Farmington, Connecticut Building Permit Guide

In Farmington the Town’s Building Division issues building and trade permits, and the Town says permits must be applied for through its online OpenGov system. Residential and commercial permits cost $15 for each $1,000 of work or part of $1,000, with the state education fee already included, plus $60 for zoning when a project adds to the footprint. Inspections are booked by phone on 860-675-2315.

What requires a building permit in Farmington?

The Building Division inspects general construction, electrical, plumbing, heating and air conditioning, and fire safety work, and its reviewers also check specifications for special structural, mechanical, energy and fire suppression systems. The Town publishes an exemption list for owners unsure whether a job needs a permit, and the office answers the question by phone. The online system groups the permit types by the offices that must sign off:

Work done before a permit is not simply permitted late: Farmington runs a separate after-the-fact process, and under the Town Code the fee for a permit sought after the work has started or finished is twice the normal fee, on top of any fine. The Town’s after-the-fact handout requires a licensed contractor to apply, with drawings of the finished work and sign-off letters from the licensed trades.

What the town decides and what the state holds

Farmington’s own code adopts the State Building Code as the town’s building code, so the technical rules and exemptions are the state’s. The Town Council controls the fee in Chapter 98 of the Town Code, the after-the-fact penalty, a rule that lets the Tax Collector stop a building application on a property with delinquent Town taxes, and a demolition delay for old buildings. Land use belongs to the Town Plan and Zoning Commission, the Conservation and Inland Wetlands Commission, the Aquifer Protection Agency and two historic district commissions, Farmington and Unionville. Septic systems and wells are approved by the Farmington Valley Health District, and contractor and trade licenses come from the state Department of Consumer Protection.

Farmington building department: who handles permitting

The Building Division sits within Public Works, whose director is the Town Engineer. Seth Ellsworth is the Building Official, and the division’s staff list also includes a development and permitting coordinator. The division closes permits with certificates of approval and certificates of occupancy. Planning and Zoning, the Fire Marshal and Engineering sign off on the joint permit types, and the Town warns of scam emails asking applicants for extra fees by wire transfer; it never asks for that.

Farmington permit types and application documents

The Town’s page says permits must be applied for at farmingtonct.viewpointcloud.com, which takes them at any time of day; state law also lets an applicant file in person, by mail or by email in the manner the building official sets, so call 860-675-2315 if you cannot use the site. Create an account with an email address and password, pick the permit type and fill the form in completely; the Town says incomplete forms are what cause delays. Building and zoning permits, sewer permits, street obstruction and excavation permits and Westfarms mall tenant improvements are all filed there. Each permit type links its own requirements document on the Town’s Types of Permits page, and the system emails you at each stage of review.

Residential permits

Separate permit types cover a new house, an addition, alterations and general residential improvements, decks (with the prescriptive deck construction guide) and pools. Sheds and fences are joint building and zoning permits, so the zoning office registers them as well. Any project that pushes the footprint outward or adds a structure to the plot plan, such as a new house, deck, pool, shed or addition, carries the $60 zoning fee. On a lot with a septic system or well, the Farmington Valley Health District asks for its Location Approval Packet before an addition, pool, shed or other outbuilding goes ahead, and for any increase in bedrooms.

Building or remodeling a home here? Alliance handles home building permits, so the crew isn't waiting on the counter.

Commercial permits

Commercial work is split into new construction, tenant additions and alterations, and commercial improvements, with Westfarms mall tenant fit-outs as a type of their own. Storage tanks and tents are joint permits with the Fire Marshal. Contractors and subcontractors each pull and pay for their own permits, because the Town no longer issues blanket permits covering several trades. A certificate of occupancy is needed for new commercial buildings and for any change of use, such as educational to institutional.

For tenant improvements and new commercial builds, Alliance handles commercial permit filing through issuance. More on this: commercial building permits explained.

What comes before the building permit

• Zoning and design: site plans and special permits go to the Town Plan and Zoning Commission, and commercial design to the Architectural Design Review Committee; the Planning Division publishes site design guidelines, last updated in 2017, and a guide to commercial and industrial real estate development.
• Wetlands and aquifers: regulated activity in a wetland or upland review area goes to the Conservation and Inland Wetlands Commission, and some sites fall under the Aquifer Protection Agency.
• Historic districts: exterior work in the Farmington or Unionville historic districts needs its commission’s approval.
• Health: the health district’s location approval comes first on septic and well lots.
• Taxes: an application can be refused until delinquent Town taxes or charges on the property are paid, unless the Building Official certifies an emergency.

Farmington permit costs and fees

The building permit fee is set in section 98-1 of the Town Code, last amended in 2015, at $15 for each $1,000 of building cost or part of $1,000, and the Building Division applies it to all residential and commercial permits. The cost includes labor and materials, and the Town states that the state education fee is already inside the $15.

For example, a $50,000 deck and addition costs $750 for the building permit, $60 for zoning and $5 for the certificate of approval at the end, $815 in all. The electrician, plumber and HVAC contractor each pay $15 per $1,000 on their own contract amounts. Fees can be paid online, in person, or by check to the Town of Farmington with the permit number in the memo line. Land use applications have their own fees in section 98-1, each subject to an extra $60 state fee: a residential special permit is $150, a commercial special permit $200 plus $35 per 1,000 sq ft of building, a commercial site plan $35 per acre plus $35 per 1,000 sq ft (minimum $150), a variance or an appeal of the Building Official’s decision $150, and wetland or upland review work needing a public hearing $150 plus $5 per wetland acre plus $75. The health district sets its own fees each year.

