Wisconsin Online vs In-Person Permit Applications
Which Wisconsin municipalities accept online permit applications, which software platforms they use, and which still require in-person or paper submissions. Includes system names, URLs, and capabilities.
Full Rankings
| # | Municipality / Item | Value | Detail |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Madison | Full Online | EnerGov (Tyler Technologies) — application, plans, payment, scheduling |
| 2 | Milwaukee | Full Online | Accela — application, plans, payment, inspection scheduling |
| 3 | Green Bay | Full Online | iWorQ — application, plans, payment |
| 4 | Kenosha | Full Online | iWorQ — application, plans, payment, status tracking |
| 5 | Appleton | Full Online | iWorQ — application, plans, payment |
| 6 | Eau Claire | Full Online | iWorQ — application, plans, payment |
| 7 | Waukesha | Full Online | EnerGov — full digital workflow |
| 8 | Brookfield | Full Online | EnerGov — shared system with Waukesha |
| 9 | Racine | Full Online | CityView — application, plans, payment |
| 10 | La Crosse | Full Online | iWorQ — application, plans, payment |
| 11 | Oshkosh | Full Online | iWorQ — application and plan upload |
| 12 | Sheboygan | Full Online | Custom portal — application, plans, payment |
| 13 | Fond du Lac | Full Online | BS&A — recently implemented 2025 |
| 14 | Janesville | Full Online | iWorQ — standard workflow |
| 15 | West Allis | Partial Online | Application online, but physical plans required at counter |
| 16 | Wauwatosa | Partial Online | Application PDF download, email submission, plans in person |
| 17 | Oak Creek | Partial Online | Application online, plans must be mailed or delivered |
| 18 | New Berlin | Partial Online | Application form online, plans and payment in person |
| 19 | Franklin | Partial Online | Fillable PDF, submit via email or in person |
| 20 | Greenfield | Partial Online | Application online, all else in person |
| 21 | Neenah | Paper Only | In-person at City Hall; no online option |
| 22 | Menasha | Paper Only | In-person at building department |
| 23 | West Bend | Paper Only | Paper application at planning office |
| 24 | Manitowoc | Paper Only | In-person only; limited hours |
| 25 | Superior | Paper Only | Paper application; plans submitted in person |
| 26 | Stevens Point | Paper Only | In-person at community development office |
| 27 | Marshfield | Paper Only | Paper forms available at city hall and website (PDF) |
| 28 | Beloit | Paper Only | In-person submission required; downloadable PDF forms |
Insights
iWorQ Systems is the dominant permit management platform in Wisconsin, used by 6 of the 14 fully online municipalities (Green Bay, Kenosha, Appleton, Eau Claire, La Crosse, Oshkosh, Janesville). This means contractors working across multiple iWorQ cities benefit from a consistent interface.
All 8 paper-only municipalities are smaller cities (population under 40,000). No municipality over 50,000 population is paper-only, suggesting that online permitting adoption correlates directly with city size and building department budget.
The 6 partial-online municipalities (West Allis, Wauwatosa, Oak Creek, New Berlin, Franklin, Greenfield) are all in the Milwaukee metro area. These cities allow online application forms but still require physical plan sets, which limits the time savings for contractors.
Madison and Milwaukee both offer full digital workflows including online plan submission, payment, and inspection scheduling. Milwaukee's Accela system and Madison's EnerGov system are the two most feature-complete platforms in the state.
Contractors working statewide should budget for in-person visits to 8 cities. The paper-only cities tend to have shorter processing times (3-6 days) partly because the smaller application volume means reviews happen faster despite the analog process.
Methodology
Online capabilities assessed by testing each municipality's permit application process. 'Full Online' means the entire workflow — application, plan upload, payment, and status tracking — can be completed without visiting the building department. 'Partial Online' means some steps (typically the application form) are available online but plans or payment require in-person delivery. 'Paper Only' means no online application submission is available, though downloadable PDF forms may exist. Assessment completed January 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Wisconsin cities accept online permit applications?
14 of 28 major Wisconsin municipalities offer full online permit applications: Madison, Milwaukee, Green Bay, Kenosha, Appleton, Eau Claire, Waukesha, Brookfield, Racine, La Crosse, Oshkosh, Sheboygan, Fond du Lac, and Janesville. Six additional cities offer partial online (application only, plans in person), and 8 cities are paper-only.
What permit software do Wisconsin cities use?
The most common platform is iWorQ Systems, used by 6 Wisconsin municipalities. Madison and Waukesha/Brookfield use EnerGov (Tyler Technologies), Milwaukee uses Accela, Racine uses CityView, Fond du Lac uses BS&A, and Sheboygan has a custom portal. Each platform has a different interface.
Can I apply for a building permit online in Milwaukee?
Yes. Milwaukee offers a full online permit application process through its Accela system. You can submit applications, upload plans, make payments, and schedule inspections online. The system also provides real-time permit status tracking.
Need permit costs for every project?
Access real-time fee data across all Wisconsin municipalities. Know the exact cost before you bid, and get notified when fee schedules change.