Bolthole Index

Washington County, Wisconsin

Zoning, building permits and septic rules in the Village of Richfield, Wisconsin

The Village of Richfield, Wisconsin requires a village building permit before any building or structure is erected, enlarged or altered1. The village's building inspectors issue those permits2, and the village sets its own zoning districts3. Septic permits come from Washington County, and the village will not issue a building permit until the county permit exists4.

At a glance

Building permit
Required from the Village before building, enlarging or altering a structure1
Who issues building permits
The Village of Richfield building inspectors2
Zoning
Village zoning with agricultural and residential districts3
Septic
Washington County permit required first45
Holding tanks
Prohibited for new homes on sites created after 19766
Mobile homes
Restricted to licensed mobile home parks, with exceptions7
Minimum A-1 lot
35 acres8
Owner-builder
State rules let an owner-occupant take out the permits9

Who to call

Building permits

Village of Richfield Building Inspections

Building, electrical, HVAC and plumbing permits and inspections inside the Village of Richfield

262-628-2260

inspector@richfieldwi.gov

4128 Hubertus Road Hubertus, WI 53033

Septic permits

Washington County Natural Resources Department — Land Resources

County sanitary (septic) permit applications for Washington County, including addresses inside Richfield

(262) 335-4445

landres@washcowisco.gov

333 E. Washington Street, Suite 2300 P.O. Box 2003 West Bend, WI 53095-2003

Online permits →

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

Off-grid gear

Going off-grid in Village of Richfield means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

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Does Richfield, Wisconsin have zoning, and what does it mean for lots and setbacks?

Yes. The Village of Richfield adopts its own zoning, with A-1 Exclusive Agricultural and A-2 General Agricultural districts plus several single-family residential districts3. Washington County does not regulate general zoning, so the village ordinance is the one that governs a lot inside Richfield10.

District matters. In the A-1 district the minimum lot is 35 acres, and adjacent C-1 or F-1 land under the same ownership can supply up to 80% of that8. A-1 farm dwellings need a front setback of 65 feet from the road right-of-way and 50 feet on each side11, and total first-floor building area may not exceed 3% of the parcel12. In RS-2 the minimum lot is 1.5 acres (65,340 square feet)13 and the front setback is 50 feet14.

Residential units in both agricultural districts must have at least 1,000 square feet of floor area15. Look up a parcel's district on the village's ZoningHub before you make an offer.

Do you need a building permit in Richfield, WI, and who issues it?

Yes. No building or structure may be erected, enlarged, altered, demolished or used in the Village of Richfield until the Building Inspector issues a permit1. The permit also depends on a dedicated street: none is issued unless the property abuts one1. A primary structure or an addition to one carries a $2,000 road bond deposit1.

The Village Building Inspectors issue all building, electrical, HVAC and plumbing permits for Richfield2. Applications are made in writing on the Building Inspector's form, with a plot plan and plans and specifications16, and the office does not accept emailed applications2. Fees follow the village fee schedule, and fees double when work starts before the permit is issued17.

For a new one- or two-family home, Wisconsin's Uniform Dwelling Code also applies, and an owner who lives or will live in the home can take out the construction and erosion-control permits without a dwelling contractor certification9. We could not confirm a separate owner-builder rule in the village code, so ask the Building Inspector.

How do septic permits work inside Richfield?

Washington County issues the private sewage-system permit for land inside the Village of Richfield, and the village will not issue a building permit until that county permit has been issued4. The county's Land Resources office takes the sanitary permit applications18.

Plan the order of events around that rule: septic permit first, village building permit second5. State sanitary permits are required for a new installation or major modification, and the county permit covers smaller work such as repairs and reconnections19. For some systems, state approval is needed before the county sanitary permit can be applied for20.

Holding tanks will not solve a hard lot. The village prohibits holding tanks for new residential purposes on building sites created after December 31, 19766. Only 15.4% of soils in Washington County rate as not limited for a conventional drain field, so expect a site evaluation and sometimes an engineered system21.

Can you live in an RV, tiny home or mobile home in Richfield?

Mobile homes are restricted. No occupied mobile home may be located in the Village of Richfield unless it sits in a licensed mobile home park, apart from homes already occupied outside a park when the chapter took effect7. One- and two-family manufactured homes that meet Wisconsin standards and village zoning are excepted7.

We could not confirm village rules on living in a recreational vehicle, temporary camping, tiny homes or accessory dwelling units. Call the Village Building Inspector before you buy land expecting any of them2.

