PCAA's Southeast Wisconsin Asphalt Permit Center

One place to find permit requirements, applications, engineering standards, contacts, fees, and specifications for every municipality we serve.

Prepared and published as a public service by the Purpose Contracting Asphalt Academy (PCAA) for Wisconsin property owners, homeowners, and property managers. PCAA publishes this guide as free education; it names no companies, recommends no contractor, and sells nothing in these pages. Published July 2026. Researched and verified on official municipal, county, and state sources, July 27, 2026; fees and phone numbers re-verified in a second pass on July 29, 2026.

Important note. This is educational guidance, not legal or permitting advice. Municipal fees and ordinances change constantly — every entry below carries a verification status, and even a "Verified" figure should be confirmed with the issuing office before you rely on it. When this guide and your permit desk disagree, the permit desk wins.

How to use this guide: find your county, then your municipality, and read its card — the permit rule, who issues it, the fees, any contractor bonding rules, a phone number where one could be verified on an official source, and the local quirks worth knowing before you sign a paving contract. If your municipality is marked "call first," that means its rules could not be verified on official online sources — which never means there are no rules. A one-page printable summary of every municipality is available in the download library at the end of this guide. This reference is the companion to PCAA's step-by-step guide, How to Hire an Asphalt Contractor in Wisconsin.

Quick Answers:

Six Facts That Cover Most Situations

• Your own pavement usually is not the permitted part — the approach, apron, curb cut, or culvert in the public right-of-way almost always is. The right-of-way often reaches 30 feet from the road centerline, so much of what looks like front lawn belongs to the municipality.
• Wisconsin's baseline is Wis. Stat. § 86.07(2): no excavation, fill, culvert work, or alteration in any highway right-of-way without a permit from whoever maintains that road — municipality, county, or state.
• Permits stack. A driveway meeting a county trunk highway needs the county access permit on top of the municipal permit; state highway frontage adds a WisDOT connection permit (free to apply, 2–4 weeks).
• Repaving alone triggers a permit in many places — including Wind Point, the Town of Linn, the Towns of Trenton and Farmington, Salem Lakes, Paddock Lake (repair permit required but free), and every county trunk highway in Washington and Kenosha Counties.
• Several municipalities ban concrete in the road right-of-way (Somers, Town of Burlington, Towns of Polk, Wayne, Erin, Farmington, and more) while others require concrete approaches (City of West Bend, Whitewater, Slinger). Never assume your last town's rules follow you.
• Your mailing address is not your permit office. Franksville is inside the Village of Caledonia; many "Franksville" addresses are in the Village of Raymond. Check the taxing municipality on your property tax bill — or your parcel on the county land-records/GIS site — before calling anyone.
• The money picture at a glance: municipal driveway permits run from free (Elm Grove) and $15 (Town of Sharon) to $350 (Milwaukee; Port Washington street opening); county access permits $50 to $1,000; the WisDOT state-highway permit is free to apply for. These permits govern PUBLIC right-of-way — private roads and HOA streets follow the association's rules instead, though shoreland zoning still applies near water.

How Driveway Permits Work in Wisconsin:

Five Rules That Apply Everywhere

Rule one: the state sets the floor, the locals set the rules. Wisconsin Statute 86.07(2) requires a permit from the maintaining authority before anyone makes an excavation or fill or installs a culvert in any highway right-of-way. Who the "maintaining authority" is depends on the road your driveway meets: your municipality for local streets, the county for county trunk highways, and WisDOT for state highways. That is why this guide is organized by municipality — there is no statewide driveway permit, and no statewide answer.

Rule two: the private-lot versus right-of-way split decides most questions. In most municipalities, paving on your own property is a zoning matter or entirely unregulated — the City of Milwaukee and Mequon require no permit at all for flat work on your lot. The regulated zone is the public right-of-way: the approach or apron (where your driveway meets the road), the curb cut, the terrace strip, and the culvert. But more than a dozen municipalities reach past the right-of-way and permit both layers — Port Washington and Lake Geneva permit the private driveway itself, Muskego requires a zoning permit for every on-lot surface including gravel, and Sussex, Wales, Fontana, Rochester, and others regulate the on-lot side too. The cards below say so wherever they do.

Rule three: permits stack; they do not replace each other. Milwaukee County's own application says the applicant is responsible for obtaining any other municipal permits. Waukesha County charges $650 for a residential access permit on a county trunk highway — in addition to whatever your city or village requires — and the other counties run from $50 to a few hundred dollars. WisDOT's state-highway connection permit is free to apply for but required even to improve an existing connection.

Rule four: watch the repave and culvert triggers. In a surprising number of places, an overlay of the first 20 to 30 feet of your driveway is legally right-of-way work: some ordinances expressly reach "resurfacing" (Wind Point, Town of Linn), "changing the driveway surface" (Trenton), or "construction or repair" (Salem Lakes, Shorewood). Culverts carry their own permits nearly everywhere, and the who-installs question varies enormously: owner-installs-to-spec in most rural towns, municipal-crews-only in Mequon, the City of Pewaukee, the Town of Delafield, Pleasant Prairie, and Brown Deer. If a bid "includes the culvert" in a municipal-install town, that bid has a problem.

Rule five: some municipalities screen your contractor; most do not. Milwaukee and West Allis license paving-related contractors outright; Pleasant Prairie requires village-qualified contractors for curb cuts; Franklin, Kewaskum, New Berlin, and others require insurance certificates and bonds on file before right-of-way work. Where a municipality has such a rule, ask your contractor for their number before signing — and where it does not (Greenfield's form says in writing that contractors are not required to be bonded or insured with the city), the screening job is entirely yours.

The State Layer:

WisDOT and State Highways

One card applies everywhere before the county sections: if your driveway meets a state trunk highway, WisDOT is the maintaining authority, and its connection permit stacks on top of everything below.

WisDOT — State Trunk Highways (statewide layer)

The rule: A State Trunk Highway Connection Permit is required for any driveway connecting to a state highway — and required even to improve or replace an existing connection. Any work in state highway right-of-way requires a permit from WisDOT as maintaining authority (Wis. Stat. 86.07(2)(a); Trans 231). This stacks on the municipal permit.

Issued by: WisDOT transportation region office for your county — Southeast Region: 141 NW Barstow St, Waukesha. Apply on Form DT1504 with a location sketch (DT1248); WisDOT recommends electronic submission. (The SHAPES online system handles only work-on-ROW permits, not driveway connections.) · Phone: 262-548-5891

Fees: No cost to apply. Allow roughly 1-2 weeks for a complete application (up to 4 for complex ones)

Watch for: WisDOT prefers the minimum number of driveways per parcel; properties with side-road access are often denied direct state-highway connections. In cities and villages, some state-highway segments are 'connecting highways' where the municipality is the permitting authority — check first.

Official page: https://wisconsindot.gov/Pages/doing-bus/real-estate/permits/connections.aspx

Status: Verified on official sources, July 2026 — including a published fee. Fees and rules change; confirm with the office before relying on any figure.

Milwaukee County Driveway Permits (19 municipalities)

Milwaukee County is where the region's two true contractor-licensing cities live. The City of Milwaukee requires the contractor working in the public way to hold a city license backed by a $5,000 performance bond that guarantees the work for three years, and West Allis requires its own licensed and bonded concrete contractor for permanent pavement restorations — in both cities, an owner can and should ask for the license number before signing anything. The county also shows the full fee spread in one place: a $65 approach permit in Greendale against $350 in Milwaukee. Everywhere in the county, the split that matters is private lot versus public way: your own pavement is usually a zoning matter or unregulated, while the apron, curb cut, and terrace almost always need a permit.

In this section: Village of Bayside, Village of Brown Deer, City of Cudahy, Village of Fox Point, City of Franklin, City of Glendale, Village of Greendale, City of Greenfield, Village of Hales Corners, City of Milwaukee, City of Oak Creek, Village of River Hills, Village of Shorewood, City of South Milwaukee, City of St. Francis, City of Wauwatosa, City of West Allis, Village of West Milwaukee, Village of Whitefish Bay. The county-highway card comes first — it applies on county trunk routes in all of them.

Milwaukee County highways (county overlay)

The rule: County permit required for any driveway or street entrance intersecting a county trunk highway — including closures and changes to width or surface material. This STACKS on top of the municipal permit; the county application says the applicant is responsible for obtaining any other municipal permits.

Issued by: Milwaukee County Department of Transportation, 10320 W. Watertown Plank Rd. · Phone: 414-257-5900

Fees: 2026: Access/Driveway $115 + Engineering $175 + Inspection $155, plus a refundable restoration deposit

Watch for: Applies on county trunk stretches such as parts of Layton, Rawson, College, Ryan, and Howell. County Code ch. 67.

Official page: https://county.milwaukee.gov/EN/Department-of-Transportation/Transportation-Services/Permits

Status: Verified on official sources, July 2026 — including a published fee. Fees and rules change; confirm with the office before relying on any figure.

Village of Bayside

The rule: ROW & Excavation Permit; DPW culvert approval is required BEFORE a building permit will issue; separate Impervious Surface Permit for the lot itself.

Issued by: Department of Public Works

Fees: ROW $150; excavation $200 (+$50 each additional); street cutting $1,000-$1,700; refundable bonds $1,000-$5,000. Culvert: $800/driveway installed by village crews, or a $100 permit to use your own contractor

Contractor requirements: Proof of liability insurance satisfactory to the department plus a repair bond as determined by the department.

Watch for: Bayside is one of the few villages with a named Impervious Surface Permit for lot coverage. The village spans the Milwaukee/Ozaukee county line — the same village rules apply on both sides.

Official page: https://www.baysidewi.gov/services/public_works/forms_permits_applications.php

Status: Verified on official sources, July 2026 — including a published fee. Fees and rules change; confirm with the office before relying on any figure.

Village of Brown Deer

The rule: Permit required for drive approach and culvert work in the right-of-way.

Issued by: Department of Public Works; apply through Village Hall

Fees: Fees must be paid before issuance; amounts not published online

Watch for: Culvert replacement is performed by village crews, not your contractor.

Official page: https://browndeerwi.org/241/Driveway-Approach-Culvert-Permits

Status: Partially verified on official sources, July 2026 — the requirement is real, but at least one detail (usually the fee) is unpublished. Confirm with the office before applying.

City of Cudahy

The rule: Right-of-way permit required, including for driveway apron or sidewalk replacement.

Issued by: Public Works / Engineering · Phone: 414-769-2212

Fees: $150 + deposit; working without a permit: $150 penalty + the permit fee

Watch for: Winter moratorium: no right-of-way work December 1 - April 1 except emergencies. (Do not rely on the lookalike 'cudahy.municipal.codes' website — that is Cudahy, California.)

Official page: https://www.cudahy-wi.gov/departments/public_works/permits/index.php

Status: Partially verified on official sources, July 2026 — the requirement is real, but at least one detail (usually the fee) is unpublished. Confirm with the office before applying.

Village of Fox Point

The rule: Right-of-way permit for any use, installation, or obstruction of the right-of-way (s. 292-5.1). No standalone driveway-approach section — apron work rides on the ROW permit.

Issued by: Village Engineer; indemnity agreement filed with the Village Clerk

Fees: Set by Village Board resolution; deposits $500-$1,000, held at least 180 days after completion

Contractor requirements: Any permittee working in the ROW must post a financial guarantee in an amount approved by the Village Engineer.

Watch for: Deposits are held a minimum of 180 days after the work is done.

Official page: https://ecode360.com/14573764

Status: Verified on official sources, July 2026 — including a published fee. Fees and rules change; confirm with the office before relying on any figure.

City of Franklin

The rule: Drive approach permit plus a separate right-of-way work permit.

Issued by: Inspection Services (approach permit); City Engineer / DPW (ROW work) — Code ss. 222-3, 222-4

Fees: Drive approach $100 ($90 + $10 tech fee); ROW work permit $100 application + $100 first 200 ft + $0.10/ft beyond

Contractor requirements: The heaviest insurance load in the county: general liability $1M per occurrence / $2M aggregate, auto $1M, pollution, $2M umbrella, workers comp — City named additional insured, primary and non-contributory — plus surety of 10% of project cost (minimum $1,000).

Watch for: Required concrete approaches are deferred December 1 - May 1 (winter). Franklin's insurance floor is a useful benchmark for judging any contractor's certificate.

Official page: https://ecode360.com/8433155

Status: Verified on official sources, July 2026 — including a published fee. Fees and rules change; confirm with the office before relying on any figure.

City of Glendale

The rule: Right-of-way permits exist (city page: 'Right-of-Way Permits'); details could not be verified online.

Issued by: City of Glendale

Fees: Not published — confirm with the office before applying.

Watch for: City website was unreachable during both research passes.

Official page: https://www.glendale-wi.org/

Status: Could not be fully verified online as of July 2026 — call the office before doing anything. The absence of published rules never means the absence of rules.

Village of Greendale

The rule: Driveway opening permit (s. 8.03, includes culverts) plus separate ROW and excavation permits (s. 8.07, s. 8.05).

Issued by: Director of Inspection Services (driveway); Director of Public Works (ROW/excavation)

Fees: Driveway Approach $65; ROW Permit $65; Road/ROW Excavation $65 (fee schedule effective 1/1/2026)

Contractor requirements: Excavation requires a certificate of insurance, $1,000,000 bodily injury + property damage aggregate, non-cancelable without 10 days notice.

Watch for: Owner pays for culvert work installed under DPW direction; unpaid costs are assessed to the tax roll. Cheapest published approach permit in the county.

Official page: https://ecode360.com/111437

Status: Verified on official sources, July 2026 — including a published fee. Fees and rules change; confirm with the office before relying on any figure.

City of Greenfield

The rule: Driveway Approach Permit required for all paving in the public right-of-way.

Issued by: Department of Neighborhood Services — Engineering Division · Phone: 414-329-5325

Fees: $75 minimum

Contractor requirements: None — the permit form states in writing: 'Contractors are not required to be bonded or insured with the City of Greenfield.' The city is not screening your contractor for you; verify insurance yourself.

Watch for: Ordinance #2101 cited on the permit form; ROW occupancy under Sec. 9.04.

Official page: https://www.ci.greenfield.wi.us/DocumentCenter/View/7988

Status: Verified on official sources, July 2026 — including a published fee. Fees and rules change; confirm with the office before relying on any figure.

Village of Hales Corners

The rule: Three separate triggers under three officials: curb cut (Building Inspector, s. 185-22), street opening (Building Inspector or DPW Director), culvert (Village Clerk).

Issued by: Building Inspector / DPW Director / Village Clerk depending on the work

Fees: Per village fee schedule; sidewalk work requires authorization but no fee (s. 383-5)

Contractor requirements: Public liability insurance certificate of at least $25,000 per person / $50,000 per accident (s. 383-1 — dated limits, as written).

Watch for: Culverts are installed at VILLAGE expense — one of the only municipalities where the culvert is free to the owner.

Official page: https://ecode360.com/32373872

Status: Partially verified on official sources, July 2026 — the requirement is real, but at least one detail (usually the fee) is unpublished. Confirm with the office before applying.

City of Milwaukee

The rule: No permit for paving on your own lot. Any work affecting the public way — the driveway approach, curb cut, or sidewalk — requires Department of Public Works permits.

Issued by: DPW, via the DNS Permit & Development Center · Phone: 414-286-8208

Fees: $350 total for an approach permit ($200 application + $125 plan review/inspection + $25 processing, per s. 81-45)

Contractor requirements: The region's strictest contractor-LICENSING rule: the contractor doing approach or other concrete work in the public way must hold a City of Milwaukee license (s. 115-26) backed by a $5,000 performance bond that guarantees the work for 3 years (s. 115-27) plus $10,000 indemnity security (s. 115-28). Ask for the license number before signing.

Watch for: Code: Milwaukee Code of Ordinances ch. 115 (ss. 115-23 to 115-28). The private-lot vs. public-way split is the cleanest in the region — flat work on your property needs no permit at all.

Official page: https://city.milwaukee.gov/DNS/permits/PermitChecklist

Status: Verified on official sources, July 2026 — including a published fee. Fees and rules change; confirm with the office before relying on any figure.

City of Oak Creek

The rule: Two tracks: a right-of-way approach permit (Engineering) plus zoning compliance for the on-lot driveway (Community Development).

Issued by: Engineering (permit); Community Development (zoning, s. 17.0503)

Fees: $70

Contractor requirements: No driveway-specific license. Excavation work (s. 6.22) requires $1M/$1M/$500K insurance plus $500-$3,000 deposits.

Watch for: Code: Sec. 6.60 (ROW driveways/sidewalks). One of the clearest published two-track systems in the county.

