Dover building department

Dover’s Inspection Services Division, part of the Planning Department, is not at City Hall. It works out of 269 Mast Road, next to the public works complex, with 14 parking spaces out front. It is open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. The division includes a building official, a building inspector, an electrical inspector, and a plumbing/mechanical inspector. Dover’s health inspector and fire inspector also work here, so building, trade, health, and fire-safety inspections all go through one office.

Applying through the permit portal

Since July 26, 2022, Dover has taken permit and license applications through its Tyler EnerGov self-service portal at permits.dover.nh.gov. About 60 permit, plan, and license types are available. You submit construction plans electronically, staff mark them up and post corrections reports in the portal, you pay online, and you download the issued permit. For a building permit, the City asks for:

• dimensioned floor plans
• a foundation plan with footing details
• framing plans with joist sizes and spacing
• a roof section showing ceiling joist placement
• for new construction, a site plan with distances to property lines

Plans for one- and two-family dwellings don’t need a design professional’s stamp. RSA 310-A:52 lists other exemptions. Dover says review can take upwards of one to two months after a complete application is submitted, so plan your schedule around that.

What doesn’t need a permit

Dover’s FAQ lists these exemptions:

• simple, normal maintenance and repairs under $2,500
• sheds under 200 square feet
• fences under 7 feet (the Zoning Ordinance still governs where they go)

Everything else needs a permit: construction, enlargement, alteration, relocation, or demolition of a structure, and installing equipment the building code regulates. This applies to homeowners too.

Required inspections

Request inspections through the portal or by calling (603) 516-6038, at least two business days ahead. A typical sequence is:

1. Foundation, before backfill
2. Rough-in: framing, electrical, plumbing, and mechanical
3. Insulation
4. Fire stopping
5. Final

Fees (FY2027 schedule, effective July 1, 2026)

The City Council-adopted schedule for FY2027 includes these Inspection Services fees:

Item	Fee
Application fee, every building and trade permit	$25
Building permit, including demolition and accessory structures such as garages and barns	$11 per $1,000 of construction value
One- or two-family roofing or siding only	$50
Residential electrical	$25 application, $10 minimum on fixtures, devices, and equipment
Residential plumbing	$6 per fixture
Photovoltaic system	$100
In-ground pool, or fixed above-ground pool over 42 in. of water	$75
Re-inspection, after a second failed inspection	$90 each
After-hours inspection	$90 per hour
Staff entering your permit into the system for you	$40 per hour
Extending a permit for work unfinished after 6 months	$25

Starting work before the permit is issued doubles the permit fee, with a $250 minimum and a $10,000 cap (the Building Official can raise the cap if the City’s actual costs are higher). Refunds must be requested in writing within one year of issuance and are reduced by a $50 fee. Ask the office about impact fees on new dwellings. The full schedule is in the City’s public records system under “Fee and Fine Schedule.”

Inspection Services contacts

Need	Contact
Permits, inspections, and records	(603) 516-6038
Applications, payments, inspection requests	Dover permit portal
Office	269 Mast Road, Dover, NH 03820