Building permits, zoning and land rules in Calumet County, Wisconsin

At a glance

Building (UDC) permit

Required for new 1- and 2-family homes under Wisconsin's UDC¹

County zoning permit

Only in Brillion, Charlestown, New Holstein and Woodville towns⁴

Septic permit

Countywide; $500 including the $100 state fee⁵

Owner-builder

Allowed when the owner occupies or will occupy the home⁶

Tiny home

Under 400 sq. ft. requires conditional-use approval and a permanent foundation in county zoning districts⁷

Minimum home size

Generally 750 sq. ft. in Chapter 82 districts, with listed exceptions⁸

Temporary camping

Limited by district, lot size, setbacks and duration where Chapter 82 applies⁹

Who to call

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 9, 2026.

Do you need a building permit in Calumet County, Wisconsin?

Yes. A Uniform Dwelling Code permit is required for every new one- or two-family home in Calumet County, including stick-built, modular and manufactured-home installations¹. Construction starts only after plan approval and after the permit is issued and posted¹⁰. The responsible inspector must inspect each construction phase before work is covered; after a request is made and the work is ready, the inspector has two business days before it may be covered¹¹. Occupancy follows a final inspection that finds no major health or safety violations, although only some municipalities issue a separate occupancy permit; the exterior must be completed within two years after permit issuance¹². An owner who occupies or will occupy the home may take out the construction and erosion-control permits, but the owner-builder option does not remove required permits or inspections⁶.

Who issues building permits and zoning approval in Calumet County, and how do you reach the Code Administrators?

Permit and inspection authority depends on the parcel: Wisconsin may delegate Uniform Dwelling Code jurisdiction to a municipality or county, and the state handles new homes where the local authority lacks jurisdiction¹. Start with Calumet County's Planning, Zoning and Land Information Department, whose Code Administrators assist with zoning, building permits, floodplain zoning, sanitation, some road-access matters and wetland regulation¹³. The office is at 206 Court Street, Chilton, WI 53014, and the phone number is (920) 849-1442¹³. The department has moved within the courthouse, so visitors should use entrance D1 or D2¹³. The county does not issue every approval: building permits depend on the municipality or delegated inspector, zoning outside the four towns depends on the town, village or city, and septic permits stay with the county Sanitation program at (920) 849-1442^1415316. Ask the Code Administrators to identify the delegated building inspector for the parcel and whether a separate local permit is needed for an addition or alteration, because those requirements vary by municipality¹⁴.

Does Calumet County have zoning, and who zones where?

Calumet County's general zoning ordinance applies only in the Towns of Brillion, Charlestown, New Holstein and Woodville; cities and villages may impose their own rules, and septic permits still come from the county¹⁵³. The county's online map shows current district boundaries in those county-zoned towns¹⁷. In Chapter 82 districts, a dwelling generally needs at least 750 square feet of floor area, subject to exceptions for tiny homes, multiple-occupancy units and manufactured-home parks⁸. Road setbacks are 125 feet from a state or federal road centerline, 100 feet from a county road centerline and 75 feet from a town road centerline; different measurements govern private roads and platted subdivisions¹⁸. Maximum building height varies by district, and agricultural structures used solely for agriculture are among the listed exemptions¹⁹. County shoreland and floodplain zoning still applies throughout unincorporated Calumet County, including outside those four towns².

How do septic permits work in Calumet County, Wisconsin?

Calumet County administers Private Onsite Wastewater Treatment Systems throughout the county under Chapter 74³. A sanitary permit for a POWTS or holding tank costs $500, including the $100 state fee⁵. Licensed Certified Soil Testers and licensed plumbers may submit soil tests, sanitary permits and payments online; a submission is complete only when the department has all required paperwork and payment²⁰. Reach the Sanitation program at 206 Court Street, Chilton, WI 53014, or at (920) 849-1442¹⁶. Only about 2.6% of Calumet County soils are rated without severe limitations for a conventional drain field, so obtain a soil and site evaluation before committing to a homesite²¹. Camping sanitation in Chapter 82 districts must use an approved onsite system, a self-contained holding tank emptied at an approved dump station, or a portable toilet handled through an approved dump station²².

Can you live in an RV or tiny home on your land in Calumet County, Wisconsin?

In areas governed by Chapter 82, one camping party may camp without a regular zoning permit only in specified districts on a lot of at least 1 acre⁹. The camping unit must stay at least 25 feet from lot lines and 50 feet from another dwelling other than the landowner's home, and camping is capped at 15 consecutive days and 30 days per calendar year⁹. The unit must be removed or stored inside a building after each stay⁹. Calumet County's reviewed rules do not confirm long-term residential RV occupancy, so ask the Code Administrators about the parcel's applicable town or municipal rules¹³. In Chapter 82 districts, a home under 400 square feet designed for no more than 3 people needs conditional-use approval and a permanent foundation; applicable building codes remain part of that review⁷.