Building a home in Richfield: the steps, in order

  1. Check the parcel's zoning district and the dedicated street frontage, then confirm minimum lot size and setbacks for that district3.
  2. Apply to Washington County Land Resources for the sanitary permit, because the village permit cannot issue without it4.
  3. Apply to the Village Building Inspectors in writing, with plot plan and plans, and pay the road bond and fees16.
  4. Install the driveway before construction, as the village streets chapter requires22.
  5. Call the Building Inspector for inspections at footing forms, before backfill, at framing and before drywall23.
  6. Obtain the occupancy permit; no occupancy or use is allowed until it is issued24.

What stays with Washington County, and what to check before you buy

Inside Richfield, the county decides septic permits4. The county's shoreland, wetland and floodplain rules apply in unincorporated areas only, and the county has no regulatory authority in incorporated areas25. The village zoning code has a Floodplain Overlay District, and we could not confirm its permit requirements, so ask the village before buying near water.

Wells are another open item: the village adopts the State Well Drilling Code, and we could not confirm whether a village well permit is needed. Statewide, a Well Construction Notification Number is required before a new private well26.

For land outside the village, see the Washington County page. County figures: effective property tax rate of 1.2%27 and a typical home value of $434,27828.

Watch-outs

  • Inside the Village of Richfield, the village code requires a dedicated street frontage and a prior county septic permit before a building permit can issue1.
  • We could not confirm village rules on RV occupancy, tiny homes, accessory dwellings or short-term rentals; ask the Village Building Inspectors before you buy2.
  • Washington County's shoreland and floodplain zoning covers unincorporated land only, so a lot near water inside the village needs a village answer25.

Sources

  1. Article I: General Construction Regulations (Village of Richfield), quoted and re-checked
  2. Village of Richfield Building Inspections (richfieldwi.gov)
  3. Chapter 170A: Zoning Appendix (Village of Richfield), quoted and re-checked
  4. Article I: General Construction Regulations (Village of Richfield), quoted and re-checked
  5. Article I: General Construction Regulations (Village of Richfield), quoted and re-checked
  6. Article I: General Construction Regulations (Village of Richfield), quoted and re-checked
  7. Chapter 248: Mobile/Manufactured Homes (Village of Richfield), quoted and re-checked
  8. Chapter 170A: Zoning Appendix (Village of Richfield), quoted and re-checked
  9. Wisconsin’s Uniform Dwelling Code (Wisconsin statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  10. County Land Information Plan 2024, quoted and re-checked
  11. ecode360.com (Village of Richfield), quoted and re-checked
  12. ecode360.com (Village of Richfield), quoted and re-checked
  13. ecode360.com (Village of Richfield), quoted and re-checked
  14. Chapter 170: Zoning (Village of Richfield), quoted and re-checked
  15. ecode360.com (Village of Richfield), quoted and re-checked
  16. Article I: General Construction Regulations (Village of Richfield), quoted and re-checked
  17. Article VIII: Fees and Charges (Village of Richfield), quoted and re-checked
  18. Washington County Natural Resources Department — Land Resources (permitapp.washcowisco.gov)
  19. Chapter 190: Private On-Site Wastewater Treatment Systems (POWTS), quoted and re-checked
  20. Septic Systems/POWTS, 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. Article I: General Construction Regulations (Village of Richfield), quoted and re-checked
  23. Article I: General Construction Regulations (Village of Richfield), quoted and re-checked
  24. Article I: General Construction Regulations (Village of Richfield), quoted and re-checked
  25. County Land Information Plan Instructions 2024, quoted and re-checked
  26. Well and heat exchange notification (Wisconsin statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  27. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  28. Typical home value (Zillow): Bolthole Index county data

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.

Answers from the rulebook for Village of Richfield

Village of Richfield’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    Buildings and structures inside Richfield village.

    • A permit is required before erection, ground breaking, enlargement, alteration, demolition, or use, except as provided in § 135-10.
    • A $2,000 road bond deposit is required for a primary structure, an addition to an existing primary structure, or as determined by the Building Inspector.
    • No permit is issued unless the property abuts a dedicated street.
    • No permit is issued until a county private sewage-system permit has been issued.
    • Minor repairs or alterations that do not change occupancy area, structural strength, fire protection, exits, light, or ventilation may be authorized without a permit.

    road bond deposit: 2000 USD (Required for a primary structure, addition to an existing primary structure, or as determined by the Building Inspector.)

    “No building or structure or any part thereof shall be erected, or ground broken for the same, or enlarged, altered, demolished, or used within the Village, except as provided in this section, until a permit shall first have been obtained by the owner, or his or her authorized agent, from the Building Inspector.”
  • InspectionsRequired

    New buildings, alterations, and existing buildings put to new uses inside Richfield village.

