Androscoggin County, Maine Building Permit Guide

Building permits in Androscoggin County are issued by each municipality, not by the county. The county lists two cities, Auburn and Lewiston, and the Towns of Durham, Greene, Leeds, Lisbon, Livermore, Livermore Falls, Mechanic Falls, Minot, Poland, Sabattus, Turner and Wales. By the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimates the largest are Lewiston (38866), Auburn (25441), Lisbon (9919) and Turner (6127).

This guide covers the code offices of the four largest municipalities and the state office that permits public buildings.

What requires a building permit in Androscoggin County?

Androscoggin County has no county building rules. Maine’s building code is adopted statewide, but whether a permit is needed, what it costs and how it is filed are set by each town, as the examples below show.

Maine’s adopted code applies statewide, but permits are required where the town’s ordinance says so; shoreland zoning applies statewide near water, fees and appeals are local, and code enforcement officers must be certified by the state. Maine rules

Who handles permitting in Androscoggin County?

Each city and town issues its own building permits through its code office.

For public buildings, the Maine State Fire Marshal’s Office Plans Review division (45 Commerce Drive, Suite 1, Augusta; (207) 626-3880) issues the state construction permit, plus accessibility (barrier-free) permits and fire sprinkler permits, on top of the town permit.

Local rules in the largest Androscoggin County towns

Lewiston

Planning & Code Enforcement issues building, electrical, plumbing and sign permits. Completed applications are mailed to 27 Pine Street or emailed; staff then quote the fee, payable by mail or by credit card by phone. No construction may start until the permit is paid for and issued.

Auburn

Applications, fee payment and inspection requests go through the city’s SmartGov portal. Applications submitted on or after April 7th, 2025 are held to the 2021 building code standards. In the Lake Auburn Watershed, the city’s plumbing inspectors work with the Lake Auburn Watershed Commission on septic and sewer designs.

Lisbon

Lisbon has temporarily suspended online permitting: print the application and email it or deliver it to the codes office in person.

Turner

The Code Enforcement Officer handles building and plumbing permits. The town’s forms include a building permit application that is also required for demolition, a New Home Construction Checklist, a Driveway Entrance Application, and the state HHE-200 (subsurface) and HHE-211 (internal plumbing) applications.

Androscoggin County permit costs and fees

Each municipality sets its own fees. Lewiston quotes the fee after reviewing the application. Lisbon’s schedule in effect as of April 10, 2026 charges 2 times the permit fee or $150.00, whichever is greater, for starting work without a permit.

How to get a building permit in Androscoggin County

Inspections in Androscoggin County

Inspections are done by the municipal code office. Lewiston schedules them by contacting the office; Auburn takes inspection requests in SmartGov; Turner inspections are by appointment.

Official Androscoggin County permitting resources

These are the primary sources behind this guide. Codes, fee schedules and procedures change — confirm the position for your filing date.

• Androscoggin County municipalities
• Lewiston permits
• Auburn Planning, Permitting & Code
• Lisbon Code Enforcement
• Turner Code Enforcement
• Maine State Fire Marshal Plans Review

Frequently asked questions

Does Androscoggin County issue building permits?

No. Building permits are issued by each city and town.

Which code edition does Auburn use?

Applications submitted on or after April 7th, 2025 are held to the 2021 building code standards.

Can I apply online in Lisbon?

Not at present: Lisbon has temporarily suspended online permitting, so email the application or deliver it in person.

Simplify Androscoggin County permitting with Alliance Permitting

• Confirm which town code office or state office has the parcel and the project type
• Prepare the town application, state plumbing forms and any State Fire Marshal permit
• Schedule the town’s required inspections and close out the permit

Alliance Permitting is a permit documentation and submission company in Maine. 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 Androscoggin County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.