Official page: https://www.oakcreekwi.gov/government/licenses-permits/driveways-approaches-parking-pads-curb-cuts

Status: Verified on official sources, July 2026 — including a published fee. Fees and rules change; confirm with the office before relying on any figure.

Village of River Hills

The rule: Culvert Permit and ROW Permit required; Village Board approval needed for a driveway serving more than one parcel (s. 10.03).

Issued by: Village Engineer + DPW; culvert permit issued by the Village Clerk after Engineer approval

Fees: Culvert $100 + $15 admin + $500 deposit; ROW pavement excavation $300 (up to 1,000 lf) / $450 beyond; inspections $250-$400

Contractor requirements: Applicants must show financial capability to cover liability to the Village's satisfaction; repair/restoration bonds, letters of credit, or cash deposits may be required.

Watch for: Unpermitted work is billed at DOUBLE the normal rates.

Official page: https://www.riverhillswi.com/building-inspection/page/permits

Status: Verified on official sources, July 2026 — including a published fee. Fees and rules change; confirm with the office before relying on any figure.

Village of Shorewood

The rule: Permit required for sidewalk or driveway work laid OR REPAIRED in the public way (s. 466-12) — repair is expressly captured, not just new construction. Separate permit to break or remove curb (s. 466-15).

Issued by: Director of Public Works; curb-cut plans also to Planning & Development and the Building Inspector

Fees: Per village fee schedule

Contractor requirements: Special-privilege work: surety bond up to $10,000 + liability insurance $100K/$300K bodily injury, $25K property damage (s. 466-18).

Watch for: One of the few municipalities whose ordinance explicitly reaches repair work in the terrace.

Official page: https://ecode360.com/7776820

Status: Partially verified on official sources, July 2026 — the requirement is real, but at least one detail (usually the fee) is unpublished. Confirm with the office before applying.

City of South Milwaukee

The rule: Sidewalk, Driveway and/or Curb Cut Permit exists; right-of-way work runs under s. 12.01 per City Engineer regulations.

Issued by: City Engineer

Fees: Not published — confirm with the office before applying.

Contractor requirements: No municipal contractor license (verified: Ch. 20 contains none).

Watch for: Permit form exists on the city site but fee amounts are not published online.

Official page: https://ecode360.com/31961404

Status: Partially verified on official sources, July 2026 — the requirement is real, but at least one detail (usually the fee) is unpublished. Confirm with the office before applying.

City of St. Francis

The rule: Driveway permit (s. 397-1) plus street excavation permit (s. 397-2) for ROW work.

Issued by: Building Inspector, upon recommendation and approval of the City Engineer

Fees: Per fee schedule on file with the City Clerk (not published online)

Contractor requirements: Street excavation requires a certificate of insurance of at least $1,000,000 filed with the City Clerk, plus a cash deposit or letter of credit.

Watch for: One permit, three offices: Building Inspector issues, City Engineer approves, Clerk holds the fee schedule and insurance certificate.

Official page: https://ecode360.com/9204537

Status: Partially verified on official sources, July 2026 — the requirement is real, but at least one detail (usually the fee) is unpublished. Confirm with the office before applying.

City of Wauwatosa

The rule: Street Occupancy Permit required any time a drive approach, sidewalk, or other paving surface is constructed or replaced in the public right-of-way.

Issued by: Engineering Services / Director of Public Works (apply through the city's online self-service portal) · Phone: 414-479-8927

Fees: $150 application + $75 per inspection; permit valid 60 days

Contractor requirements: No city paving-contractor license found.

Watch for: Code: Wauwatosa Code ss. 12.04.020-12.04.060 (street occupancy permits). Re-verified July 2026.

Official page: https://www.wauwatosa.net/government/departments/public-works/engineering/street-occupancy-permit-for-drive-approaches-and-sidewalk

Status: Verified on official sources, July 2026 — including a published fee. Fees and rules change; confirm with the office before relying on any figure.

City of West Allis

The rule: Driveway Permit for approach work in the right-of-way, plus separate excavation and ROW-occupancy permits for digging.

Issued by: Engineering Department (apply via the city's OpenGov portal) · Phone: 414-302-8367 (inspections)

Fees: Driveway Permit $75 + $50 review; excavation permit $100 minimum + $10 per 100 sq ft + $0.50/lf of boring (adopted fee schedule R-2021-0247, unchanged on the current schedule)

Contractor requirements: City Concrete Contractor License required — $75/year with a $3,000 bond. The city's right-of-way stipulations state a West Allis licensed and bonded concrete contractor is required for permanent pavement restorations.

Watch for: Preconstruction inspection must be requested at least 3 days before work. Extra fees if street trees or electrical must be moved.

Official page: https://westalliswi.portal.opengov.com/

Status: Verified on official sources, July 2026 — including a published fee. Fees and rules change; confirm with the office before relying on any figure.

Village of West Milwaukee

The rule: Could not be verified online.

Issued by: Department of Public Works · Phone: 414-645-6238

Fees: Not published — confirm with the office before applying.

Watch for: Village website was unreachable during both research passes; code is on a JavaScript-only host.

Official page: https://westmilwaukee.org/

Status: Could not be fully verified online as of July 2026 — call the office before doing anything. The absence of published rules never means the absence of rules.

Village of Whitefish Bay

The rule: Permit required for curb cut, driveway, or sidewalk work in the public highway (s. 7-28).

Issued by: Building Inspector

Fees: Set by Village Board (not published in code)

Contractor requirements: None found in the code.

Official page: https://ecode360.com/33295988

Status: Partially verified on official sources, July 2026 — the requirement is real, but at least one detail (usually the fee) is unpublished. Confirm with the office before applying.

Waukesha County Driveway Permits (37 municipalities)

Waukesha County is culvert country. The sharpest differences between its three dozen municipalities are about who may install the pipe under your driveway: the City of Pewaukee and the Town of Delafield allow only municipal crews (in Delafield you buy the culvert and the town installs it), Muskego replaces culverts for existing 1-2 family homes at the owner's expense but makes new construction hire it out under a permit, and most rural towns let your contractor install to a published spec. Several communities exempt same-material gravel or asphalt resurfacing from permits while capturing concrete — and Elm Grove charges nothing at all for a standard driveway permit, alongside its ban on coal-tar sealants. One naming note: the Town of Waukesha no longer exists — it incorporated as the Village of Waukesha in May 2020, a separate government from the neighboring City of Waukesha; both have cards below.

In this section: Village of Big Bend, City of Brookfield, Town of Brookfield, Village of Butler, Village of Chenequa, City of Delafield, Town of Delafield, Village of Dousman, Village and Town of Eagle, Village of Elm Grove, Town of Genesee, Village of Hartland, Village of Lac La Belle, Village of Lannon, Village of Lisbon, Village of Menomonee Falls, Village of Merton, Town of Merton, Village of Mukwonago, Town of Mukwonago, City of Muskego, Village of Nashotah, City of New Berlin, Village of North Prairie, City of Oconomowoc, Town of Oconomowoc, Village of Oconomowoc Lake, Town of Ottawa, City of Pewaukee, Village of Pewaukee, Village of Summit, Village of Sussex, Village of Vernon, Village of Wales, City of Waukesha, Village of Waukesha. The county-highway card comes first — it applies on county trunk routes in all of them.

Waukesha County highways (county overlay)

The rule: County access permit for any new or modified driveway on a county trunk highway — stacks on the municipal permit.

Issued by: Waukesha County DPW · Phone: 262-548-7749

Fees: $650 residential; $1,000 commercial/industrial/institutional/subdivision; $240 temporary construction drive; $1,350 traffic-impact-study review

Contractor requirements: Culvert/storm pipe calculations required for pipes in county ROW.

Watch for: Since April 1, 2026, applications are accepted ONLY through the Oxcart Permits online system — no paper, email, or fax. Review runs 1 week to 1 month.

Official page: https://www.waukeshacounty.gov/public-works/access-permits/

Status: Verified on official sources, July 2026 — including a published fee. Fees and rules change; confirm with the office before relying on any figure.

Village of Big Bend

The rule: Handled through zoning/site review — the zoning application requires adequate driveway access per Chapters 9 and 16; no standalone driveway permit found.

Issued by: Zoning Department / Clerk · Phone: 262-662-2747

Fees: Per village fee sheet

Official page: https://villageofbigbend.com/

Status: Partially verified on official sources, July 2026 — the requirement is real, but at least one detail (usually the fee) is unpublished. Confirm with the office before applying.

City of Brookfield

The rule: Permit required before constructing, establishing, rerouting, or altering a driveway's location or slope (Ch. 12.09 access management; permits under Ch. 12.18).

Issued by: City Engineer

Fees: Admin fee + inspection deposit + a street 'degradation fee' (amounts not published)

Contractor requirements: Insurance certificates per s. 12.17.070(D)(14), indemnification, and registration under s. 12.16.020.

Watch for: 100-ft spacing from intersections; max 10% driveway slope; grade change in the ROW capped at 12 in.; corner lots take access from the lesser street.

Official page: https://www.codepublishing.com/WI/Brookfield/

Status: Partially verified on official sources, July 2026 — the requirement is real, but at least one detail (usually the fee) is unpublished. Confirm with the office before applying.

Town of Brookfield

The rule: Permit for new, reconstructed, relocated, or expanded driveways, culverts — and CONCRETE resurfacing. Same-material gravel or asphalt resurfacing is exempt.

Issued by: Building Inspector (Development Services)

Fees: Per the schedule of fees held by the Clerk

Watch for: Code s. 12.10. 3-ft residential setback from lot lines; commercial driveways go to the Plan Commission. The gravel/asphalt repave exemption is one of the friendliest in the county.

Official page: https://www.townofbrookfieldwi.gov/

Status: Partially verified on official sources, July 2026 — the requirement is real, but at least one detail (usually the fee) is unpublished. Confirm with the office before applying.

Village of Butler

The rule: Driveway Permit, plus separate ROW Alteration and Road Cut permits.

Issued by: Building Department

Fees: Per village fee schedule (not published)

Watch for: Three separate ROW-related permits in a 0.8-square-mile village.

Official page: https://butlerwi.gov/how_do_i/apply_for/permits_and_applications.php

Status: Partially verified on official sources, July 2026 — the requirement is real, but at least one detail (usually the fee) is unpublished. Confirm with the office before applying.

Village of Chenequa

The rule: Could not be verified online — no fetchable municipal website found.

Issued by: Village Hall

Fees: Not published — confirm with the office before applying.

Status: Could not be fully verified online as of July 2026 — call the office before doing anything. The absence of published rules never means the absence of rules.

City of Delafield

The rule: Street opening permit (s. 42-3); culvert and concrete rules in ss. 42-4, 42-5.

Issued by: Director of Public Works

Fees: By Council resolution; $1,000 minimum deposit or $5/sq ft

Contractor requirements: $1M public liability / $500K property damage — and pavement patching must be done by a CITY-APPROVED PAVING COMPANY.

Watch for: Standard 15-in. arch culvert; concrete driveways must stay at least 5 ft from the paved surface where there is no curb; 3-day max open trench ($1,000/day beyond).

Official page: https://library.municode.com/wi/delafield

Status: Verified on official sources, July 2026 — including a published fee. Fees and rules change; confirm with the office before relying on any figure.

Town of Delafield

The rule: Driveway and/or Culvert Application plus a ROW/Road Cut Permit (Ch. 8, ss. 8.02-8.03).

Issued by: Highway Superintendent; Building Inspector for surfacing

Fees: Culvert deposit equals the estimated install cost; other fees per the current schedule

Contractor requirements: Excavation: $10,000 cash bond cap or $10,000 indemnity bond; insurance $1M-occurrence/$2M-aggregate CGL + $1M auto + $5M umbrella (A.M. Best A-:VII), town as additional insured — the heaviest umbrella requirement in the county.

Watch for: The applicant BUYS the culvert (15-in. min CMP with end guards) but the TOWN installs it. Concrete must stay 3 ft from the road's hard surface; max 12% driveway slope; no road openings when the ground is frozen.

Official page: https://www.townofdelafield.org/services/licenses_permits.php

Status: Verified on official sources, July 2026 — including a published fee. Fees and rules change; confirm with the office before relying on any figure.

Village of Dousman

The rule: ROW Permit exists; no standalone driveway permit listed — but a $2,500 ditch/occupancy bond on new homes is refunded only after the hard-surface driveway approach is installed.

Issued by: Village office, 118 S. Main St · Phone: 262-965-3792

Fees: Not published

Watch for: Approach completion is a bond-release condition — the driveway must be finished before the new-home bond comes back.

Official page: https://villageofdousman.gov/forms-permits/

Status: Partially verified on official sources, July 2026 — the requirement is real, but at least one detail (usually the fee) is unpublished. Confirm with the office before applying.

Village and Town of Eagle

The rule: Could not be verified online — the code is hosted only as a non-text PDF.

Issued by: Village/Town Clerk

Fees: Not published — confirm with the office before applying.

Official page: https://library.municode.com/wi/eagle

Status: Could not be fully verified online as of July 2026 — call the office before doing anything. The absence of published rules never means the absence of rules.

Village of Elm Grove

The rule: Permit for installation or improvement of a driveway — EXCEPT sealcoating, which is exempt.

Issued by: Director of Public Works + Zoning Administrator (dual approval)

Fees: No charge

Watch for: DPW inspects the culvert before driveway replacement. Coal-tar driveway sealants are banned in the village (Ch. 120). The only municipality found charging nothing for a standard driveway permit — a few others (Paddock Lake, Menomonee Falls) waive fees for repairs only.

Official page: https://elmgrovewi.org/261/Permits

Status: Verified on official sources, July 2026 — including a published fee. Fees and rules change; confirm with the office before relying on any figure.

Town of Genesee

The rule: Culvert sizing permit required BEFORE a building permit will issue; driveway regulations at ss. 500-19 to 500-24.

Issued by: Town Public Works Superintendent

Fees: Application fee set by the Board plus actual admin/legal/inspection/engineering costs

Watch for: 15-in. minimum culvert (RCP or CMP); driveways at least 5 ft from side lot lines; one entrance per lot; concrete keep-back from the traveled roadway.

Official page: https://ecode360.com/15993167

Status: Partially verified on official sources, July 2026 — the requirement is real, but at least one detail (usually the fee) is unpublished. Confirm with the office before applying.

Village of Hartland

The rule: Curb, Sidewalk, Driveway Replacement Permit plus a Street Right-of-Way Use Permit (Ch. 78, ss. 78-4, 78-7).

Issued by: Department of Public Works

Fees: By Board resolution (not published on the page)

Contractor requirements: Bond or cash deposit in an amount set by the DPW Director, approved by the village attorney.

Watch for: The village keeps curb/driveway removal detail specs with the form; corner-lot cost-sharing rules for curb work.

Official page: https://www.villageofhartland.wi.gov/482/Building-Inspection-and-Zoning-Forms

Status: Partially verified on official sources, July 2026 — the requirement is real, but at least one detail (usually the fee) is unpublished. Confirm with the office before applying.

Village of Lac La Belle

The rule: Could not be verified online. (Warning: laclabelle.org is a Quebec lake association, not this village.)

Issued by: Village office

Fees: Not published — confirm with the office before applying.

Status: Could not be fully verified online as of July 2026 — call the office before doing anything. The absence of published rules never means the absence of rules.

Village of Lannon

The rule: No driveway may be constructed or maintained across any sidewalk or curbing without a driveway permit from the Director of Public Works (s. 58-66); ROW excavation/opening permits under s. 58-131.

Issued by: Director of Public Works; Village Hall, 20399 W. Main St · Phone: 262-251-7690

Fees: Driveway permit fee not published; ROW excavation/opening permit $35

Contractor requirements: ROW openings: $5,000 indemnity bond (s. 58-132) + liability insurance $100K/$300K + $50K property damage (s. 58-133); 1-year restoration liability. New residential: $2,000 performance bond when paving is not completed before occupancy (s. 58-31).

Watch for: New driveways must be bituminous or concrete (or plan-commission-approved surface). Max 30-ft width at the street edge; the owner supplies any culvert pipe at their own expense.

Official page: https://library.municode.com/wi/lannon

Status: Partially verified on official sources, July 2026 — the requirement is real, but at least one detail (usually the fee) is unpublished. Confirm with the office before applying.

Village of Lisbon

The rule: Driveway permit for new driveways across the ROW/sidewalk/curb (s. 4.09); CONCRETE resurfacing needs a permit while gravel/asphalt same-material resurfacing is exempt; excavation under s. 4.08.

Issued by: DPW Director (driveways); Clerk/Village Engineer (excavation)

Fees: By Board resolution

Contractor requirements: Excavation: $5,000 bond + an additional $2,500 cash/surety held 2 years after restoration.

