Scituate, Rhode Island Building Permit Guide

In Scituate, the town’s Building/Zoning Office at Town Hall, 195 Danielson Pike, issues permits under the Rhode Island State Building Code, and applications are made online through the state permit portal by choosing “Town of Scituate” and then the building department. Permits for new construction generally take 2 weeks to process, but the process starts only once you have an approved septic (OWTS) application and plan and proof of ownership. The building fee is $9 per $1,000 of value up to $10,000, with a $65 minimum.

What requires a building permit in Scituate?

The Building Official’s page puts the rule simply: under the state building code, a permit is needed for every activity that is not an “ordinary repair”, and roofing and re-siding are not ordinary repairs. So a new roof or new siding needs a permit, as do additions, alterations, decks, new buildings and the trade work that goes with them.

What Scituate handles, and what stays with the state

Besides building and trade permits, the town’s Building Inspector issues driveway permits for any new access onto a town road, after the Director of Public Works and the Chief of Police have approved it. The Building Official also decides whether land disturbance needs a soil erosion and sediment control plan under Code Chapter 12, rewritten by Ordinance 23-02. Zoning relief goes to the Zoning Board of Review, and subdivisions and land development to the Plan Commission.

The state keeps septic design approval and freshwater wetlands permits at RIDEM. Fire review sits with the town’s Fire Marshal: the portal’s fire section takes a Commercial Fire Plan Review Application and life safety inspection requests, and the new home, new commercial building, addition, basement, garage, foundation and trade forms each include a related Fire Plan Review where it applies.

Scituate building department: who handles permitting

The Town of Scituate’s Building/Zoning Office issues building permits for the whole town and also handles zoning and planning applications. Michael DiOrio is the Building Official. All application forms and fee information are available at the office in Town Hall.

Scituate permit types and online filing

Scituate takes permit applications online through the state’s permit portal at permits.ri.gov. The town’s instructions are to choose “Town of Scituate”, click “building department” and pick the type of permit you need. The Building Department section of the town’s OpenGov portal offers 20 application types.

Residential permits

• New Home Permit for a new house, which also needs the approved OWTS plan.
• General Building – Addition, Renovation, Remodel for additions, rehabilitation and alterations, and a separate Foundation Permit.
• Finish Basement, Deck, Shed and Barn/Garage permits.
• Roofing, Siding and Window/Door permits for replacement work.
• Pool Installation Permit for above-ground or in-ground pools.
• Solar Permit, and Electrical, Mechanical and Plumbing permits for the trade work.

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

Commercial permits

A New Commercial Building Permit covers a new commercial structure, with a related Fire Plan Review, and the Fire Marshal takes a separate Commercial Fire Plan Review Application. A Sign Permit needs photos of any existing signage, and Tent, Demolition and Moving permits are separate forms. A new business can use the town’s Business Opening Checklist, and subdivision and land development applications are filed in the portal’s Planning & Zoning section as a Planning Application.

The office also posts:

• Zoning Board of Review application and instructions; in the portal it covers special use permits, dimensional variances, modifications granted by the zoning officer and extension requests.
• Plan Commission application, the Subdivision and Land Development Regulations and their fee schedule.
• Renewable Energy Ordinance, for solar and other renewable installations.
• The zoning ordinance and subdivision regulations, which are also sold at the Town Clerk’s office for $15 to residents and $20 to non-residents.

For tenant improvements and new commercial builds, Alliance handles commercial permit applications through issuance. More on this: commercial building permits explained.

Scituate permit costs and fees

The building permit fee is the schedule set for Scituate in the state’s State Wide Permitting Fee regulation, 510-RICR-00-00-21 (current amendment effective December 10, 2023), charged on the project valuation:

For a $300,000 new home, that is $370 plus 250 × $5, or $1,620. Each permit also carries the state levy of 0.1% of construction cost, which is capped at $50 per permit for one- and two-family dwellings. Subdivision and land development applications have their own fee schedule from the Plan Commission.

Electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits

Electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits are separate from the building permit and are also chosen by type in the state portal. Each must be taken out by a tradesperson holding the matching Rhode Island licence, and contractors must be registered with the Contractors’ Registration and Licensing Board.

Alliance handles electrical permit expediting for contractors here. More on this: who pulls the electrical permit.

Who may pull them

Trade licences can be checked on the state Department of Labor and Training’s professional regulation site, and a contractor’s registration with the Contractors’ Registration and Licensing Board, before the permit is filed.

Well drilling is handled differently: before a new well is drilled or an existing one altered, the driller or owner registers the site with the Town Engineer, then files the driller’s log and any water quality results when the work is done. Pump, pipe or electrical repairs alone need no registration.

How to apply for a Scituate building permit

Review, corrections and what causes delay

The town’s own figure is about 2 weeks for a new-construction permit, but the clock starts only when the approved OWTS application and plan and proof of ownership are in. Zoning relief adds a hearing cycle: the Zoning Board of Review meets once a month and not in December. A new driveway onto a town road (any access not already in use on December 1, 1986) needs its own permit, and the Director of Public Works and the Chief of Police each have four working days to approve or disapprove it; if either disapproves, you may resubmit with their suggested changes.

