Amherst, New Hampshire Building Permit Guide

In Amherst, building permits come from the Town’s Building & Code Enforcement office in the Office of Community Development at Town Hall, 2 Main Street. You send the application and plans by email or bring them to Town Hall, and review does not start until the fee is paid in full. Under the schedule the Board of Selectmen approved on August 10, 2026, residential construction costs $50 plus $0.40 per square foot, with a $75 minimum.

What requires a permit in Amherst?

The Town says permits and inspections are needed for most construction and development, and it lists these jobs as generally needing a permit:

Demolition: the State requires hazardous material testing for any demolition project, and Amherst will not issue the permit until the test results are on file.

Historic District: most new construction and additions inside the district, and any change that affects a building’s exterior or the property’s features (windows, doors, sheds and generators included), need Historic District Commission approval before the building permit is issued.

Who issues building permits in Amherst?

The Building & Code Enforcement office of the Town’s Office of Community Development reviews and issues all building and construction permits and septic system permits, carries out the inspections and keeps the building records. It also handles code enforcement and health and zoning violations. Jamie Ramsay is the Building Inspector and Code Enforcement Officer, and Kristy Jobin is the Community Development Director.

Amherst permit applications and forms

The Town’s Forms, Permits & Fees page carries every application. The ones most building projects use:

• Building Permit Application. It asks for the owner, the contractor, any architect or engineer, and the electrician, plumber and septic installer with their licence numbers, plus the total cost of the improvements and their square footage. You also certify that the stormwater determination form is complete and that a driveway permit and bond went to the Department of Public Works, and the form warns that the project may be subject to impact fees.
• Electrical and Plumbing Sub-Contractor Permit Application, filed for the electrical and plumbing work.
• NH Energy Code Form EC-1, which the application requires for residential work.
• Septic Permit Application, for new, replacement and repaired systems.
• Driveway Permit, filed with the Department of Public Works.
• Home Occupation Permit and Special Event Sign Application.
• Life Safety/Mechanical Permit, filed with Amherst Fire and EMS.

Amherst building permit fees

Building fees come from the Building Fee Schedule the Board of Selectmen approved on August 10, 2026, effective August 11, 2026.

The $50 or $150 administrative fee is not charged when it comes with a building permit application. For example, a 2,000 sq ft heated addition to a house costs $50 + $800 = $850. Work started without a permit costs double the normal permit fee, with a $150 minimum. Refunds are the fee less 20% if review has not started, or less 50% after review.

Gas piping, storage tanks and fuel-burning equipment are priced on the Fire and EMS schedule updated August 10, 2026: $45 for an oil, gas or solid-fuel burner permit, $45 for gas piping and $25 for gas appliances, generators included.

Electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits in Amherst

Electrical and plumbing permits are issued by the Office of Community Development on its Electrical and Plumbing Sub-Contractor Permit Application, and the building application asks for each tradesperson’s licence number. Electrical and plumbing inspections are requested at ext. 206, like building inspections.

Mechanical, fire and life safety permits are issued by Amherst Fire and EMS at 177 Amherst Street. That covers gas piping, storage tanks and fuel-burning equipment. Mechanical inspections are requested from Fire and EMS at 603-673-1545 ext. 304.

Plans and documents Amherst asks for

Plans are emailed or uploaded with the application and become a permanent Town record. The Town’s residential plan brochure asks for:

• A site plan, floor plans, elevations, and cross sections or details, all drawn to scale in permanent black ink with notes at 12-point size or larger
• Floor plans and sections usually at 1/4 in = 1 ft; site plans at 1 in = 10 ft or larger
• On the site plan: setbacks, distances to lot lines and other buildings, easements, the driveway, existing and proposed footprints with decks, wells and septic systems, lot area, building coverage, impervious area, utilities, a north arrow, and trees 6 in or more in diameter
• Contours at 2 ft intervals where the corners of the lot differ by more than 4 ft in elevation

For additions and renovations, a plot plan or septic plan already on file with the Town is usually enough. Most residential projects do not need stamped engineered plans, but the Building Official decides when they are required, and plumbing, mechanical and electrical plans may be asked for case by case. To change approved plans, bring a new set showing the changes and leave the approved set unmarked.