Watch for: The driveway permit must precede the building permit. 32-ft max width at pavement; 22-ft minimum culvert; concrete must stop 6 ft from the paved roadway; boring required under paved streets.

Official page: https://library.municode.com/wi/lisbon

Status: Partially verified on official sources, July 2026 — the requirement is real, but at least one detail (usually the fee) is unpublished. Confirm with the office before applying.

Village of Menomonee Falls

The rule: Permit for all new, repaired, or replaced driveway approaches, curbs, and gutters in the right-of-way — residential, commercial, industrial, and multi-family alike.

Issued by: Engineering Department

Fees: $20 per approach; +$20 if curb is cut; $50 sidewalk; approach REPAIR carries no fee

Contractor requirements: Deposit of estimated utility-protection/pavement costs for depressed driveways (s. 90-27).

Watch for: Correct code citation: Village Code Ch. 90, Art. II (s. 90-22) — as of July 2026 the Village's own page still cited former Zoning Code s. 122-688, which was retired in the March 2026 recodification; zoning driveway widths now live at s. 122-740 (residential openings 10-24 ft). Culvert responsibility splits by whether the road is village, county, or state.

Official page: https://www.menomonee-falls.org/139/Driveway-Approach-Curb-Cut-Curb-Gutter-P

Status: Verified on official sources, July 2026 — including a published fee. Fees and rules change; confirm with the office before relying on any figure.

Village of Merton

The rule: ROW excavation permit (Ch. 198); no standalone driveway permit in the chapter.

Issued by: Director of Public Works

Fees: Application fee + actual construction-review costs

Contractor requirements: Liability insurance certificate + repair bond with a 36-MONTH workmanship guarantee — the bond is held three years.

Official page: https://ecode360.com/34282630

Status: Verified on official sources, July 2026 — including a published fee. Fees and rules change; confirm with the office before relying on any figure.

Town of Merton

The rule: Driveway permit for new construction; Highway Superintendent approval required to RECONSTRUCT or HARD-SURFACE an existing driveway or add a second access.

Issued by: Highway Superintendent; Building Inspector at the plan appointment · Phone: 262-966-2118

Fees: Not published

Watch for: Reconstruction or hard-surfacing may also need Plan Commission approval — ask before paving over gravel.

Official page: https://www.townofmerton.com/community/page/frequently-asked-questions

Status: Partially verified on official sources, July 2026 — the requirement is real, but at least one detail (usually the fee) is unpublished. Confirm with the office before applying.

Village of Mukwonago

The rule: Driveway Approach Permit through the Village Permit Center; also applies to the Walworth County portion of the village. Driveway across sidewalk/curb: s. 74-5(a); ROW excavation: s. 74-10.

Issued by: Permit Center / Engineering staff review

Fees: $60 single/two-family; $100 commercial, industrial, institutional, multifamily

Contractor requirements: ROW excavation: $1,000,000 liability insurance naming the Village + $5,000 cash or letter-of-credit guaranty.

Watch for: The village's own permit page routes county-highway work to Waukesha County DPW and state-highway work to WisDOT — a rare municipality that explains the stacking itself.

Official page: https://villageofmukwonago.zoninghub.com/highlights/procedures/procedure.aspx?id=3097

Status: Verified on official sources, July 2026 — including a published fee. Fees and rules change; confirm with the office before relying on any figure.

Town of Mukwonago

The rule: Culvert Permit for access points on town roads (Ch. 14).

Issued by: Building Inspector / Zoning Administrator

Fees: $75 (non-refundable)

Watch for: The town determines culvert sizing; appeals go to the Board of Appeals.

Official page: https://townofmukwonago.zoninghub.com/highlights/procedures/procedure.aspx?id=2238

Status: Verified on official sources, July 2026 — including a published fee. Fees and rules change; confirm with the office before relying on any figure.

City of Muskego

The rule: Three departments touch one driveway: (1) a $25 Zoning Permit from Planning for the on-lot surface — required for ALL surfaces including gravel; (2) right-of-way work through Engineering's online portal only (s. 313-4); (3) culvert work through Public Works (s. 313-2).

Issued by: Planning (zoning) 262-679-4136; Engineering (ROW, online portal); Public Works (culverts) 262-679-4128 · Phone: 262-679-4136

Fees: Zoning permit $25. Culverts: the city replaces culverts for existing 1-2 family homes at the owner's expense (about $2,100 for a 20-ft replacement, endwalls $400/pair); new homes, commercial, and additional driveways install privately under a Culvert Permit — $150 on the city's current page, though an older posted fee sheet says $50, so confirm the amount when applying

Contractor requirements: ROW work: $2,000 surety bond ($5,000 annual for frequent contractors) + insurance $100K/$500K public liability and $1M property damage. Asphalt must be saw-cut; the city performs final asphalt resurfacing on ROW cuts (12-hour notice).

Watch for: Culvert spec: corrugated steel, 15-in. minimum, 20-35 ft. Drives may sit in setback areas but no closer than 3 ft to a property line (s. 400-167I). CTH frontage (Racine Ave/CTH Y, Janesville Rd/CTH L) adds the county access permit.

Official page: https://www.muskego.wi.gov/departments/public_works/streets/index.php

Status: Verified on official sources, July 2026 — including a published fee. Fees and rules change; confirm with the office before relying on any figure.

Village of Nashotah

The rule: ROW work needs a Village Board excavation permit (s. 8.02); no standalone driveway permit — but owners have a codified duty to maintain their culverts (s. 8.04).

Issued by: Village Board; Zoning Administrator + Village Engineer enforce

Fees: Per Board fee schedule; deposits $500 (under 60 ft) up to $3/ft (over 1,000 ft); $10,000 annual option

Contractor requirements: Insurance $1M/$1M/$500K.

Watch for: 3-day open-trench limit ($100/day beyond); owner must maintain the culvert to prevent standing water or erosion onto public property.

Official page: https://library.municode.com/wi/nashotah

Status: Verified on official sources, July 2026 — including a published fee. Fees and rules change; confirm with the office before relying on any figure.

City of New Berlin

The rule: Driveway/culvert installation governed by s. 230-3 (suitable culvert required first, min. 12-in. corrugated metal); written ROW excavation permit from the City Engineer (s. 230-4).

Issued by: City Engineer / Engineering Division; culverts per the Board of Public Works

Fees: Set by a schedule filed with the City Clerk / Common Council — amounts not published online. Download the Driveway Approach Packet from the city site or call Engineering before applying

Contractor requirements: ROW excavation: $1,000,000 insurance naming the City as additional insured on a primary and noncontributory basis, plus a $5,000 cash or letter-of-credit guaranty before issuance.

Watch for: Code recodified through Ord. 2717 (Jan 2026), Chapter 230.

Official page: https://www.newberlin.org/

Status: Partially verified on official sources, July 2026 — the requirement is real, but at least one detail (usually the fee) is unpublished. Confirm with the office before applying.

Village of North Prairie

The rule: No permit information published online.

Issued by: Village Clerk · Phone: 262-392-2271

Fees: Not published — confirm with the office before applying.

Official page: https://northprairie.net/

Status: Could not be fully verified online as of July 2026 — call the office before doing anything. The absence of published rules never means the absence of rules.

City of Oconomowoc

The rule: Sidewalk/curb & gutter permit (s. 8.01) and ROW excavation permit (s. 8.04) — the ROW Use Permit covers approach work.

Issued by: City Engineer (s. 8.01); Director of Public Works (s. 8.04)

Fees: By Council resolution plus professional-fee chargebacks

Contractor requirements: Financial guarantee + indemnification agreement; ROW permit bond in use.

Watch for: 1-year defect liability on sidewalk/curb work.

Official page: https://library.municode.com/wi/oconomowoc

Status: Partially verified on official sources, July 2026 — the requirement is real, but at least one detail (usually the fee) is unpublished. Confirm with the office before applying.

Town of Oconomowoc

The rule: Driveway permit required before construction (ss. 260-6 to 260-10).

Issued by: Superintendent of Highways

Fees: $100 (processing + inspection)

Watch for: Width 18-22 ft at the street edge; 15-in. minimum culvert; one approach per property.

Official page: https://ecode360.com/15609038

Status: Verified on official sources, July 2026 — including a published fee. Fees and rules change; confirm with the office before relying on any figure.

Village of Oconomowoc Lake

The rule: Driveways are regulated through the zoning code (s. 17.25 — applies to driveways installed, altered, changed, replaced, or extended); zoning permits are free when filed with a building permit, otherwise board-set (s. 17.29). Whether a standalone repave triggers its own permit could not be confirmed online.

Issued by: Village Hall / Building Inspector; plans due 14 days before the Architectural Control Board meeting · Phone: 262-567-5301

Fees: Zoning permit free with a building permit; otherwise set by the Board of Trustees (not published)

Watch for: Minimum 12 ft between driveway openings, 6 ft to lot lines at the street line, no opening within 50 ft of an intersection; all turning must happen off the public way (no backing onto roads). Topography changes over 2 ft or affecting 1,000+ sq ft need approval.

Official page: https://www.oconlake.com/government/ordinances_codes/zoning_codes.php

Status: Partially verified on official sources, July 2026 — the requirement is real, but at least one detail (usually the fee) is unpublished. Confirm with the office before applying.

Town of Ottawa

The rule: Road-work/access permit (s. 280-6) plus a culvert sizing permit (s. 280-35); driveways governed by Ch. 280 Art. III.

Issued by: Town, via Wisconsin Inspection Agency · Phone: 262-490-0513

Fees: Determined on review; letter-of-credit provisions in s. 280-20

Contractor requirements: Letter of credit (s. 280-20).

Watch for: Concrete surfacing of private driveways is restricted (s. 280-31); the town may require culvert retrofits in existing driveways (s. 280-37).

Official page: https://ecode360.com/45840509

Status: Partially verified on official sources, July 2026 — the requirement is real, but at least one detail (usually the fee) is unpublished. Confirm with the office before applying.

City of Pewaukee

The rule: Driveway permit (city form); culverts are city-controlled — ONLY city personnel or city-retained contractors may install driveway/ditch culverts (s. 303-7); ROW excavation permit (s. 303-5).

Issued by: Building Inspector (culverts); Clerk/Council (excavation)

Fees: Culvert: actual cost + 10% admin; excavation fee + bond

Contractor requirements: $10,000 cash bond or letter of credit for excavations (DPW may reduce).

Watch for: Unauthorized culverts are removed at the owner's expense. Do not let a contractor 'include' culvert installation here — they legally cannot.

Official page: https://ecode360.com/34117844

Status: Verified on official sources, July 2026 — including a published fee. Fees and rules change; confirm with the office before relying on any figure.

Village of Pewaukee

The rule: Written permit for any excavation in or under a street, sidewalk, or driveway approach (ss. 78.111-78.117).

Issued by: Director of Public Works

Fees: Set by Village Board; $100 minimum deposit per pavement type

Contractor requirements: Hold-harmless undertaking; 1-year liability for settlement; deposits.

Watch for: Winter moratorium: no ROW excavations December 1 - April 1 except emergencies.

Official page: https://library.municode.com/wi/pewaukee

Status: Verified on official sources, July 2026 — including a published fee. Fees and rules change; confirm with the office before relying on any figure.

Village of Summit

The rule: ROW permit to establish, construct, improve, modify, relocate, or REWORK any driveway connecting to a public roadway (s. 24-33); culverts s. 24-34.

Issued by: Village Public Works Director

Fees: By Board resolution; initial and final inspections free; DOUBLE FEES if built without a permit

Contractor requirements: Cost-recovery for extra inspections and legal fees.

Watch for: Permit valid 12 months. 15-in. minimum culvert (galvanized steel or HDPE dual-wall); residential width 18-24 ft; commercial 30-36 ft.

Official page: https://library.municode.com/wi/summit

Status: Partially verified on official sources, July 2026 — the requirement is real, but at least one detail (usually the fee) is unpublished. Confirm with the office before applying.

Village of Sussex

The rule: Permit required for driveways and parking bays/pads (Zoning Code s. 17.0604).

Issued by: Building Inspection · Phone: 262-246-5212

Fees: $55 total ($50 permit + $5 technology fee)

Contractor requirements: New-construction landscape/street-cleaning bonds are held until the driveway is installed and the lawn established.

Watch for: One driveway opening per property; 3 ft from lot lines; width 10-26 ft at the ROW; curb box must be sleeved (4-in. SDR-35) for freeze/thaw.

Official page: https://www.sussexwi.gov/services/building/when-do-i-need-a-building-permit

Status: Verified on official sources, July 2026 — including a published fee. Fees and rules change; confirm with the office before relying on any figure.

Village of Vernon

The rule: Driveway Culvert Permit plus ROW excavation permit (ss. 180-2, 180-3, 180-3.1).

Issued by: Building Inspections (culvert); Village Engineer/Board (ROW)

Fees: Per fee schedule (not published)

Contractor requirements: Performance bond approved by the DPW Director for ROW work.

Watch for: Metal end sections and marker posts required at culvert ends — posts installed by the municipality at the owner's expense.

Official page: https://villageofvernonwi.org/

Status: Partially verified on official sources, July 2026 — the requirement is real, but at least one detail (usually the fee) is unpublished. Confirm with the office before applying.

Village of Wales

The rule: Permit required to install a driveway surfaced with asphalt, concrete, or brick (Ch. 195).

Issued by: Building Inspector · Phone: 262-490-4141

Fees: Set by the Village Board (cost recovery)

Watch for: 6-month completion deadline. Concrete may NOT extend over the culvert — it must stop at least 6 ft from the traveled roadway with an asphalt or paver strip between; hard surface inside the ROW must be asphalt.

Official page: https://ecode360.com/12433558

Status: Partially verified on official sources, July 2026 — the requirement is real, but at least one detail (usually the fee) is unpublished. Confirm with the office before applying.

City of Waukesha

The rule: ROW Construction Permit for driveway approach/sidewalk/curb & gutter work, plus a separate Excavation Permit; on-lot driveways run through the ECDG permit (s. 16.075) on new construction.

Issued by: Engineering Division (ROW); Building Inspection (ECDG)

Fees: $65 construction permit ($130 if pulled late); $80 excavation ($160 late)

Contractor requirements: Concrete contractors must hold a city bonding certificate (1-year); certificate of insurance + traffic-control plan for excavation work.

Watch for: Inspection required before any concrete or asphalt placement or the work is rejected. Gravel driveways are prohibited — paved surfaces only. $100/day forfeiture if a driveway is not finished by May 31 after winter occupancy.

Official page: https://www.waukesha-wi.gov/government/departments/row-erosion-control-permit.php

Status: Verified on official sources, July 2026 — including a published fee. Fees and rules change; confirm with the office before relying on any figure.

Village of Waukesha (formerly the Town of Waukesha)

The rule: Driveway permit plus a separate ditch bond; right-of-way work needs a Permit to Operate in Village Street (Ord. 95-2). Note: the Town of Waukesha no longer exists — it incorporated as the Village of Waukesha on May 12, 2020, and is a different government from the neighboring City of Waukesha.

Issued by: Village Building/Inspection office, W250S3567 Center Rd (inspector hours twice weekly) · Phone: 414-745-1884

Fees: Driveway permit $50 (plus an affidavit for concrete); ditch bond $2,000 paid separately to the Village; ROW permit $150

Watch for: The $2,000 ditch bond — with its own posted release-request form — is the village's culvert/ditch enforcement tool; budget for it on any new drive. Fee schedule undated on its face; confirm current amounts.

Official page: https://www.villageofwaukesha.gov/departments/building/index.php

Status: Verified on official sources, July 2026 — including a published fee. Fees and rules change; confirm with the office before relying on any figure.

Racine County Driveway Permits (17 municipalities + the Franksville question)

Racine County contains the region's best side-by-side lesson in how different two neighbors can be. Caledonia runs a dedicated driveway-approach permit with a published fee menu that prices an asphalt approach at $90 and a concrete one at $220; Mount Pleasant has no standalone driveway permit at all — right-of-way work rides on its road-opening permit, with fees set by Board resolution and deposits that are expressly non-refundable. The Town of Burlington bans concrete in its road right-of-way entirely while the Village of Waterford bans permanent gravel driveways — opposite rules, ten minutes apart. And the county's most-searched non-municipality gets its own entry below: Franksville, which is a mailing address inside Caledonia, not a government.

In this section: City of Burlington, Town of Burlington, Village of Caledonia, Town of Dover, Village of Elmwood Park, Franksville, Village of Mount Pleasant, Village of North Bay, Town of Norway, City of Racine, Village of Raymond, Village of Rochester, Village of Sturtevant, Village of Union Grove, Village of Waterford, Town of Waterford, Village of Wind Point, Village of Yorkville. The county-highway card comes first — it applies on county trunk routes in all of them.

