The City of Eau Claire requires building permits for most residential decks. Applications go through the Evolve online portal, and you'll need a deck framing plan and inspections.
If your property is inside Eau Claire city limits, the Inspections Division handles your deck permit. They're located at 203 S. Farwell Street, and you can call them at 715-839-4947. Office hours are Monday 7:30 am to 6 pm and Tuesday through Thursday 7:30 am to 4:30 pm. They're closed Fridays.
If you live in Altoona, Chippewa Falls, or the unincorporated townships around Eau Claire, you'll work with Eau Claire County Planning and Development instead. The county follows similar rules under Wisconsin's Uniform Dwelling Code, but their fees and process differ slightly. Make sure you know which jurisdiction you're in before you start.
The city's guidance says a permit is required for decks attached to the house or serving an exit door. That covers most backyard decks. Wisconsin code and local ordinances don't spell out a square-foot minimum on the public pages, so if you're not sure whether your project needs a permit, call the Inspections Division at 715-839-4947 and describe what you're building. Don't guess.
Decks 30 inches or higher off the ground need railings, and railing height and spacing have to meet code. The inspections staff checks that, along with footing depth, joist spans, and ledger attachment. If you're doing the work yourself as the homeowner, you can pull the permit. If you hire a contractor, they need to be state-certified to pull it.
Eau Claire stopped accepting paper permit applications. Everything goes through the Evolve Public Permitting Portal on the city's website. You'll create an account, select Building Permit, and fill out the application. You'll need to upload a deck framing plan showing the dimensions, footing locations, joist spacing, and how the deck attaches to the house. The city has a Deck Framing Plan worksheet you can download and fill out.
If you're pulling the permit as a homeowner doing your own work, you'll also sign a Homeowner's Cautionary Statement. That's the city's way of documenting that you understand the code requirements and the risks. Once you submit everything and pay the fee through the portal, the city has 10 business days to review the application. Incomplete submissions don't start the clock, so make sure your plan includes all the details they ask for.
You'll need at least two inspections: one after the footings are poured and the framing is up, and a final inspection when the deck is complete. You schedule inspections yourself through the Evolve portal. The city requires 24 hours' notice, and you have to submit the request by 3 pm for next-day service. Don't call or email inspection requests. They only accept them through the online system.
Inspectors have two business days to complete the inspection after you request it. In some cases they'll approve an e-inspection where you submit photos or video instead of an in-person visit, but that's up to the inspector. Don't cover up the framing or pour concrete over footings until the inspection is done, or you'll have to uncover it.
Permit fees vary by project size and type. Wisconsin jurisdictions typically charge $130 to $450 for a residential deck permit. The exact fee shows up when you enter your project details in the Evolve portal. You pay online when you submit the application.
Setbacks and zoning rules also apply. Your deck has to stay a certain distance from your property line and meet any height or accessory structure limits in the city's Land Development Ordinance. The Planning Division handles zoning questions at 715-839-4914. If you're near the Chippewa River floodplain, you may have extra restrictions. Parts of Eau Claire along Forest Street, the downtown area, and sections east of Second Avenue sit in the 100-year floodplain. Check the city's flood maps or call Community Services at 715-839-1875 if you're not sure.
Skipping the permit process is a bad idea. If the city finds unpermitted work, they can make you remove it or bring it up to code after the fact, and that's expensive. When you sell the house, unpermitted work can kill a sale or force a price cut. Insurance companies sometimes deny claims for structures built without permits.
Inspections catch problems before they become safety hazards. A deck that pulls away from the house or collapses because the ledger wasn't flashed correctly can injure people. Footings that aren't deep enough heave when the ground freezes, and the deck shifts or sinks. An inspector makes sure those things are done right the first time.
Also in our network: Iowa City Deck Permit Rules: What You Need to Know.
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