    • The builder must notify the Building Inspector when ready.
    • Inspections occur upon completion of footing forms, before backfill, when ready for framing, before drywall, and after completion.
    • Commercial, industrial, and multifamily buildings also require Fire Department and Planning and Zoning Administrator approval before occupancy.
    “The builder shall notify the Building Inspector when ready, and the Building Inspector shall inspect all buildings upon the completion of the footing forms, before backfill, again when ready for framing, and before drywall is applied.”
  • Certificate of occupancyRequired

    Work subject to a Richfield village building permit, including new buildings, structures, additions, alterations, equipment, and work.

    • A final inspection must determine conformity with the Code and other applicable legal requirements.
    • No occupancy or use may be maintained until the occupancy permit is obtained.
    • Commercial, industrial, and multifamily buildings require Fire Department and Planning and Zoning Administrator approval before occupancy.
    “Until such building, structure, equipment, or work is in compliance with all of the requirements of this chapter, all other applicable legal requirements, and the permit with respect to the same and until any occupancy permit under this subsection is obtained, no occupancy or use thereof shall be maintained.”
  • Zoning districtsPublished

    Land inside Richfield village.

    • The zoning appendix lists A-1 Exclusive Agricultural, A-2 General Agricultural, RS-1, RS-1R, RS-1A, RS-1B, RS-2, RS-3, RS-4, RD-1, RD-2, and PDD-01 districts.
    • Overlay districts are separately established in Chapter 170.
    “A-1 Exclusive Agricultural A-2 General Agricultural RS-1 Country Estates RS-1R Country Estates Remnant RS-1A Single-Family Residential and Rural Preservation RS-1B Single-Family Cluster/Open Space Residential RS-2 Single-Family Residential RS-3 Single-Family Residential RS-4 Single-Family Residential”
  • Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

    Residential units in the A-1 Exclusive Agricultural District.

    • The minimum is measured as total floor area per unit.

    minimum residential floor area: >= 1000 square feet per unit (Farm dwellings or other residential units.)

    “Farm dwellings or other residential units shall not have less than 1,000 square feet in total floor area per unit.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • Specified — Residential units in the A-2 General Agricultural District.
      “Farm dwellings or other residential units shall not have less than 1,000 square feet in total floor area per unit.”
  • Minimum lot sizeSpecified

    Lots in the A-1 Exclusive Agricultural District.

    • Adjacent C-1 and/or F-1 lands under the same ownership may satisfy up to 80% of the A-1 lot-area requirement.
    • Some land uses may require larger lots under Appendix B.

    minimum lot area: >= 35 acres (Up to 80% may be met by adjacent C-1 and/or F-1 lands under the same ownership, subject to the stated conditions.)

    “Lot area, minimum | § 170.861 | 35 acres When lands in the C-1 and/or F-1 District lie adjacent to lands in the A-1 District and under the same ownership, such lands may be used to meet up to 80% of the lot area requirements of the A-1 District.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • District specific (with conditions) — Lots in the RS-2 Single-Family Residential District.
      “Lot area, minimum | § 170.861 | 1.5 acres (65,340 square feet)”
  • SetbacksSpecified

    Buildings in the A-1 Exclusive Agricultural District.

    • Front setback is measured from the established street, road, or highway right-of-way.
    • Detached farm buildings have a separate rear setback.
    • Farm dwellings and other detached principal structures have separate side setbacks.

    front-yard setback: >= 65 feet · rear-yard setback for detached farm buildings: >= 50 feet · side-yard setback for detached farm dwelling: >= 50 feet each side · side-yard setback for other detached principal-use structures: >= 25 feet each side

    “Front yard setback, minimum | § 170.871 | 65 feet from the established street, road, or highway right-of-way Rear yard setback, minimum | § 170.871 | 50-foot rear yard setback on detached farm buildings Side yard setback, minimum | § 170.871 | 50 feet on each side of a detached farm dwelling unit 25 feet on each side of other detached principal use structures”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • District specific (with conditions) — Buildings in the RS-2 Single-Family Residential District.
      “Front yard setback, minimum | § 170.871 | 50 feet”
  • Lot coverageSpecified

    Buildings in the A-1 Exclusive Agricultural District.

    • The total first-floor area of all buildings is measured against the entire parcel.

    maximum building coverage: <= 3 percent

    “The total first floor area of all buildings shall not exceed 3% of the entire parcel.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • District specific (with conditions) — Buildings in the RS-2 Single-Family Residential District.
      “Building coverage, maximum | § 170.868 | 8%”
  • Building heightDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Buildings in the RS-2 Single-Family Residential District.