Racine County highways (county overlay)

The rule: Highway Access Permit required for paths, driveways, and intersecting roads on county trunk highways, plus a Work in Highway ROW Permit for culverts, embankments, and fences. Stacks on top of the municipal permit.

Issued by: Racine County Public Works, Ives Grove Office Complex, 14200 Washington Ave, Sturtevant · Phone: 262-886-8440

Fees: Per the county Highway Permit Fee Schedule (posted as a document; confirm amounts)

Watch for: Racine County Development Services also runs zoning for all towns plus Yorkville; county shoreland setback is typically 75 ft from the ordinary high-water mark.

Official page: https://www.racinecounty.gov/departments/public-works-and-development-services/public-works/highway-permits

Status: Verified on official sources, July 2026 — including a published fee. Fees and rules change; confirm with the office before relying on any figure.

City of Burlington

The rule: Right-of-way permit for sidewalk and driveway replacement, excavation, and utility work (Ch. 274; s. 274-3A covers curb/gutter/sidewalk/driveway approach).

Issued by: Department of Public Works · Phone: 262-342-1181

Fees: $30 for surface work (sidewalk/drive approach); $200 deposit + actual consultant fees for below-grade excavation

Contractor requirements: $2,000 certified/cashier's check (s. 274-18C); registered ROW workers carry insurance of $500K/person, $1M/accident; 24-month warranty on restoration (s. 274-21B).

Watch for: Approaches 6 in. thick; WisDOT slurry backfill under pavement; the permit form itself reminds applicants of the Diggers Hotline 3-working-day rule.

Official page: https://www.burlington-wi.gov/274/Right-of-Way-Permits

Status: Verified on official sources, July 2026 — including a published fee. Fees and rules change; confirm with the office before relying on any figure.

Town of Burlington

The rule: Permit required to construct or rebuild a driveway. Routine maintenance — adding gravel, RE-PAVING, crack sealing — is expressly exempt; full-depth replacement exposing bare soil needs the permit.

Issued by: Highway Superintendent, via the Town office · Phone: 262-763-3070

Fees: Not stated on the ordinance page

Watch for: CONCRETE IS PROHIBITED in the town road right-of-way — asphalt or gravel only (Driveway Ordinance 12.14, effective 4/19/2024). Culvert minimum 12-in. diameter x 24 ft with 12-in. cover; 15 ft from side lot lines; 30 ft between driveways.

Official page: https://townofburlingtonwi.gov/news-and-notices/driveway-ordinance/

Status: Partially verified on official sources, July 2026 — the requirement is real, but at least one detail (usually the fee) is unpublished. Confirm with the office before applying.

Village of Caledonia

The rule: A dedicated 'Paving Permit - Driveway Approach' for entrance work in the ROW, plus Road Opening and Land Disturbance permits.

Issued by: Engineering Department · Phone: 262-835-6435

Fees: Published 2026 menu (Res. 2025-080): existing access paved asphalt $90; existing access poured concrete $220; new access gravel $120; new access with sidewalk $270; road opening $120; culvert replacement priced by pipe size through Engineering; land disturbance $60 (<1 acre)/$240 (>1 acre); land disturbance in shoreland area $120

Contractor requirements: $1,000 bond on the ROW/road-opening schedule; $1,000 site grading & drainage bond + $240 inspection fee for land-disturbance work.

Watch for: Book inspections at least 48 hours ahead. Side slopes max 4:1; keep 5 ft off property lines and out of easements. Note the fee menu prices an asphalt approach ($90) cheaper than concrete ($220). The Franksville area is inside Caledonia — see the Franksville entry.

Official page: https://caledonia-wi.gov/

Status: Verified on official sources, July 2026 — including a published fee. Fees and rules change; confirm with the office before relying on any figure.

Town of Dover

The rule: A 'Street Bond/Culvert Application' is on the official forms list; details not published.

Issued by: Town Clerk/Treasurer; roads contracted to DHD Maintenance · Phone: 262-878-2200

Fees: Not published — confirm with the office before applying.

Watch for: Racine County zoning applies (unincorporated town).

Official page: https://townofdoverwi.com/forms-permits/

Status: Could not be fully verified online as of July 2026 — call the office before doing anything. The absence of published rules never means the absence of rules.

Village of Elmwood Park

The rule: Permits and forms exist; the forms page was unreachable online.

Issued by: Village office, 3131 Taylor Ave Unit 1 · Phone: 262-554-7818

Fees: Not published — confirm with the office before applying.

Watch for: Population ~510 — small-village practice; call first.

Official page: https://elmwoodparkwi.gov/

Status: Could not be fully verified online as of July 2026 — call the office before doing anything. The absence of published rules never means the absence of rules.

Franksville (not a municipality)

The rule: 'Franksville' is a mailing address and former census-designated place, not a government. The Franksville area itself is inside the VILLAGE OF CALEDONIA (annexed March 20, 2006), while Franksville ZIP 53126 mailing addresses extend into the VILLAGE OF RAYMOND — Raymond's own Village Hall has a Franksville mailing address. Your driveway permit comes from whichever village your parcel is actually in.

Issued by: Caledonia Engineering (262-835-6435) or Raymond Zoning (414-386-7171) — check your property tax bill or the county land records to see which village owns your parcel

Fees: See the Caledonia or Raymond entry, whichever your parcel is in

Watch for: The lesson generalizes: across Wisconsin, your mailing address is not your permit office. Verify the taxing municipality before calling anyone.

Official page: https://caledonia-wi.gov/

Status: Verified on official sources, July 2026 — including a published fee. Fees and rules change; confirm with the office before relying on any figure.

Village of Mount Pleasant

The rule: No standalone driveway permit — right-of-way work rides on the s. 70-1 road-opening/excavation permit, and building permit applications must attach the access permit (s. 14-8(e)). Culvert installation permit through the Highway Department.

Issued by: Engineering Department (Village Board's authorized agent); sidewalks via DPW; culverts via Highway Dept · Phone: 262-664-7844 (Public Works)

Fees: Set by Village Board resolution and not published in code; the village's last published figure was $100 for a road-opening permit (2019 fee report) with the culvert permit at $0 — but the owner buys the culvert pipe. Confirm current amounts before applying. Deposits are expressly non-refundable.

Contractor requirements: Bond + insurance policy filed with the Clerk-Treasurer for drain work in the ROW; pavement-restoration deposits.

Watch for: Two-track cross-sections codified in s. 70-41: rural ditch sections (RU-1/RU-2) vs. urban curb-and-gutter — the same driveway gets different paperwork depending on which your street was built to. Owners own their driveway culverts; the Highway Department sets grades and places the culvert.

Official page: https://www.mtpleasantwi.gov/m/faq?cat=37

Status: Partially verified on official sources, July 2026 — the requirement is real, but at least one detail (usually the fee) is unpublished. Confirm with the office before applying.

Village of North Bay

The rule: Building permits confirmed; no driveway/ROW permit text found online.

Issued by: Village Hall, 3615 Hennepin Pl · Phone: 262-639-2334

Fees: Not published — confirm with the office before applying.

Watch for: Fully developed Lake Michigan lakefront village of ~97 homes.

Official page: https://northbay-wi.us/

Status: Could not be fully verified online as of July 2026 — call the office before doing anything. The absence of published rules never means the absence of rules.

Town of Norway

The rule: Code contains s. 10.18 'Culverts, Ditches and Rights-of-Way' and Ch. 12 (town roads), but the text could not be read online.

Issued by: Town of Norway

Fees: Not published — confirm with the office before applying.

Watch for: Wind Lake / drainage-district area — expect drainage rules to matter.

Official page: https://www.townofnorwaywi.gov/

Status: Could not be fully verified online as of July 2026 — call the office before doing anything. The absence of published rules never means the absence of rules.

City of Racine

The rule: Written curb-cut permit required to cut, break out, or remove curb for a driveway approach (repairs/replacement of existing curb excepted). Street openings are permitted separately.

Issued by: Chief Building Inspector (curb cuts over 16 ft also route to the Commissioner of Public Works, with approval deemed granted after 21 days of silence) · Phone: 262-636-9171

Fees: Driveway curb cut $30 per site; street opening $150 per excavation (or $2.50/lineal foot); sidewalk opening deposit $250 (city fee schedule, current for 2026)

Contractor requirements: No city license, bond, or prequalification for private curb-cut/driveway work. (The DPW 'Contractor Pre-Qualification' form is only for firms bidding on city public-works contracts.)

Watch for: Code: Ch. 82, Art. IV, ss. 82-161 to 82-177. Approach width capped at 30 ft at the sidewalk line; 10 ft minimum between approaches on one parcel. Owner pays all construction costs (s. 82-170).

Official page: https://cityofracinewi.gov/citydevelopment/building-inspection/

Status: Verified on official sources, July 2026 — including a published fee. Fees and rules change; confirm with the office before relying on any figure.

Village of Raymond

The rule: Culvert and Address Permit: no culvert may be constructed without a permit and fee (s. 42-35 — flared ends and 3/4 TB stone required); highway openings need a Village Board permit with filing fee and cash bond (s. 42-36).

Issued by: Village Zoning Administrator (Foth consultants), limited weekly office hours at Village Hall, 2255 76th St (a Franksville mailing address) · Phone: 414-386-7171

Fees: Set by village board resolution — the posted fee schedule was taken down; call before applying

Contractor requirements: Cash bond filed with the village treasurer for highway openings.

Watch for: A village since April 2019 (formerly the Town of Raymond). Many Raymond parcels carry Franksville 53126 mailing addresses — see the Franksville entry.

Official page: https://www.raymondwi.com/zoning

Status: Partially verified on official sources, July 2026 — the requirement is real, but at least one detail (usually the fee) is unpublished. Confirm with the office before applying.

Village of Rochester

The rule: No driveway may be constructed or installed without filing an application with the Village Clerk and receiving a permit (s. 6-7).

Issued by: Apply via Village Clerk; approved by the Public Works Manager; Zoning Administrator reviews conformance

Fees: Per Village Board fee schedule, non-refundable; the ordinance notes different rates may apply for different highway jurisdictions

Contractor requirements: $5,000 pavement bond when the driveway will serve heavy construction machinery (cash or surety, held about a year past occupancy).

Watch for: Zoning: 12-ft minimum width; hard surface required within 12 months of occupancy; max 30-ft opening at the street line. PWM may order grading, ditching, or culverts; apron end walls required.

Official page: https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/rochesterwi/latest/rochester_wi/0-0-0-842

Status: Verified on official sources, July 2026 — including a published fee. Fees and rules change; confirm with the office before relying on any figure.

Village of Sturtevant

The rule: A building permit is required for a new or replacement driveway; sidewalk repairs are permitted separately. Aprons and sidewalks are inspected by Public Works staff.

Issued by: SAFEbuilt (contracted building inspection) · Phone: 262-346-4575

Fees: Not published online

Watch for: 24-hour notice to SAFEbuilt for inspections.

Official page: https://www.sturtevant-wi.gov/building/page/examples-when-permits-are-needed

Status: Partially verified on official sources, July 2026 — the requirement is real, but at least one detail (usually the fee) is unpublished. Confirm with the office before applying.

Village of Union Grove

The rule: Right-of-way permit for any work in the public right-of-way (Municipal Code s. 90-149); driveway changes extending into the ROW require a permit from the building inspector.

Issued by: Village office / Building Inspector (262-210-1741) · Phone: 262-878-1818

Fees: Current fee schedule (adopted Nov. 11, 2024): $50 base fee on every ROW permit PLUS the work-type fee — culvert/driveway $150, road/street opening $100 (confirm the combined total with the village office); bores under sidewalks/driveways $10 per bore

Watch for: Concrete driveway standards: 6-in. gravel + 6-in. concrete for 1-2 family, 8+8 otherwise. Sidewalk repair is the owner's responsibility.

Official page: https://www.uniongrovewi.gov/business-development/licenses-permits/

Status: Verified on official sources, July 2026 — including a published fee. Fees and rules change; confirm with the office before relying on any figure.

Village of Waterford

The rule: ROW permit before excavating or placing anything in the right-of-way (s. 191-3D). Zoning requires driveways to be PAVED (asphalt or concrete) — no permanent gravel drives (s. 245-15).

Issued by: Director of Public Works + Village Administrator; Village Engineer inspects

Fees: Cost-recovery: set by the Board to recover admin/inspection costs; large jobs billed at staff time with a multiplier up to 2.0 + consultants +10%

Contractor requirements: Proof of insurance/bond with the application; 12-month guarantee on the work.

Watch for: Sidewalk repair costs are split 50/50 village/owner. Trench backfill within 24 hours, surface restoration within 72.

Official page: https://ecode360.com/8354847

Status: Partially verified on official sources, July 2026 — the requirement is real, but at least one detail (usually the fee) is unpublished. Confirm with the office before applying.

Town of Waterford

The rule: Road Opening Permit required to open, alter, or disturb any public road or right-of-way (s. 8.02).

Issued by: Town Board; DPW directs restoration

Fees: $100 non-refundable application

Contractor requirements: $1,000 cash performance bond, held 15 months; fines $50-$500 for violations.

Watch for: Restoration spec: minimum 3-in. asphalt or 7-in. concrete to WisDOT standard specs.

Official page: https://www.tn.waterford.wi.gov/media/5456

Status: Verified on official sources, July 2026 — including a published fee. Fees and rules change; confirm with the office before relying on any figure.

Village of Wind Point

The rule: ROW permit required before grading, landscaping, or replacing a culvert — listed triggers expressly include DRIVEWAY RESURFACING, work in ditches/shoulders/aprons, street openings, and culverts.

Issued by: Public Works Supervisor and/or Village Engineer · Phone: 262-639-3524

Fees: Fees and/or deposits may apply depending on work type

Watch for: The right-of-way typically extends 30 feet from the road centerline in both directions — much of the front lawn is ROW. One of the strictest resurfacing triggers in the region.

Official page: https://windpoint.org/departments/building_zoning/right_of_ways.php

Status: Verified on official sources, July 2026 — including a published fee. Fees and rules change; confirm with the office before relying on any figure.

Village of Yorkville

The rule: No private driveway may be installed or improved where it extends into a public right-of-way without a permit from the village building inspector (ss. 38-111 to 38-115, Ord. 2024-11).

Issued by: Village Building Inspector

Fees: Set by Village Board resolution (amount not in the ordinance)

Contractor requirements: None specified; the owner bears all repair and maintenance costs.

Watch for: Culvert minimum 15 in. x 24 ft with end walls; driveway grade at least 4 in. below the highway edge at 8 ft from pavement; max one entrance per 300 ft of frontage. Racine County administers Yorkville's zoning.

Official page: https://villageofyorkville.com/

Status: Partially verified on official sources, July 2026 — the requirement is real, but at least one detail (usually the fee) is unpublished. Confirm with the office before applying.

Kenosha County Driveway Permits (11 municipalities)

Kenosha County pairs an urban shoreline with lake country, and both halves carry rules that surprise owners. On the urban side, Pleasant Prairie runs the heaviest contractor gate in the county — village-qualified contractors for curb cuts, a $10,000 sidewalk-license bond, and culverts installed only by village crews at the owner's cost — while Somers flatly prohibits concrete driveway approaches. On the lake side, the county's shoreland zoning caps impervious surface within 300 feet of the water on the unincorporated lakes, and Salem Lakes adopted its own identical ordinance, so a lakefront driveway addition is a zoning event before it is a paving job. The county's own highway permit reaches further than most owners expect: blacktopping an existing approach on a county trunk highway is a permitted 'modification.'

In this section: Town of Brighton, Village of Bristol, City of Kenosha, Village of Paddock Lake, Town of Paris, Village of Pleasant Prairie, Town of Randall, Village of Salem Lakes, Village of Somers, Village of Twin Lakes, Town of Wheatland. The county-highway card comes first — it applies on county trunk routes in all of them.

Kenosha County highways (county overlay)

The rule: Driveway Construction/Modification Permit required on county trunk highways — explicitly including modifications such as BLACKTOPPING and culvert replacement. An overlay job on a CTH approach needs this permit.

Issued by: Kenosha County Highway Division / Public Works, 1010 56th St; approved by the Highway Commissioner · Phone: 262-857-1870

Fees: Not published online

Watch for: 90-degree (±10) alignment; side-slope limits 4:1 urban / 6:1 semi-urban / 10:1 rural; no retaining walls, boulders, or rip-rap in the ROW; 30-ft max opening; 250-ft setback from major intersections. County zoning also caps shoreland impervious surface in the unincorporated towns: 15% by right / 15-30% with mitigation within 300 ft of the water; highly developed lakes 30/40% (commercial 40/60).

