Electrical Permit Guide for New Hampshire 2026
Permit costs, processing times, NEC edition, licensing authority, and the rules that are actually enforced in New Hampshire.
Quick Facts: New Hampshire Electrical Permits
Typical Permit Cost
$50-$500 typical residential, $500-$3,000+ commercial. NH cities run their own fee schedules. Manchester adds a $25 non-refundable application/processing fee on top of trade-permit fees. Nashua charges a $50 application/review fee plus a $35 filing fee on residential and commercial electrical permits. Portsmouth uses a sliding scale: $25/$1,000 on the first $5,000 of construction cost, $20/$1,000 on the next $5,000, $15/$1,000 on the next $5,000, then $10/$1,000 over $15,000.01, plus a $50 plan-review fee per contractor. NH has no state sales tax, so quoted permit and material totals are not inflated by sales-tax add-ons that neighboring MA, ME, and VT customers see.
Processing Time
3-10 business days for straightforward residential permits in Manchester, Nashua, Concord, and Portsmouth when the application is complete and the contractor license is on file. Same-day or next-business-day issuance is common for service-change and like-for-like replacement work. Plan-review-required jobs (commercial, multi-family, solar PV, EV charger banks) typically run 2-4 weeks. Inspections are scheduled by phone or through the city online portal once rough work is ready.
Online Portal Availability
Yes, in every major city. Concord runs the Citizen Self Service (CSS) portal at egselfservice.concordnh.gov powered by Tyler/EnerGov for Building, Zoning, Health, Engineering, Fire, and Planning permits. Portsmouth uses ViewPoint Cloud at portsmouthnh.portal.opengov.com for all Inspection Department permits. Dover offers a unified online portal at permits.dover.nh.gov covering ~60 permit and license types. Nashua and Manchester accept emailed fillable PDF applications and have begun migrating to online intake; smaller towns frequently still require in-person or mailed applications.
Inspections
1-3 inspections per project. A typical service change or panel swap requires a single final inspection. New residential branch-circuit work requires a rough inspection before drywall plus a final after devices and the panel are energized. Service entrances, swimming-pool bonding, and natural-gas-related electrical work cannot be self-permitted by homeowners and must be inspected even on owner-occupied jobs. The local electrical inspector signs the certificate before the utility (Eversource, Unitil, Liberty, or NH Electric Co-op) will release the meter.
New Hampshire Electrical Licensing
New Hampshire Electricians' Board, administered through the Office of Professional Licensure and Certification (OPLC) under RSA 319-C
Three core license tiers: Apprentice (must register and work under direct supervision of a journeyman or master), Journeyman, and Master Electrician. NH also issues a separate High/Medium Voltage Electrician license for systems over 600V. Per OPLC fee schedule: Master initial license $270, Journeyman $150, with a $50 application fee for both; High/Medium Voltage initial and renewal $90. Renewal cycle is every three years for Journeyman and Master, and every three years for High/Medium Voltage. Continuing education requires 15 hours per code cycle on changes to the latest published NFPA 70 (NEC), with at least 1 hour on RSA 319-C, the Board's administrative rules, and NH-specific installation concerns. Apprentices need 8,000 hours of supervised field experience plus one of: 600 hours of approved electrical coursework (24+ hours on safety), an associate or higher degree in an electrical program, 10+ years licensed as a journeyman/master in another jurisdiction, or prior successful completion of the NH journeyman/master exam. To sit for the Master exam, a journeyman must log 2,000 additional field hours after journeyman licensure. Exams are administered by Prov, Inc.: 50 NEC questions plus 50 practical questions for journeyman, plus 25 questions on RSA 319-C and the Board's rules for master, with a 70% passing score. RSA 319-C:15 exempts a homeowner doing electrical work in their own bona fide single-family primary residence, but service-entrance, swimming-pool, and gas-related work are excluded from the exemption and require a licensed contractor.
