In Carroll County the building permit comes from the town, not the county. Larger towns such as Conway, Wolfeboro, Moultonborough, Ossipee and Wakefield have building or code enforcement offices; many smaller ones issue a Selectmen’s or zoning permit, and Bartlett sends commercial construction to the State Fire Marshal’s Office for plan review and inspection. Every town’s office and phone number is in the table below.
When a Carroll County town requires a permit
Thresholds are set town by town. Examples from the towns’ own forms:
- Conway: any structural change or footprint expansion, residential improvements over $1,500 per structure per year, and every commercial improvement.
- Madison: construction, alteration or repair worth more than $8,500 at contractor rates.
- Eaton: any new, extended, removed or altered building or structure, including sheds, fences, retaining walls, pools and solar panels; repair or maintenance up to $2,500 that does not change the building’s purpose or alter existing walls is exempt.
- Tamworth: any building or structure built or enlarged, and remodeling with $5,000 or more in materials, needs a Certificate of Regulatory Compliance.
- Bartlett: storage containers need a building permit, like sheds.
- Hart’s Location: no building, alteration, remodeling or septic installation without an approved permit.
A new or replacement septic system also needs an approval for construction from the NHDES Subsurface Systems Bureau; several towns, including Albany and Effingham, ask for the state approval number on the application.
Who issues building permits in each Carroll County town?
The table covers all 18 towns and Hale’s Location, the county’s one unincorporated place.
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Get a free quote →| Town | Who issues permits | Office and phone |
|---|---|---|
| Albany | Selectmen’s office; the Code Enforcement Officer inspects | 1972A NH Route 16; 603-447-6038 |
| Bartlett | Selectmen’s Office (building permits and permits to occupy); commercial construction also needs State Fire Marshal permits | 603-356-2950 |
| Brookfield | Code Enforcement Officer and Building Inspector; permits picked up at the Town Office | 267 Wentworth Road; 603-619-8547 |
| Chatham | No building permit or inspector is listed; the Planning Board handles floodplain development permits and subdivisions | Town House, 1071 Main Road; 603-694-2117 (Tuesday and Thursday 5:00 to 7:00 p.m.) |
| Conway | Building Inspection & Code Enforcement (Cloudpermit) | 23 Main Street; 603-447-3811 ext. 223 |
| Eaton | Board of Selectmen, at its first and third Tuesday meetings; a Building Inspector inspects | 83 Brownfield Road; 603-447-2840 |
| Effingham | Zoning Enforcement Officer (building permit through the Zoning Office) | 603-539-7147 (Tuesday 4:30 to 6:00 p.m.); Town Office 603-539-7770 |
| Freedom | Zoning Officer / Building Inspector; separate electrical, plumbing, HVAC and gas piping permits | 603-986-0486; Town Office 603-539-6323 |
| Hale’s Location | Unincorporated; the Carroll County Commissioners sit as its Board of Selectmen. Their published minutes describe no building permit process. | Carroll County Commissioners |
| Hart’s Location | Board of Selectmen | PO Box 540; 603-374-6397 (messages checked Mondays) |
| Jackson | Building Department, Building Inspector | 603-383-4223 ext. 112 |
| Madison | Code Enforcement Officer: building and mechanical permits | 603-367-4332 ext. 309 |
| Moultonborough | Code, Compliance & Health Officer, Land Use Office | 603-476-2347 |
| Ossipee | Building Inspector / Zoning Enforcement Officer | 1 Moultonville Road, Center Ossipee; 603-539-4181 ext. 5 |
| Sandwich | Selectmen’s Office; the Compliance Officer reviews and visits the site | 603-284-7701 |
| Tamworth | Town Office: Certificate of Regulatory Compliance and building notification | 603-323-7525 ext. 10 |
| Tuftonboro | Code Officer / Health Officer | 240 Middle Road, Center Tuftonboro; 603-569-4539 ext. 115 |
| Wakefield | Building / Code Enforcement (appointment needed to submit) | 2 High Street, Sanbornville; 603-522-6205 ext. 308 |
| Wolfeboro | Building / Code Enforcement | 84 South Main Street; 603-569-5970 |
Not sure this scope needs a permit?
Get a free quote →How the towns’ permits differ
Code review and inspection by the town. Conway, Wolfeboro, Wakefield, Moultonborough, Ossipee, Tuftonboro, Brookfield, Madison and Freedom have a building inspector or code officer. Ossipee’s Building Officer inspects buildings under construction for compliance with the state building code. Jackson’s Building Code, adopted in 2013, sets up local enforcement of the State Building Code; its inspector reviews one- and two-family homes for zoning compliance and multifamily and commercial buildings against the NFPA and ICC codes.
Wakefield’s office requires designs rated for a 115 mph wind speed and a 95 lb snow load, and new homes there must be at least 600 sq ft.
State review for commercial work. Bartlett approves the building permit itself but has arranged for the State Fire Marshal’s Office to review and inspect all commercial construction. After the Town mails the approval letter, the applicant files with the Fire Marshal’s State Building Permit Program through its MyGov portal, and after the final inspection still applies to the Town for a permit to occupy.
Selectmen’s or zoning permit. Sandwich’s Compliance Officer reviews every permit and visits the site, but the Town’s page states that no building code inspections are performed and that code compliance is up to the contractor or owner. Effingham’s permit goes through the Zoning Enforcement Officer. Tamworth, which has no comprehensive zoning ordinance and has not adopted local enforcement of the state building code, started requiring a Certificate of Regulatory Compliance on June 25, 2026.
