Frequently Asked Questions
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When do I need a permit?
Why do I need a permit?
How do I get a permit?
What permits are required and how much does a permit cost?
Do I need to be licensed to do work?
What codes does Nashua use?
When were these codes adopted and what were your previous codes?
What are the structural loads for Nashua?
Do I need a permit to re-roof my home?
When will my permit be ready?
How is the permit number determined?
How do I set up an inspection and can I schedule a time?
What do I need for a Certificate of Occupancy (CO)?
Can I get a refund?
What is your policy on After-the-Fact Permits?
When do I need a permit?
Permits are required for work to:
- Construct or alter a structure
- Construct an addition
- Demolish or move a structure
- Make a change of occupancy
- Install or alter any equipment which is regulated by the code
- Move a lot line that affects an existing structure.
Ordinary repairs do not require a permit or any notification to the Building Official. However, ordinary repairs do not include the:
- Cutting away of any wall, partition or portion thereof
- Removal of any structural beam or load bearing support
- Removal or change of any required means of egress, or rearrangement of parts of a structure affecting the egress requirements
- Addition to, alteration of, replacement or relocation of any standpipe, water supply, sewer, drainage, drain leader, gas piping, soil waste, vent or similar piping, electric wiring or mechanical work (water heaters, boilers, and furnaces) and affecting public health or general safety.
Why do I need a permit?
Applying for a permit allows the city to review the project for safety and compliance to federal, state and local codes. It also insures the project complies with the city's Land Use Code. Subsequent inspections help determine if the project is being completed to code and as designed.
How do I get a permit?
Fill out an application at the Department of Building Safety, located on the second floor in City Hall. Sample permit forms are under Permits and General Information.
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What permits are required and how much does a permit cost?
Your building permit only includes the structural portion. Building permit fees are normally determined by cost per square feet of the project and that cost varies per type of project, i.e., new construction, alteration, residential, commercial, etc.
Separate permits are required for plumbing, electrical or mechanical work. There is a $25 filing fee for each permit plus a permit fee which is based on what work and how much work is being done.
Demolition permits are based on square footage. Approval by other departments and the utility companies will need to be done before the demolition can take place. More information is listed under Demolition Application/Permit and Approval Form.
Our fee schedule is adopted by ordinance and available to the public (Ordinance-07-106). Nashua's fees increased September 14, 2007.
Also see other departments for the following:
Site plans, change of use, etc.: Planning and Zoning (City Hall) – 589-3090
Fire protection system permits: Fire Marshal (177 Lake Street) – 589-3460
Sewer permits: Engineering (9 Riverside Street) – 589-3123
Food establishments, commercial pools: Environmental Health (18 Mulberry Street) – 589-4530
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Do I need to be licensed to do work?
The State of New Hampshire requires a license of the person engaging in the business of either plumbing or wiring.
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What codes does Nashua use?
Per Senate Bill (SB) 81, NH adopted the 2006 ICC codes with State amendments and the 2005 NEC effective August 17, 2007. Although the City of Nashua adopted the 2000 Editions of the International Building Code (IBC), the International Residential Code (IRC), the International Mechanical Code (IMC), the International Plumbing Code (IPC), and enforces the 2005 Edition of the National Electrical Code (NEC), the 2006 ICC codes are in effect since the State is a higher government body. More information about the energy code is available at State of NH Public Utilities Commission.
Code books are available at the front counter of our department for reference. The Nashua Public Library also has some code books for reference. More information about the code books is available at the International Code Council.
For a link to compare the new and old ADA Accessibility Guidelines and the International Building Code, click here.
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When were these codes adopted and what were your previous codes?
Code Adoption Dates and Ordinances
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What are the structural loads for Nashua?
Snow loads: At an elevation of 400 feet, Nashua’s ground snow load is 60 pounds per square foot (psf).
Design snow loads on roofs are determined by multiplying the ground snow load by a series of modification factors specified in ASCE 7 and the building code.