Official page: https://www.kenoshacountywi.gov/1478/Permits-Applications

Status: Partially verified on official sources, July 2026 — the requirement is real, but at least one detail (usually the fee) is unpublished. Confirm with the office before applying.

Town of Brighton

The rule: All building, zoning, and sanitation permits are issued via Kenosha County (since 1/1/2023). A town-road driveway/access permit under Ch. 4 could not be verified — the code book lives at Town Hall.

Issued by: Kenosha County Planning & Development (zoning/building); Town Building Inspector 262-749-8777 · Phone: 262-878-2218

Fees: Not published — confirm with the office before applying.

Watch for: No public works department — all road work contracted out. Permits are not available at the Town Office.

Official page: https://www.brightonwi.org/building-permits

Status: Could not be fully verified online as of July 2026 — call the office before doing anything. The absence of published rules never means the absence of rules.

Village of Bristol

The rule: 'Driveway' is on the official list of projects requiring an online permit; the code viewer is JavaScript-only and fee amounts are unpublished.

Issued by: Building permit desk (office@villageofbristol.org); inspections Tue/Thu 8-noon with 24-hour notice

Fees: Not published — confirm with the office before applying.

Contractor requirements: The application requires Wisconsin-licensed contractors to include license #, phone, and email.

Watch for: Applications missing required forms are not reviewed — submit complete or not at all.

Official page: https://villageofbristol.org/permits

Status: Partially verified on official sources, July 2026 — the requirement is real, but at least one detail (usually the fee) is unpublished. Confirm with the office before applying.

City of Kenosha

The rule: Permit (Form PWE003) for any construction, modification, removal, or repair of a driveway approach, sidewalk, curb & gutter, or paved lawn park in the right-of-way. Separate Parking Lot Permit (PWE001) for lots.

Issued by: Department of Public Works, 625 52nd St Room 305 · Phone: 262-653-4050

Fees: Approach repair/widening $30; new approach $35; sidewalk $20-$50 by tier

Contractor requirements: A homeowner of a single-family home (lived in at least 1 year) may self-perform but must post a $2,000 surety bond (Form PWE004) unless the area is tiny; all other work needs Director of PW approval. Code ss. 5.05 B and 5.085.

Watch for: Curb overlay inspection before pour; curb head cuts must be machine-cut; the approach must align with the garage/driveway or get City Engineer approval.

Official page: https://www.kenosha.org/departments/public_works/permits_forms___applications.php

Status: Verified on official sources, July 2026 — including a published fee. Fees and rules change; confirm with the office before relying on any figure.

Village of Paddock Lake

The rule: No driveway intersecting a public street may be constructed or MAINTAINED without a driveway permit from the Building Inspector (s. 6.03); culvert work needs a permit (s. 6.04); ROW excavation permit (s. 6.05).

Issued by: Building Inspector · Phone: 262-843-2713

Fees: New driveway or culvert $40; REPAIR to an existing driveway: permit required but NO FEE; street/sidewalk excavation $50; street opening $100

Contractor requirements: ROW work requires a restoration bond and a repair bond (letter of credit or cash) with a 36-month repair guarantee; users must demonstrate financial capability.

Watch for: Max 24-ft width including apron; one entrance per lot; the S-O Shoreland Protection Overlay exists in village zoning (s. 12.05(1)(n)) — confirm lakefront specifics with the inspector.

Official page: https://paddocklake.net/

Status: Verified on official sources, July 2026 — including a published fee. Fees and rules change; confirm with the office before relying on any figure.

Town of Paris

The rule: The town lists driveway permits among its services; Ch. 12 of the code governs streets but the text could not be read online.

Issued by: Town Hall, 16607 Burlington Rd, Union Grove; zoning = Kenosha County · Phone: 262-859-3006

Fees: Not published — confirm with the office before applying.

Watch for: I-94/Hwy 142 corridor — county zoning and county/WisDOT access permits do the heavy lifting here.

Official page: https://townofparis.org/

Status: Could not be fully verified online as of July 2026 — call the office before doing anything. The absence of published rules never means the absence of rules.

Village of Pleasant Prairie

The rule: Driveway/Culvert/Curb Cut/Sidewalk Permit through Community Development (covers new, extension, repair/replacement, approaches). Other ROW work needs a separate ROW permit through Engineering.

Issued by: Community Development 262-925-6726 (driveway app); Engineering 262-948-8951 (ROW permit) · Phone: 262-925-6726

Fees: ROW permit $150; driveway permit fee not published. Culverts are installed ONLY by Village Public Works at the owner's actual cost — unpaid bills go on the tax roll (s. 305-4)

Contractor requirements: The heaviest contractor gate in the county: the code provides a sidewalk contractor license backed by a $10,000 bond, though the village's own permit page now states a village contractor license is not required — ask which rule applies before sidewalk work; curb cuts only by a 'Village Qualified Contractor' approved by Public Works; minimum $300,000 general liability on the driveway application; $1,000,000 liability with the Village as additional insured for ROW permit work; prequalification for public-infrastructure work (Ch. 150).

Watch for: On rural-profile streets, CONCRETE IS BANNED within 4 ft of the road edge — the connection must be asphalt or crushed limestone. Width 12-24 ft; 10-business-day processing; staking + final inspections with 48-hour notice.

Official page: https://www.pleasantprairiewi.gov/departments/engineering/permits

Status: Verified on official sources, July 2026 — including a published fee. Fees and rules change; confirm with the office before relying on any figure.

Town of Randall

The rule: Driveway & Culvert Permit (Ord. s. 8.10, rev. 2019) for installing a driveway and culvert within the limits of a town road.

Issued by: Town Clerk; work subject to Public Works Committee satisfaction · Phone: 262-877-2165

Fees: Not stated on the form

Watch for: Culvert must be corrugated metal per s. 520 of the State Specifications with steel apron endwalls; entrance max 30 ft; finished grade at least 5 in. below the road edge. Zoning (including shoreland around Powers, Benedict, and Lily Lakes) is administered by Kenosha County — impervious caps apply within 300 ft of the water.

Official page: https://townofrandall.gov/licenses-and-permits

Status: Partially verified on official sources, July 2026 — the requirement is real, but at least one detail (usually the fee) is unpublished. Confirm with the office before applying.

Village of Salem Lakes

The rule: Public Works Superintendent permit before construction OR REPAIR of a driveway (s. 456-8); a culvert permit from the Building Inspector is mandatory for every private drive connecting to a public street (s. 456-2); road excavation permit from the Clerk (s. 456-3).

Issued by: PW Superintendent (driveway); Building Inspector (culvert); Village Clerk (excavation)

Fees: Culvert permit $25; work-in-ROW $50 + $5 per added parcel; driveway permit fee set by the Village Board (not published)

Contractor requirements: Road excavation: minimum $5,000 cash deposit, liability insurance $100,000/$300,000, and workers compensation.

Watch for: No road openings November 15 - April 1. Salem Lakes adopted its OWN shoreland impervious-surface ordinance (Ch. 490) identical to the county's: within 300 ft of the water, driveways count toward 15/30% caps (30/40% on highly developed lakes) — paving a lake-area driveway here is a zoning event, not just a PW permit. Includes the former Village of Silver Lake.

Official page: https://ecode360.com/33350646

Status: Verified on official sources, July 2026 — including a published fee. Fees and rules change; confirm with the office before relying on any figure.

Village of Somers

The rule: No driveway approach may be constructed or modified without a village permit (s. 8.10(B)); culvert per s. 8.06(C)(7). Pre-construction site inspection by Public Works plus a final inspection.

Issued by: Village Building Inspector (reviews with Public Works comment) · Phone: 262-859-2822

Fees: $65 culvert and/or driveway (Building Permit Fee Schedule A, rev. 12/9/2024)

Watch for: NO DRIVEWAY APPROACH MAY BE CONSTRUCTED WITH CONCRETE — asphalt or road-compatible material only (s. 8.10(F)). Minimum 150 ft between access centerlines; culvert 15-in. minimum. Some projects also need a Kenosha County zoning permit.

Official page: https://www.somerswi.gov/departments/building-inspection/required-permits/

Status: Verified on official sources, July 2026 — including a published fee. Fees and rules change; confirm with the office before relying on any figure.

Village of Twin Lakes

The rule: Official 'Driveway-Sidewalk-Culvert Permit' form exists; the form is a scan and fee amounts could not be read online. A 'Street Bond Requirements' ordinance (2020-6-1) exists.

Issued by: Building Inspector · Phone: 262-877-2858

Fees: Not published — confirm with the office before applying.

Contractor requirements: Possible street bond (Ord. 2020-6-1, contents unverified).

Watch for: Twin Lakes is incorporated, so the COUNTY shoreland impervious caps generally do not apply around Lakes Mary and Elizabeth — village zoning governs instead; confirm lakefront rules with village zoning.

Official page: https://www.twinlakeswi.gov/1257/Building-Zoning-Forms

Status: Could not be fully verified online as of July 2026 — call the office before doing anything. The absence of published rules never means the absence of rules.

Town of Wheatland

The rule: The town posts Ch. 10 'Driveways & Culverts' (titled to require driveways and culverts to meet town standards); the full text is a scanned PDF that could not be read online.

Issued by: Town Building Inspector (weekday afternoon hours) · Phone: 262-537-4340

Fees: Not published — confirm with the office before applying.

Watch for: Kenosha County administers zoning; Lily Lake shoreland is county-regulated (impervious caps within 300 ft of the water).

Official page: https://wheatlandkenoshaco.gov/ordinances

Status: Could not be fully verified online as of July 2026 — call the office before doing anything. The absence of published rules never means the absence of rules.

Washington County Driveway Permits (19 municipalities)

Washington County is where the concrete-versus-asphalt rulebook flips in the space of a few miles. The rural towns ban or restrict concrete in the road right-of-way — Polk's ordinance prohibits cement driveways in the ROW while expressly permitting bituminous, Wayne and Erin allow no concrete surface at all, and the Town of West Bend's codified approach spec is literally hot-mix asphalt (PG 58-28, 3 inches on 4 inches of dense base). Then the cities invert it: the City of West Bend requires Portland cement concrete approaches unless the engineer approves asphalt, and Slinger requires a seven-inch concrete apron. This is also repave-trigger country: Trenton's permit attaches 'when changing the driveway surface,' Farmington's when anyone 'paves,' and the county charges $50 just to pave an existing access on a county trunk highway.

In this section: Town of Addison, Town of Barton, Town of Erin, Town of Farmington, Village of Germantown, City of Hartford, Town of Hartford, Village of Jackson, Town of Jackson, Village of Kewaskum, Town of Kewaskum, Village of Newburg, Town of Polk, Village of Richfield, Village of Slinger, Town of Trenton, Town of Wayne, City of West Bend, Town of West Bend. The county-highway card comes first — it applies on county trunk routes in all of them.

Washington County highways (county overlay)

The rule: County Access Permit required before replacing a culvert, PAVING OR WIDENING AN EXISTING DRIVEWAY, installing a new driveway, or constructing a new road in county trunk highway ROW — stacks on the municipal permit.

Issued by: Highway Department Permit Coordinator; issued by the Highway Commissioner (about 10 business days)

Fees: Type A (residential) $75; Type B/C $250; field entrance $50; temporary $50; PAVING AN EXISTING ACCESS: $50. Deposits: $250 (A) or estimated construction cost (B/C)

Contractor requirements: Deposits above; oversize loads need a liability certificate.

Watch for: Culvert 18-in. min; 28 ft (Type A) / 40 ft (B/C). Access spacing 200/300/400 ft urban/semi-urban/rural. Note: even a simple repave of a CTH approach is a $50 county permit.

Official page: https://www.washcowisco.gov/how_do_i/obtain/driveway_permit

Status: Verified on official sources, July 2026 — including a published fee. Fees and rules change; confirm with the office before relying on any figure.

Town of Addison

The rule: Driveway access permit for driveway construction, culvert installation, or any other alteration in any town highway (Ch. 309 Art. IV, Ord. 2007-01).

Issued by: Town Chairman (administrative officer); Highway Supervisor for field questions · Phone: 262-689-5312

Fees: By Town Board resolution (clerk's fee schedule)

Contractor requirements: $500 roadway protection bond with EVERY application (s. 309-10).

Watch for: Culverts: new galvanized steel or HDPE double-wall (AASHTO M294); owner provides and installs. Concrete outside curb/gutter areas needs town approval. Driveways over 200 ft carry extra requirements; sides beveled for snowplows.

Official page: https://ecode360.com/27416373

Status: Partially verified on official sources, July 2026 — the requirement is real, but at least one detail (usually the fee) is unpublished. Confirm with the office before applying.

Town of Barton

The rule: Culvert permit (s. 239-1A) and driveway permit for any new driveway onto a town highway (s. 239-2A), both from the Town Chair.

Issued by: Town Chair; applications to the Town Clerk · Phone: 262-334-2765

Fees: $100 road access/culvert + $1,500 bond (2026 fee schedule)

Contractor requirements: $1,500 bond per the fee schedule.

Watch for: Culvert corrugated galvanized/aluminized steel, 12-in. min, 24-ft min, on a 6-in. gravel bed with tapered end panels; the town stakes the project within 7 days. One driveway per residential lot.

Official page: https://ecode360.com/26852747

Status: Verified on official sources, July 2026 — including a published fee. Fees and rules change; confirm with the office before relying on any figure.

Town of Erin

The rule: Permit required before building or improving a driveway or installing a culvert on a town road (town permit form).

Issued by: Town Hall; inspections by appointment with 24-hour notice · Phone: 262-673-3682

Fees: $150 inspection permit

Watch for: NO CONCRETE, ROCKS, TREES, OR SHRUBS allowed within the highway right-of-way. Culvert 24 ft residential / 40 ft commercial, new galvanized steel only, on 4-in. gravel bedding. Permit expires in 1 year. The town's own form flags CTH K/O/Q to the county and STH 167/83 to WisDOT.

Official page: https://erintownship.com/

Status: Verified on official sources, July 2026 — including a published fee. Fees and rules change; confirm with the office before relying on any figure.

Town of Farmington

The rule: Permit before anyone constructs, reconstructs, PAVES, alters, or enlarges any private driveway — repaving is expressly a trigger; double fee if unpermitted.

Issued by: Town Zoning Administrator; Building Inspector/Town Supervisor inspect

Fees: $50

Contractor requirements: Applicant primarily responsible and liable for damage.

Watch for: Grade capped at 10%; width 12-24 ft residential; culvert 15-in. min / 24 ft (30 ft shared drives). CONCRETE DRIVEWAYS CANNOT ENTER the town ROW; 3/4-in. crushed aggregate spec.

Official page: https://town.farmington.wi.us/

Status: Verified on official sources, July 2026 — including a published fee. Fees and rules change; confirm with the office before relying on any figure.

Village of Germantown

The rule: Permit from the Director of Public Works before constructing a driveway or installing/replacing a culvert; on new construction the driveway permit must precede the building permit (s. 8.03, current through Ord. 05-2026).

Issued by: Director of Public Works

Fees: $50 in residential districts; $100 in all other districts

Watch for: Culverts minimum 12-in. diameter, 20-40 ft, metal apron end sections required; the Director sizes anything larger. Curb cuts by full removal/reconstruction or machine saw-cut only.

Official page: https://library.municode.com/wi/germantown

Status: Verified on official sources, July 2026 — including a published fee. Fees and rules change; confirm with the office before relying on any figure.

City of Hartford

The rule: A residential driveway-expansion guide and permit packet are referenced in the city's online document listings, but the city site was unreachable during research — rules could not be read.

Issued by: Building Inspection / Planning-Zoning

Fees: Not published — confirm with the office before applying.

Official page: https://ci.hartford.wi.us/

Status: Could not be fully verified online as of July 2026 — call the office before doing anything. The absence of published rules never means the absence of rules.

Town of Hartford

The rule: No driveway or road ordinance visible online (only 4 ordinance chapters posted); zoning was being rewritten as of late 2025.

Issued by: Town Clerk · Phone: 262-673-7214

Fees: Not published — confirm with the office before applying.

Watch for: The town maintains 49 miles of roads — call before pricing any project on a town road.

Official page: https://townofhartfordwi.gov/town-ordinances/

Status: Could not be fully verified online as of July 2026 — call the office before doing anything. The absence of published rules never means the absence of rules.

Village of Jackson

The rule: Driveway Approach & Sidewalk Permit for approach, public sidewalk, and curb replacement in the ROW (administrative permit to village engineering specs — Ch. 36 itself has no driveway article).

Issued by: Inspection & Zoning Department, W194 N16660 Eagle Dr. · Phone: 262-677-9696

Fees: $60

Contractor requirements: Contractor insurance information required on the application.

