Granting of Permits.
Milwaukee Code of Ordinances § 115-4
in effect115-4. Granting of Permits.
1. Upon application for a permit for excavation or installation, or both, in a public way or public place and payment of the fees and deposits required in s. 115-7, the commissioner may, where not inconsistent with any other ordinance, issue a permit to excavate or disturb the surface of any public way or place.
2. The permit shall state the name of the applicant, the nature, purpose, and location of the excavation or installation, the amount of the permit and inspection fees, and the number of days for which the permit shall remain in force.
3. All permits shall be consecutively numbered and shall be made out in quadruplicate, one copy to be given to the permittee, 2 copies to be delivered to the director of the department of public works infrastructure services division, and one copy to remain on file in the office of the commissioner.
4. Permit applications for installations in public ways or public places shall be in the form and contain such additional information as required by the commissioner.
5. Whenever a permit for excavation or installation in a public way or public place is granted, the permit holder shall, as a condition of permit issuance, be required to serve written notice of the impending excavation or installation work to each occupant of abutting private property at least 72 hours prior to commencement of work if the excavation or installation will be in progress for more than 24 hours, impede or obstruct access to abutting private property, or result in interruption of utility service to abutting private property. If work will be in progress for more than 96 hours, the commissioner shall provide similar notice to the common council member in whose district the excavation or installation work will occur. The notice to the abutting property owners shall include a name and telephone number of a person who is affiliated with the permit holder and directly responsible for and knowledgeable of the work to be performed. The notice shall identify the type of work to be performed and the estimated duration of the work. A color photograph or video shall be taken by the permit holder or person affiliated with the permit holder of the written notice being served. Photographs and video recordings shall be time and date-stamped and shall be maintained and made available to the commissioner, or the commissioner’s designee, upon request. Proper photographs or video-recordings shall depict written notice being served to the occupants of abutting properties in a clear and unobstructed perspective, as determined by the commissioner. No notification shall be required for emergency public way excavation, such as but not limited to an excavation relating to a gas, water or steam leak or an electrical outage, or for an excavation carried out in conjunction with minor maintenance activities, such as but not limited to manhole adjustments, hydrant or valve repairs or work on utility services to individual properties.
6. FAILURE TO NOTIFY. If work is started or the public way occupied without first providing notification as required in sub. 5, or if the permit holder fails to provide photographs or video recordings of written notice being served to the commissioner or the commissioner’s designee upon request, any person, firm or corporation violating this section shall be subject to a fine of not less than $1,000 nor more than $5,000, and upon default of payment thereof, be punished by imprisonment in the house of correction for a period of not more than 60 days. Each day the work continues or the public right-of-way is closed to public use shall be regarded as a separate offense.
6.5. DIGITAL SIGNS FOR MAJOR ROAD CLOSURES. a. A permit holder shall be required to erect digital signage whenever a permit is granted under this section for work on any roadway where both of the following conditions are met:
a-1. The roadway is determined to have average daily traffic greater than 3,000. Work On Public Ways
a-2. The work, occupation, or closure of the roadway is expected to last longer than 96 hours.
a-3. The work is expected to fully obstruct traffic in at least one direction on the roadway.
b. The digital sign shall be erected before at least 1 week before work, occupation, or closure commences.
c. Whenever a permit is granted that requires digital signage under this section, the department shall notify the permit holder.
7. PENALTY FOR WORK CONDUCTED WITHOUT PERMIT. Any person, firm, or corporation that begins work or occupies the public right-of-way without first obtaining a permit as required by this chapter shall be subject to a penalty of not more than $1,000. Each day the work continues or the public right-of-way is closed to public use shall be regarded as a separate offense.
Source: City of Milwaukee Legislative Reference Bureau, Milwaukee City Charter and Code of Ordinances (city.milwaukee.gov master PDFs)URL: https://city.milwaukee.gov/ImageLibrary/Groups/ccClerk/Ordinances/Volume-1/CH115.pdf#page=3Fetched: 10/26/2026