Site work can need a soil erosion and sediment control plan. Chapter 12 exempts projects that already hold a valid RIDEM freshwater wetlands or RIPDES permit, house additions covering less than 1,000 sq ft that stay more than 100 feet from any watercourse on slopes of 10% or less, and excavations of no more than 50 cubic yards on slopes of 10% or less with the disturbed ground protected. Where a plan is needed, a filing fee applies; for a commercial, industrial or multifamily site plan under one acre it is $300, plus a $150 inspection fee.

Inspections in Scituate

The Building/Zoning Office inspects work under its permits. Contact the office on (401) 647-5901 during its hours, 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on weekdays, about inspections for a permit.

Local details that matter in Scituate

The reservoir watershed: the W (Watershed) district covers all the land owned by the City of Providence under the Providence Water Supply Board, used to collect and store the city’s water. The zoning ordinance describes the RR-120 and RS-120 districts as generally lying where intensive building could harm Providence’s water supply, and where site plan approval applies the Conservation Commission reviews it with particular reference to the Scituate Reservoir watershed.

Lot sizes near public water: in the RRW-60/80 and RSW-60/80 districts, a lot served by public water needs at least 60,000 sq ft and a lot without it at least 80,000 sq ft.

Village overlays: Hope and North Scituate each have a Village Overlay District with its own zoning provisions.

Septic loans: the town’s Community Septic System Loan Program (criteria revised April 3, 2015) lends up to $40,000 over as much as 10 years to owners of one- to four-family homes to repair a failed septic system; applicants need at least 2 bids from RIDEM-licensed installers.

Flood maps: Scituate participates in the National Flood Insurance Program, with FEMA flood maps effective June 23, 2026.

Post-construction stormwater: Article II of Chapter 12 carries out the town’s RIPDES stormwater permit (RIR040027). An addition to a one- or two-family home needs no written approval under it when the Building Official finds it insignificant, it disturbs no more than one acre, it stays more than 200 feet from any watercourse and the slopes do not exceed 10%.

Permit search and records

Scituate’s OpenGov portal offers a “Claim a Record” option for linking an existing application to your account. For older permits and other town files, the Town Clerk’s office follows the town’s public records (APRA) policy, adopted on May 13, 2021, and posts an information request form; requests can be mailed to 195 Danielson Pike, North Scituate, RI 02857.

Rhode Island building code

The state code that Scituate enforces has been based on the 2021 International Codes, with Rhode Island amendments, since December 1, 2025; electrical work follows the 2023 National Electrical Code and energy work the 2024 International Energy Conservation Code.

Rhode Island has one state building code, kept by the State Building Code Office and enforced by each city or town’s building official; there is no county layer, and appeals go first to the town’s board of appeals, then to the state Building Code Board of Standards and Appeals. Rhode Island rules

Scituate building permit FAQ

Who issues building permits in Scituate?

The Building/Zoning Office at Town Hall, 195 Danielson Pike, phone (401) 647-5901. Michael DiOrio is the Building Official.

Do I need a permit for a new roof or siding?

Yes. The town says roofing and re-siding are not “ordinary repairs”, so they need a permit.

How long does a new-house permit take?

Generally about 2 weeks. The process starts only once the office has your approved OWTS application and plan and proof of ownership.

How much is a building permit in Scituate?

$9 per $1,000 up to $10,000, $90 plus $7 per $1,000 up to $50,000, and $370 plus $5 per $1,000 above that, with a $65 minimum. A $300,000 house is $1,620 before the state levy.

Is there help paying for a failed septic system?

The town’s Community Septic System Loan Program lends up to $40,000 for repairs to a failed system on a one- to four-family home.

Do I need a permit for a new driveway?

Yes, for a new driveway onto a town road. The Building Inspector issues it once the Director of Public Works and the Chief of Police approve.

Can I move a building to a new site?

Moving a building over a town highway needs a written permit from the Town Council, and the portal has a separate Moving Permit application.

How do I get a copy of an old permit?

Send an information request to the Town Clerk under the town’s public records policy, by mail to 195 Danielson Pike.

Scituate permit search and official resources

• Scituate Building Official and Building/Zoning Office
• Rhode Island statewide e-permitting portal
• Scituate zoning ordinance
• Scituate Code of Ordinances
• Scituate Code Chapter 4, Buildings and Building Regulations
• Scituate Community Septic System Loan Program criteria
• 510-RICR-00-00-21, statewide building permit fee schedules
• RI Building Code Commission: laws, rules and regulations
• RIDEM septic (OWTS) permitting
• RIDEM freshwater wetlands permitting
• RI Contractors’ Registration and Licensing Board
• FEMA Community Status Book, Rhode Island
• Scituate online Building Department applications
• Scituate Code Chapter 12, Soil Erosion and Stormwater
• Scituate Code Chapter 13, Streets and Sidewalks (driveway permits)
• Scituate Town Clerk and public records requests

Simplify Scituate permitting with Alliance Permitting

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