East Providence building department

East Providence’s Building Inspection Division is in Room 204, on the second floor of City Hall at 145 Taunton Avenue. It handles all new construction and alterations of existing buildings in the city. The division issues building, plumbing, mechanical, and electrical permits under the Rhode Island State Building Code, administers the city’s zoning ordinance, and reviews minimum-housing complaints. Robert M. Walker Jr. is the Building Official. The Zoning Office is part of the same building department, which falls under the Department of Public Works. Providence County has no building department, so East Providence permits its own properties.

Who is on staff

The city lists a small team:

• the building official and one building inspector
• one plumbing-mechanical inspector and one electrical inspector
• one zoning officer
• one Minimum Housing inspector and a Minimum Housing clerk
• two clerks

The city says building permits are required for most improvements. It asks owners to talk to the building inspector or zoning officer before starting work on a home or property.

Applying online

East Providence takes building, trade, and zoning permit applications through its OpenGov portal. The city’s “Online Permitting” link (eastprovidenceri.viewpointcloud.com) now redirects to eastprovidenceri.portal.opengov.com. The city’s zoning-certificate page also links to the portal for zoning permits.

Residential work in the city follows Rhode Island’s SBC-2, the 2021 IRC with state amendments, effective December 1, 2025. The state’s exemption list is short. It covers one-story detached accessory structures up to 64 sq ft, fences up to 6 ft, retaining walls up to 32 inches, prefabricated pools less than 24 inches deep, and finish work such as painting, tiling, and cabinets. Decks are not exempt, and state code requires deck footings to extend 3 ft 4 in below grade. See how to apply for a building permit for general background.

Zoning review and certificates

The Zoning Office reviews every building permit application for zoning compliance. It also investigates zoning complaints, issues Notices of Violation, and takes cases to Municipal Court if needed. Zoning Officer Edward Pimentel, AICP, can be reached at (401) 435-7722, ext. 1, or through the City Hall line at (401) 435-7500, ext. 11100.

A zoning certificate costs $25, under Chapter 19, Article II, Sec. 19-5 of the city code. Owners use it to confirm the current use of a property or to find out whether a proposed use is allowed.

The Zoning Board of Review meets the first Wednesday of each month at 6:00 p.m. in the City Council Chambers at City Hall. Zoning staff meet with petitioners, review submission materials, send abutter notices and advertising, and coordinate review by other departments before a hearing. Staff also attend Board meetings to answer technical questions.

Minimum housing and neglected property

The Minimum Housing unit enforces standards for structural integrity, utilities, and safe and sanitary conditions in existing properties. Complaints about neglected properties can be filed online through the city’s 311 request system.

Hours and contact

The Building Inspection Division’s direct line is (401) 435-7722, and the City Hall switchboard is (401) 435-7500. The division and City Hall share the same hours:

Day	Hours
Monday–Wednesday	8 a.m.–4 p.m.
Thursday	8 a.m.–6 p.m.
Friday	8 a.m.–1 p.m.

The office closes at 1 p.m. on Fridays, so plan Friday visits for the morning.