When You Need a Building Permit or an Inspection

What New Hampshire's building code covers, getting a permit and inspections from your town, who may do electrical, plumbing and gas work, septic approval, and permits for work near water.

Checked against its sources October 25, 2026.

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At a Glance

Every building project in New Hampshire, from a new house or an addition to a renovation or a repair, must meet the state building code. Your town decides how permits are issued and who inspects, so ask its building office before you start. Electrical and plumbing work needs a licensed electrician or plumber, though you may do your own in a single-family home you own and live in. A new septic system, or work that adds to the load on one, needs the state’s approval first, and so does most building, digging or filling near a lake, pond, river, the coast or a wetland.

Before you start, ask your town’s building office what permits the work needs.
What is the work?
- Building, adding on, remodeling or repairingIt must meet the state building code. Your town issues the permit and inspects.
- Electrical, plumbing or gasA licensed trade, or you, in a single-family home you own and live in (for gas, only an existing, stand-alone house that is your main home).
- A septic system, or adding to the load on oneThe state approves the septic plans first.
- Near a lake, pond, river, the coast or a wetlandA state shoreland or wetlands permit may be needed too.
Get the permits before work starts, and have the work inspected when the town asks.

Step by Step

Building work

Start with your town’s building office
The state building code applies to every building and structure in New Hampshire: building one, and altering, renovating, repairing or tearing one down. It is a set of national codes the state adopts, among them the building, residential, plumbing, mechanical, energy and electrical codes.
Before work starts, the person responsible for it must get a permit. How that works is the town’s to set: a town or city that enforces the code has a building official, often called the building inspector or code enforcement officer, who reviews plans, issues permits and inspects the work. Ask at your town or city office before you begin. A permit will not be issued for work that breaks the town’s zoning or planning board rules, so the same office can tell you whether the project needs those boards’ approval too.
The State Building Code (Division of Fire Safety)
The law: RSA 155-A:1, RSA 155-A:2, RSA 155-A:3, RSA 155-A:4, RSA 155-A:7
Inspections, and if you disagree
The building official may inspect the work, the site and the building, so plan for the inspections your town asks for.
When a town issues a building permit or a notice of violation, it must tell you how to appeal, locally and to the state. A town that enforces the code has a building code board of appeals, and there is no fee to appeal a notice of violation or another decision of a code official.
The law: RSA 155-A:3, RSA 155-A:7

Electrical, plumbing and gas work

Electrical work
Electrical work done for pay must be done by an electrician licensed by the state. A homeowner may do electrical work in or about a single-family home they own and live in, or are building to live in. Your town may still require a permit and an inspection for it.
Otherwise, the state’s Electricians’ Board says, work at 30 volts or more needs an active New Hampshire electrician’s license. To ask about an inspection or report a safety concern, call the Department of Safety at (603) 271-2791.
Electricians' Board (Office of Professional Licensure and Certification)
The law: RSA 319-C:1, RSA 319-C:15
Plumbing and gas work
Plumbers and gas fitters are licensed by the state’s Mechanical Licensing Board, part of the Office of Professional Licensure and Certification. A property owner may install, repair or replace the plumbing in their own single-family house or townhouse, including in new construction; the work must still meet the state plumbing code.
Gas fitting is narrower: you may do it yourself only in an existing, stand-alone single-family house that you own and live in as your main home, and the work must meet the codes and pass any inspection that applies. Your town’s building office may enforce the plumbing and gas rules.
The law: RSA 153:27-a, RSA 153:36, RSA 153:35

Septic systems and work near water

Septic systems
No one may build a house or other building that will send wastewater to a septic system, or build a septic system, until the Department of Environmental Services has approved its plans. The same goes before adding on to a building, or changing its use, in a way that would add to the load on its septic system. Your town may have its own rules on top of the state’s.
You may replace or repair the septic system of your own home yourself, following the Department’s rules.
The law: RSA 485-A:32, RSA 485-A:35, RSA 485-A:36, RSA 485-A:38
Work near water
Land within 250 feet of a lake or pond of more than 10 acres, a larger river (one of fourth order or higher, or one the state has designated as protected) or tidal water is protected shoreland. Building, digging or filling there needs a shoreland permit from the Department of Environmental Services. Small projects that meet its standards can go ahead on a simpler permit by notification, as soon as the Department confirms it has your complete notice.
Digging, filling, dredging or building in or on a bank, marsh or swamp next to a lake, river or other water needs a wetlands permit from the Department, applied for through your town or city clerk, who signs the application.
The Department has an online tool that tells you whether a project needs a shoreland permit. For questions, call (603) 271-2147 and ask for the Inspector of the Day, or email [email protected]; for wetlands, [email protected], with photos, plans and the location.
Protected shoreland (Department of Environmental Services)Wetlands permit help (Department of Environmental Services)
The law: RSA 483-B:4, RSA 483-B:5-b, RSA 482-A:3

Common Questions

Which edition of the code applies?

A town or city that enforces the code does so by an ordinance the state’s Building Code Review Board confirms; it may add local amendments, limited since July 1, 2026 to administrative matters. On July 1, 2026 the state moved six of its codes to their 2024 editions: the building, residential, existing building, plumbing, mechanical, and swimming pool and spa codes. The energy code stays the 2018 edition and the electrical code the 2023. Through December 31, 2026 a permit may be sought under either the 2021 or the 2024 codes. The Review Board answers questions at (603) 223-4315.

What if my town has no building inspector?

Where a town has no one of its own to enforce the code, the State Fire Marshal may enforce it at the town’s written request. In such a town, a contractor must tell the Fire Marshal before starting any building other than a one- or two-family home.

Who may design and install a septic system?

The plans must be prepared and signed by a designer who holds a permit from the Department of Environmental Services, and a system is installed by an installer with the Department’s permit.

Who Can Help

Your town or city’s building inspector or code enforcement officer is the first person to ask, about its permits, its fees and its inspections. Where your town has none, ask the selectboard’s office.