Do I need a permit for kitchen remodel in Unincorporated Waukesha County?

It depends. Whether kitchen remodel needs a permit in Unincorporated Waukesha County comes down to the details of your project.

Repairs and maintenance are outside the UDC under SPS 320.05(3), and whether an alteration needs a building permit is set by local ordinance (SPS 320.09(2)(b)). As of Sept. 1, 2026, SPS 316.012 requires an electrical permit from the designated inspection agency before installing a new or added electrical service, feeder or branch circuit serving a structure not already covered by an SPS 316 or SPS 320 permit, unless exempted by rule or statute. In a home built on or after June 1, 1980, gas piping from the point of delivery to each gas appliance must be installed to NFPA 54, the National Fuel Gas Code (SPS 323.16(3)). This remodel moves walls, plumbing or gas lines, or adds electrical circuits. Replacing cabinets, counters and appliances in place is the part of a kitchen remodel most often exempt; layout and trade work are not. Each trade normally needs its own permit and rough-in inspection before walls are closed, and removing a load bearing wall usually needs a beam detail or engineering. Gas line changes are work many places restrict to licensed gas fitters or plumbers, and a pressure test is commonly part of the inspection.