Trade permits and who may pull them

Electrical, plumbing and heating and air conditioning work are inspected by the Building Division and permitted through the same OpenGov site. Since the Town stopped accepting blanket permits, each contractor or tradesperson is responsible for their own permit, contract amount and fee, rather than having trades listed under the general contractor’s permit. The division’s staff also review specifications for fire suppression systems, and fuel storage tanks are joint building and Fire Marshal permits.

Who may pull trade permits

The Town’s pages leave licensing to the state: electricians, plumbers and heating contractors need the Department of Consumer Protection license for their trade, and home improvement and new home construction contractors need their state registrations. Demolition carries extra conditions in the Town Code: proof of liability insurance of at least $100,000 per person and $300,000 in total for bodily injury, a certificate that every utility has been disconnected, and the state demolition registration unless the applicant falls within a statutory exception. Farmington’s pages do not publish a separate homeowner rule for trade work.

How to apply for a Farmington building permit

Review, corrections and what causes delay

Farmington’s pages give no review timetable; the Town’s own advice is that a completely filled form prevents delays. An application is not permission to start: work may begin only after the application is approved, the fee is paid and the permit is issued. Delinquent Town taxes on the property can stop an application outright. Within 15 days of a demolition application for a building of at least 500 sq ft and 75 or more years old, the Building Official publishes a legal notice and mails it to the abutting owners, the Farmington Historical Society, the Town Historian, the Farmington Land Trust, the Unionville Museum and the Historic District Commission chair. The notice gives 30 days for written objections, and any objection delays the demolition permit for a total of 90 days from the application. Once issued, a permit expires if work does not start within 180 days or stops for 180 days; you can request an extension, and an unused permit is canceled by a mailed request. Under the Town’s refund policy (April 1, 2024), a request within 180 days of application returns 75% of the fee if no plan review was done and 50% if it was, less the state fee, and nothing once the permit has expired.

Farmington inspections and closeout

Phone the Building Department on 860-675-2315 to schedule each inspection. Keep the printed permit on the job site at all times. Inspections cover general construction, electrical, plumbing, heating and air conditioning, and fire safety.

After the final inspection the online system issues the closing document: a certificate of occupancy for a new house, a new commercial building or a change of use, and a certificate of approval for everything else. Those fees ($15 and $5) are charged with the permit, and the Town describes them as paying for the inspection and proper closeout of each permit.

Building code and flood maps in Farmington

Farmington’s Town Code adopts the State Building Code, with all amendments, as the town’s building code; the 2022 edition governs current applications and the delayed 2026 edition will follow, with the application date deciding which applies. Farmington is a participating National Flood Insurance Program community, and its FEMA maps are being replaced by new ones effective November 13, 2026.

Connecticut has one State Building Code: the code itself sets which work needs a permit and which is exempt, every town’s building official is licensed by the State Building Inspector, and there is no county government. Connecticut rules

Farmington building permit FAQ

Who issues building permits in Farmington?

The Town’s Building Division at 20 Monteith Drive; call 860-675-2315 for permit questions and inspections.

How much is a building permit in Farmington?

$15 per $1,000 of work or part of $1,000, with the state education fee included. Add $60 for zoning when the footprint grows and $5 or $15 for the closing certificate.

Can my contractor pull one permit for all the trades?

No. Farmington no longer accepts blanket permits, so each contractor and tradesperson takes out and pays for their own permit.

What if the work is already done?

Farmington has a separate after-the-fact process, and the Town Code doubles the permit fee for work started or finished before the permit.

Do fences and sheds need permits?

The Town lists fence and shed construction and registration as joint building and Planning and Zoning permit types in OpenGov.

Can I demolish an old house straight away?

Not always. A building of 500 sq ft or more that is at least 75 years old is advertised first, and a written objection delays the permit up to 90 days from the application.

How do I look up permits on a property?

Search the address in OpenGov and open the permit number; permits from before January 1, 2017 have been added too.

Farmington permit search and official resources

Open and closed permits can be checked in OpenGov: use the search box in the upper right corner, type the address and click a permit number to read the application. The Town has loaded its historic permits, from before January 1, 2017, into the same system; for anything else call 860-675-2315. The Building Division also posts monthly permit reports. Septic records for most homes with a system are in the health district’s online property document search.

• Farmington Building Division and permit fees
• Farmington types of permits and checklists
• Farmington online permitting instructions
• Farmington OpenGov permit portal and permit search
• Farmington monthly permit reports
• Farmington Town Code Chapter 98, Fees
• Farmington Town Code Chapter 83, Building Construction
• Farmington Town Code Chapter 86, Demolition of Buildings
• Farmington Planning and Zoning
• Farmington Valley Health District: septic systems
• Office of the State Building Inspector
• Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection: licenses and registrations

Simplify Farmington permitting with Alliance Permitting

Alliance Permitting is a permit documentation and submission company in Connecticut. We prepare your paperwork, file it correctly and coordinate with the permitting authority through issuance. We are not a contractor and we do not perform licensed plan review or inspections; that work stays with your licensed team and the jurisdiction.

This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Farmington permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.