Wind load: The basic wind load is 100 mph for a 3-second gust Reference IBC 2000, Figure 1609
Seismic load: The maximum considered earthquake ground motion for Site Class B:
The 0.2 second spectral response acceleration is 40% g. Reference IBC 2000, Figure 1615(1)
The 1.0 second spectral response acceleration is 10% g. Reference IBC 2000, Figure 1615 (2)
Frost line: Frost penetration shall be considered to extend to a minimum of 48” below grade
Rainfall intensity: The 100 year, 1-hour rainfall is 2.5 inches Reference IPC 2000, Figure 1106.1
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Do I need a permit to re-roof my home?
A permit to re-roof your home (one and two-family residences) is not required, although you are required to follow the Building Code. The code allows you to go over the existing shingles provided you only have one layer on shingles on the roof currently. If you are going to strip the roof, you must use water and ice shield on the first 3' of the roof and a minimum of 15# felt paper under the shingles on the remaining roof.
Other than applying asphalt roofing shingles, commercial properties and residential homes above a one and-two family unit building require a permit. Again, you will need to follow the Building Code. A letter from a structural engineer stating the existing roof structure can support the new roofing design is required. Further questions relating to roofs on commercial properties should be directed to the Building Inspector or Plans Examiner.
When will my permit be ready?
We will call you when the permit is ready or if we have any questions or problems with your application. Approval time depends on the size, type and complexity of the project. Normally a small residential project may only take a few days where a large commercial project could take 2-3 weeks. You do not have a permit upon submitting the application and payment.
If you have a building permit application, your trade permits (electrical, plumbing and mechanical) cannot be issued until after your building permit has been issued. Certain residential permits are issued while you wait.
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How is the permit number determined?
Our permit numbers are actually project numbers. Each project receives a separate number, with each contractor who works on that project receiving the same main number of the project.
Example: 2007-12345-9
2007 – The year the first permit application was applied in
12345 – The job or project number
9 – The number for an internal required approval or a contractor. Each contractor receives an individual number. For example, the building permit would be #1. An electrician could be #4, a plumber #5, and a mechanical contractor #6. If there are two mechanical contractors on the job (one company for heat and another for the fireplace), each would receive a separate number. All of the fees paid and the inspections requested/completed are tied to each individual contractor’s number.
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How do I set up an inspection and can I schedule a time?
You need to call the Building Safety Department at least the day before to set up an inspection. Please have your project number, address and the type of inspection you want scheduled. For a list of inspections, see Inspections Required.
We do not schedule inspection times, but you may call the inspector the morning of the inspection and inquire as to the estimated time of day he may arrive at your address. Typically the inspectors are in the office between 7:30 and 9:00 a.m.
What do I need for a Certificate of Occupancy (CO)?
Residential projects require final approvals from the building inspectors and in some cases, approval from DPW Engineering. Commercial projects require final approvals from the building inspectors, Planning and Zoning, Fire Marshal, and in some cases DPW Engineering and Health Department. Please see Inspections Required.
Can I get a refund?
When a permit has either been revoked or a project discontinued or abandoned within 6 months of the issuance of the permit, the permit may be returned to the Building Official for cancellation. If a project is abandoned without notice being made to the Building Official before a 6-month interval has elapsed since the date the permit was issued, no refund will be made. The application fee of your permit is non-refundable and only one-half of the permit fee shall be refunded, providing no work has been done on that permit. A brief written letter stating you would like a refund should be given to the Department of Building Safety, along with the location of the work and the permit number. Your refund, as allowed to by ordinance, will be mailed to you.
What is your policy on After-the-Fact Permits?
When an inspector finds a situation where work was done without first having obtained permits, it is the Nashua Building Safety Department policy to write a Stop Work Order for working without permits. The Stop Work Order is issued to the current property owner of record. Even if the work was done by a previous owner, the current property owner is responsible for code compliance.
When issued a Stop Work Order, the owner or the owner’s agent must apply for the necessary permits (building, electrical, plumbing and/or mechanical) and must pay the additional surcharge for starting work before the issuance of the permit(s).
It may be necessary for the property owner to expose work that might have been concealed prior to being inspected. This will be determined by the inspection staff. In the case of plumbing and electrical work, licensed contractors may have to be called in to verify the work is in compliance with the code(s), correct any work that is not in compliance, call for the necessary inspections and to take responsibility for the work and its code compliance.