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

At a glance

Building permit

Required for every new one- or two-family dwelling¹

Zoning

County land-use permits apply in listed townships; local authority varies elsewhere²

Septic

A county sanitary permit is required in the county ordinance jurisdiction⁵

Owner-builder

An owner who occupies or will occupy the home may take out the permits⁶

RV living

Campground stays are limited; private-land RV living remains unconfirmed⁷⁸

Tiny homes

Cabins count as dwellings; minimum floor area depends on the zoning district⁹

Private well

Advance notice to Wisconsin DNR is generally required before construction¹⁰

Who to call

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 10, 2026.

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

Yes. Every new one- or two-family dwelling in Richland County needs a Uniform Dwelling Code building permit; additions also need one in certain townships.¹¹ Wisconsin's UDC applies to new one- and two-family dwellings, including stick-built, modular and manufactured-home installations.¹² The UDC is enforced in all Wisconsin municipalities.¹³ Construction may begin only after plans are approved and the building permit is issued and posted.¹⁴

The UDC building permit is separate from county land-use and sanitary permits.¹⁵ Contact the inspector serving the parcel for the UDC permit, and use the Zoning & Sanitation Department for applicable county approvals.⁴ Permit requirements for alterations and additions vary by municipality, so confirm the scope before ordering materials.¹⁶

Who handles building permits in Richland County?

For rural Richland County building permits, the county directs applicants to the UDC inspector serving the project’s township; the Zoning & Sanitation Department handles county land-use review.⁴ The department can be reached at 608-647-2447 or zoning@co.richland.wi.us at 181 W. Seminary Street, Richland Center, WI 53581.⁸ Where local UDC authority is not approved, the DSPS-appointed inspector applies.¹⁷

UDC inspections cover footings, foundation and reinforcement, rough construction, insulation and the final inspection; notify the inspector identified on the building permit before covering work.¹⁸¹⁹ An owner who currently occupies or will occupy the home may take out construction and erosion-control permits without Dwelling Contractor Certification; required building permits and licensed-trade requirements still apply.²⁰²¹

Does Richland County have zoning?

For unincorporated land, Richland County enforces comprehensive zoning, shoreland, subdivision and floodplain rules, but general land-use authority varies by location.²² The county issues land-use permits in Akan, Buena Vista, Dayton, Eagle, Forest, Henrietta, Marshall, Orion, Richland, Richwood, Westford and Willow townships; Ithaca and Rockbridge have separate local contacts.² Confirm the parcel’s land-use authority with the Zoning & Sanitation Department before filing.⁸

Every township remains under county-administered floodplain, shoreland and wetland zoning.⁴ Minimum dwelling floor area and structural setbacks depend on the applicable zoning district.⁹²³ In unincorporated shoreland areas, buildings generally must sit at least 75 feet from the ordinary high-water mark, subject to exceptions and setback averaging.²⁴

How do septic permits work in Richland County?

Richland County requires a separate sanitary permit for each private wastewater or non-plumbing sanitation system in unincorporated areas and incorporated areas without their own sanitary code.⁵³ Begin with a certified soil tester; a plumber submits the sanitary-permit application and plans to the Zoning & Sanitation Department, with a maintenance agreement registered on the deed.²⁵²⁶ The county lists a $550 sanitary-permit fee and notes that a state plan may be required; the published process generally takes 2 to 6 weeks.²⁷²⁵

Only 6.1% of county soils are rated without severe limitations for a conventional septic drain field, so make the soil test and system design a purchase contingency.²⁸ Where public sewer is available, plumbing fixtures must connect to it; otherwise, a private sewage system must be installed before water service connects to a structure with plumbing.²⁹ A new dwelling using private onsite wastewater cannot receive its UDC building permit until the sanitary permit is issued.¹⁶ Existing septic systems require proof of checking or pumping every three years.²⁵

Can you live in an RV or tiny home in Richland County?

We could not confirm permission for long-term RV living or temporary camping on private land in Richland County; ask the Zoning & Sanitation Department about the parcel and proposed use.⁸ County-regulated trailer camps and campgrounds limit a unit’s stay on one site to 30 days, with an extension not exceeding 60 days.⁷ Floodplain campgrounds have additional highway-ready-unit, land-use-permit and removal requirements; their separate 180-day continuous-occupancy limit does not establish permission to live in an RV on a private parcel.³⁰

Richland County treats cabins as dwellings, with minimum floor area varying by zoning district; ask the Zoning Office for the parcel’s minimum before choosing a tiny-home plan.³¹ A habitable cabin without interior plumbing or running water requires a county-approved non-plumbing sanitation system.³² The system must be NSF approved, with a notarized maintenance agreement recorded on the deed and submitted with the sanitary-permit application; sanitary approval comes before the land-use permit.³³³⁴

Building a home in Richland County: what are the steps?