    • Building height is regulated through Appendix C, subject to § 170.870 exceptions.
    “Building height for principal building, maximum | § 170.870 | 35 feet”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • Specified — Principal and accessory buildings in the A-1 Exclusive Agricultural District.
      “Principal farm buildings or accessory buildings except barns, elevators, grain dryers, and silos shall not exceed 25 feet in height. Barns, elevators, grain dryers and silos shall not exceed in height the distance to the nearest lot line.”
  • Manufactured homesLimited

    Occupied mobile or manufactured homes inside Richfield village.

    • Occupied mobile homes must be in a licensed mobile home park unless occupied outside a mobile home park on the effective date of Chapter 248.
    • One- and two-family manufactured homes meeting applicable Wisconsin one- and two-family standards and Village zoning requirements are excepted.
    • Electrical and plumbing permits are required for connection of electrical service and plumbing laterals.
    “Restricted. No occupied mobile home shall be permitted to be located in the Village unless the mobile home is in a licensed mobile home park, except those mobile homes occupied outside of a mobile home park on the effective date of this chapter.”
  • Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

    Private sewage systems serving land inside Richfield village; Washington County issues the required private sewage-system permit.

    • The Village building permit cannot issue until a county private sewage-system permit has been issued.
    “No building permit shall be issued until a permit for a private sewage system has been issued by the county.”
  • Septic permitRequired

    New building permits inside Richfield village served by a private sewage system.

    • A county private sewage-system permit must be issued before the Village building permit is issued.
    “No building permit shall be issued until a permit for a private sewage system has been issued by the county.”
  • Off-grid sanitationLimited

    New residential building sites inside Richfield village using holding tanks.

    • The prohibition applies to holding tanks for new residential purposes.
    • It applies to building sites created after December 31, 1976.
    • This claim does not resolve every possible off-grid sanitation technology.

    building-site cutoff: 1976-12-31 (Building sites created on or before December 31, 1976 are not covered by this specific prohibition.)

    “Holding tanks for new residential purposes shall be prohibited on all building sites created after December 31, 1976.”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Land divisions and subdivisions inside Richfield village.

    • Chapter 330 is the Village subdivision-of-land chapter.
    • County review no longer applies to plats in villages and cities after 2023, but Washington County Land Use Inspectors review soil tests in Richfield village areas served by private onsite wastewater treatment systems.
    “Chapter 330 Subdivision of Land [HISTORY: Adopted by the Village Board of the Village of Richfield 7-16-2009 by Ord. No. 2009-7-6 (Ch. 66 of prior Code); amended in its entirety 9-19-2013 by Ord. No. 2013-8-1.”
  • Driveway accessRequired

    Construction of a building inside Richfield village.

    • Driveway installation is required prior to construction under Chapter 324, Streets and Sidewalks.
    • The zoning appendix also states a minimum five-foot distance between a driveway and property boundary line in the cited agricultural district standards.

    minimum driveway-to-property-boundary distance: >= 5 feet

    “Driveway installation required prior to construction. See Chapter 324, Streets and Sidewalks, of this Code.”
  • Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

    Building, plumbing, electrical, HVAC, and related permits and inspections inside Richfield village.

    • Fees are established by the Village Board and included in the Village fee schedule.
    • An additional plan-review fee may be assessed upon permit renewal.
    • Fees double when work begins before a permit is obtained, except in emergencies.
    • The state commercial-building fee schedule may be charged in lieu of or in addition to the Village schedule at the Village's discretion.
    “At the time the application for a building permit or other designated permit is filed, the applicant shall pay the fees established in the Village's fee schedule.”
  • Permit processPublished (with conditions)

    Applications for building permits inside Richfield village.

    • Applications must be in writing on a Building Inspector form.
    • The application must state owner and land information, legal description, designer, intended use, and other information the Building Inspector requires.
    • Plans and specifications, including a plot plan, must be submitted unless waived for qualifying alterations, repairs, or moving.
    • A permit must be displayed at the site.
    “Applications for a building permit shall be made, in writing, upon a form furnished by the Building Inspector and shall state the name and address of the owner of the land and also the owner of the building, if different, the legal description of the land upon which the building is to be located, the name and address of the designer, the use to which such building is to be put, and such other information as the Building Inspector may require.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Village of Richfield or Washington County directly.

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builders inside Richfield village.
  • Living in an RV — Occupancy of recreational vehicles on private land inside Richfield village.
  • Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land inside Richfield village.
  • Tiny homes — Tiny-home occupancy inside Richfield village.
  • Accessory dwellings — Accessory dwelling units inside Richfield village.
6 more unanswered
  • Septic inspection
  • Well permit
  • Mandatory utility hookup
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Building in a floodplain
  • Short-term rentals

Each answer was extracted from an official source and independently re-checked against that source by a second reviewer. That is an evidence check, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with the authority before you buy or build.

Unanswered questions are usually a sign that Village of Richfield publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Washington County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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