Fairhaven, Massachusetts Building Permit Guide

Fairhaven’s Building Department, run by the Director of Inspectional Services and Building Commissioner from Town Hall at 40 Center Street, issues every building, electrical, plumbing, gas and mechanical permit in town and takes applications only through PermitEyes. Under the fee schedule the department posts as effective April 1, 2026, a new one- or two-family house pays a $50 application fee plus $12 per $1,000 of total cost, and the town says a complete request is reviewed within 2 to 5 business days before it goes to the inspector.

Fairhaven has been a Stretch energy code town since July 1, 2018. Beyond the counter, a coastal wetlands bylaw rewritten in 2022, a 12-month demolition delay for buildings older than 1921, Board of Health septic approvals on unsewered lots and FEMA flood zones along the harbor and Buzzards Bay shape many projects.

Fairhaven’s department serves the whole town, West Island and Sconticut Neck included. New Bedford, Acushnet and Mattapoisett each run their own building departments.

What requires a building permit in Fairhaven?

New buildings, additions, alterations, demolition, changes of occupancy and the installation of regulated equipment all need a permit under 780 CMR. Fairhaven’s fee schedule shows the range of everyday jobs the department prices separately, which is the best local guide to what has to be filed.

What the town decides and what the state holds

The building, electrical, plumbing and gas codes are state law: the Board of Building Regulations and Standards writes 780 CMR and Fairhaven cannot amend it. Town meeting controls the general and zoning bylaws: Chapter 93 places the wiring, gas and plumbing inspectors under the Building Commissioner and lets the Select Board set permit fees, Chapter 171 adopts the Stretch energy code, Chapter 103 sets the demolition delay, Chapter 192 is the wetlands bylaw and Chapter 198 is the zoning bylaw, last amended at the May 3, 2026 annual town meeting.

Fairhaven building department: who handles permitting

The Building Department reviews and issues permits for building, electrical, plumbing, gas and mechanical work and carries out the inspections. Its building commissioner holds the title Director of Inspectional Services, and the electrical inspector and the plumbing and gas inspector work under him. The Land Use & Planning Department, which combines planning, conservation and sustainability, handles the board reviews that come before a permit.

Town Hall is open Monday 7:30 am to 6:00 pm, Tuesday to Thursday 7:30 am to 4:30 pm, and Friday 7:30 to 11:30 am.

Permit types

Residential permits

Every application goes through PermitEyes. The department’s flow chart says a contractor’s file needs three things before the preliminary administrative review begins: the permit payment, the licenses the job requires and a certificate of insurance. Until all three are uploaded the request simply waits, and filing it does not give anyone the right to start work. The schedule warns that contracts covering material, equipment and labor may be required to back up the stated cost.

The residential sheet states that all structural work must be performed by a holder of a Massachusetts Construction Supervisor License. In a flood zone the house gets a flood plain inspection before vertical construction, and the certificate of occupancy waits for the as-built plan and elevation certificate.

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

Commercial permits

Commercial new construction is $100 plus $15 per $1,000 of construction cost, and alterations, docks and piers are $100 plus $12 per $1,000. The schedule adds a $150 change of occupancy or new tenant permit that includes an inspection, a $100 certificate of inspection under the code’s periodic inspection table, $150 per sign, and sprinkler work at $100 plus $10 per $1,000. A plan review fee may be assessed on large-scale projects, and the commercial inspection list adds slab, lath and gypsum and special inspections to the residential stages.

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: uses, setbacks and lot rules come from the Zoning Bylaw, Chapter 198. The Planning Board handles site plan and special permit review, and the Zoning Board of Appeals hears variances, special permits and appeals. A zoning determination letter costs $150 for a residential property and $250 for a commercial one.
• Conservation Commission: the wetlands bylaw covers wetlands, beaches, dunes, banks and other resource areas plus everything within 100 feet of them. The commission opens its hearing within 21 days of a complete application. Work near the harbor north of the hurricane barrier also needs notice to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, which runs the New Bedford Harbor Superfund cleanup.
• Board of Health and Title 5: on a lot without sewer, a new-construction perc test ($250) and a sewage disposal construction permit ($300, plan review included) come before the house. A septic repair permit is $200.
• Historical Commission: any building built before 1921, or one the commission finds significant, goes to the commission before a demolition permit issues; see the demolition delay below.
• Flood zones: the zoning bylaw’s Floodplain and Nasketucket River Basin Districts apply, and the department’s inspection list requires a flood plain inspection before vertical construction.

Fairhaven permit costs and fees

Chapter 93 of the town code lets the Select Board set and revise permit fees. The current schedule, signed by the Building Commissioner and approved by the Select Board, is posted on the department page as the new building fees effective April 1, 2026, with separate residential, commercial, electrical and plumbing and gas sheets. Fees are non-refundable and non-transferable, and work started without a permit can see its fees doubled or a fine.

Worked example: a new single-family house with a total cost of $400,000 pays $50 plus 400 × $12 = $4,800, so $4,850 for the building permit. A $60,000 addition pays $50 plus 60 × $10 = $600, so $650. Electrical, plumbing and gas permits are charged on their own sheets.