Watch for: An inspection is required PRIOR to placement of concrete — 24-hour notice. Applicant is liable for damage to village infrastructure.

Official page: https://villageofjacksonwi.gov/DocumentCenter/View/595/Driveway-Approach-and-Sidewalk-Permit-w--Design-Guide-PDF

Status: Verified on official sources, July 2026 — including a published fee. Fees and rules change; confirm with the office before relying on any figure.

Town of Jackson

The rule: Street-opening permit for ROW disturbance (Ord. J-25-001, 2025); zoning driveway/access sections (Title X ss. 5.06-5.07) exist but the text could not be read online.

Issued by: Town Clerk issues opening permits (Town Board final say); Town Building Inspector · Phone: 414-840-3416

Fees: By Board resolution

Contractor requirements: $1,000,000 minimum liability insurance + $10,000 bond or letter of credit for street openings; owner reimburses the town's engineer/attorney costs.

Watch for: Penalties $250-$1,000/day. Not all ordinances are online — call for driveway specifics.

Official page: https://www.townofjacksonwi.gov/ordinances.php

Status: Partially verified on official sources, July 2026 — the requirement is real, but at least one detail (usually the fee) is unpublished. Confirm with the office before applying.

Village of Kewaskum

The rule: ROW permit for any excavation or disturbance of a street, alley, sidewalk, or village easement (s. 82-76); no standalone driveway article — approach maintenance is the owner's duty (s. 82-5(c)).

Issued by: Director of Public Works

Fees: $60 street opening; $40 curb/alley/parkway opening; $30 work or materials in ROW; permit valid 30 days

Contractor requirements: $5,000 surety bond (s. 82-78) + certificates of insurance: $500K CGL, $250K/$500K auto, workers comp (s. 82-77).

Watch for: A half-inch rise or gap is the codified defective-approach standard (s. 82-202). Form inspection before pour and final inspection required.

Official page: https://library.municode.com/wi/kewaskum

Status: Verified on official sources, July 2026 — including a published fee. Fees and rules change; confirm with the office before relying on any figure.

Town of Kewaskum

The rule: Permit required to install an access driveway to a town highway; application from the Town Clerk (s. 8.02(1)). Fees DOUBLE if the driveway is installed before the permit (s. 8.02(4)).

Issued by: Town Clerk, 9019 Kettle Moraine Dr (office by appointment) · Phone: 262-626-2566

Fees: Access driveway $100 + $500 cash bond + $230 engineer fees (Resolution 2017-09 — the schedule is dated 2017, so confirm current amounts by phone)

Watch for: Tax clearance required: the owner must show all town taxes, assessments, and charges are paid before the permit is even reviewed (s. 8.02(5)). The posted permit form is an unreadable scan — get the current form from the clerk.

Official page: https://townofkewaskumwi.gov/forms-permits/

Status: Verified on official sources, July 2026 — including a published fee. Fees and rules change; confirm with the office before relying on any figure.

Village of Newburg

The rule: Permit from the Village Engineer — filed 7 days ahead — to construct, install, or replace any culvert or driveway across any sidewalk or curb (s. 95.10); separate opening/excavation permit (s. 95.03).

Issued by: Village Engineer via the Administrator/Clerk

Fees: Set case-by-case by the Village Board; excavation $25 + actual professional costs with a $400 retainer

Contractor requirements: Excavations: $1.5M auto + $1.5M general liability + $1M property insurance AND an indemnity bond of $32 per square foot of the proposed opening.

Watch for: Residential driveways MUST be Portland cement or bituminous asphalt (paving mandate); one per single-family residence; culvert 15-in. min, 24-ft, galvanized/aluminized steel with end panels. The village straddles the Washington/Ozaukee county line — county-highway work goes to whichever county owns the road.

Official page: https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/newburg/latest/newburg_wi/0-0-0-1740

Status: Verified on official sources, July 2026 — including a published fee. Fees and rules change; confirm with the office before relying on any figure.

Town of Polk

The rule: Access permit for driveway construction, any excavation/fill, or culvert installation (s. 289-1A); the Town Board grants after Zoning referral.

Issued by: Town Board via the Zoning Department (zoning@townofpolk-wi.gov) · Phone: 262-677-2123

Fees: $75 application (2025 form)

Contractor requirements: Applicant liable for road damage; $100/day forfeiture for violations.

Watch for: CONCRETE DRIVEWAYS PROHIBITED in the ROW; bituminous (asphalt) expressly permitted (s. 289-1H). Culvert 28-35 ft, 18-in. minimum, galvanized steel; plastic needs Highway Commissioner approval; aluminum and used culverts banned outright.

Official page: https://ecode360.com/41090922

Status: Verified on official sources, July 2026 — including a published fee. Fees and rules change; confirm with the office before relying on any figure.

Village of Richfield

The rule: Building permit from the Building Inspector required to construct a driveway and/or culvert (s. 324-11); covers driveways installed, altered, changed, replaced, or extended (s. 324-6).

Issued by: Building Inspector

Fees: Set by Village Board; DOUBLES if work starts first (s. 324-12)

Watch for: Rural cross-section codified: ROW approaches may be gravel, asphalt, OR concrete (s. 324-6A). Only NONresidential driveways must be paved (within 6 months of occupancy). A defective culvert must be replaced in 30 days or the village does it and puts it on the tax roll. Zoning: max 12% grade, 12-ft min width, SU-30 fire-truck turning template.

Official page: https://ecode360.com/16179350

Status: Partially verified on official sources, July 2026 — the requirement is real, but at least one detail (usually the fee) is unpublished. Confirm with the office before applying.

Village of Slinger

The rule: Access permit for any excavation, fill, culvert, or other alteration in any village street (s. 425-19); separate street-excavation/ROW permits (ss. 425-9 to 425-12).

Issued by: Village Engineer; the DPW Director may require a bond

Fees: Set by the Village Board (includes inspection)

Contractor requirements: Residential building bond is withheld until the driveway/approach is built to standards (Ch. 215).

Watch for: Culvert minimum 12-in., 20-35 ft. The apron between curb and sidewalk must be SEVEN INCHES of concrete (s. 550-50D). New homes must pave the driveway (asphalt or concrete) within 12 months of occupancy (s. 550-50E).

Official page: https://ecode360.com/31140160

Status: Partially verified on official sources, July 2026 — the requirement is real, but at least one detail (usually the fee) is unpublished. Confirm with the office before applying.

Town of Trenton

The rule: Driveway/culvert permit required for new homes AND 'when changing the driveway surface' — repaving alone is a permit trigger here (ss. 174-18, 174-19).

Issued by: Town Building Inspector · Phone: 262-675-6009 x105

Fees: Culvert $42; driveway $95; concrete surfacing in ROW $95; temporary culvert $550 (includes $500 refundable); DOUBLE if started early

Contractor requirements: Contractor license/certification number and expiration required on the application.

Watch for: Culvert 15-in. min, 24 ft residential / 40 ft commercial, galvanized steel at state-highway gauge; owner installs. Width 10-25 ft residential; concrete restricted; a culvert-waiver application exists.

Official page: https://townoftrenton.wi.gov/building-permit-information/

Status: Verified on official sources, July 2026 — including a published fee. Fees and rules change; confirm with the office before relying on any figure.

Town of Wayne

The rule: Permit from the culvert inspector to build or improve a driveway connecting to a town road.

Issued by: Town Culvert Inspector (JP Building Inspections) · Phone: 262-689-7346

Fees: $150 non-refundable + $500 refundable cash bond; $100 pre-division inspection

Contractor requirements: Cash bond returned only after final inspection.

Watch for: NO CONCRETE surface allowed within the highway right-of-way. Culvert 24 ft residential (18x24 or 15x21 oval) / 40 ft commercial, galvanized or AASHTO plastic, on 3/4-in. gravel bedding. Permit expires in 6 months.

Official page: https://townofwayne.org/

Status: Verified on official sources, July 2026 — including a published fee. Fees and rules change; confirm with the office before relying on any figure.

City of West Bend

The rule: Permit for any sidewalk or driveway in the street ROW that is removed, replaced, altered, or installed — curb cuts included (ss. 8.08, 8.09). Private on-lot paving behind the ROW needs no Engineering permit (zoning s. 17.38(6) sets standards).

Issued by: Engineering Department · Phone: 262-335-5130

Fees: $100 new approach with curb cut; $65 alter/replace existing approach; $25 re-inspection

Contractor requirements: Liability-insurance certificate required for ROW excavation permits (s. 8.04). Unpermitted work: each day is a separate violation plus DOUBLE fees.

Watch for: Approaches must be Portland cement CONCRETE unless the city engineer approves asphalt — the reverse of the rural towns. Inspection before pour with 24-hour notice.

Official page: https://www.westbendwi.gov/departments/engineering/engineering_frequently_asked_questions.php

Status: Verified on official sources, July 2026 — including a published fee. Fees and rules change; confirm with the office before relying on any figure.

Town of West Bend

The rule: No driveway within a street right-of-way may be removed, replaced, modified, or installed without a permit (s. 250-27); combined Road Access/Culvert/Driveway permit form.

Issued by: DPW Director administers (code names the Building Inspector) · Phone: 262-338-3417

Fees: $50 (2026 form); DOUBLE if started early (s. 250-30B)

Watch for: The ROW approach spec is literally ASPHALT: HMA E-0.3, PG 58-28, 3 in. on 4 in. of 3/4-in. dense base, flared +2 ft each side (s. 250-28). Concrete extensions allowed by permit but MUST stop at least 5 ft from the road pavement. Culvert 18-in. min, 24-ft min.

Official page: https://ecode360.com/39687390

Status: Verified on official sources, July 2026 — including a published fee. Fees and rules change; confirm with the office before relying on any figure.

Ozaukee County Driveway Permits (14 municipalities)

Ozaukee County holds the region's two extremes eleven miles apart. Mequon requires no permit for the driveway itself — but installs every culvert with city crews at $2,350 to $3,955, treats much of the front lawn as right-of-way, and applies engineer-level stormwater rules that residential projects are expressly not exempt from (a Green Infrastructure Plan at 5,000 square feet of new impervious surface). Port Washington, up the shore, permits both layers: the private driveway needs its own permit and the approach needs a $350 street-opening permit. The City of Cedarburg adds the region's firmest calendar: no approach permits from November 14 through April 1, with all right-of-way concrete finished by November 15 — plan fall paving accordingly.

In this section: Village of Belgium, Town of Belgium, City of Cedarburg, Town of Cedarburg, Village of Fredonia, Town of Fredonia, Village of Grafton, Town of Grafton, City of Mequon, City of Port Washington, Town of Port Washington, Village of Saukville, Town of Saukville, Village of Thiensville. The county-highway card comes first — it applies on county trunk routes in all of them.

Ozaukee County highways (county overlay)

The rule: A driveway connecting to a county trunk highway requires county permission as maintaining authority under Wis. Stat. 86.07(2)(a) — stacks on the municipal permit. The county's specific form and fees could not be fetched online.

Issued by: Ozaukee County Highway Department · Phone: 262-238-8331

Fees: Call to confirm

Watch for: Applies on CTH routes (e.g., CTH C, W, I) and matters for I-43 corridor frontage.

Official page: https://www.ozaukeecounty.gov/240/Highway-Department

Status: Could not be fully verified online as of July 2026 — call the office before doing anything. The absence of published rules never means the absence of rules.

Village of Belgium

The rule: Approach paving is MANDATORY (s. 236-22: concrete at high-back curb; asphalt or concrete at rollback curb); any excavation or occupation of the ROW requires a permit (s. 236-11F).

Issued by: Public Works Department / Village Hall · Phone: 262-285-7931

Fees: ROW permit fees set by the department, reviewed annually (amounts unverified)

Contractor requirements: ROW permit: bond of $5,000 or more (as set by the DPW Director) + liability insurance $100K/$300K/$50K.

Watch for: If a sidewalk is added later, an existing asphalt approach must be torn out and replaced with concrete.

Official page: https://www.belgiumwi.gov/resources/building-permits

Status: Partially verified on official sources, July 2026 — the requirement is real, but at least one detail (usually the fee) is unpublished. Confirm with the office before applying.

Town of Belgium

The rule: Driveways regulated through zoning (Zoning Ord. s. 2.13) — no standalone driveway/culvert permit found online; ROW/culvert work on town roads runs on Town Board consent under the state framework.

Issued by: Town Zoning Administrator 262-285-7010; Building Inspector 414-333-4511 · Phone: 262-285-7010

Fees: No driveway/culvert line items on the posted fee schedules

Watch for: Driveways must be at least 25 FT from the nearest property line — unusually large. Drives over 800 ft need a 20x100-ft passing lane; shared drives need a recorded agreement plus Town Board approval.

Official page: https://www.townofbelgiumwi.gov/zoning

Status: Partially verified on official sources, July 2026 — the requirement is real, but at least one detail (usually the fee) is unpublished. Confirm with the office before applying.

City of Cedarburg

The rule: Driveway Approach & Sidewalk Permit for any work in the public way (application cites s. 6-3-1).

Issued by: Engineering/Public Works (City Engineer) · Phone: 262-375-7610

Fees: $60 drive approach (effective 1/1/2023); sidewalk permit no fee

Contractor requirements: $1,000 indemnity bond or certified check (returned at completion) + certificate of insurance naming the City as additional insured ($100K/$300K/$50K).

Watch for: SEASONAL WINDOW: no approach/sidewalk permits November 14 - April 1, and all ROW concrete must be done by November 15 — fall paving must close out by mid-November. 24-hour inspection notice before curb cut or pour.

Official page: https://www.cityofcedarburg.wi.gov/engineeringpublic-works

Status: Verified on official sources, July 2026 — including a published fee. Fees and rules change; confirm with the office before relying on any figure.

Town of Cedarburg

The rule: Driveway Permit to install or REPAVE a driveway or approach; separate Culvert Permit and ROW Permit (Ch. 279, ss. 279-6, 279-7).

Issued by: Town Hall; SafeBuilt performs inspections · Phone: 262-377-4509

Fees: Culvert/Driveway Permit $125 (2026 schedule); ROW permit $35 + $1,000 refundable restoration deposit; DOUBLE fees if work starts unpermitted

Contractor requirements: ROW permit: $1,000 restoration deposit + indemnification; 1-year restoration guarantee.

Watch for: Residential driveway 10-ft min at the lot line / 25-ft max at the road; at least 75 ft from intersections; culvert 15-in. min; ROW surface limited to crushed gravel/rock/asphalt. 48-hour pre-work notice.

Official page: https://www.townofcedarburgwi.gov/permits-applications/

Status: Verified on official sources, July 2026 — including a published fee. Fees and rules change; confirm with the office before relying on any figure.

Village of Fredonia

The rule: No driveway may be constructed, REPAIRED, or reconstructed without a village permit (Ch. 241).

Issued by: Director of Public Works or designee

Fees: Per fee schedule (amount unverified — village site unreachable)

Watch for: Residential opening 10-24 ft at the property line and no wider than the garage door + 3 ft; commercial/industrial max 30 ft without Board approval; culvert 12-in. min, owner pays installation.

Official page: https://ecode360.com/32546676

Status: Partially verified on official sources, July 2026 — the requirement is real, but at least one detail (usually the fee) is unpublished. Confirm with the office before applying.

Town of Fredonia

The rule: Could not be verified online — the shared town/village site was unreachable.

Issued by: Town Hall, 242 Fredonia Ave

Fees: Not published — confirm with the office before applying.

Watch for: Rural town — expect culvert/access control on town roads.

Official page: https://www.fredoniawi.gov/

Status: Could not be fully verified online as of July 2026 — call the office before doing anything. The absence of published rules never means the absence of rules.

Village of Grafton

The rule: Owner must submit an exact sketch to the Director of Public Works for approval before construction (ss. 11.12.010-.030); the village runs a Driveway/Curb Cut Permit.

Issued by: Director of Public Works

Fees: Fee schedule could not be read online

Contractor requirements: Street-privilege work in the ROW: surety bond up to $10,000 + $25K/$50K liability (s. 11.24.030B).

Watch for: Driveways one-course, 5 in. thick, sidewalk-spec materials; curb and sidewalk must be planked before equipment crosses.

Official page: https://www.villageofgraftonwi.gov/920/Driveway-Curb-Cut-Permit

Status: Partially verified on official sources, July 2026 — the requirement is real, but at least one detail (usually the fee) is unpublished. Confirm with the office before applying.

Town of Grafton

The rule: No driveway construction/expansion or culvert installation in the ROW without a town permit (code 4.4.1.01-.04; driveway installation Title 9 s. 9.1.5).

