City of Columbus
Columbia County, Wisconsin
Last verified September 17, 2026
City of Columbus is a jurisdiction in Columbia County, Wisconsin, with an online portal for searching and pulling active or historical building permits. Use the contact information below to reach the local building department, or the mailing address if the jurisdiction needs to be listed as a certificate holder on a contractor's insurance documentation.
Contact
Certificate Holder Mailing Address
Stephanie Potter, Building InspectorMSA Professional Services
Phone: (608) 617-5691
Email: spotter@msa-ps.com
Use this address when the jurisdiction needs to be listed as a certificate holder on a contractor's insurance documentation.
Additional Notes
City contracts building permit review and inspections to MSA Professional Services; inspector/contact Stephanie Potter handles applications (min. 48 hrs notice for inspections). Applications/fees can also be handled at City Hall, 105 N. Dickason Boulevard, Columbus, WI 53925, (920) 623-5900.
What You Need Before Applying for a Permit
Most building departments ask for the same core package before they'll issue a permit: a completed application naming the property owner and contractor, the contractor's state license number and proof of insurance (general liability, and workers' comp if employees are on the job), a notice of commencement or equivalent recorded filing for larger jobs where the state requires one, and scaled plans or a site plan for anything beyond minor repairs. Roofing, fence, pool, and solar permits typically have their own simplified checklists — City of Columbus's department (above) can confirm exactly what applies to your project.
Why this matters for insurance: permit history is one of the first things an underwriter or adjuster checks. Unpermitted work — a finished basement, an added bedroom, a rebuilt roof — can complicate a claim or even void coverage for that portion of the loss, and it routinely surfaces during a home inspection. Pulling the right permit up front, and keeping the closed-permit record on file, protects both the property's value and its insurability at resale.
More in Columbia County
See Columbia County property and court records →
Other building permit jurisdictions in Columbia County: