin-issued credential number for both of the following:

    • Commercial Plumbing Inspector, and

    • Master Plumber or Journeyman Plumber.

You may also be asked to identify your commercial plumbing inspector. DSPS expects agencies requesting plan review authority to also be performing commercial plumbing inspections. Notify DSPS if you are not performing these inspections.

POWTS Plan Review

POWTS plan review authority is typically requested by county departments that also issue POWTS permits.

Level of Authority

Choose any of the following:

  1. POWTS that will completely utilize approved component manuals and products, identify the type, max gallons per day (gpd), and if you are seeking review commercial or residential systems. Types:

    • At grade.

    • Non-pressurized in-ground.

    • Pressurized in-ground.

    • Mound.

    • Replacement septic and pump tanks.

  2. POWTS holding tanks based on > 3,000 gpd estimated flow utilizing approved component manuals

    and products. Note that agencies already have authority to review holding tanks based on < 3,000 gpd.

Enforcement Contact

Include the following plan reviewer information:

  1. Name, phone number, and email address.

  2. Active Wisconsin-issued credential number for both of the following:

    • POWTS Inspector, and

    • Soil Tester.

Note the agency must have both credentials represented but they need not be held by the same individual.

Documentation

Provide the following:

  1. Information delineating how POWTS plans are to be processed and reviewed by the requesting agency.

  2. Information on how plan review decisions are to be recorded and maintained by the requesting agency.

Commercial Electrical Permitting and Inspection

Level of Authority

Permitting and inspection for electrical wiring if project involves the installation of new or an addition to any electrical service, feeder, or branch circuit serving any of the following:

  1. A farm.

  2. A public building, structure, or premises.

  3. A place of employment.

  4. A campground.

  5. A manufactured home community.

  6. A public marina, pier, dock, or wharf.

  7. A recreational vehicle park.

Enforcement Contact

Responsible Inspector

Include the following:

  1. Name, phone number, and email address.

  2. Active Wisconsin-issued Commercial Electrical Inspector credential number.

Electrical Inspection Agency

Any municipality or county requesting commercial electrical authority must hold an active Electrical Inspection Agency credential. 

If the municipality/county contracts with a 3rd party individual/agency for permitting or inspection, the 3rd party must also hold an active Electrical Inspection Agency credential. 

Building Ordinance

The building ordinance must identify the requesting agency and include:

  1. Adoption of Wis. Admin. Code chapters SPS 316.

  2. Requirement for customer to obtain commercial electrical permit.

  3. Appeals process.

  4. Fines and penalties.

Building Fee Schedule

Establish the building fee schedule available to customers. The fee schedule must identify commercial electrical permitting/inspection fees.

UDC and Camping Unit Permitting and Inspection

Level of Authority

Permitting and inspection for:

  1. New one- and two-family dwelling units.

  2. New one- and two-family camping units.

Notes:

  • If responsible for dwelling units, you must also be responsible for camping units (unless your agency opted out in 2017).

  • The agency may choose to also require permitting/inspection for additions, alterations, detached garages, accessory buildings, or for buildings built before June 1, 1980. This scope is outside of the Uniform Dwelling Code (UDC) so requirements must be identified within the municipal/county ordinance or the ordinance must adopt the UDC for this scope.

Enforcement Contact

Include the following inspector information:

  1. Name, phone number, and email address.

  2. Active Wisconsin-issued credential numbers for:

    • UDC Construction Inspector

    • UDC Electrical Inspector or Commercial Electrical Inspector

    • UDC HVAC Inspector

    • UDC Plumbing Inspector or Commercial Plumbing Inspector

Note the agency must have all credentials represented but they need not be held by the same inspector. If utilizing multiple inspectors, each inspector may only perform inspections for which they are credentialed.

Reporting Option

Agencies exercising UDC authority must report issued permits to DSPS. You can choose how this information is reported to the DSPS online permitting system, eSLA:

Option 1 - Utilize eSLA for issuing permits.

Option 2 - Upload a comma delineated value (csv) file.

Option 3 - Utilize your own permitting software to automatically transmit data.

Building Ordinance

The building ordinance must identify the requesting agency and include:

  1. Adoption of Wis. Admin. Code chapters SPS 320-325 and SPS 327.

  2. Requirement for customer to obtain UDC building permit.

  3. Scope of permit requirements.

  4. Appeals process.

  5. Fines and penalties.

Building Fee Schedule

Establish the building fee schedule available to customers. The fee schedule must identify UDC/camping unit permitting/inspection fees.

Manufactured Home Community Licensing and Inspection

Authority is typically requested by county health departments.

Level of Authority

  1. Issuing operation licenses/permits to manufactured home communities (also referred to as mobile home parks).

  2. Any pre-licensing or routine inspection as well as complaint inspections and any follow-up.

Notes:

  • Authority to permit or inspect manufactured home/mobile home installations is provided under the UDC authority for one- and two-family dwelling units.

  • Credentialing of manufactured home manufacturers, installers, and dealers is not included. See A-Z Professions List for credential information.

  • See the Delegated Agent Responsibilities page for more information.

Enforcement Contact

Include the agency's enforcement contact name, phone number, and email address.

Documentation

Provide the following:

  1. Agency's current enforcement plan delineating how licenses/permits are processed. Include any inspection processes.

  2. Sample inspection report forms, if applicable.

  3. Manufactured home community licensing/permitting fee schedule available to customers.

  4. Completed agent roster, in .xlsx or equal format, identifying existing communities.

  5. Copies of permits, renewal applications, and/or inspection reports for the previous 2-year permit cycle.

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