Administrative overview · FIPS 25009
Essex County permit authority
The first compliance decision is jurisdictional: identify the office with statutory authority over your parcel, then use its filing and inspection sequence to keep the project moving.
Jurisdictional status
Municipal Fallback
This profile identifies a handoff outside the county’s ordinary structural permitting lane.
Required jurisdiction check
Confirm the controlling local or state authority before filing.
The record is marked Municipal Fallback. That means the county profile should be treated as a routing brief: incorporated municipalities, a state building department, or a state fire marshal may control plan review, permits, and inspections. Contact the named agency below and verify the parcel’s jurisdiction before paying a fee or scheduling field work.
Responsible agency
City of Salem Inspectional Services (Building Department / Public Property; representative municipal fallback)
For a project in or near Essex County, this office is the identified point of contact for permit intake, statutory code enforcement, plan review coordination, and inspection release conditions. Confirm the parcel’s boundary and project type before relying on the county lane.
Direct contact
978-619-5641; alternate 978-619-5642
Call before mobilizing if the project has a boundary, occupancy, fire, septic, or utility question.
Permit counter
98 Washington Street, 2nd Floor, Salem, MA 01970
Operating hours
Monday-Wednesday 8:00 AM-4:00 PM; Thursday 8:00 AM-7:00 PM; Friday 8:00 AM-noon. Inspectors’ counter hours are Monday-Thursday 8:00-10:00 AM and noon-1:00 PM, Thursday 5:00-7:00 PM, and Friday 8:00-9:00 AM.
Review expectation
N/A; Salem publishes online intake, counter and inspection hours but no standard building-plan review timeline.
Compliance workbench
Choose the next project decision.
Apply online
Open the verified digital gateway, application form, and review timeline.
Open guide →Fees & penalties
Understand fee schedules, enforcement exposure, and stop-work liabilities.
Open guide →Codes & exemptions
Read the code framework, minor-work exemptions, and inspection lane.
Open guide →Agency website
Visit the primary public source for current notices and contact changes.
Open guide →Source trail
Official sources for this profile
Use these direct agency or licensing links to confirm current instructions before you file, pay, or schedule work. External pages control if their information differs from this directory.
Project questions
Frequently asked questions for Essex County
Who handles permitting for this jurisdiction?
This record is marked Municipal Fallback. Confirm whether a city, state agency, or other local authority controls the parcel before filing.
How should I begin an application?
Begin with the online permit gateway listed in the application guide. If the portal does not recognize the address or project type, contact 978-619-5641; alternate 978-619-5642.
How long might review take?
N/A; Salem publishes online intake, counter and inspection hours but no standard building-plan review timeline.
How are inspections scheduled?
For Building, Plumbing or Gas inspections, call 978-745-9595 ext. 42200 or the assigned inspector; do not request inspections through OpenGov. For electrical inspections call 978-745-6300 or 978-745-9595 ext. 52003. Inspection hours are Monday-Friday 9:00 AM-noon and Monday-Thursday 1:00-4:00 PM. Final inspection and, when applicable, a Certificate of Occupancy are required before occupancy.
Which codes and exemptions should I review?
Massachusetts State Building Code 780 CMR 10th Edition, the current code based on the 2021 I-Codes with Massachusetts amendments; Salem’s Specialized Energy Code is effective July 1, 2024 for applicable new construction; and City of Salem zoning, fire, plumbing, gas and electrical requirements. Salem’s official guide lists no building permit for a one-story detached tool/storage shed, playhouse or similar accessory building no larger than 120 square feet; fences 6 feet or less; retaining walls retaining less than 4 feet of unbalanced fill when not a public-safety threat and subject to Building official review; and ordinary repairs under the Massachusetts Building Code. Ordinary repairs do not include structural-member or egress changes, mechanical/water/fire-protection/energy-system work, or other work affecting public health or safety.