Lincoln County, Maine Building Permit Guide

Lincoln County government does not issue building permits. Each of its 18 towns has a code enforcement officer and local plumbing inspector; Waldoboro, the only one with more than 4,000 residents in the 2020 Census, must enforce the Maine Uniform Building and Energy Code. Monhegan Plantation, Hibberts Gore and the county’s unorganized islands, including Louds Island, are in the service area of the state Land Use Planning Commission (LUPC), which issues building permits there. Waldoboro charges a $50 application fee plus $0.35 per square foot for a home under its schedule effective July 1, 2026.

Who issues building permits in Lincoln County?

The county works from the Lincoln County Courthouse, 32 High Street, Wiscasset (commissioners (207) 882-6311, weekdays 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.). Its departments include the registry of deeds, probate, emergency management, 911 communications, recycling, the sheriff and Two Bridges Regional Jail. The Lincoln County Regional Planning Commission (297 Bath Road, Wiscasset, (207) 882-4271) has land use, transportation, resilience and economic development planners on staff, but neither it nor the county issues building permits.

Waldoboro’s code office issues every permit tied to a project, including building, plumbing, sign and land use permits, and has applied the 2021 International Codes to building permits since April 7, 2025. In Wiscasset, most projects need a building permit and no project may begin until the Code Enforcement Officer has issued it.

Other towns: Alna, Boothbay, Boothbay Harbor, Bremen, Bristol, Damariscotta, Dresden, Edgecomb, Jefferson, Newcastle, Nobleboro, Somerville, South Bristol, Southport, Westport Island and Whitefield. State law obliges each to appoint a code enforcement officer for shoreland zoning and a local plumbing inspector, so shoreland, plumbing and septic permits are issued at the town office. Enforcing the building code is optional for towns below 4,000 residents (a town that adopts one may adopt only MUBEC), but many require building permits under their own ordinances: in Edgecomb, for example, the Code Enforcement Officer issues building permits for new buildings and additions, as well as sign, blasting and shoreland timber harvesting permits. The county website has a page for every town with its office address, phone and hours.

LUPC areas: Monhegan Plantation is zoned by the LUPC, whose land use guidance map for the island sets its development and protection subdistricts. The state’s map of LUPC jurisdictions also includes Hibberts Gore and the county’s unorganized islands, among them Louds Island. The LUPC’s Downeast Regional Office in Bangor (by appointment only) covers Lincoln County and all coastal islands in its service area. The Monhegan Plantation town office is on 207-594-8833, open Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3 to 5 p.m. or by appointment.

Plumbing, septic and electrical work in Lincoln County

Internal plumbing and septic systems are permitted by the town’s local plumbing inspector. For electrical work, a permit comes from the state Electricians’ Examining Board unless the town has its own electrical inspector; single-family dwellings are among the board’s exceptions (certification is needed, or a licensed master electrician may verify the work), except that a temporary service to build a one-family dwelling needs a permit. Waldoboro charges $15 per fixture with a $60 minimum and $300 plus the state’s $15 DEP fee for an engineered or non-engineered septic system; Wiscasset charges $10 per fixture with a $40 minimum and $250 plus $15 for a septic system. Waldoboro also issues permits for heat pumps ($50 plus the application fee) and solar installations ($0.35 per square foot plus the application fee).

Waldoboro’s required inspections for plumbing are under-slab drains with a pressure test where applicable, rough-in with drain and water pressure tests, and a finish inspection; a septic system is inspected at bed and tank preparation, bed installation, the tank cover and final grading.

Permit fees in Lincoln County

Every town sets its own fees. Two examples, and the LUPC’s rates under its Chapter 1 rule as amended June 3, 2026:

A 1,600 sq ft house in Waldoboro therefore costs $50 plus $560, or $610. Starting without a permit doubles Waldoboro’s fee total, or multiplies it by five in the shoreland zone or floodplain; Wiscasset adds $300 when a permit is obtained after construction has started, and $25 to any permit sent by fax or email. Waldoboro charges $100 for a reinspection after a second failed inspection.

Application documents

Waldoboro publishes a building permit application, a site map and plot plan form, the state HHE-211 plumbing application, shoreland zoning, sign, entrance, sewer connection and site plan applications, and separate information sheets for residential and commercial permits. Wiscasset posts its building permit application with a building permit guide, internal plumbing, sign, blasting, home occupation, site plan review and subdivision applications. LUPC applications list the lot’s coverage, division history and existing structures and go to the Augusta office at ApplicationSubmissions.LUPC@maine.gov.

How to get a building permit in Lincoln County: 5 steps

Inspections in Lincoln County

Waldoboro publishes the inspections it requires: residential and commercial buildings are inspected at the footing and foundation before concrete is poured, at framing before insulation, at insulation, for mechanical work, and for a certificate of occupancy, which must be completed before the building is occupied. Accessory buildings get a finish inspection, mobile and modular homes are inspected at the slab or footings, the tie-down and the certificate of occupancy, and shoreland work gets pre-work and post-work inspections with photographs, which the town notes the state requires. An in-ground pool must have a fence.

Local details in Lincoln County

Monhegan: the county’s town page describes the island as ten miles from the nearest mainland, reachable only by boat, with no cars or paved roads. The LUPC’s land use guidance map divides it into development and protection subdistricts, so check a lot’s subdistrict before planning work.

Driveways: Waldoboro says a Maine DOT entrance permit must be filed with the town, and an entrance onto a Waldoboro road is inspected for sight distance and drainage.

Regional planning: the Lincoln County Regional Planning Commission adopted its 2026–2031 strategic plan at its annual meeting on April 15, 2026.

Maine building code

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

Official Lincoln County permitting resources

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

• LUPC Downeast Region, Bangor (eligible LUPC parcels and islands) office
• LUPC regional offices
• LUPC land-use standards, Chapter 10
• LUPC building permit forms
• Maine Uniform Building and Energy Code rules
• Maine Office of Community Affairs — Code Enforcement
• Lincoln County contacts
• Lincoln County towns (office addresses, phones and hours)
• LUPC land use guidance map, Monhegan Island Plantation (PDF)
• LUPC building permit application help
• LUPC Chapter 1 fee rule, amended June 3, 2026 (PDF)
• Waldoboro Planning and Code
• Waldoboro fee schedule, effective July 1, 2026 (PDF)
• Waldoboro required inspections
• Wiscasset Code Enforcement
• Wiscasset fee schedule (PDF)

Lincoln County permit FAQs

Does Lincoln County issue building permits?

No. Each town’s code enforcement officer issues them, and the LUPC issues them for Monhegan Plantation, Hibberts Gore and Louds Island.

Which Lincoln County town has to enforce the state building code?

Waldoboro, the only town with more than 4,000 residents in the 2020 Census. The others may choose to, and may adopt no other building code.

How much is a building permit for a house in Waldoboro?

$50 plus $0.35 per square foot under the schedule effective July 1, 2026, so $610 for 1,600 sq ft.

Who permits building on Monhegan Island?

The state Land Use Planning Commission, through its Downeast Regional Office in Bangor and its Augusta office.

What happens if I start work in Waldoboro without a permit?

The fee total doubles, or is multiplied by five for work in the shoreland zone or floodplain.

Who is the code officer in Wiscasset?

The Code Enforcement Officer is also the Town Planner, at 51 Bath Road, 207-882-8200 ext. 147.

Simplify Lincoln County permitting with Alliance Permitting

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 Lincoln County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.