Electrical Code in New Hampshire
New Hampshire State Building Code (RSA 155-A) — Current Edition
2023 NEC, effective July 1, 2025
NH is one of the only states whose entire model-code package is set by a single statutory body, the State Building Code Review Board (RSA 155-A:10). The Board reviews newly published ICC and NFPA editions, recommends statewide amendments, and the Legislature ratifies the package by law. The current State Building Code under RSA 155-A:1, IV (effective July 1, 2025, per 2025, 135:1) adopts: IBC 2021, IEBC 2021, IPC 2021, IMC 2021, IECC 2018, ISPSC 2021, IRC 2021, and NEC 2023, with all amendments approved by the Board as of April 11, 2025. A long-standing statewide carve-out (RSA 155-A:11-d) prohibits enforcement of any AFCI requirement that exceeds the 2014 NEC scope, so AFCI rules in NH are frozen at the 2014 baseline regardless of which NEC edition is otherwise current.
When Do You Need an Electrical Permit in New Hampshire?
New Hampshire issues electrical permits at the city or town level, but every jurisdiction enforces the State Building Code adopted under RSA 155-A, which incorporates the 2023 NEC effective July 1, 2025. Permits are required for any new wiring, service work, or change to the existing electrical system. RSA 319-C:15 lets a homeowner do electrical work in their own primary single-family residence without a license, but the permit, inspection, and NEC compliance are still mandatory, and service entrances, pool wiring, and gas-related work are carved out and must be performed by a NH-licensed contractor.
Permit Required
- New service entrances and service upgrades (homeowners cannot self-permit; must be a licensed contractor)
- New branch circuits, subpanels, and feeders
- Generator and transfer switch installations
- Solar PV systems and battery energy storage interconnections
- EV charger circuits (Level 2 and DC fast)
- Heat pump and mini-split electrical connections
- Swimming pool, spa, and hot-tub bonding and equipotential grids (homeowners exempt only for non-pool work)
- Commercial tenant fit-outs and any change to the load calculation
- Replacement of damaged service masts, meter sockets, or main breakers
Typically Exempt
- Like-for-like replacement of switches, receptacles, and fixtures on existing branch circuits in many jurisdictions
- Low-voltage (under 50V) doorbell, thermostat, and security wiring in most cities
- Repairs that do not extend wiring or alter the existing circuit
- Appliance plug-in (cord-and-plug) replacements that do not modify the receptacle
- Homeowner-performed work in a bona fide owner-occupied single-family residence under RSA 319-C:15 still requires a permit and inspection - the exemption is from the licensure requirement, not from the permit and code requirements
Exempt from permit does not mean exempt from the code. Work still must comply with the edition in force at your address.
New Hampshire-Specific Rules You Should Know
No state sales tax on materials or labor
NH is one of five US states with no general sales tax. Wire, panels, breakers, EV chargers, and solar inverters bought in-state are not taxed, and electrical contractor labor invoices carry no sales-tax line. A NH homeowner upgrading a 200A service typically saves $200-$400 in tax compared to the same job in MA, ME, or VT.
AFCI requirements frozen at 2014 NEC
RSA 155-A:11-d explicitly bars enforcement of any AFCI rule beyond the 2014 NEC, even though NH is otherwise on the 2023 NEC. Inspectors will not require AFCI protection on circuits the 2014 code did not require, so kitchen, laundry, and outdoor receptacle AFCIs that the 2017+ NEC added are not enforced statewide.
State Building Code Review Board sets one code for the whole state
Unlike states where each city adopts its own edition, NH adopts a single statewide code through RSA 155-A:10. The Board reviews each new NEC edition for at least one year, drafts statewide amendments, and the Legislature ratifies by statute. Cities cannot weaken or skip the state-adopted edition.
Three utilities plus a co-op for solar interconnection
Eversource (the largest by far), Unitil, and Liberty Utilities are the investor-owned electrics; NH Electric Cooperative covers much of central and northern NH. Each runs its own interconnection portal and net-metering queue. Liberty added an application fee on Solar and Renewables submissions effective January 1, 2025. NH Net Metering 2.0 credits residential exports at roughly 85% of retail (100% supply + 100% transmission + 25% distribution), with rates locked through 2041 - the lowest reimbursement in New England.
Homeowner exemption is licensure-only, not permit-only
RSA 319-C:15 lets a homeowner do their own electrical work in their bona fide single-family primary residence, but they must still pull the permit and pass inspection. Service-entrance, swimming-pool, and gas-related electrical work are excluded - those jobs always require a licensed NH electrical contractor.
