Rochester building department

The City of Rochester issues building permits and certificates of occupancy through the Bureau of Zoning and Permitting, part of the Department of Neighborhood and Business Development (NBD). The bureau’s offices are in City Hall at 30 Church Street. Its Commissioner administers Chapter 39 of the Municipal Code, the City Building Code, together with the New York State Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code and the State Energy Code. Applications submitted on or after December 31, 2025 fall under the 2025 Uniform Code, according to the NYS Department of State. City permits apply only to property inside the City of Rochester. City Council last updated the Building Code, permit fees, and certificate of occupancy fees in Ordinance 2026-191, adopted June 17, 2026.

Common projects

The City’s building permits page lists projects that typically need a permit and ones that typically don’t. Properties in a Preservation District, or designated as a Building of Historic Value, may also need a Certificate of Appropriateness, even when no building permit is required.

Project	Permit typically needed	Typically no permit
Decks	More than 18 inches above grade	Less than 18 inches above grade
Sheds	Larger than 144 sq ft	144 sq ft or smaller
Roofing	Full tear-off over conditioned space, structural framing work, changing roof type, or a new layer over more than 50% of the roof	Repairs to less than 50% of the roof; re-roofing open porches or accessory structures
Fences	New fences; replacing more than 50% of a permitted fence	Repairing less than 50% of a permitted fence
Windows and doors	New openings, or resizing, adding, or removing an opening	Replacement in an existing legal opening
Stairs, guards, handrails	Replacing more than 50% of a component	Non-structural repairs
Water heaters and HVAC	Anything that isn’t a like-kind replacement	Like-kind replacement (same type, size, and venting)
Electrical	Service changes (panel, meter, riser, disconnect), new wiring, extended circuits	Replacing fixtures or devices without disturbing fixed wiring; low-voltage and communications wiring

Fire damage repairs, structural repairs, demolition, changes of use, legalizing third-floor space, home occupations, and parking lots also need permits. See also do I need a permit for a deck.

What needs a permit

Under §39-207, you need a building permit for any work that must meet the Building Code or Energy Code. That includes building, enlarging, altering, removing, relocating, or demolishing a structure, and installing a solid-fuel heating appliance, chimney, or flue. The City also requires a permit for:

• A change of occupancy classification or an increase in hazard classification
• Fences, walls, or retaining walls over 2 feet above average grade
• New or replacement siding or other cladding. Replacing original cladding with like materials of identical profile is exempt.
• Paved areas of 2,000 square feet or more, and parking lots
• Antennas 16 feet or taller, and satellite dishes over 24 inches in diameter
• Exterior changes to architectural features of a designated historic building, unless you’re replacing original materials with identical ones

Electrical work over 50 volts needs a permit under §39-304. Like-for-like replacement of devices such as switches, receptacles, and breakers is exempt, as long as enclosing boxes aren’t disturbed. A licensed electrician must apply for electrical permits, except for the classes of work listed in §49-3(B). A licensed plumber must apply for plumbing permits. The exception is an owner doing the work on a single-family, owner-occupied home.

Exempt work

Section 39-207(B) exempts:

• One-story detached sheds, playhouses, and similar structures up to 144 square feet, serving a one- or two-family home or townhouse
• Playground equipment
• Fully above-ground pools designed for less than 24 inches of water
• Window awnings on one- or two-family homes
• Partitions or movable cases under 5 feet 9 inches
• Painting, wallpapering, tiling, and carpeting
• Listed portable equipment
• Replacement equipment that keeps its original listing

Repairs are also exempt if they don’t remove load-bearing elements, change egress, alter a building system, or take a fire protection system out of service. Section 39-202 adds that repair work does not include work resulting from fire or natural disaster.

Fences of any kind must meet the Zoning Code’s location and height limits. Barbed wire isn’t allowed in residential districts, and razor wire and electrified fences are banned everywhere. Private pools must follow the Zoning Code, and the Commissioner can require plans sealed by a New York-licensed architect or engineer.

Applying and permit life

Applications go through the City’s online permit portal, the Infor-based “One Stop” CIVICS site at infor.cityofrochester.gov. Upload your application form, drawings, site plan, and proof of insurance or contractor registration, then pay the fee. Staff check the submission for completeness and code compliance, and the portal shows document updates. If you can’t use the portal, book an in-person appointment for a Tuesday or Thursday. Walk-in hours are Monday, Wednesday, and Friday; the bureau’s office hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on those days. The City says simple repairs may be approved the same day, while projects needing full plan review may take a few weeks.

Under the City Code, the owner or an authorized agent, architect, engineer, or contractor applies to the Commissioner. The application must describe:

• The work and its location
• The use of every part of the building and lot
• The names of the owner, applicant, contractor, and design professionals
• The estimated cost

You must apply for any required certificate of occupancy at the same time as the building permit.

Before any permit is issued, the contractor, or an owner who employs workers, must show proof of workers’ compensation and disability benefits coverage. Give the City at least 24 hours’ notice before starting work, and post the permit prominently on site.

A permit expires if work doesn’t start within 90 days. The completion deadline can’t be more than one year at first. You can ask for an extension in writing up to 10 days after the permit expires. Each extension is limited to one year, and only two in a row are allowed.

Inspections

Most permitted work needs one or more inspections at set stages. The City says you’ll get the required inspection schedule with your permit. Typical inspections include footing or foundation, framing, electrical, plumbing, and HVAC, and a final. Work can’t move to the next stage until the required inspection passes. After the final inspection, you receive a certificate of compliance or a certificate of occupancy, if one applies.

Building permit fees (effective June 2026)

Fees are based on the actual cost of the work, documented by a signed contract or detailed estimate. Electrical and plumbing work under separate permits isn’t counted.

Actual cost	Fee
$0 – $2,000	$75
$2,001 – $4,000	$110
$8,001 – $10,000	$205
$18,001 – $20,000	$360
$48,001 – $50,000	$830
$58,001 – $60,000	$985
$60,001 – $100,000	$235 plus 1.4% of cost
$100,001 – $500,000	$590 plus 1.1% of cost
$500,001 – $1,000,000	$2,305 plus 0.8% of cost

Between $2,000 and $60,000, the fee rises in steps for every $2,000 of cost.

Flat-fee item	Fee
Deck, up to 144 sq ft	$75
Deck, 144 sq ft or more	$160
Deck, 400 sq ft or more	$235
Swimming pool	$85
Wood stove, fireplace insert, or gas fireplace	$160
Paved area or parking lot	$160
Demolition of a frame building up to 3 stories	$300
Electrical: residential renovation up to 200 sq ft	$160
Electrical: new service up to 200 amps	$160, plus $55 per additional meter
Plumbing permit base fee	$100, plus $20 per residential fixture
Electrical or plumbing reinspection	$100

A building permit that only legalizes an existing occupancy, or changes occupancy with no other work, is free.

Certificates of occupancy

No new building may be occupied without a certificate of occupancy or certificate of compliance. An altered building can’t be used for more than 30 days after the work is finished without one, and no change of use is allowed without one. Before issuing the certificate, the Commissioner can ask for:

• An actual-cost statement
• An as-built survey
• A final special-inspection report

There’s no CO fee when the permitted construction is worth $50,000 or more. For existing structures, the CO fee is $150 for a single-family home, $250 for a two-family home, and $350 for buildings with three or more units.