Building Safety in Haverhill, MA (2026)
7 verified building safety rules for Haverhill, Massachusetts, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Childcare Center Rules
The City of Haverhill's Fire Department charges a $100 annual fee for day-care and educational facilities under City Code § 128-8.4, part of the Fire Department Fees article. The fee sits alongside annual charges for nursing homes, group homes and health care facilities, reflecting the department's routine life-safety inspection schedule for licensed care and school buildings.
Haverhill Day-Care Fire Inspection Fee
Some RestrictionsHaverhill City Code § 128-8.4
Article II. ... Fire Department Fees ... § 128-8.4. Day-care/educational facility. [Added 10-5-2004 by Doc. 133] Day-care/education facility: $100 annually.
Green Building Code
The City of Haverhill has adopted the Massachusetts Stretch Energy Code, 780 CMR Appendix 115.AA, as Haverhill City Code § 120-17, requiring new residential and commercial buildings to meet stricter energy-efficiency standards than the base state building code. The Inspector of Buildings or Building Commissioner enforces it, effective from its date of passage in 2018.
Haverhill Adopts the Stretch Energy Code
Some RestrictionsHaverhill City Code § 120-17
STRETCH ENERGY CODE Codified by the Board of Building Regulations and Standards as 780 CMR Appendix 115.AA of the Massachusetts Building Code, the Stretch Energy Code is an appendix to the Massachusetts Building Code, based on further amendments to the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) to improve the energy efficiency of buildings built to this code. ... The Stretch Code, as codifie...
Carbon Monoxide Detectors
In the City of Haverhill, properties are certified for combination smoke and carbon monoxide detector compliance through Fire Department inspections billed under City Code §§ 128-7 and 128-7.1. A single-family home inspection costs $50, two-family $100, buildings with six or fewer units $150, and larger buildings $500, while the separate carbon monoxide detector inspection is billed at $25 per unit.
Carbon Monoxide Detector Inspection Fees in Haverhill
Some RestrictionsHaverhill City Code §§ 128-7, 128-7.1
§ 128-7. Smoke detector inspection (for combination smoke/carbon monoxide inspection) (per MGL c. 148, Fire Prevention, § 10A). ... A. Single-family dwelling or a single-dwelling unit: $50. B. Two-family dwelling: $100. C. Any building/structure with six or fewer residential/commercial units: $150. D. Any building or structure with more than six units: $500. § 128-7.1. Carbon monoxide detector ...
Building Permits
Erecting, altering or repairing a building or structure in the City of Haverhill requires a permit from the Inspector of Buildings under Haverhill City Code § 120-5, issued only in strict conformity with Chapter 120 and state law per § 120-3. New construction costs $25 plus $13 per $1,000 of value, and a permit is valid for six months.
Haverhill Building Permit Requirements
Some RestrictionsHaverhill City Code § 120-5
Persons desiring to erect, alter or repair buildings or other structures in the City shall make application for a permit to the Inspector of Buildings which application shall be accompanied by plans and specifications of the work proposed to be done, and no such erection, alteration or repairs shall be undertaken until a permit has been issued therefor in accordance with the provisions of this ...
Electrical Permits
Haverhill adopts the National Electrical Code by ordinance under City Code § 141-1 and requires a written permit from the Inspector of Wires before any new wiring or alteration work under § 141-18, with fees set in Chapter 120.
Haverhill Electrical Permit and Code Rules
Some RestrictionsHaverhill City Code §§ 141-1, 141-18 to 141-19, 120-11.B
§ 141-1. Adopted of standards; enforcement. The National Electric Code of rules and regulations of the National Board of Fire Underwriters for electrical wiring and apparatus as recommended by the National Fire Protection Association is hereby adopted, and it shall be the duty of the Inspector of Wires and of his lawfully authorized deputies to enforce the rules and regulations therein set fort...
Plumbing Permits
Plumbing work in the City of Haverhill requires a permit under the fee schedule set out in Haverhill City Code § 120-11.D, adopted under the authority of the Massachusetts State Building Code. Residential plumbing permits cost $50 per dwelling unit plus $10 per fixture, and all fees double if work starts before the permit issues.
Haverhill Plumbing Permit Fee Schedule
Some RestrictionsHaverhill City Code § 120-11.D
D. Plumbing fees. Plumbing fees are as follows: ... Type Fee Replacement hot water heater $20 Residential (per dwelling unit, plus $10 per fixture) $50 Commercial (per unit, plus $20 per fixture) $100 ... Reinspection fee (for each notice) $30
Building Inspections
The City of Haverhill's Inspector of Buildings must examine every building under construction, alteration, or reported as unsafe, and keep a full record of permits and inspections under Haverhill City Code §§ 120-1 and 120-4. Under § 120-2, the Inspector can enter any building or premises without charge to inspect it and can order work suspended or repairs made.
Haverhill Building Inspector Duties and Entry
Some RestrictionsHaverhill City Code §§ 120-1, 120-2
§ 120-1. Duties of Inspector of Buildings. The Inspector of Buildings shall examine, or cause to be examined, all buildings upon which work is to be done under the provisions of this chapter, as often as practicable, and shall examine all buildings under application to be moved, raised, razed, enlarged, altered, restored, built upon or which are reported to him to be unsafe or dangerous and sha...