FAQs
When is a permit required?
Permits are required when a property owner or their authorized agent plans to construct, alter, move, enlarge, replace, repair, change the use and occupancy of, or demolish any structure or any appurtenances connected or attached to such structure. The State of Connecticut has a dedicated portion of the building code specific to work that is exempt from requiring a permit. See that information here.
When is a zoning permit required?
A zoning permit is required when the work that will be performed must be authorized in accordance with the Town Zoning Regulations. Many times, zoning approval comes in conjunction with your building permit, such as when you are constructing an addition, installing HVAC equipment, or adding a swimming pool.
Separate zoning permits are required when there is no building permit required, such as when adding a fence, or with installation of a shed smaller than 200 square feet. You will also need a zoning permit if you are opening a commercial or home-based business. Please use this link to see the Manchester Zoning Regulations.
If you have any further questions regarding when you should apply for a zoning permit, please contact the Zoning Enforcement Officer at (860) 647-3057.
How much will my permit cost?
Permit fees are based off of the valuation of the work to be performed. In some cases, the valuation of the work is based off of a cost per square foot. Please use this link to see the fee schedule, which will help you calculate how much your permit fee will cost.
Do I Need to register to apply for a permit?
Yes - In order to apply for a permit, you will need to register to use our online permitting system. Please follow this link and click on Login or Register in the top right corner of the page. If you need any help with the registration, click on the Registration Instructions document below.
Do I submit my plans with my online application?
Yes – The plans and documents that you need to submit with your application will be submitted online when you apply. All of the files will need to be PDF documents. If you need help converting your current document type to PDF, please click on the How to Convert a File to PDF instruction document found below.
Do permits expire?
Yes – permits expire if work has not commenced after 180 days, or if worked was paused and does not recommence within 180 days. If you have a permit that is expired, you can apply for an extension by following this link to our Frequently Used Permit Related Forms and downloading and submitting the Permit Extension Form to the Building Department.
Can I do the work, or do I need to hire a contractor?
If the property is a single-family, owner-occupied home, the homeowner is authorized to perform the work approved on their permit as long as it meets current Code requirements. If the single-family home is occupied by anyone other than the homeowner, or the homeowner is a corporate body, the work must be performed by a State licensed contractor.
For permitted work being performed on any other property type – two-family, multi-family, commercial building, etc., a State licensed contractor must perform the work.
How can I verify that my contractor is licensed?
It is always recommended that you verify that your contractor has a valid State issued license before hiring them to perform any work on your property. The State of Connecticut has a registry that allows the public to look up a contractor’s license and the status of that license. Please use this link to access that registry.
Who should apply for the permit?
If the property is a single-family, owner-occupied home, and the homeowner will be performing the work themselves, the homeowner is able to apply for the permit. If the work will be performed by a licensed contractor, the contractor should apply for the permit. The contractor will be required to submit their license and insurance information, along with any other required submittals, based on the work to be performed.
For work being performed on any other property type – two-family, multi-family, commercial building, etc., it must be a licensed contractor that applies for the permit. The contractor will be required to submit their license and insurance information, along with any other required submittals, based on the work to be performed.
If you have any further questions regarding who should apply for your permit, please contact the building department at (860) 647-3052.
How long will it take the Building Department to issue my permit?
The State of Connecticut provides Building Officials with 30 days to approve or deny a permit application. Once the permit application is received by the Building Department, it undergoes an initial review before permit fees are invoiced. After permit fees are paid by the applicant, the application is reviewed by the Building Department and other Internal Departments depending on the scope of work. Once this review concludes, the permit will either be issued or failed.
What other town departments review permit applications besides the Building Department?
Based on the permit type and the scope of work being completed, other internal departments of the town may be required to review the permit application. In addition to reviews, some of these departments may also be required to complete an inspection after the permit is issued. For example, a permit application for work being done at a commercial property will require review and approval by both the Building Department and the Fire Marshal’s Office. If your permit application requires reviews by additional town departments, you will be able to see that information and their relevant comments in the Citizen Self Service portal under the “Reviews” tab for the permit application.
How can I check the status of my permit?
At several points during the permit process, you will receive an email notification of the actions and/or results taking place in the system. You can also check the status of your permit 24 hours a day by signing into the online portal. When signed into the online system, you will have the ability to check your current permit status, pay any invoiced permit fees, view, download and print your permit – if issued, read any reviews and comments that have taken place, see the status of any inspections – past or upcoming, view, download and print any reviewed documents and markups made by inspectors – if applicable, upload any additional files – if necessary, view your contacts – as well as add or remove any contacts, view the information for any attached sub-records and view the general details of the permit. Follow this link to sign into the online portal.
How do I request inspections?
When you are signed into the online portal, you will be able to request inspections right from your permit page. You will need to select the permit that you want to request an inspection for, and any necessary inspections will be available for request in the Available Actions section of the summary page. Please note that not all inspections listed in the Available Actions section may be necessary at the same time. You will want to take note of the type of inspection and only request what is needed and that you are ready for. Please follow this link for more information on requesting inspections.
I am buying or selling a property in Manchester, and it has been revealed that work was completed without a permit or open permits currently exist. What should I do?
Contact the Building Department as soon as possible. The Front Office will work with you to schedule an inspection to determine whether the work completed without a permit complies with the town’s building code. An inspection will also be necessary to close open permits that may exist. Without seeking assistance from the Building Department, the property will likely have to incur remediation expenses and/or significant issues with insurers in the near future.
Can I search the records for permits and documentation?
Yes – If you need to research information on a property, you can go to our online portal and click on the Search Public Records tile. You will then enter the address or permit number that you want to research. If you need help searching a property, please click on the Searching Records and Filtering Search Results instructions document found below.