Building permits, zoning and land rules in Green Lake County, Wisconsin

At a glance

Building permit

Required for a new one- or two-family dwelling, including a manufactured-home installation⁷

Zoning

General county zoning applies in six towns; shoreland and floodplain rules apply in their regulated areas countywide⁸

Septic permit

Green Lake County requires a separate permit for every POWTS or non-plumbing sanitation system under Chapter 334⁹¹⁰

Owner-builder

An owner who occupies or will occupy the home may take out the UDC permit; other code and licensing rules still apply¹¹

Shoreland limits

Setbacks depend on the applicable lot rules; shoreland impervious surface is generally limited to 15%¹²¹³

RV or tiny home

A tiny home counts as a dwelling under county zoning: 800 sq ft first story, permanent foundation, no wheels; long-term RV rules not confirmed¹⁴¹⁵

Private well

Advance DNR notification is required for most new private wells¹⁶

Minimum lot

100 ft average width and 20,000 sq ft where county general zoning applies, unless state septic rules require more¹⁷

Who to call

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 15, 2026.

Do you need a building permit in Green Lake County, Wisconsin?

Yes. Like the counties around it in Wisconsin, Green Lake County requires a county building permit¹⁸. A new one- or two-family home in Green Lake County requires a UDC building permit, including stick-built, modular and manufactured-home installations⁷. Wisconsin's Uniform Dwelling Code supplies the construction standards and inspection procedures¹⁹. Apply to the municipality with delegated authority, or to Wisconsin DSPS where the municipality lacks that authority⁷. Inside the Town of Brooklyn, the town's Building Inspector issues the permit²⁰; inside Markesan, the city issues construction and remodeling permits through its Clerk-Treasurer³. The inspector named on the permit checks footings, foundation and reinforcement, rough construction, insulation and the finished home²¹. Once the final inspection finds no major health or safety violations, the home may be occupied, though some municipalities also issue occupancy permits²². An owner who currently occupies or will occupy the home may take out the construction and erosion-control permits without a Dwelling Contractor Certification, but that allowance does not waive other code and trade-licensing requirements¹¹. A new home using private septic cannot receive its building permit until the sanitary permit has been issued²³.

Who handles building and zoning questions in Green Lake County?

The Green Lake County Land Use Planning & Zoning Department handles county land-use permits, zoning, private septic administration and floodplain zoning²⁴²⁵²⁶. Reach the department at 571 County Road A, Green Lake, WI 54941, or call 920-294-4156²⁴. The county's rules apply to unincorporated land; inside Markesan and the Town of Brooklyn, the local office issues building permits, but septic permits there still come from the county³²⁰⁶²⁷. For UDC building permits and inspections elsewhere, use the inspector assigned to the municipality; the county publishes town-by-town UDC contacts²⁴. A county land-use permit is required for land disturbance in a county-zoned town or wherever another county-administered ordinance applies²⁸. The usual application is a completed form, a scaled site plan and a fee based on combined construction cost; fees are nonrefundable, renewals cost the same as the initial application, and after-the-fact fees are doubled²⁹. New principal structures may also require plans, side elevations or a survey³⁰.

Does Green Lake County have zoning?

General county zoning applies in Berlin, Brooklyn, Green Lake, Mackford, Manchester and Marquette; Kingston, Princeton, Saint Marie and Seneca did not adopt it³¹. The Town of Brooklyn is one of the six, and the county administers its zoning³². Markesan adopts and administers its own zoning ordinance, and other cities and villages may do the same⁴³¹. The four towns without general county zoning still have land-division requirements and applicable shoreland and floodplain standards³³; land division falls under County Chapter 315³⁴. The county publishes its zoning ordinance, district names and maps, but owners should confirm the parcel's district and controlling authority with department staff³⁵³⁶. Shoreland zoning applies within 1,000 feet of navigable lakes, ponds and flowages and within 300 feet of navigable rivers and streams². Within 300 feet of the ordinary high-water mark, impervious surface is generally limited to 15% or the percentage existing before new construction³⁷. Where the county zoning chapter applies, every building must sit on a lot at least 100 feet in average width and 20,000 square feet in area, and a larger state septic requirement prevails; a qualifying older lot of record may still be occupied by one family¹⁷. A dwelling under that chapter needs a first-story living area of at least 800 square feet¹⁴. We could not confirm parcel-specific setbacks, building height or accessory-dwelling rules; ask the department and the relevant municipality²⁴.

