New Bedford, MA Building Safety: Building Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit trigger
- Construction, alteration, repair, removal, demolition, use change
- Issuing official
- Inspector of buildings (BBRS-certified)
- Procedure followed
- State building code, 780 CMR §§ 113-115
- First-violation fine
- Not less than $50
- Subsequent-violation fine
- Not less than $100 each
- Fine destination
- Paid directly to city treasurer
Summary
No building in New Bedford may be constructed, reconstructed, altered, repaired, removed, demolished or have its use changed, and no code-regulated equipment installed, without first filing a written application with the building official and obtaining a permit, per Sec. 6-28(c), which follows the state building code's application procedure at 780 CMR §§ 113 to 115.
(c)No building shall be constructed, reconstructed, altered, repaired, removed or demolished, or changed as to the use or occupancy thereof, nor shall any equipment for which provision is made or installation of which is regulated by the building code, be installed or altered without first filing a written application with the building official and obtaining the required permit therefor, in accordance with the provisions of the state building code (780 CMR), sections 113, 114 and 115.(d)Any violation of this section shall be punished by a fine of not less than fifty dollars ($50.00) for the first violation, and of a fine of not less than one hundred dollars ($100.00) for each subsequent violation. Said fine shall be paid directly to the city treasurer.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 19).
Full Breakdown
Sec. c. 143, § 3, authority to examine every building under construction or alteration and to enter buildings and premises as needed to enforce the chapter. Subsection (c) is the actual permit trigger: any construction, reconstruction, alteration, repair, removal, demolition, or change of use or occupancy, and any installation or alteration of equipment the building code regulates, requires a written application to the building official and an issued permit first, filed in accordance with 780 CMR §§ 113 through 115, the state building code's own application, plan-review and permit-issuance rules.
Sec. 6-29 supplies the application form the applicant must complete, while Sec. 6-30 lets the inspector of buildings halt work and order a building vacated if defective or unpermitted work creates a danger to life or property, including temporarily closing adjacent sidewalks or streets. New Bedford's local inspectors, gas-piping inspector and plumbing inspectors all report up through the inspector of buildings under Sec. 6-20 through Sec. 6-27, and all must hold BBRS certification under 780 CMR 7. The permit requirement itself is a genuine local ordinance obligation, even though the review standards it points to are the Commonwealth's building code.
Violations & Fines
Building without the required permit, or performing regulated work without one, is punished under Sec. 6-28(d) by a fine of not less than $50 for a first violation and not less than $100 for every subsequent violation, with the fine paid directly to the city treasurer rather than through a separate court fund.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does New Bedford require a building permit?
Who issues building permits and what standard do they use?
What is the penalty for building without a permit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in New Bedford
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Building Permits in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Bristol County handle building permits.