Greenwich building department

The Building Inspection Division of Greenwich’s Department of Public Works enforces the Connecticut State Building Code and issues building and trade permits for the whole town. That includes Byram, Cos Cob, Glenville, Old Greenwich and Riverside, which have no building departments of their own. The state’s list of building officials (updated April 6, 2026) refers all five villages to Greenwich.

What needs a permit

The town’s permit page lists these as requiring a building permit: new buildings or structures, additions and alterations, changes of use or occupancy, finishing an attic or basement into habitable space, pools, spas and hot tubs (new or renovated), tennis and sports courts, exterior decks, fireplaces and wood stoves, detached or wall-mounted exterior signs, roof-mounted or freestanding solar, retaining walls over 3 feet, fences over 7 feet, demolition, and special events such as larger tents, carnivals and fairs. A separate trade permit is required for electrical, plumbing and HVAC work and for installing a generator.

Published exemptions

Work	No building permit if…
Shed, playhouse or similar one-story detached accessory building	200 sq ft or less (a zoning permit is still needed for any accessory building over 6 feet tall)
Fence (not a pool barrier)	7 feet high or less
Retaining wall	3 feet or less, finished grade to finished grade, with no surcharge
Deck	200 sq ft or less, no more than 30 inches above grade, not attached to the house, and not serving the required exit door
Patios, sidewalks, driveways	On grade, no more than 30 inches above adjacent grade, not over a basement
Roofing and siding repairs	Limited to 25% of the roof covering or siding within one calendar year
Prefabricated pool	24 inches deep or less
Finish work	Painting, papering, tiling, carpeting, cabinets and countertops with no structural change

Minor electrical repairs, portable appliances and clearing plumbing stoppages are also exempt. Exempt work must still meet code.

Applying

Greenwich does not take building permit applications through City Squared. How you file depends on the job:

• By email: only re-roofing, re-siding and replacement windows on one- and two-family homes. Email the Additions and Alterations application (both sides completed) and the workers’ compensation affidavit to [email protected]. Staff email back a sign-off sheet marking which town offices must approve the job, such as Zoning Enforcement, Environmental Health or the Tax Collector. After you collect those approvals, send the full package back. You get a credit card invoice and receive the permit by email once it’s paid.
• In person: every other building permit. Bring the completed application with the owner’s authorization on page 2, the workers’ compensation affidavit with the permit holder’s notarized signature, and two sets of construction plans. Staff assign an application group number and a sign-off sheet. Collect the signatures, then return to pay. The application is not accepted until the fee is paid by cash (exact change), check or credit card.

Follow-up documents and permit status questions go to [email protected].

Fees

The town’s permit fee schedule (the copy reviewed was archived in June 2025) charges by construction value:

Permit	Rate	Minimum
Building, pools, demolition: residential	$13.26 per $1,000 of valuation	$40.26
Building, pools, demolition: commercial	$15.26 per $1,000 of valuation	$40.26
Electrical	$12.00 per $1,000	$40.00
Plumbing / HVAC	$12.00 per $1,000	$40.00
Signs	$15.00 per $1,000	$40.00

The building valuation includes mechanical trade costs. Trade permits covered by a building permit must still be pulled, but they carry no separate fee. Demolishing or moving a structure built before 1940 adds a 5% surcharge. Special event permits that need an inspection outside regular inspection hours (8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. weekdays) carry an extra $254 charge.

Inspections

Inspections are scheduled only through City Squared. The old inspection-request email was retired on February 3, 2025. Register an account, claim your permit by its number, and choose “Inspection Requester” as your role the first time. City Squared also shows permit status, inspection results and CO conditions. For trade inspections tied to a building permit, enter the building permit number only (21-1234, not 21-1234E). Request an inspection only when that stage of work is 100% complete.

Certificate of occupancy

Before a CO is issued, all field inspections must pass and every plan-review condition must be met, including any required test reports, special inspection reports or design-professional certifications. You also need written zoning compliance from the Zoning Enforcement Officer. Depending on the job, you may need approvals from:

• Fire Marshal: not required for one- and two-family homes. You schedule this inspection yourself.
• DPW Sewer Division: checks new sewer connections before backfill and issues a Sewer Final.
• Engineering Division: often required by Planning and Zoning conditions.
• Environmental Health: for wells, septic systems, child care, salons, food service and public pools.

The CO is mailed to the permittee, with a copy to the owner. Occupying a building before the CO is issued violates Section 118.1 of the state building code.

Hours and records

Service	Days	Hours
Public counter	Mon–Fri	8 a.m.–1 p.m.
Inspectors’ office, by appointment	Mon–Fri	2:30–3:30 p.m.
Field inspections	Mon–Fri	8 a.m.–2:30 p.m.
Permit Records Room (appointments preferred)	Mon, Wed, Fri	9 a.m.–12 p.m.

Requests for surveys, permit reports, building plans and copies of COs can be emailed to [email protected]. Title searchers and attorneys must book an appointment. Code questions go to [email protected].

Codes in force

Greenwich enforces the 2022 Connecticut State Building Code. It is based on the 2021 International Codes and applies to permit applications filed on or after October 1, 2022. The 2026 state code, based on the 2024 I-Codes and the 2023 NEC, was expected July 1, 2026. It is delayed until the General Assembly’s Legislative Regulation Review Committee approves it, and it will apply to permits applied for after its effective date.

Contractor registration

The Connecticut Home Improvement Act requires anyone who contracts with a consumer for work on residential property to register with the state Department of Consumer Protection. Registration is not required for homeowners working on their own property, subcontracted work, work under a trade license, commercial work, or contracts under $200. You can verify a registration on the DCP website.