For a project in Cheshire County, go to the city or town where the land is. Keene’s Building Division and town building inspectors in places such as Swanzey, Jaffrey, Rindge, Hinsdale and Winchester review and inspect the work, while Richmond, Walpole and several other small towns issue a Select Board or zoning permit. Each town’s office and phone number is listed below.
What needs a building permit in Cheshire County?
Each town draws its own line. A few published examples:
- Swanzey: new construction, additions, remodeling and structural repairs, any detached structure including sheds under 200 sq ft, demolition and any new or replacement heating, air conditioning, plumbing or electrical system; re-siding, re-roofing, fences up to 7 ft and retaining walls under 4 ft need no permit.
- Dublin: new structures, additions, changes of use, demolition and moving buildings, building or moving a fence as its Article IV: P provides, and converting a seasonal home to year-round use; accessory buildings under 200 sq ft are exempt.
- Walpole: new construction that changes the footprint, detached structures, solar arrays and demolition; interior renovations and new structures under 100 sq ft do not need a permit.
- Harrisville: any construction or alteration of any structure.
- Marlborough: since January 1, 2026, generator installations need building, electric and gas permits.
Septic systems need approval for construction from the NHDES Subsurface Systems Bureau as well as any town permit.
Who issues building permits in each Cheshire County town?
The table lists every municipality in the county, Keene and its 22 towns.
Short on time to read all of this?
Get a free quote →| Town | Who issues permits | Office and phone |
|---|---|---|
| Alstead | Select Board office (building and demolition permit, $25) | 603-835-2986 |
| Chesterfield | Code Enforcement: building, electrical, gas, mechanical, plumbing, solar and demolition permits | 490 Route 63; 603-363-4624 ext. 12 |
| Dublin | Code Enforcement and Health Officer (building inspections) | 1120 Main Street; 603-563-8544 ext. 6 |
| Fitzwilliam | Building Inspector / Code Enforcement Officer | 603-552-6862 (Tuesday to Thursday 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.) |
| Gilsum | Building Inspector | Building Inspector 603-357-4397; Town Office 603-352-0845 |
| Harrisville | Building Inspector, working under the Select Board | Town Hall, 705 Chesham Road; 603-827-3431 ext. 1 |
| Hinsdale | Building Inspector / Code Enforcement Officer | Town Hall, 11 Main Street; 603-336-5702 ext. 13 |
| Jaffrey | Building Inspector / Code Enforcement | 28 Main Street; 603-532-7445 ext. 108 |
| Keene (city) | Building Division, Community Development | 3 Washington Street; 603-352-5440 |
| Marlborough | Town building, electrical and plumbing inspectors | Town Office, 236 Main Street; 603-876-3751 |
| Marlow | Building Inspector | Town Office 603-446-2245, option 2 |
| Nelson | Selectmen, under the Zoning Ordinance; permit fee includes a site inspection | Town Office 603-847-0047 |
| Richmond | Selectmen’s Office: Zoning Compliance Certificate; no Town building inspections | 105 Old Homestead Highway; 603-239-4232 |
| Rindge | Building Department, Building Inspector | 30 Payson Hill Road; 603-899-5181 ext. 109 |
| Roxbury | Building Inspector (named in the 2025 town report) | Town Offices, 3 Middletown Road; 603-352-4903 |
| Stoddard | Board of Selectmen and Compliance Officer | 603-446-3326 |
| Sullivan | Selectmen’s office | 603-847-3316 |
| Surry | Select Board (zoning review), then the Building Inspector (code review) | Building Inspector 603-252-7903 |
| Swanzey | Code Enforcement Officer, by appointment | 603-258-0197 |
| Troy | Selectmen’s Office; inspections by a contracted Building Inspector | 603-242-7722 ext. 1 |
| Walpole | Selectboard Office | 603-756-3672 |
| Westmoreland | Zoning permit first (603-399-7022), then the building permit (603-260-0215) | Town Office 603-399-4471 |
| Winchester | Building Inspector | Town Hall, 1 Richmond Road; 603-239-4951 ext. 5 |
Not sure this scope needs a permit?
Get a free quote →Building inspector towns and Select Board towns
Town code review and inspection. Keene, Swanzey, Jaffrey, Rindge, Hinsdale, Winchester, Chesterfield, Fitzwilliam, Dublin, Harrisville, Marlborough, Marlow and Gilsum have a building inspector or code enforcement officer. In Surry the Select Board first checks the application against zoning and then forwards it to the Building Inspector, who reviews the plans against the state building code. Troy contracts an inspector, and new homes, additions, garages and barns there need at least four inspections.
Zoning or Select Board permit only. Richmond’s Selectmen’s Office issues a Zoning Compliance Certificate for assessing and zoning purposes and states that it does not require Town building inspections. Walpole, Alstead, Sullivan and Nelson take building permit applications at the Select Board or Selectmen’s office; Sullivan says that where it has no town-specific building or electrical code it defers to the state codes. In Westmoreland a zoning permit comes first and the building permit second.