The Town notes that the Building Official has 30 days to approve or deny a complete residential application and 60 days for a commercial one.

How to get a building permit in Amherst

Inspections in Amherst

Amherst carries out inspections Monday to Friday between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. Request building, electrical and plumbing inspections from the Office of Community Development at 603-673-6041 ext. 206, and mechanical inspections from Fire and EMS at 603-673-1545 ext. 304. The inspections a job needs depend on the type of work. A reinspection costs $75.

No building may be occupied until the Town issues a certificate of occupancy. The Town’s building permit packet still prints a local amendment dated March 14, 2023 that asks new homes on private wells for a laboratory water quality test and a well capacity test (960 gallons over four hours), plus blower door and HVAC duct leakage tests. That amendment is not on the State Fire Marshal’s list of local building ordinances confirmed by the state Building Code Review Board, so ask Community Development (ext. 214) which of these tests it requires before a certificate of occupancy.

Local Amherst details that matter

Driveways: the Department of Public Works at 22 Dodge Road (603-673-2317) issues driveway permits for a $50 non-refundable fee, with a $600 bond for a residential driveway. Grades may not exceed 8%, a decision is due within 10 business days, and the permit is valid for one year.

Impact fees: under the schedule the Board of Selectmen approved on August 14, 2023, a new single-family house pays $4.93 per sq ft of conditioned living area ($1.56 for town facilities and $3.37 for schools), on the first 3,000 sq ft of each unit only. A 2,000 sq ft house would pay $9,860.

Stormwater: the Town’s procedure sheet requires a stormwater management plan when a project disturbs more than 20,000 sq ft, more than 10,000 sq ft within 100 ft of a water body or wetland, or ground in other listed critical areas.

Septic systems: the Town issues the local septic permit ($250 for a home), while the design is approved by the Subsurface Systems Bureau of the NH Department of Environmental Services.

Payment emails: Community Development has warned that emails referring to land use applications and asking for payment are circulating; call Town Hall before paying an unexpected request.

New Hampshire building code

Every building in New Hampshire must meet the state building and fire codes (the 2024 codes since July 2026). Only towns that have adopted an enforcement mechanism issue local permits, and any local amendment must be administrative and confirmed by the state. New Hampshire rules

Amherst building permit FAQ

Who issues building permits in Amherst?

The Town’s Building & Code Enforcement office in the Office of Community Development at Town Hall, 2 Main Street (603-673-6041). Mechanical and fuel-gas permits come from Amherst Fire and EMS.

How much does a building permit cost in Amherst?

For homes, $50 plus $0.40 per sq ft of new or altered space, with a $75 minimum, and $50 plus $0.25 per sq ft for non-heated structures. Commercial work is $150 plus $0.40 per sq ft. These rates took effect on August 11, 2026.

Do I need a permit for a shed, deck or new roof in Amherst?

Yes. The Town lists sheds, decks, porches and roofs among the jobs that generally need a building permit.

How do I submit an application?

Email it with the plans, or bring it to Town Hall, with the full fee. The Town does not begin review until payment is received.

How long does review take?

The Building Official has 30 days to approve or deny a complete residential application and 60 days for a commercial one. The clock runs from a complete application, and review starts only once the fee is paid.

When are inspections done?

Monday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Call 603-673-6041 ext. 206 for building, electrical and plumbing inspections.

What does a new house need before it can be occupied?

Passed final inspections, so the Town can issue a certificate of occupancy. The Town’s permit packet also prints a 2023 local amendment calling for water, well capacity, blower door and duct leakage tests, but the state has not confirmed it, so ask Community Development which tests apply.

Official Amherst permitting resources

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

• NH Department of Environmental Services
• New Hampshire State Building Code statute
• Town of Amherst website
• Amherst Building & Code Enforcement
• Amherst Forms, Permits & Fees
• Amherst Building Fee Schedule (approved August 10, 2026)
• Amherst Fire and EMS Permit Fee Schedule (August 10, 2026)
• Amherst residential permit plan requirements
• Amherst Driveway Permit Application
• Amherst Impact Fee Schedule (2023)

Simplify Amherst permitting with Alliance Permitting

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