Frequently Asked Questions

• Fill out the Driveway Address Application (PDF) (highlighted portions)
• Contact the Chippewa Co Planning and Zoning Department to submit permit application and make payment
  • Room 009
    711 N Bridge St.
    Chippewa Falls, WI 54729
  • Phone: 715-726-7940
  • Fax: 715-726-4596

• Make payment to the Chippewa Co Treasurer for $35.
• Payment covers all the materials required to build a new sign, removal of old sign if necessary, and the installation of the new sign.
• In the check memo section, write address for sign to be built such as 12345 123rd Av/St.
• Please include a note of any additional information required or requested for sign installation such as possible relocation or installation preference. Consideration will be made. However, sign installation will be placed as best to conform to county ordinance and first responder usability.
• Mail check to:
  • Chippewa Co Emergency Management
    Attn: Addressing
    32 E Spruce St
    Chippewa Falls, WI 54729
• Or drop off at the Chippewa County Sheriff's Office.

Yes, in conjunction with the standard address sign. It is especially advisable to have a temporary sign in place if the new sign has not been installed yet or the old sign is awaiting replacement.

County ordinance dictates the sign installation location. If the location of the sign is troublesome or inconvenient, please contact the 911 GIS Coordinator. Relocation of the sign can often damage the sign's integrity.

Typically not, unless the mailbox is directly next to the access driveway and then the sign should be placed outside the roadway right-of-way. More often than not, signs seen attached to or by mailbox are out of compliance.

Yes. County ordinance states, The owner of each parcel of land that has been assigned a site identification number is responsible for the continued erection and maintenance of such sign. In the event a site identification number is damaged or removed, the property owner shall be responsible for the replacement cost of the sign within ten days of notice by the town or the 911 GIS Coordinator.

The Chippewa County Uniform Address/Driveway Authority Form is the official document assigning an address to a location. This document can be brought to the servicing Postmaster. If you do not have a copy of this document, the 911 GIS Coordinator can provide you with one or an official Clarification of Address letter.

The 911 GIS Coordinator can work directly with the United States Postal Service. Private companies such as FedEx, UPS, DHL, etc. gather their routing lists in a different manner and often take longer to receive their updates from whatever source they use.

These services are not under the 911 GIS Coordinator's authority to fix or update. However, most allow for correction submission, especially Google. Reporting a roadway name or addressing error will often garner an update from the corresponding service provider. This can take some time to be implemented.

This does not affect emergency services. The 911 system is entirely separate and the 911 GIS Coordinator updates the dispatch center's mapping program directly.

Public roadways are dedicated and recorded for public use.

Private roadways are access drives that are not dedicated for public use and include driveways, easements, or any other type of access that may service 3 or more properties, building sites, or combination thereof that adds up to three or more. For emergency service addressing, private roadways shall be named and addressed accordingly.

For more information, please see Chapter 26-54. Signage. (c)(1-2). 

County ordinance states, Prior to excavation, construction, erection or placement of any improvement to land not already assigned a site identification number, the owner thereof shall submit a completed Chippewa County Uniform Address/Driveway Authority Form.

For all intents and purposes, any locations that may require service or response from emergency services may apply for an address.