How do septic permits work in Green Lake County?

Green Lake County administers private onsite wastewater systems throughout unincorporated Green Lake County and in incorporated areas that have not adopted their own sanitary code⁵. That includes property inside Markesan and the Town of Brooklyn where public sewer is not used⁶²⁷. Every POWTS and non-plumbing sanitation system under county jurisdiction needs a sanitary permit before installation or construction of the structure it will serve³⁸. If a structure has plumbing, its POWTS must be installed before water service is connected³⁹. A nonplumbing sanitation system may be permitted only for premises without any indoor plumbing; it is not a blanket alternative for an ordinary off-grid house⁴⁰. The installer must leave the system open for county inspection, and the owner must arrange pumping inspection at least every 3 years⁴¹⁴². Only about 9.2% of county soils have no severe limitation for a conventional drain field, so arrange a site evaluation early⁴³.

Can you live in an RV or tiny home on your land in Green Lake County?

We could not confirm a countywide rule allowing long-term RV living or temporary camping on private land in Green Lake County. Tiny homes are not defined in the county code, so a tiny home is judged as a dwelling under county zoning: it needs a permanent foundation meeting the Uniform Dwelling Code, a first-story living area of at least 800 square feet, and at least 20 feet in its smallest horizontal dimension (not required in the R-2 District), with wheels, axles and hitches removed; shipping containers may not be used as dwellings¹⁴. The parcel's town matters because six towns use county general zoning, four did not adopt it, and cities and villages may have their own zoning³¹. Shoreland, floodplain and land-division standards still apply where triggered in towns without general county zoning⁸³³. A manufactured home installed as a new dwelling requires a UDC building permit, and applicable land-use and sanitary approvals remain separate⁷. Before placing an RV, tiny home or manufactured home, ask the Land Use Planning & Zoning Department which county rules apply, then ask the relevant town, city or village about occupancy and zoning restrictions²⁴.

How do you build a home in Green Lake County, step by step?

1. Ask the Land Use Planning & Zoning Department which general-zoning, shoreland, floodplain and land-division rules apply²⁴⁸.
2. Submit the county land-use application, scaled site plan, construction-cost-based fee and any additional required materials²⁸⁴⁴.
3. If the home will use private septic, obtain the county sanitary permit before the building permit³⁸²³.
4. Notify the DNR before drilling a new private well unless a listed exception or separate approval applies¹⁶.
5. For a new driveway or culvert, contact the County Highway Department for county-highway access or the town for town-road access⁴⁵. A county-trunk-highway driveway permit costs $150 for a new access, $50 for an alteration and $250 if obtained after the fact⁴⁶. A state-highway connection requires WisDOT approval⁴⁷.
6. Submit the UDC application and prerequisite approvals to the authorized municipal inspector or DSPS⁷.
7. Call the permit inspector before each covered phase and wait for the required final inspection before occupancy⁴⁸.

What should you check before buying land in Green Lake County?

Water and soils: only 9.2% of Green Lake County soils have no severe limitation for a conventional septic drain field, so get a site evaluation early⁴³. A new private well generally requires advance DNR notification¹⁶. Shoreland: exact setbacks depend on the lot provisions, and impervious surface within 300 feet of the ordinary high-water mark is generally capped at 15% or the existing percentage before new construction³⁷. Floodplain: county jurisdiction requires a land-use permit for land disturbance, while new structures, wells and sewage systems are prohibited in a mapped floodway⁴⁹⁵⁰. Access: ask the County Highway Department about county-highway access and the town about town-road access; a state-highway connection requires WisDOT approval⁴⁵⁴⁷. Taxes: the effective property-tax rate is about 1.3%, and the median annual bill is about $2,709⁵¹⁵².

Watch-outs

• Kingston, Princeton, Saint Marie and Seneca have not adopted the county's general zoning ordinance, but land-division, shoreland and floodplain requirements still apply where triggered³¹.
• A building permit cannot be issued for a new home on a private septic system until the county sanitary (POWTS) permit is in hand, so sequence your applications accordingly²³.
• Wisconsin's state-park camping rules govern state park campgrounds only and do not answer whether you can live in an RV on your own Green Lake County land⁵³.

