Hampton, New Hampshire Building Permit Guide

In Hampton, the town’s Building Department issues building, electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits, and applications are filed through the town’s online building permit system. Under the fee schedule adopted on May 18, 2026, a new one- or two-family home costs $100 plus $8 per $1,000 of construction value, and a complete application is usually reviewed in 5 to 10 business days.

What requires a permit in Hampton?

Hampton’s Building Department lists the work that needs a building permit. Demolition of a whole structure has its own permit, and renting out a home or apartment needs a Certificate of Rental Occupancy.

Sheds: a shed or other accessory building of no more than 100 sq ft and 12 feet high needs only 4-foot side and rear setbacks (and the zone’s front setback); in the RA and RB zones it must also be 7 feet from other structures. Anything larger meets the zone’s full setbacks, and a lot may have no more than two accessory buildings. Fences may be up to 6 feet high, and the department recommends keeping them 3 feet from the property line.

Who issues building permits in Hampton?

The Town of Hampton Building Department issues and inspects building and trade permits everywhere in the town; Rockingham County does not issue building permits. Gregory Arvanitis is the Building Inspector, and the department also has a senior assistant building inspector and a rental housing/building inspector.

If a project does not conform to the building code, the department asks you to make an appointment with the Building Inspector to review it.

Hampton online permits and forms

Hampton building permits are applied for online, and the online application must be filled out in full. Forms such as the demolition permit are completed and uploaded to the online portal with the application. Rental certificates are requested through a separate online rental application.

Forms on the Building Forms page include:

• New Home Construction Building Permit Instructions (new homes and new commercial buildings), with the cover sheet and subcontractor list.
• Impact Fee Calculation Form, filed with every new-home application.
• Demo Permit, Affidavit of Responsibility and Compliance Signature Form.
• Checklist for Elevating a Structure and the FEMA Cost Breakdown for work in flood zones.
• Impervious Coverage Form and Voluntary Lot Merger Form.
• Installation of Heating Equipment and Installation of Solid Fuel Burning Equipment.
• Horizontal Railing Waiver and ZBA Foundation Building Permit Advisory Signature Page.
• EC-1 residential energy code form and Energy Efficiency Certificate.
• Solar Panel Checklist, Rental Checklist and Residential Final Building Inspection Checklist.

Once a permit is paid for and issued, the fee is not refunded.

Hampton building permit fees

The Building Department fee schedule now in force took effect in June 2026 after its adoption on May 18, 2026. Each permit has a processing fee, and most add a charge for every $1,000 of construction value or portion of $1,000.

For example, a new single-family home valued at $400,000 has a building permit fee of $100 plus 400 × $8, or $3,300. Electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits are charged separately on the value of each trade’s work.

School impact fee: new homes also pay the school impact fee shown on the town’s Impact Fee Calculation Form (May 2025): $3,641 for a single-family detached house, $2,223 per townhouse unit, $2,485 per unit in a two-unit structure, $1,898 per unit in a building of 3 or more units and $2,615 for manufactured housing. Any request for a credit or waiver goes to the Planning Board at the same time as the form.

The town’s 2024 handouts still print older figures, a $30 re-inspection fee and new-home fees of $75 plus $5 per $1,000; the schedule adopted on May 18, 2026 is the current one.

Electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits in Hampton

The Building Department issues electrical, plumbing and mechanical (HVAC, boiler, furnace and water heater) permits on top of the building permit, each at $60 plus $8 per $1,000 of value. Trade permits usually take 3 to 5 business days. Electrical work tied to siding projects and to pools must be done by a licensed New Hampshire master electrician after the permit is issued.

Solar PV systems need both a building permit and an electrical permit, a structural engineer’s report on the roof and mounting system, an electrical diagram, specification sheets and, for ground mounts, a site plan with setbacks; commercial systems may also need Planning Board site plan approval. Hampton’s solar checklist uses design values of 130 mph wind, 50 psf snow load and 48 inches frost depth.

Oil burners and furnaces also need an oil burner installation permit from the Fire Department, above-ground LP tanks need a Fire Department permit, and underground storage tanks need a Fire Department tank permit (also for removal); both departments inspect. Hampton Fire Prevention can be reached at 603-929-1920. For a new home or new commercial building, the town’s instructions ask for Fire Department approval and permits, including whether a sprinkler system is required.