Rather talk it over?
Call 1-855-478-4290 →Permit fees in Carroll County towns
| Town | Fee |
|---|---|
| Moultonborough, finished area | $0.30 per sq ft (unfinished $0.25; minimum $30) |
| Moultonborough, trade permits | $50 flat each for mechanical, gas, plumbing and electrical |
| Eaton, living area | $0.45 per sq ft, plus a $30 residential or $50 commercial administrative fee |
| Eaton, non-living area (garages, decks, porches) | $0.25 per sq ft |
| Effingham, structure over 1,000 sq ft | $150 (fees effective August 1, 2026) |
| Effingham, 200–1,000 sq ft / under 200 sq ft | $100 / $50 |
| Effingham, demolition / driveway | $50 / $25 |
| Conway, house, addition, garage, deck or shed | $75 base fee + $0.45 per sq ft |
| Conway, trade permits | $75 each for a home; commercial electrical, plumbing and gas piping $75 + $12 per $1,000 of installation cost |
| Freedom, new construction, additions, accessory buildings, garages, sheds and decks | 45 cents per square foot of floor space, minimum $60 |
| Freedom, alterations or repairs | $5.00 per $1,000 of construction, minimum $60 |
| Freedom, electrical, plumbing or gas piping/mechanical permit | $70 up to 5,000 sq ft; $120 for 5,001–10,000 sq ft; $180 above |
Moultonborough doubles the fee for after-the-fact permits, and its fees are due only once the permit is approved. Effingham’s table also lists $150 for a non-residential or multifamily permit and $50 for a change of use.
Rather not deal with the Carroll County building department?
Get a free quote →Trade and heating permits
Several towns issue their own trade permits: Moultonborough charges a flat $50 for mechanical, gas, plumbing and electrical permits and usually issues them the same day when the state licence comes with the application; Freedom has separate electrical, plumbing, HVAC and gas piping applications; Jackson has electrical, plumber/gas and generator permits; Conway charges $75 for each trade permit on a home and $75 plus $12 per $1,000 of installation cost for commercial electrical, plumbing and gas piping work; Freedom charges $70 for a trade permit on a building up to 5,000 sq ft. Madison’s Code Enforcement Officer issues mechanical permits along with building permits.
Oil burner permits in Jackson come from the Fire Inspector, and Freedom has a separate propane appliance permit.
Getting a permit in a Carroll County town
Confirm which town the parcel is in; Hale’s Location is governed by the County Commissioners.
Brookfield’s inspector and Conway’s Building Inspector both ask to be contacted before you apply; Wakefield requires an appointment to submit.
The NHDES septic approval and any shoreland or wetlands permit; a driveway permit from NHDOT on a state road or from the town on a town road.
Eaton’s Selectmen act at their first and third Tuesday meetings and want the application a week before; Conway asks for 30 days before work starts.
Take the Town’s approval letter to the State Fire Marshal’s Office before construction begins.
Book inspections the way the town asks and get its certificate of occupancy or permit to occupy before moving in.
Booking inspections
Wolfeboro takes inspection requests by email at least 48 hours ahead, with the address, permit number, inspection type, preferred time and a contact number, and someone must be on site. Moultonborough inspects Monday to Thursday; call 603-476-2347 between 7:30 and 11:30 a.m., ideally 24 hours ahead. In Eaton the owner or contractor arranges each stage directly with the Building Inspector, and the Selectmen issue the certificate of occupancy.
Want this handled start to finish?
Get a free quote →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
Carroll County building permit FAQ
Does Carroll County issue building permits?
No. Permits are a town matter: most towns issue their own, Chatham lists only a floodplain development permit, and the County Commissioners act as the Board of Selectmen for Hale’s Location.
Who issues building permits in Wolfeboro?
Wolfeboro’s Building / Code Enforcement office at 84 South Main Street (603-569-5970), which books inspections by email 48 hours ahead.
How much is a building permit in Moultonborough?
$0.30 per square foot of finished area and $0.25 for unfinished area, with a $30 minimum; trade permits are $50 each.
Who inspects commercial buildings in Bartlett?
The New Hampshire State Fire Marshal’s Office. After the Town approves the building permit, apply to the Fire Marshal for permits before construction starts.
Does Tamworth require a building permit?
Since June 25, 2026 Tamworth requires a Certificate of Regulatory Compliance before a building is built or enlarged, and for remodeling with $5,000 or more in materials. Call the Town Office at 603-323-7525, ext. 10.
Does Sandwich inspect construction?
The Compliance Officer reviews permits and visits the site, but does not do building code inspections; meeting the state code is the builder’s and owner’s responsibility.
Official Carroll County permitting resources
These are the primary sources behind this guide. Codes, fee schedules and procedures change — confirm the position for your filing date.
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →- Carroll County: towns we serve
- Conway Building Inspection & Code Enforcement
- Wolfeboro Building / Code Enforcement
- Moultonborough Code, Compliance & Health Officer
- Ossipee Building Inspector and Zoning Enforcement
- Wakefield Building / Code Enforcement
- Bartlett Selectmen’s Office: building permits and commercial inspections
- Jackson Building Department
- Tamworth Regulatory Compliance Ordinance (PDF)
- Effingham zoning permit fees, effective August 1, 2026 (PDF)
- Sandwich Compliance Officer
- NH Department of Environmental Services
- New Hampshire State Building Code, RSA 155-A
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More New Hampshire permitting guides
This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Carroll County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.