Trade permits and who may pull them

Wiring, plumbing and gas permits come from the same Building Department and are filed on PermitEyes like the building permit. Fairhaven’s electrical and plumbing and gas sheets say that all of that work must be performed by a Massachusetts licensee, and that the licensee is responsible for calling for the inspection and standing for it.

Mechanical and sheet metal work is a $100 residential permit, or $100 plus $10 per $1,000 on commercial jobs.

How to apply for a Fairhaven building permit

Review, corrections and what causes delay

Under 780 CMR 105.3.1 the building official must act on an application within 30 days of filing. Fairhaven says its own administrative review takes 2 to 5 business days once the payment, licenses and insurance certificate are in; the inspector’s plan review follows. The flow chart warns that files involving the Board of Health or the Conservation Commission take longer, and a file missing any of the three required items sits until it is complete.

Inspections in Fairhaven

Every inspection is requested through PermitEyes. The department page asks for 48 hours’ notice, while the printed fee sheets state a 24-hour minimum; plumbing and gas inspections are done in the morning and building and electrical inspections in the afternoon.

For a house the required stages are excavation for frost protection, footing, foundation after waterproofing, mechanical, electrical, plumbing and gas rough and final, a flood plain inspection before vertical construction where it applies, frame, insulation for the energy code, fire-rated assemblies during rough, and the final once every trade and the fire department have signed off. The certificate of occupancy is scheduled only after the HERS reports, as-built plans and any elevation certificates are submitted and the Assessor, Conservation Commission, Planning and the DPW have signed off. A failed residential inspection costs $75 to repeat, rising to $125 for the second and later visits.

Building and energy code in Fairhaven

Massachusetts has one State Building Code, 780 CMR, for every city and town; towns cannot rewrite it, though many opt into a stricter energy code. The trades run under their own state codes. Massachusetts rules

Fairhaven enforces the 10th edition of 780 CMR. Its annual town meeting of May 5, 2018 adopted the Stretch energy code as Chapter 171 of the general bylaws, effective July 1, 2018, and the department schedules a new home’s certificate of occupancy only after its HERS reports are in. The town’s pages and code show no adoption of the Municipal Opt-in Specialized code. FEMA lists Fairhaven as a participating community in the National Flood Insurance Program, with flood maps effective July 6, 2021.

Fairhaven permit search and official resources

PermitEyes has a public view that lists Fairhaven applications and permits by application number, application date and issue date, so a past permit can often be found without calling. For older files or plans, ask the Building Department at (508) 979-4023, ext. 8117, or make a public records request to the town.

• Fairhaven Building Department — contacts, inspection rules, shed registration
• Fairhaven PermitEyes login — applications and inspection requests
• Fairhaven PermitEyes public view — permit lookup
• Fairhaven building fees effective April 1, 2026 — residential, commercial, electrical, plumbing and gas
• Fairhaven online permitting flow chart — required items and review time
• Town Code Chapter 93, Building Construction — Building Commissioner and fee authority
• Town Code Chapter 171, Stretch Energy Code — adopted 2018
• Town Code Chapter 103, Demolition Delay — Historical Commission review
• Town Code Chapter 192, Wetlands — 100-foot jurisdiction
• Town Code Chapter 198, Zoning — districts, ZBA and Planning Board
• Fairhaven Zoning Board of Appeals — forms and hearing schedule
• Fairhaven Land Use & Planning — Planning Board reviews
• Fairhaven Conservation and Sustainability — wetlands filings
• Fairhaven Board of Health — septic and health permits
• Board of Health fee schedule — perc test and septic permit fees
• FEMA Community Status Book, Massachusetts — flood insurance participation

Fairhaven building permit FAQ

How much does a building permit cost in Fairhaven?

A new one- or two-family house is $50 plus $12 per $1,000 of total cost; additions and renovations are $50 plus $10 per $1,000. Roofing, siding or a chimney is a flat $100 and a kitchen or bath remodel $200.

Do I need a permit for a shed in Fairhaven?

A shed of 200 square feet or less needs a $50 registration with a plot plan showing 5-foot side and rear setbacks. Anything larger needs a building permit, $100 under 350 square feet and $200 above.

How do I schedule an inspection in Fairhaven?

Through the Inspection Request button in PermitEyes, with 48 hours’ notice. Plumbing and gas inspections are in the morning, building and electrical in the afternoon.

How long does a Fairhaven permit take?

The department reviews a complete request in 2 to 5 business days, then sends it to the inspector. Projects needing the Board of Health or Conservation Commission take longer.

Which energy code applies in Fairhaven?

The Stretch energy code, adopted by town meeting in 2018 and enforced since July 1, 2018.

Can I demolish an old house in Fairhaven?

If it was built before 1921, the Historical Commission reviews it first, and if the commission finds it preferably preserved, the demolition permit can be held for up to 12 months. The house demolition permit is $750 and needs an asbestos survey.

Can a homeowner do the wiring or plumbing?

No. The town’s electrical and plumbing and gas sheets require all such work to be performed by a Massachusetts licensee.

Simplify Fairhaven permitting with Alliance Permitting

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