Nashua building department

Nashua’s Department of Building Safety, on the second floor of City Hall, reviews construction documents and issues building, mechanical, electrical, and plumbing permits. It also inspects the permitted work. Nashua has no online permit portal. Applications are fillable PDF forms, plans are submitted on paper and electronically, and inspections are requested by form, email, or phone.

Hours (Monday–Friday)
Office	8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Permit desk	8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Inspections	9 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.

How to submit a permit

Every permit needs a Building and Land Use Application, plus one paper plan set and one electronic plan set. You can deliver them by:

• mail (P.O. Box 2019, Nashua, NH 03061)
• the after-hours drop box at the Elm Street entrance to City Hall
• in person at the permit desk

Commercial submittals can be emailed to [email protected], as long as one paper set is still delivered to City Hall. The electrical, mechanical, and plumbing forms are fillable PDFs with a Submit button that emails them to the department. They don’t work on phones. You can pay by mail, through the drop box, or by credit card over the phone or at the counter.

The department contacts you when the permit is ready. Small residential projects usually take a few days and large commercial projects two to three weeks. Some residential permits are issued while you wait. Trade permits can’t be issued until the building permit is.

What needs a permit in Nashua

You need a permit to build an addition, construct or alter a structure, demolish or move a building, install or alter code-regulated equipment, or change a building’s occupancy. Ordinary repairs need no permit or notice. That stops applying once the work cuts into walls, removes structural or load-bearing members, changes egress, or touches piping, wiring, or mechanical equipment such as water heaters, boilers, and furnaces.

Two Nashua rules often surprise homeowners:

• Sheds. A shed under 200 square feet needs no building permit, but a Land Use Permit is required for a shed of any size. File the Building and Land Use application with a plot plan showing the shed’s location. If you don’t have a plot plan, you may be able to get one from the property file at the department.
• Re-roofing. One- and two-family homes don’t need a permit to re-roof, but the work must follow the building code. You can shingle over the old roof only if there’s just one existing layer. If you strip it, install water and ice shield on the first 3 feet and at least 15# felt on the rest. Commercial buildings and residential buildings with more than two units need a permit and a structural engineer’s letter confirming the roof can carry the new roofing.

Fees

Building permit fees are mostly based on the project’s square footage. Each permit also carries a $35 filing fee, plus $25 for land-use review. The current rates are set by Ordinance O-21-045, and the department posts a simplified fee spreadsheet. If a project is abandoned within six months of issuance and no work has been done, you can get back half the permit fee. The application fee is never refunded. Refund requests must be in writing and include the permit number and address.

Inspections

Request an inspection with the online request form, by email to [email protected], or by calling (603) 589-3080. Give the permit number, inspection type, address, and a contact person. Because of high volume and staff shortages, the department says the lead time is currently about three weeks, so book well ahead.

Inspectors don’t set appointment times. They are usually in the office from 8 to 9 a.m. and can tell you then roughly when they’ll arrive. For eligible inspections, Nashua offers remote virtual inspections using a 4G tablet or smartphone.

Before a certificate of occupancy is issued, these approvals are needed:

• Residential: final approvals from the building inspectors, and in some cases DPW and Engineering.
• Commercial: final approvals from the building inspectors, Planning and Zoning, and the Fire Marshal, and in some cases DPW Engineering and the Health Department.

Licensing

New Hampshire requires a state license for anyone in the business of plumbing or electrical work. Since January 1, 2008, it has also required a gas fitter license to install gas piping or gas-fired equipment.

Contacts

Office	Contact
Building Safety main line and permit technicians	(603) 589-3080, [email protected]
Plans Examiner and Building Inspector	(603) 589-3083
Electrical Inspector	(603) 589-3094
Mechanical Inspector	(603) 589-3118
Plumbing Inspector	(603) 589-3076
Planning and Zoning: site plans, change of use (City Hall)	(603) 589-3090
Fire Marshal: fire protection system permits, 177 Lake Street	(603) 589-3460
Engineering: sewer permits, 9 Riverside Street	(603) 589-3123
Environmental Health: food establishments, commercial pools, 18 Mulberry Street	(603) 589-4530