Issued by: Building Inspector / Town Hall · Phone: 262-377-8500

Fees: $100 new driveway (hard surface) or replacing a driveway with concrete, per the town's 2026 fee schedule; $100 new culvert; $50 replacement culvert; $85 reinspection

Watch for: Culvert 15-in. min, 20-30 ft residential; culvert maintenance and replacement is the LANDOWNER'S responsibility forever (4.4.1.03-B). Concrete must slope at least 2% away from the road for 6 ft; on county roads concrete stays 6 ft back. Shared driveways up to 7 parcels. Apply at least 1 week ahead.

Official page: https://townofgraftonwi.gov/put-in-new-culvert-driveway/

Status: Verified on official sources, July 2026 — including a published fee. Fees and rules change; confirm with the office before relying on any figure.

City of Mequon

The rule: NO PERMIT for the driveway itself ('A permit is not required for a driveway') — but a culvert permit is required and the CITY installs all culverts; fill/excavation permits apply; and stormwater rules bite: a Green Infrastructure Plan at +5,000 sq ft of new impervious surface, and a full engineer-sealed Stormwater Management Plan at +1/2 acre impervious or 1 acre disturbed. Residential homes are not exempt.

Issued by: Engineering Division (driveways/stormwater) 262-236-2934; Highway Division (culverts) 262-236-2913 · Phone: 262-236-2934

Fees: Culvert: $2,350 new (24 ft, up to 24-in. dia.), $55 per extra foot, $3,955 replacement (2024-25 schedule)

Contractor requirements: None for driveway paving.

Watch for: Driveway at least 3 ft from the lot line; apron 1.5-2 in. above the street edge. Concrete may run to the street, but any future city cut is patched back in ASPHALT only. The ROW is about 30 ft from road centerline — much of the front lawn is city ROW. The city invites you to call Highway before paving: they will meet your contractor.

Official page: https://www.cityofmequonwi.gov/publicworks/page/engineering-faq

Status: Verified on official sources, July 2026 — including a published fee. Fees and rules change; confirm with the office before relying on any figure.

City of Port Washington

The rule: Both layers permitted: the private driveway itself needs a permit (must be 3 ft from the lot line), AND approach work needs a $350 Street Opening Permit (s. 370-10).

Issued by: Building Inspection (driveway) 262-268-4277; DPW (street opening) · Phone: 262-268-4277

Fees: Street Opening Permit $350; performance bond $2,000 minimum or 100% of restoration cost

Contractor requirements: $2,000 license/permit bond required on street openings.

Watch for: Zoning: ALL driveways must be paved; width max 2 ft wider than the garage door each side; a nonconforming driveway may be replaced only in the same or smaller footprint (s. 485-95A(1)(e)). Zoning code rewrite in progress — confirm current text.

Official page: https://www.portwashingtonwi.gov/

Status: Verified on official sources, July 2026 — including a published fee. Fees and rules change; confirm with the office before relying on any figure.

Town of Port Washington

The rule: No culvert or driveway may be constructed, installed, REPAIRED, maintained, or reconstructed without permits from the Town Building Inspector (Ch. 165, Dec 2025 code).

Issued by: Town Building Inspector · Phone: 262-284-5235

Fees: Set by the Town Board (not published in code)

Watch for: Culvert 15-in. round (or 17x13 arch), 20-ft min, AASHTO specs, end walls required. ROW driveway surface limited to crushed gravel/rock/BITUMINOUS — concrete is not on the list. The driveway cannot sit higher than the road pavement. Waivable if the Inspector/Engineer deems unnecessary.

Official page: https://townofportwashingtonwi.gov/town-zoning-code

Status: Partially verified on official sources, July 2026 — the requirement is real, but at least one detail (usually the fee) is unpublished. Confirm with the office before applying.

Village of Saukville

The rule: Driveway approach permit from the Public Works Superintendent for any driveway across a sidewalk or curbing — 'construct or maintain' (Ch. 90, ss. 90-1 to 90-8).

Issued by: Public Works Superintendent (building permits are administered by the Village of Grafton inspection department, 262-375-5305)

Fees: Set by Village Board resolution (current amount unverified)

Watch for: Max 24 ft wide at the street edge without Board approval; one entrance per lot; CONCRETE REQUIRED where sidewalks exist (s. 90-6); the owner supplies culvert pipe at their own expense (s. 90-4).

Official page: https://ecode360.com/9826018

Status: Partially verified on official sources, July 2026 — the requirement is real, but at least one detail (usually the fee) is unpublished. Confirm with the office before applying.

Town of Saukville

The rule: Culvert (driveway) Permit for new driveways/culverts; separate ROW permit for work in town ROW (Ord. 2022-02).

Issued by: Town Hall, 3762 Lakeland Rd

Fees: Culvert/driveway permit $60; re-inspection $100 (doubles/triples on repeats); ROW fee per schedule, non-refundable

Contractor requirements: Indemnification required on the ROW permit.

Watch for: Concrete drives must slope at least 2% away from the road for 6 ft; stake and flag the ditch line before inspection; permit void if work has not started in 6 months.

Official page: https://www.townsaukville.org/forms

Status: Verified on official sources, July 2026 — including a published fee. Fees and rules change; confirm with the office before relying on any figure.

Village of Thiensville

The rule: Could not be verified online — the village site was unreachable and the code is JavaScript-only.

Issued by: Village Hall, 250 Elm St

Fees: Not published — confirm with the office before applying.

Watch for: Fully developed inner suburb — expect approach/ROW rules; confirm by phone first.

Official page: https://www.village.thiensville.wi.us/

Status: Could not be fully verified online as of July 2026 — call the office before doing anything. The absence of published rules never means the absence of rules.

Walworth County Driveway Permits (28 municipalities)

Walworth County is lake country, and the layer that surprises owners here is not the town permit — it is county shoreland zoning. In the unincorporated towns, impervious surface within 300 feet of the ordinary high-water mark is capped at 15 percent by right and 15 to 30 percent with an approved mitigation plan (higher on designated highly developed shorelines), and driveways, sidewalks, and patios all count toward the number. A driveway widening on Geneva Lake, Delavan Lake, or Lauderdale Lakes frontage can require a county permit and mitigation plan on top of the town's driveway permit — and starting early doubles the county fee. The Town of Linn deserves special mention as home of the strictest resurfacing trigger found in all seven counties: its permit requirement expressly extends to resurfacing an existing driveway — and unpermitted work still means going back for an after-the-fact permit.

In this section: Town of Bloomfield, Village of Bloomfield, Village of Darien, Town of Darien, City of Delavan, Town of Delavan, Village of East Troy, Town of East Troy, City of Elkhorn, Village of Fontana-on-Geneva-Lake, Town of Geneva, Village of Genoa City, Town of La Grange, Town of Lafayette, City of Lake Geneva, Town of Linn, Town of Lyons, Town of Richmond, Village of Sharon, Town of Sharon, Town of Spring Prairie, Town of Sugar Creek, Town of Troy, Village of Walworth, Town of Walworth, City of Whitewater, Town of Whitewater, Village of Williams Bay. The county-highway card comes first — it applies on county trunk routes in all of them.

Walworth County highways + shoreland (county overlay)

The rule: Two county layers. (1) HIGHWAYS: no excavation, fill, culvert installation, DRIVEWAY, or other alteration in county highway ROW without a Highway Commissioner permit (County Code s. 54-42; fees per s. 30-286). (2) SHORELAND: in the unincorporated towns, county zoning (Ch. 74, Art. III) caps impervious surface within 300 ft of the ordinary high-water mark — 15% by right, 15-30% with an approved mitigation plan; highly developed shorelines 30% by right / 40% with mitigation (commercial 40/60). Driveways, sidewalks, and patios expressly count.

Issued by: County Public Works (highways); Land Use & Resource Management (shoreland zoning)

Fees: Highway permit fees per s. 30-286 (call to confirm); shoreland zoning permit per LURM schedule — DOUBLE FEE if work starts before the permit issues (s. 74-253)

Watch for: This is the layer that surprises lake-country owners: a driveway widening on Geneva Lake, Delavan Lake, or Lauderdale Lakes frontage changes the lot's impervious percentage and can require a county permit + mitigation plan on top of the town driveway permit. Treated surfaces draining to rain gardens or infiltration may be excluded from the count.

Official page: https://www.co.walworth.wi.us/365/Land-Use-Resource-Management

Status: Partially verified on official sources, July 2026 — the requirement is real, but at least one detail (usually the fee) is unpublished. Confirm with the office before applying.

Town of Bloomfield

The rule: The remnant town still exists as its own government (the Village of Bloomfield split off in 2011; town voters later rejected a merger), containing Lake Ivanhoe and North Bloomfield — but no ordinances, driveway/culvert permit, or fee schedule are posted online.

Issued by: Town Clerk/Treasurer, Municipal Center, N1100 Town Hall Road, Pell Lake (limited weekly hours) · Phone: 262-279-6039 ext. 5

Fees: Not published — confirm with the office before applying.

Watch for: Not the same government as the Village of Bloomfield, though they share a municipal center and website. Lakefront parcels sit under county shoreland impervious rules.

Official page: https://bloomfield-wi.us/

Status: Could not be fully verified online as of July 2026 — call the office before doing anything. The absence of published rules never means the absence of rules.

Village of Bloomfield (Pell Lake)

The rule: Could not be verified online (JavaScript-only site).

Issued by: Village Hall

Fees: Not published — confirm with the office before applying.

Watch for: The village administers its own zoning since incorporation.

Official page: https://villageofbloomfield.us/

Status: Could not be fully verified online as of July 2026 — call the office before doing anything. The absence of published rules never means the absence of rules.

Village of Darien

The rule: Permit before any private driveway or culvert abutting a public street is installed (Ch. 12.20).

Issued by: Building and Zoning Department

Fees: $25 permit; a refundable $300 road bond may be required (refunded 30 days after final inspection)

Contractor requirements: $300 refundable road bond; Diggers Hotline notice required.

Watch for: Work must meet the Village Design Standards & Construction Specs. The village disclaims snow/ice duty on aprons.

Official page: https://ecode360.com/28544463

Status: Verified on official sources, July 2026 — including a published fee. Fees and rules change; confirm with the office before relying on any figure.

Town of Darien

The rule: No driveway or culvert may be laid, installed, or reconstructed in the town road right-of-way without a permit — and the ordinance expressly includes rebuilding, RESURFACING, REPAVING, and replacing old pavement (Ch. 27, s. 27.02). Roadway alterations/connections separately permitted under Ch. 30.

Issued by: Plan Commission or designee; Town Hall, N2826 Foundry Rd · Phone: 262-882-3393

Fees: Set by the Town Board from time to time — not published (the posted building fee schedule has no driveway line)

Contractor requirements: Ch. 30 work: general comprehensive liability insurance + a performance bond, letter of credit, or other adequate security filed with the town, plus indemnification.

Watch for: Driveway/culvert permits must be obtained BEFORE any building permit will issue. Culverts: steel corrugated or double-wall corrugated only, 30-ft minimum residential / 45-ft ag-commercial, steel end walls; 400-ft sight distance both ways.

Official page: https://darientownwi.gov/ordinances/

Status: Partially verified on official sources, July 2026 — the requirement is real, but at least one detail (usually the fee) is unpublished. Confirm with the office before applying.

City of Delavan

The rule: Permit required before you construct, reconstruct, alter, or enlarge any private driveway (Ch. 6-3).

Issued by: Apply to the City Clerk; referred to the Director of Public Works

Fees: Set by Common Council; NO SEPARATE FEE if the driveway is part of a building permit

Watch for: Owner signs an indemnification/hold-harmless and pays any utility relocation. Residential single 24 ft at curb / 18 ft at walk; double 30/24; 10 ft between approaches; 15 ft from intersections; must slope away from the street.

Official page: https://ecode360.com/37438673

Status: Partially verified on official sources, July 2026 — the requirement is real, but at least one detail (usually the fee) is unpublished. Confirm with the office before applying.

Town of Delavan (Delavan Lake)

The rule: Town driveway permit with a SEPARATE 'Driveway Paving' fee — paving an existing driveway is its own permit event here.

Issued by: Town Hall / Public Works, 5621 Town Hall Rd · Phone: 262-728-3471

Fees: Driveway permit $200; refundable driveway bond $1,000; driveway paving $100; utility ROW (new driveways) $100; boring in ROW $300

Contractor requirements: $1,000 refundable road bond.

Watch for: Lakefront town: within 300 ft of Delavan Lake, county shoreland impervious caps apply (15% by right / 15-30% with mitigation; driveways count). A driveway addition near the lake can trigger a county zoning permit on top of the town permit.

Official page: https://townofdelavan.com/forms-permits/

Status: Verified on official sources, July 2026 — including a published fee. Fees and rules change; confirm with the office before relying on any figure.

Village of East Troy

The rule: Permit to construct, reconstruct, alter, or enlarge a private driveway — waived if the driveway is included in a building permit (Ch. 244).

Issued by: Village Director of Public Works

Fees: Per village fee schedule

Contractor requirements: Indemnify/hold harmless the Village.

Watch for: Culverts: 12-in. min diameter, galvanized or RCP, 6-in. cover minimum, owner installs and maintains. Residential 10-24 ft at the property line, max 30 ft at the curb.

Official page: https://ecode360.com/27765261

Status: Partially verified on official sources, July 2026 — the requirement is real, but at least one detail (usually the fee) is unpublished. Confirm with the office before applying.

Town of East Troy

The rule: Culvert and Driveway Sizing Permit (s. 12.20.010) plus a Street Opening Permit for ROW cuts (ss. 12.25.010-.030).

Issued by: Town Hall, N9330 Stewart School Rd · Phone: 262-642-5386

Fees: $50 per driveway + $50 per culvert (application form)

Contractor requirements: Street-opening bond required (s. 12.25.030).

Watch for: Re-inspection costs must be paid before a building permit will issue.

Official page: https://townofeasttroywi.gov/forms-permits

Status: Verified on official sources, July 2026 — including a published fee. Fees and rules change; confirm with the office before relying on any figure.

City of Elkhorn

The rule: Driveway/Sidewalk Permit for a new driveway or CHANGES to an existing driveway (city regs cited as s. 8.03.2).

Issued by: Public Works / Street Department, City Garage, 401 E. Centralia St · Phone: 262-723-2223

Fees: Not stated in the packet (call to confirm)

Watch for: Residential max 24 ft at the curb, 18 ft at the sidewalk's street edge; commercial 35/30. The apron may not pass the curb face or enter the gutter; 6 ft between drives; 30 ft from intersections.

Official page: https://www.cityofelkhorn.gov/publicworks/page/driveway-regulations-and-new-sidewalk-installation

Status: Partially verified on official sources, July 2026 — the requirement is real, but at least one detail (usually the fee) is unpublished. Confirm with the office before applying.

Village of Fontana-on-Geneva-Lake

The rule: ZONING PERMIT required — the application itself demands existing and proposed impervious-surface percentages; Road Excavation Application for ROW work; street privilege permit with bond for ROW obstructions (s. 66-5).

Issued by: Building & Zoning Department · Phone: 262-275-6136

Fees: Zoning permit $200 residential principal / $300 commercial + 10% admin fee (2026 application); road excavation fee not stated

Contractor requirements: Street-privilege permit requires a bond set by the Board + indemnification.

Watch for: Lakefront Residential (LR-0) district: minimum landscape surface ratio 70% (roughly 30% max coverage), max building coverage 25%, shore yard setbacks 75/50/30 ft, and pavement must stay 5 ft off lot lines (driveway entrances excepted). The binding constraint on lakefront paving is the landscape ratio.

Official page: https://vi.fontana.wi.gov/applications/building-and-zoning/

Status: Verified on official sources, July 2026 — including a published fee. Fees and rules change; confirm with the office before relying on any figure.

Town of Geneva (Lake Como)

The rule: A 'Driveway ROW Permit Packet' exists through the Building Inspector; the packet is a scan and its triggers/fees could not be read online.

Issued by: Town Building Inspector, N3496 Como Rd · Phone: 262-248-8497

Fees: Not published — confirm with the office before applying.

Watch for: Lake Como and Geneva Lake frontage are unincorporated — county shoreland impervious caps apply within 300 ft of the water.

Official page: https://townofgenevawi.com/forms-permits

Status: Could not be fully verified online as of July 2026 — call the office before doing anything. The absence of published rules never means the absence of rules.

Village of Genoa City

The rule: Could not be verified online (JavaScript-only site).

Issued by: Village Hall

Fees: Not published — confirm with the office before applying.

Official page: https://genoacity.com/

Status: Could not be fully verified online as of July 2026 — call the office before doing anything. The absence of published rules never means the absence of rules.

Town of La Grange (Lauderdale Lakes)

The rule: Driveway/culvert work is handled by the Highway Commissioner; no driveway form is posted online.