Walpole will not accept a commercial building permit without Planning Board feedback, so commercial expansions start with the Planning Board chair.
Rather talk it over?
Call 1-855-478-4290 →Building permit fees in Cheshire County
| Town | Fee |
|---|---|
| Dublin, new residential | $0.25 per sq ft (schedule effective September 1, 2013) |
| Dublin, new commercial | $0.30 per sq ft |
| Harrisville | $50.00 or $.20 per square foot of construction, whichever is greater |
| Nelson, residence | $0.50 per sq ft plus a $100 site inspection fee |
| Nelson, decks, porches, sheds, garages and barns | $0.30 per sq ft plus the $100 site inspection fee |
| Alstead | $25 with the application |
| Gilsum, residential (plumbing and electrical included) | $.20/sq. ft. (effective February 27, 2023) |
| Gilsum, commercial / small outbuilding under 500 sq ft with no electric or plumbing | $.35/sq. ft. / $25 flat fee |
| Richmond, new home (zoning compliance certificate) | $200 |
| Richmond, addition or accessory building 101–200 sq ft / 201 sq ft and up | $50 / $100 |
| Troy, inspections | $50 per hour for inspection and travel time, plus mileage ($0.725 per mile as of June 2026) |
| Stoddard, extra site visits | $40 per visit after the 2 covered by the permit fee |
Dublin’s fee covers the plumbing, mechanical and electrical inspections too. Richmond also charges $50 for pools, demolition, renovations, driveways and solar arrays.
Electrical, plumbing, mechanical and heating permits
Chesterfield, Hinsdale and Fitzwilliam publish separate electrical, plumbing and mechanical applications, and Chesterfield also has a gas permit. Marlborough has its own electrical and plumbing inspectors, who work around day jobs: leave a message and wait for the call back. Swanzey requires a permit for any new or replacement heating, air conditioning, plumbing or electrical system.
Rather not deal with the Cheshire County building department?
Get a free quote →Heating work often involves the fire service: Hinsdale issues an oil burning permit, Marlborough posts a permit to install and operate oil burning equipment, and in Nelson the Fire Chief must inspect and sign off any newly installed heating system.
How to get a permit in a Cheshire County town
Keene or one of the 22 towns; the county has no permit desk.
Swanzey requires one with its Code Enforcement Officer; Dublin’s office is open Tuesday mornings, Rindge’s Monday to Thursday afternoons.
Nelson’s Zoning Ordinance asks for two prints of a lot plan drawn to scale, and Harrisville for copies of the construction plans and any site plans.
The building inspector’s office in most towns; the Select Board in Surry, Walpole, Alstead, Sullivan and Nelson; Richmond’s Selectmen’s Office for a zoning certificate.
NHDES septic approval for construction, and shoreland or wetlands permits near water.
Surry and Troy leave scheduling to the permit holder or Town Hall; in Winchester inspections can be booked on any weekday.
Inspections in Cheshire County towns
In Surry the permit holder schedules inspections with the Building Inspector, and a certificate of occupancy is issued only for buildings meant for human occupancy or use. Troy’s Town Hall staff contact the contracted inspector, who visits at least four times for a new house: ground, drainage and foundation; rough framing, electrical and plumbing; insulation; and the final inspection for the certificate of occupancy. Winchester’s Building Inspector keeps Monday and Thursday office hours and inspects by appointment on any weekday. Stoddard’s fee covers two site visits by the Compliance Officer; mark the boundaries clearly to avoid paying for more.
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
Cheshire County building permit FAQ
Does Cheshire County issue building permits?
No. The City of Keene and each of the 22 towns issue their own; the table above gives each office.
Who issues building permits in Swanzey?
Swanzey’s Code Enforcement Officer, by appointment (603-258-0197). Sheds under 200 sq ft and new or replacement heating, plumbing and electrical systems need permits there.
Does Richmond have building inspections?
No. Richmond’s Selectmen’s Office issues a Zoning Compliance Certificate and the Town does not require building inspections.
How much is a building permit in Dublin or Harrisville?
Dublin charges $0.25 per square foot for a new home, inspections included. Harrisville charges $50.00 or $.20 per square foot of construction, whichever is greater.
Who issues permits in Keene?
The City’s Building Division in Community Development, 3 Washington Street (603-352-5440).
Do I need a permit for a generator in Marlborough?
Yes. Since January 1, 2026, generator installations need building, electric and gas permits.
Official Cheshire 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 →- Cheshire County: town websites
- Keene Building Division
- Swanzey building permit information
- Jaffrey Building Inspector
- Rindge Building Department
- Chesterfield Code Enforcement
- Hinsdale Code Enforcement
- Winchester Building Permits & Inspections
- Dublin Building Permit Schedule of Fees
- Surry building permit information
- Richmond Zoning Compliance Certificate packet (PDF)
- Walpole building permits
- 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 Cheshire County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.