Building Permit Fees • Procedure for Permitting Process
Typical Inspections • Minimum Housing Codes & Standards
Finish Inspection Prior to Certificate of Occupancy • Compliance
Important Notice
The Department of Inspections offices are now located in
the lower level of North Providence Town Hall at 2000 Smith St.
North Providence has now gone live with online E-Permitting at northprovidenceri.viewpointcloud.com.
This online system will allow contractors and homeowners to apply for the following permits from their office or home:
- Building Permit
- Demolition Permit
- Electrical Permit
- Mechanical Permit
- Moving Permit
- Plumbing Permit
Don’t have a computer? No worries. There are two kiosks located in the Inspections Department lobby that you can use to apply for your permit. Our staff will be there to assist you in filling out the application online.
This system will help better streamline the permitting process and allow a better means of communications between the Applicant, Clerk, Inspector, Building Official, and Fire Marshal. Where you can always log in or receive email notifications and check the flow status of your application. and completed inspection.
Paper applications for the above permits will no longer be accepted.
E-Permitting Kisoks in the Inspections Department lobby that you can use to apply for your permit. Our staff will be there to assist you in filling out the application online.
Inspectors are in the office between the hours of 8:30 AM – 4:00 PM. All other times require an appointment and may be made by calling 401-233-1419.
The building inspection office includes the following: building, electrical, mechanical, plumbing, sewer, water, and road opening permits.
It is the responsibility of the Inspections Department to enforce the provisions of the Rhode Island State Building Codes, Building, Mechanical, Plumbing, the National Electrical Code, together with other relevant codes.
The Inspections Department follows the following codes:
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- RI State Building Code
- RI State One and Two Family Code
- RI State Electrical Code
- RI State Plumbing Code
- RI State Mechanical Code
- Model Energy Code
Permits are required for most construction work performed, including roofing, siding, pools, fences, sheds, garages, new additions, cabinetry, doors, new construction, windows, electrical, plumbing and mechanical work, temporary structures, and retaining walls.
Permits are not required for painting, wallpapering, carpeting and floor covering, landscaping and patio walls less than 4′ in height.
Any work performed by a contractor, said person/company, must be licensed or registered by the State of Rhode Island.
Permit fees are required on new homes for the following:
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- Building permit fee
- Electrical permit fee
- Plumbing permit fee
- Mechanical permit fee
- Radon surcharge
- Sewer/water connection fee – $300 each
- Drain Layers fee – $150
Starting a project without permits will incur an additional charge of $500 for each time construction or renovations are performed without a permit per each permit required.
Building Permit Fees
See the chart linked below for the cost of permit fees (excluding sewer/water).
Building Permit Fees & Ordinance
Please note: Fees are not final and are subject to change until the permit is approved by the Building Official.
Procedure For Permitting Process:
Pick up applications at Building Inspector’s Office for construction
All applications must be filled out and signed by a licensed contractor or homeowners (if applicable)
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- One family home homeowners can take out permit but work must be performed by homeowner
- All others must be taken out by a licensed contractor by the State of RI
Three (3) sets of scaled drawings need to be turned in to the Building Inspector’s Office. One will remain in a permanent file, the second will go to the Fire Marshall, and the third will be returned to the owner stamped and reviewed.
Typical inspections that are done:
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- Soil inspection prior to installation of concrete forms for foundation
- Foundation form inspection
- Underground plumbing
- Electrical service location
- Prior to installation of wallboard or plastering
- Rough framing inspection
- Rough electrical
- Rough plumbing
- Rough mechanical
Finish Inspection Prior to Certificate of Occupancy being issued:
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- Home must be complete
- Must contact Fire Marshall for smoke detector test
- Contact all utilities for meter installations
- Contact Building, Plumbing, Mechanical, and Electrical Inspectors for final inspections
- The appropriate utility company must inspect all utilities. For example, the gas company installs and inspects gas mains on the exterior of every building.
- For sewer inspection, contact Glenn Corrente, Sewer Superintendent, at the Department of Public Works, 2 Mafalda Street, 233-1440.
Minimum Housing Codes and Standards
The Minimum Housing Division of the Building Inspections Department is responsible for enforcing minimum standards governing the condition and maintenance of properties. The purpose of this division is to protect public health, safety and welfare by ensuring that structural integrity, utility installation and maintenance, and safe and sanitary conditions are maintained, thereby alleviating urban blight, decay and substandard housing stock.
Compliance
It is the purpose and intent of the Inspections Department to have voluntary conformance to all codes and standards within our jurisdiction throughout the Town. Where voluntary conformance is not forthcoming, the Building Inspection Department must institute steps to mandate code compliance.
The following steps constitute the general process of code compliance enforcements:
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- A notice of violation results in a request for the property owner (violator) to contact the office so that a remedial course of action may be taken.
- If violation is not answered within thirty (30) days, court action shall be taken by the North Providence Municipal Court system. At that time, a summons shall be issued to the violator by the North Providence Police Department.
- Penalties by Municipal Court follow the RIGL 23-27.3-122.3 as follows – “Every person who shall violate any provision of this code shall be punished by imprisonment in the adult correctional institution for not more than one year, or by a fine of not more than five hundred dollars ($500), or both, for each violation. Each day during which any portion of a violation continues shall constitute a separate offense.