Permit Cost Drivers in New Hampshire
Typical residential fee ranges. Actual fees vary by city and current-year schedule. Always verify at application.
| Work Type | Typical Fee | What Drives Variance |
|---|---|---|
| City application/processing fee | $25-$50 | Manchester $25 non-refundable per permit; Nashua $50 application/review plus $35 filing fee; Portsmouth $50 plan-review fee per contractor. |
| Service change (100A to 200A upgrade) | $75-$200 permit + $1,800-$3,500 install | Permit fees scale with construction value in Portsmouth ($25/$1,000 first tier). Utility coordination with Eversource, Unitil, Liberty, or NH Co-op is included by the contractor. |
| Solar PV permit and interconnection | $100-$400 permit + utility application fees | Liberty added a Solar and Renewables application fee starting Jan 1, 2025. Eversource interconnection has no application fee for residential <100kW projects but requires a witness test for some configurations. |
| EV charger (Level 2) circuit | $50-$150 permit | Most NH cities treat as a single branch-circuit permit. NH does not have a statewide EV-ready building requirement, so retrofits are pure trade-permit cost. |
| Plan review for commercial or solar | $50-$300 | Portsmouth charges $50 per contractor per plan review and per revision; Concord and Manchester scale plan-review fees by project size and load calc complexity. |
New Hampshire Electrical Permit FAQs
Which NEC edition is currently enforced in New Hampshire?
The 2023 NEC, adopted as part of the State Building Code under RSA 155-A:1, IV and effective statewide July 1, 2025. Statewide amendments approved by the State Building Code Review Board through April 11, 2025 are incorporated by reference. AFCI requirements remain frozen at the 2014 NEC level under RSA 155-A:11-d.
Can a homeowner pull their own electrical permit in NH?
Yes, for work on their own owner-occupied single-family residence under RSA 319-C:15, except for service-entrance work, swimming-pool wiring, and gas-related electrical work, which always require a licensed NH electrical contractor. The homeowner exemption is from the licensure requirement only - the permit, inspection, and NEC compliance still apply, and the work must be performed by the homeowner personally.
Who licenses electricians in New Hampshire?
The New Hampshire Electricians' Board under RSA 319-C, administered through the Office of Professional Licensure and Certification (OPLC). Initial Master license is $270, Journeyman $150, plus a $50 application fee on each; High/Medium Voltage license is $90. All renew on a three-year cycle with 15 hours of NEC-update continuing education per cycle. Prov, Inc. administers the licensing exams.
Why is NH cheaper for electrical work than neighboring states?
NH has no state sales tax, so wire, panels, EV chargers, breakers, and contractor labor invoices carry no sales-tax line. A 200A service upgrade in NH typically runs $200-$400 less in tax than the same job in MA, ME, or VT. The State Building Code is also statewide and uniform, so contractors do not have to relearn local code amendments city by city.
What is the AFCI carve-out in RSA 155-A:11-d?
NH law explicitly bars enforcement of any AFCI requirement that exceeds the 2014 NEC scope. So kitchen, laundry, and outdoor-receptacle AFCI rules added in the 2017, 2020, and 2023 NEC editions are not enforceable in NH. Bedroom and general-area AFCI requirements from the 2014 NEC still apply.
How do I pull a permit in Manchester, Nashua, Concord, or Portsmouth?
Concord uses the Citizen Self Service portal at egselfservice.concordnh.gov (Tyler/EnerGov). Portsmouth uses ViewPoint Cloud at portsmouthnh.portal.opengov.com. Dover uses permits.dover.nh.gov. Manchester and Nashua accept emailed fillable PDF applications to their building departments and are migrating to online intake. Smaller towns frequently still take paper or mailed applications.
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Data verified April 2026. Fees, processing times, and code editions are subject to change. Always verify with your local building or electrical inspection department before starting work.
This guide is informational. New Hampshire electrical permit rules vary by city and county within the state framework. Verify current requirements with your local building or electrical inspection department before starting work. Not legal or engineering advice.