Do You Need a Permit to Replace Siding in Massachusetts?

Do you need a building permit to replace siding in Massachusetts?

In most cases, yes. The Massachusetts building code requires a permit to construct, alter, repair or remove part of a building, and only ordinary repairs are exempt. Whether a re-side counts as an ordinary repair is the building official's call, and many towns require a permit for it. Some towns go further and list siding and roofing as their own permit types; Boylston's permit application, for example, has separate boxes for both. The building department in your town has the final word, so ask before work starts.

Who should pull the permit — you or the contractor?

The contractor. When you hire someone, the state's Office of Consumer Affairs advises that the contractor obtain the permit, and it warns that a homeowner who pulls the permit for work done by a hired contractor gives up access to the state's Home Improvement Contractor Guaranty Fund. Many towns make you sign an affidavit acknowledging that waiver if you apply yourself. If a contractor asks you to pull the permit "to save time," treat it as a red flag.

What licenses does a siding contractor need in Massachusetts?

Two different things, and it is fair to ask for both numbers:

• Home Improvement Contractor (HIC) registration — required for contractors doing residential work worth more than $1,000 on an existing one-to-four family home where the owner lives. Only work by a registered contractor can be covered by the Guaranty Fund.
• Construction Supervisor License (CSL) — since 2008 the building code has a specialty CSL category for windows, doors and siding on one- and two-family homes and small buildings. Towns apply the licensing rules to siding permits differently, so ask who on the job holds the license your building department expects.

You can look up both on the state's license-check site. Wolf's Siding Inc. is registered as HIC #218835.

What if your house is in a historic district?

If your property is inside a local historic district created under Massachusetts General Law Chapter 40C, exterior changes visible from the street usually need a certificate from the town's historic district commission before the building permit is issued. That is the case in Sudbury's four districts and in Boylston's district, where siding is reviewed but roof color and material are exempt. A National Register listing on its own does not add this step — the local district does.

Do you also need an electrical permit?

Sometimes. Taking siding off exposes outdoor outlets, lights and service entrances, and some towns ask whether electrical work is involved on the siding permit application. If fixtures have to be moved or replaced, a licensed electrician pulls that permit.

Does the house's age change anything?

Yes. Homes built before 1978 may have lead paint, which brings state lead-safe renovation rules, and older siding can contain asbestos, which has its own MassDEP rules. Both are covered in our guide to re-siding a house built before 1978.

How long does a permit take?

It varies by town and by season, and historic-district review adds a commission meeting. Build that time into the schedule before ordering materials.