How do you build a home in Calumet County, Wisconsin? The steps, in order

1. Identify the parcel's municipality and zoning authority; county general zoning covers only Brillion, Charlestown, New Holstein and Woodville towns, while cities and villages may have separate rules¹⁵.
2. Check the county mapping site for the zoning district and any shoreland or floodplain overlay¹⁷².
3. If dividing land, submit the county application, fee and draft certified survey map or plat; all minor and major divisions require county approval²³²⁴.
4. Have a licensed professional complete the soil work and sanitary submission; the county's online process requires all paperwork and payment²⁰.
5. Obtain a county-highway access permit where applicable; a private-driveway permit costs $150²⁵.
6. Ask the Code Administrators which delegated authority issues the UDC permit, then wait for plan approval and the posted building permit before starting¹¹⁰.
7. Request each phase inspection before covering work, then obtain a clean final inspection before occupancy¹¹¹².

What to check before you buy land in Calumet County

Confirm the zoning authority and district before judging buildability, because general county zoning covers only four towns and incorporated municipalities may have different rules¹⁵. Check minimum lot area, height and setbacks for the actual district rather than applying one countywide number²⁶¹⁹¹⁸. For any land split, Calumet County approval is required: a minor subdivision creates four or fewer lots, while a major subdivision creates five or more²⁴. In a regulated floodplain, a Land Use Permit is required before new development, a repair, modification, addition or change in building use, including sewer and water facilities²⁷. A county-highway driveway also needs an access permit²⁵. Septic suitability is a major cost question because only about 2.6% of county soils are rated without severe limitations for a conventional drain field²¹. Calumet County's effective property-tax rate is about 1.5%, and the median annual bill is about $3,830²⁸²⁹.

Watch-outs

• Calumet County's general Zoning Code applies only in the Towns of Brillion, Charlestown, New Holstein and Woodville; cities, villages and other towns may apply different local rules¹⁵.
• The county's Planning, Zoning and Land Information Department recently moved within the Chilton Courthouse; use entrance D1 or D2 to find it in person¹³.
• Calumet County has posted a notice about a fraudulent invoice scam circulating in the county; verify any invoice or fee request that claims to be from the county before paying it¹³.
• Calumet County's temporary-camping allowance in Chapter 82 does not establish permission for full-time RV living; ask the Code Administrators and the parcel's municipality before relying on an RV as a residence⁹¹³.
• A town, village or city may issue the building permit or set zoning, but the sanitary (septic) permit, shoreland and floodplain permits and county-highway driveway permits come from Calumet County⁵²²⁵.

Sources

1. UDC (Uniform Dwelling Code / One- and Two-Family Dwellings), quoted and re-checked
2. Zoning | Calumet County, WI, quoted and re-checked
3. Sanitation | Calumet County, WI, quoted and re-checked
4. Zoning | Calumet County, WI, quoted and re-checked
5. Sanitary Application Submittal, quoted and re-checked
6. Wisconsin’s Uniform Dwelling Code, quoted and re-checked
7. Chapter 82 Zoning Ordinance, quoted and re-checked
8. Chapter 82 Zoning Ordinance, quoted and re-checked
9. Zoning | Calumet County, WI, quoted and re-checked
10. Wisconsin’s Uniform Dwelling Code, quoted and re-checked
11. Wisconsin’s Uniform Dwelling Code, quoted and re-checked
12. Wisconsin’s Uniform Dwelling Code, quoted and re-checked
13. Calumet County Planning, Zoning and Land Information Department (Code Administrators) (co.calumet.wi.us)
14. DSPS One- & Two-Family Uniform Dwelling Code, quoted and re-checked
15. Zoning | Calumet County, WI, quoted and re-checked
16. Calumet County Sanitation Program (Planning, Zoning and Land Information Department) (co.calumet.wi.us)
17. Zoning | Calumet County, WI, quoted and re-checked
18. Chapter 82 Zoning Ordinance, quoted and re-checked
19. Chapter 82 Zoning Ordinance, quoted and re-checked
20. Sanitation | Calumet County, WI, quoted and re-checked
21. 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
22. Chapter 82 Outdoor Recreational and Residential Use Requirements, quoted and re-checked
23. Land Division | Calumet County, WI, quoted and re-checked
24. Land Division | Calumet County, WI, quoted and re-checked
25. Highway Department Permits | Calumet County, quoted and re-checked
26. Chapter 82 Outdoor Recreational and Residential Use Requirements, quoted and re-checked
27. Zoning | Calumet County, WI, quoted and re-checked
28. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
29. Median property tax bill: Bolthole Index county data

Written October 9, 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.