Building Department

Building Department Office, Room 212
Town Hall, 2 Renshaw Road
203 656-7347 phone
203 656-7385 fax
Open Monday - Friday, 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., closed Holidays

Inspectors are in the office Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. - 10:00 a.m., 1:00 p.m - 2:00 p.m., and 4:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. to answer questions and take calls

Inspections are Monday through Friday from
10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Request inspections or information by e-mail to Lisa Mason. Please include:

  • Owner’s name & address
  • Type of Inspection
  • Your name & phone number
  • Permit number

Information you can obtain from the Building Department:

  • Surveys and plot plans
  • Permits issued by address
  • Certificates of Occupancy for permits
  • Certificates of Compliance for permits
  • Construction plans for permits issued after 1960; if you are the homeowner
  • A list of current construction

You need a Building Permit for:

  • Building a house
  • Adding a garage
  • Putting on a deck or portico
  • Remodeling a bathroom
  • Finishing part of a basement or attic
  • Putting on a new roof
  • Renovating a kitchen
  • Installing a pool or spa, in-ground or above
  • Erecting a shed
  • Erecting a large tent
  • Demolishing a structure
  • Enclosing a porch
  • Installing a gas or wood burning stove or fireplace
  • Changing the size of windows, or adding a bay window
  • Doing interior alterations
  • Installing lawn sprinkler systems

A Building Permit must be activated within 6 months or the permit will become null and void. The applicant may request, in writing, a ninety (90) day extension of the permit.

To obtain a Building Permit you will need:

  1. 2 green building applications filled out
  2. 1 zoning application filled out
  3. 1 worker’s comp. Affidavit filled out and notarized
  4. 3 sets of plans and 3 surveys (if required), a 4th set of plans for commercial projects and multi-family projects
  5. Health clearance if required
  6. A check made out to the "Town of Darien" to cover zoning fees.  That fee depends on the total amount of work proposed.

Everything is dropped off as a package to the Planning and Zoning Department. It will be forwarded to the Building Department for review and you will be contacted when it is ready to be picked up.

Building Permit fees are as follows:

  1. $10 minimum fee for all permits up to and including $1,000 of valuation of work.
  2. $10 per thousand for each additional thousand or fraction thereof of valuation of work.
  3. This fee includes all mechanical fees. Mechanical trade permits must be obtained, but no charge is made when they are covered by a building permit.
  4. Valuation of work includes the entire cost of construction, alteration or moving of the building or structure including value of all materials and labor used, whether or not donated or furnished by the owner. Does not include value of land, sanitary disposal system, well, driveway or site work.
  5. Carnivals, fairs, exhibitions or similar activity - $10.
  6. Temporary electric service for construction - $30.
  7. Service change or revamp - $60.
  8. Oil tank or Propane installation - $20.
  9. There shall be no refund of any fee, or part thereof, after a permit has been issued.
  10. An Education fee of .26 per thousand dollars of construction value will be collected on every permit.

Darien uses the State Building Code:

WHERE TO OBTAIN THE 2005 STATE BUILDING CODE

The Office of the State Building Inspector announces adoption of the 2005 State Building Code with an effective date of December 31, 2005.

Copies of the documents that comprise the 2005 State Building Code may be obtained from the following sources: 

State Building Code: 2005 Connecticut Supplement which includes the 2009 Amendment (effective August 1, 2009) to the 2005 State Building Code.   

2003 International Building Code*

2003 International Residential Code*

2003 International Existing Building Code

2003 International Mechanical Code

2003 International Plumbing Code

2006 International Energy Conservation Code (new edition adopted with changes-effective August 1, 2009)

2009 International Energy Conservation Code with Connecticut Amendments (effective October 7, 2011)

ICC/ANSI A117.1-2003  Accessible and Usable Buildings and Facilities

*The International Code Council has agreed to publish Connecticut Specific Editions of the 2003 International Building and Residential Codes that incorporate the language of the Connecticut Supplement into the base document. This eliminates the need for concurrent use of the Connecticut Supplement for these two codes.  The 2009 Amendment (effective August 1, 2009) will not be included in this printing.

Available From:           International Code Council, Inc.
 4051 West Flossmoor Road
 Country Club Hills, IL 60478-5795
 Telephone:    (888) 422-7233
 www.iccsafe.org  

2005 National Electrical Code (NFPA-70)

Available From:           National Fire Protection Association
 Batterymarch Park
 Quincy, MA 02269
 Telephone:    (800) 344-3555
 www.nfpa.org  

The following organizations also sell code books to members and non-members:

Connecticut Building Officials Association, Inc.     American Institute of Architects,

c/o Brian Platz                                                 Connecticut Chapter

12 Codfish Hill Ext.                                          370 James Street, Suite 402

Bethel, CT 06801                                           New Haven, CT 06513

Telephone: (203) 594-3013                             Telephone:  (203) 865-2195

Email:  brian.platz@newcanaanct.gov                www.aiact.org

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