What to submit with a Hampton application

Interior remodels need existing and proposed floor plans and structural details, and an engineer’s letter may be required for beams. Window and door replacements need the product specifications. Depending on the site, the plot plan may have to be based on a certified boundary survey.

How to apply for a Hampton building permit

Hampton inspections and closeout

Call the Building Department at 603-929-5826 to be put on the inspection schedule; apart from emergencies, at least 24 hours’ notice is needed. Every permitted project, whatever its size, needs a final inspection before the permit file is closed.

The town’s required inspections for new construction are: footings and rebar after excavation, foundation wall forms, foundation walls and coating before backfill, a foundation as-built before framing, the fireplace firebox, the septic leach field bed bottom, rough electrical, rough plumbing under test, gas piping under pressure, framing, fire-safing of penetrations, insulation and the final. Frame, electrical, plumbing and gas inspections may be done together; if they are done separately, framing comes last.

At the final, all finishes, fixtures and guardrails must be in place, the other trades must be signed off and the certificate of occupancy sign-off sheet from the other town departments must be turned in. A new private well needs water test results meeting EPA drinking-water standards before the certificate of occupancy is issued.

A permit expires one year after it is issued and becomes invalid if work has not started within six months or stops for six months; unfinished work needs a renewal ($60).

Local Hampton rules to know

Rental housing: under Article 12 of the Zoning Ordinance, no home or apartment may be rented or leased without a Certificate of Rental Occupancy from the Building Department ($100). The Building Inspector inspects the unit and lists any corrections, and the certificate is issued once the unit passes and the fee is paid. A seasonal certificate covers May 15 to October 15 only, and converting a seasonal unit to year-round use means bringing it up to the New Hampshire energy code.

Flood zones: work in flood zones may need the Checklist for Elevating a Structure, the FEMA Cost Breakdown and elevation certificates before and after construction.

Construction hours: the town’s noise ordinance bars construction, demolition, excavation and heavy equipment before 7:00 a.m. or after 7:00 p.m. on weekdays, and before 9:00 a.m. or after 5:00 p.m. on weekends and holidays, except in emergencies; fines run from $100 to $250 per offense.

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

Hampton building permit FAQ

Who issues building permits in Hampton?

The Town of Hampton Building Department at 100 Winnacunnet Road (603-929-5826), for all of Hampton.

How do I apply for a building permit in Hampton?

Online, through the building permit link on the town’s Building page. Fill in the whole application and upload the plot plan, drawings and any town forms the project needs.

How much does a building permit cost in Hampton?

A new one- or two-family home is $100 plus $8 per $1,000 of construction value; decks, sheds, fences, siding, roofing and other residential work are $60 plus $8 per $1,000; commercial and multi-family work is $125 plus $10 per $1,000.

Do I need a permit for a shed or fence in Hampton?

Yes. Both need a building permit with a plot plan; fences can be up to 6 feet high, and small sheds of 100 sq ft or less need 4-foot side and rear setbacks.

How long does a Hampton building permit take?

Usually 5 to 10 business days for a building permit and 3 to 5 for electrical, plumbing, HVAC and mechanical permits, if everything required is submitted.

Do I need a permit to rent out my house or condo?

Yes. A Certificate of Rental Occupancy ($100) is required after a Building Department inspection; a seasonal certificate covers May 15 to October 15.

Which building code applies in Hampton?

The state code: 2024 International Building and Residential Codes, 2018 energy code and 2023 National Electrical Code since July 1, 2026, with the option of the earlier 2021 code set (used on its own) for applications filed by December 31, 2026. The town’s FAQ page still lists the older editions.

Official Hampton permitting resources

• New Hampshire State Building Code — RSA 155-A
• Hampton Building Department staff directory
• Town of Hampton Building Department
• Hampton Building Forms
• Hampton Building Department Fee Schedule, adopted May 18, 2026 (PDF)
• Hampton General Building Permit Application Requirements (PDF)
• Hampton New Home and New Commercial Building Permit Instructions (PDF)
• Hampton Impact Fee Calculation Form (PDF)
• Hampton Building Department permit FAQs
• Hampton Certificate of Occupancy and rental certificates

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