Issued by: Town Highway Department (Highway Commissioner) · Phone: 262-495-8822

Fees: Not published — confirm with the office before applying.

Watch for: Lauderdale Lakes frontage is unincorporated — county shoreland impervious caps apply within 300 ft of the water. Pier permits route through the Lauderdale Lakes Lake Management District.

Official page: https://townoflagrangewi.com/highway-department

Status: Could not be fully verified online as of July 2026 — call the office before doing anything. The absence of published rules never means the absence of rules.

Town of Lafayette

The rule: Could not be verified online — no official website found. (Warning: townoflafayette.com is a New York town.)

Issued by: Contact via the Walworth County municipal directory

Fees: Not published — confirm with the office before applying.

Status: Could not be fully verified online as of July 2026 — call the office before doing anything. The absence of published rules never means the absence of rules.

City of Lake Geneva

The rule: A ZONING PERMIT is required for driveways (also patios and fences); apron/ROW work needs the Right-of-Way (Utility & Public Works) Permit; street/alley excavation needs a DPW permit (ss. 62-31 to 62-38).

Issued by: Building & Zoning Department, 626 Geneva St; DPW for excavation

Fees: Zoning permit $85 (2026 fee schedule); excavation fees per the Public Works construction manual

Contractor requirements: Excavation permits require a surety or cash bond set by the Building Inspector.

Watch for: City standard drawing: residential width 10-25 ft, commercial 18-35 ft; 6-in. concrete residential apron, 8-in. commercial; max flare 2 ft 6 in.

Official page: https://www.cityoflakegeneva.gov/183/Building-Zoning-Department

Status: Verified on official sources, July 2026 — including a published fee. Fees and rules change; confirm with the office before relying on any figure.

Town of Linn (Geneva Lake south shore)

The rule: Permit before laying or installing any driveway or culvert in town ROW — and s. 3-9B extends the permit requirement to RESURFACING existing driveways. The strictest resurfacing trigger found in all seven counties.

Issued by: Highway Superintendent

Fees: Construction-in-ROW $50 (2025 schedule); AFTER-THE-FACT permits $50 in the posted code — a 2025 amending ordinance may have raised this, so confirm with the town

Contractor requirements: A road bond may be required; utility ROW work: bond up to 150% of cost + $2,000,000 liability insurance (s. 3-13).

Watch for: 400-ft sight distance both ways; owner supplies the culvert; finished driveway over the culvert sits 4 in. below the road edge; concrete stops at least 5 ft from the road edge. Geneva Lake frontage is unincorporated — county shoreland impervious caps apply within 300 ft of the water, on top of the town permit.

Official page: https://townoflinn.wi.gov/forms-permits

Status: Verified on official sources, July 2026 — including a published fee. Fees and rules change; confirm with the office before relying on any figure.

Town of Lyons

The rule: Driveway and Culvert Permit plus a Road Opening Permit (scanned forms on the town site).

Issued by: Highway Department / Town Hall · Phone: 262-763-9936

Fees: Not stated

Watch for: White River floodplain areas — county floodplain zoning may stack on the town permit.

Official page: https://townoflyonswi.com/forms-permits

Status: Could not be fully verified online as of July 2026 — call the office before doing anything. The absence of published rules never means the absence of rules.

Town of Richmond

The rule: Could not be verified online. (Warning: townofrichmond.com, townofrichmondwi.gov, and eCode RI4826 all belong to the Town of Richmond in ST. CROIX County — do not use them.)

Issued by: Town of Richmond, Walworth County

Fees: Not published — confirm with the office before applying.

Status: Could not be fully verified online as of July 2026 — call the office before doing anything. The absence of published rules never means the absence of rules.

Village of Sharon

The rule: Driveway permit to construct or maintain any driveway across a sidewalk or curb (s. 30-3); culverts s. 30-4.

Issued by: Public Works Director

Fees: Not stated (sidewalk permits are expressly free)

Watch for: Owners maintain and repair the culverts adjoining their property.

Official page: https://villageofsharon.com/public-works

Status: Partially verified on official sources, July 2026 — the requirement is real, but at least one detail (usually the fee) is unpublished. Confirm with the office before applying.

Town of Sharon

The rule: No driveway or culvert may be laid, installed, or reconstructed in the town road right-of-way without a permit (Culvert-Driveway Ordinance 2007-08-13); the application covers new driveways, culverts, and alterations to existing driveways. No work may be done until signed approval is received.

Issued by: Town Board and/or Public Works Director; Town Clerk, N1097 Bollinger Rd (by appointment) · Phone: 262-736-4608

Fees: $15 — the least expensive driveway permit found anywhere in the seven counties

Watch for: Culverts at least 30 ft (driveways) / 40 ft (field entrances); the owner provides and maintains the culvert pipe at their own expense. Penalties up to $197/day. (Do not confuse with the Town of Sharon in Portage County — its lookalike websites are a different town.)

Official page: https://tnsharonwcwi.gov/forms-permits

Status: Verified on official sources, July 2026 — including a published fee. Fees and rules change; confirm with the office before relying on any figure.

Town of Spring Prairie

The rule: Could not be verified online (broken SSL / timeouts on the town domains).

Issued by: Town Hall

Fees: Not published — confirm with the office before applying.

Status: Could not be fully verified online as of July 2026 — call the office before doing anything. The absence of published rules never means the absence of rules.

Town of Sugar Creek

The rule: Could not be verified online (site blocks or times out).

Issued by: Town Hall

Fees: Not published — confirm with the office before applying.

Official page: https://townofsugarcreekwi.com/

Status: Could not be fully verified online as of July 2026 — call the office before doing anything. The absence of published rules never means the absence of rules.

Town of Troy

The rule: Town Road Access/Driveway Application plus a separate ROW Construction Permit — the form itself cites Wis. Stat. 86.07(2) and Town Ordinance Ch. 13.

Issued by: Town Road Supervisor / Road Commissioner · Phone: 262-642-5292

Fees: $100 payable to the Town of Troy

Watch for: Culvert: galvanized with end flares, 15-in. minimum diameter, 20-ft minimum length; 400-ft sight visibility required.

Official page: https://troywalworthwi.gov/forms-permits

Status: Verified on official sources, July 2026 — including a published fee. Fees and rules change; confirm with the office before relying on any figure.

Village of Walworth

The rule: Could not be verified online (JavaScript-only site; code not hosted).

Issued by: Village Hall

Fees: Not published — confirm with the office before applying.

Official page: https://walworthvillage.org/

Status: Could not be fully verified online as of July 2026 — call the office before doing anything. The absence of published rules never means the absence of rules.

Town of Walworth

The rule: No driveway or culvert may be laid, installed, or reconstructed in the town road right-of-way without a permit (Driveway, Field Entrance & Culvert Ordinance, amended 2019).

Issued by: Town Board and/or Road Superintendent; Town Hall, W6741 Brick Church Rd · Phone: 262-275-9800

Fees: $100 (per the posted 2021 permit form — confirm it is current)

Contractor requirements: Separate road-bond ordinance: $5,000 road bond for construction projects fronting a town road (new residential, large accessory buildings, commercial), refunded after a damage-free inspection.

Watch for: Culverts steel or double-wall plastic ONLY — drain tile and PVC pipe are prohibited; 30-ft minimum (40 for field entrances); owner provides and maintains at own expense; 200-ft sight distance; drive sits 4 in. below the road edge.

Official page: https://townofwalworthwi.gov/ordinances/

Status: Verified on official sources, July 2026 — including a published fee. Fees and rules change; confirm with the office before relying on any figure.

City of Whitewater

The rule: Permit to construct or maintain any driveway across a sidewalk or curbing (ss. 12.16.010-.070).

Issued by: Department of Public Works

Fees: Per city fee schedule (not in code)

Watch for: Standards follow the WisDOT Facilities Design Manual. Residential max 24 ft at curb (absolute max 35); NEW APRONS CONCRETE ONLY; no curb cut within 5 ft of a crosswalk; 12-ft safety island between drives. Fines $25-$250. The city straddles the Walworth/Jefferson county line.

Official page: https://library.municode.com/wi/whitewater

Status: Partially verified on official sources, July 2026 — the requirement is real, but at least one detail (usually the fee) is unpublished. Confirm with the office before applying.

Town of Whitewater

The rule: Any work in the town right-of-way must be approved by the township before starting (official resource guide); road excavation permits run through the Town Clerk with Town Board approval, applied for 15 days ahead (s. 38-56). No driveway-specific permit or fee is published.

Issued by: Town Clerk (excavation applications); Public Works Superintendent for road questions · Phone: 262-473-4639

Fees: Per a fee schedule kept on file with the Town Clerk (not published)

Contractor requirements: Certification of adequate liability insurance required for excavation permits (s. 38-57); the permittee remains liable for surface upkeep for 3 YEARS after restoration (s. 38-60).

Watch for: Distinct from the City of Whitewater, which has its own card. Call before any approach or culvert job — the rules exist but are not posted.

Official page: https://townofwhitewaterwi.gov/resource-guide/

Status: Partially verified on official sources, July 2026 — the requirement is real, but at least one detail (usually the fee) is unpublished. Confirm with the office before applying.

Village of Williams Bay

The rule: Street opening permit for any opening or excavation in a street, sidewalk, or public way (s. 314-3A); approaches must follow village street-construction specs; on-lot work runs through zoning permits (s. 390-1209).

Issued by: Village Board/Clerk-Treasurer (permit); Zoning Administrator (Ch. 390)

Fees: Per current village fee schedule

Watch for: Geneva Lake village with shore-yard standards (s. 390-0822) and a Shoreland-Wetland Overlay — lakefront driveway work can be a zoning matter; impervious percentages not confirmed, ask the Zoning Administrator.

Official page: https://ecode360.com/34298141

Status: Partially verified on official sources, July 2026 — the requirement is real, but at least one detail (usually the fee) is unpublished. Confirm with the office before applying.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Do I need a permit to pave a driveway in Southeastern Wisconsin?

A. Usually yes for some part of the job — but which part depends on your municipality. The pavement on your own lot is often a zoning matter or unregulated; the approach, apron, curb cut, or culvert in the public right-of-way almost always needs a municipal permit, and driveways meeting county or state highways need county or WisDOT permits on top. Find your municipality's card above for the specific rule, fee, and phone number — and when in doubt, one call to the permit desk answers it for your address.

Q. My address says Franksville (or another place I can't find in this guide) — who issues my permit?

A. Your mailing address is a post office name, not a government. Franksville is territory inside the Village of Caledonia, while many Franksville-addressed parcels sit in the Village of Raymond — two different permit offices with different rules and fees. The same trap exists across the region wherever postal names outlived municipal boundaries. Check the municipality named on your property tax bill, or look up your parcel on the county land records site, then use that municipality's card above.

Q. Does repaving or resurfacing an existing driveway need a permit?

A. In many municipalities, yes — at least for the portion in the right-of-way. Ordinances in Wind Point and the Town of Linn expressly reach resurfacing; Trenton's permit attaches when you change the driveway surface; Salem Lakes and Shorewood capture repair, not just construction; Paddock Lake requires a permit for repairs but charges no fee; and Washington and Kenosha Counties treat paving an existing approach on a county trunk highway as a permitted modification. The Town of Cedarburg's permit covers installing or repaving, the Town of Darien's ordinance expressly reaches resurfacing and repaving, and the Town of Delavan charges a separate driveway-paving fee. A few places go the other way — the Town of Burlington and Village of Lisbon exempt same-material gravel or asphalt resurfacing, and Elm Grove exempts sealcoating. Check your card; never assume.

Q. Who pulls the permit — me or my contractor?

A. It varies, and it should be in your written contract either way. Some municipalities issue to the owner, some to the contractor, and several require the contractor to be licensed or bonded with the municipality before they may touch the right-of-way (Milwaukee, West Allis, Pleasant Prairie among them). Two cautions: first, if a contractor asks you to pull the permit "because it is easier," ask the municipality whether that shifts inspection and compliance responsibility onto you. Second, remember the culvert-install rules — in Mequon, the City of Pewaukee, the Town of Delafield, Pleasant Prairie, and Brown Deer, only municipal crews install or replace culverts, so no contractor can legitimately include that work.

Q. What if my driveway connects to a county highway or state highway?

A. You need the county or state permit in addition to — never instead of — your municipal permit. County access permits run from modest ($75 residential in Washington County) to substantial ($650 residential in Waukesha County, applications through the Oxcart system only), and Milwaukee County's runs about $445 in combined 2026 fees plus a restoration deposit. WisDOT's state-highway connection permit has no application fee and typically takes two to four weeks. Your municipality's permit desk can tell you which road authority owns your frontage.

Q. Why does one town ban concrete near the road while the next one requires it?

A. Snowplows, culverts, and frost. Rural towns with ditch-section roads ban rigid concrete in the right-of-way because plow blades and culvert replacements destroy it — several of their ordinances specify asphalt for the approach (the Town of West Bend's spec is literally hot-mix asphalt, PG 58-28). Cities with curb-and-gutter streets often require concrete approaches to match their sidewalk and curb infrastructure. Neither is arbitrary, and neither follows you when you move — which is exactly why a contractor quoting both a Polk farmhouse and a West Bend bungalow faces opposite material rules at the road line, and why your bid should name the approach material explicitly.

Q. What is a driveway approach or apron, and why does everyone regulate it?

A. The approach — many ordinances call it the apron — is the section between the road edge and your property line. It sits in the public right-of-way, on public land, even though you use and usually pay for it. (A few codes use "apron" more narrowly: in Slinger it is specifically the strip between the curb and the sidewalk.) Municipalities regulate it because it affects drainage (the ditch or gutter line), snowplowing, sight distances, underground utilities, and the road edge itself. That is also why the right-of-way portion often has its own material rules, its own inspections, and its own permit even when the rest of your driveway needs nothing.

Q. What happens if the work is done without a permit?

A. The ordinances above answer that directly. Among others: double fees in Summit, Richfield, Trenton, Farmington, both West Bends, the Towns of Kewaskum and Cedarburg, and Walworth County's shoreland program; River Hills bills unpermitted work at double rates; the City of Waukesha doubles late permits; per-day forfeitures reaching $1,000 elsewhere; and in several municipalities the village simply performs the correction and bills it to your property tax roll. Unpermitted right-of-way work can also surface at sale time, when title and inspection issues cost far more than the permit ever would. The permit is the cheap part of the project.

Q. I'm on a lake. Does paving really change my zoning situation?

A. On the unincorporated lakes of Walworth and Kenosha Counties — and inside Salem Lakes, which adopted matching rules — yes. County shoreland zoning caps impervious surface within 300 feet of the ordinary high-water mark: 15 percent of the lot by right, 15 to 30 percent only with an approved mitigation plan, with higher tiers on designated highly developed shorelines. Driveways, sidewalks, and patios all count toward the percentage, so a driveway widening can require a county zoning permit and a recorded mitigation plan on top of the town's driveway permit — and starting early doubles the fee in Walworth County. Surfaces draining to rain gardens or infiltration areas may be excluded from the count, which is worth asking your designer about.

Q. My municipality is marked "call first." What should I ask?

A. Five questions get you everything. One: do I need a permit to replace or widen my driveway, and does it cover the approach, the culvert, or both? Two: what is the fee, and is there a bond or deposit — and does my contractor need to be licensed, bonded, or insured with you? Three: who installs the culvert — my contractor or your crew — and to what spec? Four: what inspections happen, and how much notice do you need? Five: is my road a town or village road, a county trunk, or a state highway — and if county or state, who else do I call? Write down the answers and the name of the person who gave them, and hand both to your contractor.

The Download Library

Every municipality in this guide is available as a one-page printable summary — the same card as above, formatted to hand to a spouse, a board, or a contractor. Each file carries its verification status and the confirm-before-relying note. Download your municipality's page from the library below this article.

About This Guide

This reference was researched on official sources — municipal websites and posted permit forms, official code hosts (eCode360, Municode, American Legal, Code Publishing), adopted fee schedules and resolutions, county code and zoning documents, and Wisconsin DOT permit pages — during July 2026, with claims tied to the official source linked on each card. Where a municipality has no fetchable official source, its card says so plainly and carries no link. Municipalities whose rules could not be read on an official source are marked "call first" rather than filled in by guesswork, and lookalike websites for same-named municipalities in other states were excluded by checking each source's jurisdiction. PCAA reviews this guide seasonally; if you find a fee or rule that has changed, tell your permit desk first and us second.

This guide pairs with PCAA's How to Hire an Asphalt Contractor in Wisconsin — the step-by-step process for verifying a contractor's identity, insurance, scope, and contract before any permit gets pulled.

End of Guide

This guide is provided as a public service. It is not legal, engineering, or permitting advice. Confirm every fee and requirement with the issuing office before relying on it.