Sources

1. Wisconsin’s Uniform Dwelling Code, quoted and re-checked
2. Land Use Planning & Zoning, quoted and re-checked
3. Markesan: Chapter 115: Building Construction - City of Markesan, WI (Green Lake County), quoted and re-checked
4. Markesan: Table of Contents - City of Markesan, WI (Green Lake County), quoted and re-checked
5. Green Lake County Ordinance No. 10-2020, Chapter 334 Private Sewage Systems, quoted and re-checked
6. Markesan: Land Use Planning & Zoning - Green Lake County, WI (Green Lake County), quoted and re-checked
7. UDC (Uniform Dwelling Code / One- and Two-Family Dwellings), quoted and re-checked
8. Land Use Planning & Zoning, quoted and re-checked
9. greenlakecountywi.gov, quoted and re-checked
10. Chapter 334 Sewage Systems, Private, quoted and re-checked
11. Wisconsin’s Uniform Dwelling Code, quoted and re-checked
12. Shoreland Zoning Summary, quoted and re-checked
13. Land Use Planning & Zoning, quoted and re-checked
14. Chapter 350, Article III: General Provisions, quoted and re-checked
15. Land Use Planning & Zoning - Green Lake County, WI, quoted and re-checked
16. Well and heat exchange notification, quoted and re-checked
17. Chapter 350, Article III: General Provisions, quoted and re-checked
18. Land Use Planning & Zoning - Green Lake County, WI (2026 county census)
19. UDC (Uniform Dwelling Code / One- and Two-Family Dwellings), quoted and re-checked
20. Town of Brooklyn: Chapter 98 Building Construction (Green Lake County), quoted and re-checked
21. UDC (Uniform Dwelling Code / One- and Two-Family Dwellings), quoted and re-checked
22. Wisconsin’s Uniform Dwelling Code, quoted and re-checked
23. Wisconsin’s Uniform Dwelling Code (Wisconsin statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
24. Green Lake County Land Use Planning & Zoning Department (greenlakecountywi.gov)
25. Green Lake County Land Use Planning & Zoning Department (POWTS Program) (greenlakecountywi.gov)
26. Green Lake County Land Use Planning & Zoning Department (Floodplain Zoning) (greenlakecountywi.gov)
27. Town of Brooklyn: Land Use Planning & Zoning - Green Lake County (Green Lake County), quoted and re-checked
28. Land Use Planning & Zoning, quoted and re-checked
29. Green Lake County Land Use Permit Application, quoted and re-checked
30. Land Use Planning & Zoning, quoted and re-checked
31. Land Use Planning & Zoning, quoted and re-checked
32. Town of Brooklyn: Land Use Planning & Zoning - Green Lake County (Green Lake County), quoted and re-checked
33. Land Use Planning & Zoning, quoted and re-checked
34. Land Use Planning & Zoning, quoted and re-checked
35. Land Use Planning & Zoning, quoted and re-checked
36. Green Lake County Zoning Districts, quoted and re-checked
37. Land Use Planning & Zoning, quoted and re-checked
38. Permit Contacts and Construction Reminders, quoted and re-checked
39. Chapter 334 Sewage Systems, Private, quoted and re-checked
40. Chapter 334 Sewage Systems, Private, quoted and re-checked
41. Chapter 334 Sewage Systems, Private, quoted and re-checked
42. greenlakecountywi.gov, quoted and re-checked
43. 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
44. Land Use Planning & Zoning - Green Lake County, WI, quoted and re-checked
45. Permit Contacts and Construction Reminders, quoted and re-checked
46. Highway - Green Lake County, WI, quoted and re-checked
47. State highway connection permits (driveways & more) (Wisconsin statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
48. Wisconsin’s Uniform Dwelling Code, quoted and re-checked
49. Land Use Planning & Zoning, quoted and re-checked
50. Floodplain Development Basics (Wisconsin statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
51. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
52. Median property tax bill: Bolthole Index county data
53. Camping Rules — Wisconsin State Park System (Wisconsin statewide rule), quoted and re-checked

Written October 15, 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.