For a rural home project, use this order:

1. Ask the Zoning & Sanitation Department to identify the zoning authority, district, land-use requirements and UDC inspector.²⁴
2. File the soil test and obtain the sanitary permit before the building permit is issued.³⁵¹⁶
3. Obtain access approval from WisDOT for a state road, the County Highway Department for a county road or the town chairman for a town road; any required driveway permit comes before the land-use permit.³⁶
4. Obtain the land-use permit and county address sign, then apply for the UDC building permit through the inspector’s required process; some municipalities use their own applications rather than Wisconsin’s eSLA system.³⁷³⁸
5. Wait for all required approvals before construction starts.³⁵
6. Request the required UDC inspections and occupy only after a final inspection finds no major health or safety violations.³⁹⁴⁰

What should you check before buying land in Richland County?

Before buying rural Richland County land, ask the Zoning & Sanitation Department to confirm the proposed use and structural setbacks.²³ For lots in a county subdivision, direct access to public streets is required; private roads or easements cannot provide the proposed subdivision access.⁴¹ Only 39.5% of county land has a slope of 15% or less, and only 6.1% of soils avoid severe conventional-drain-field limitations, so buildable-area and soil-test contingencies are useful.⁴²²⁸

Wisconsin generally requires advance notice to DNR before private-well construction, with exceptions and separate high-capacity-well approvals.¹⁰ Ask the county zoning office about unconfirmed county well-permit and floodplain-development details.⁸ County-zoned mobile home parks require a conditional use permit and at least 5 acres; that park minimum is not a general residential-lot minimum.⁴³ The county’s median property-tax bill is $2,579 per year, with an effective rate of 1.4%.⁴⁴⁴⁵

Watch-outs

• All Richland County townships have county-administered floodplain, shoreland and wetland zoning, even where general land-use authority differs.⁴
• Do not assume a small cabin escapes dwelling rules; Richland County treats cabins as dwellings and varies minimum floor area by zoning district.⁹
• Campground RV limits do not confirm permission for private-land RV living; ask the Zoning & Sanitation Department about the specific parcel.⁷⁸
• A required driveway permit must be secured from the responsible state, county or town road authority before the county land-use permit can be issued.³⁶

Sources

1. Land Use - Richland County, WI, quoted and re-checked
2. Land Use - Richland County, WI, quoted and re-checked
3. Private On-Site Wastewater Treatment System Ordinance, quoted and re-checked
4. Richland County Zoning & Sanitation Department (richlandcountywi.gov)
5. Private On-Site Wastewater Treatment System Ordinance, quoted and re-checked
6. Instructions for Submitting a UDC Permit Application, quoted and re-checked
7. Richland County Code, Sec. 119.04.030, Special uses, quoted and re-checked
8. Richland County Zoning & Sanitation Department (richlandcountywi.gov)
9. Land Use - Richland County, WI, quoted and re-checked
10. Well and heat exchange notification (Wisconsin statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
11. Land Use - Richland County, WI, quoted and re-checked
12. UDC (Uniform Dwelling Code / One- and Two- Family Dwellings), quoted and re-checked
13. One- & Two-Family (Uniform Dwelling Code), quoted and re-checked
14. Wisconsin’s Uniform Dwelling Code, quoted and re-checked
15. UDC (Uniform Dwelling Code / One- and Two-Family Dwellings), quoted and re-checked
16. Wisconsin’s Uniform Dwelling Code (Wisconsin statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
17. Delegated Agents for Uniform Dwelling Code (UDC) and for Camping Units Permitting and Inspection - DSPS, quoted and re-checked
18. UDC (Uniform Dwelling Code / One- and Two- Family Dwellings), quoted and re-checked
19. Wisconsin’s Uniform Dwelling Code, quoted and re-checked
20. Wisconsin’s Uniform Dwelling Code, quoted and re-checked
21. Instructions for Submitting a UDC Permit Application, quoted and re-checked
22. Zoning - Richland County, WI, quoted and re-checked
23. Zoning - Richland County, WI, quoted and re-checked
24. Wisconsin’s Shoreland Management Program (Wisconsin statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
25. Richland County Zoning & Sanitation Department (richlandcountywi.gov)
26. Land Use - Richland County, WI, quoted and re-checked
27. richlandcountywi.gov, quoted and re-checked
28. 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
29. Private On-Site Wastewater Treatment System Ordinance, quoted and re-checked
30. Richland County Code, Sec. 107.04.080, Public or private campgrounds, quoted and re-checked
31. Land Use - Richland County, WI, quoted and re-checked
32. Private On-Site Wastewater Treatment System Ordinance, quoted and re-checked
33. Land Use - Richland County, WI, quoted and re-checked
34. Land Use - Richland County, WI, quoted and re-checked
35. Land Use - Richland County, WI, quoted and re-checked
36. Land Use - Richland County, WI, quoted and re-checked
37. Land Use - Richland County, WI, quoted and re-checked
38. Instructions for Submitting a UDC Permit Application, quoted and re-checked
39. UDC (Uniform Dwelling Code / One- and Two-Family Dwellings), quoted and re-checked
40. Wisconsin’s Uniform Dwelling Code, quoted and re-checked
41. zoning.co.richland.wi.us, quoted and re-checked
42. Share of land at 15% slope or less: Bolthole Index county data
43. Richland County Code, Sec. 119.04.030, Special uses, quoted and re-checked
44. Median property tax bill: Bolthole Index county data
45. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data

Written October 10, 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.