Building & Development Department

Information

The Building & Development Department is responsible for all construction projects within the Town of Porter. We issue building, electrical, excavation, occupancy and other permits and perform required inspections. We issue addresses for newly constructed homes and businesses. We manage contractor registration; all contractors and subcontractors working within the Town must be registered. We process complaints and manage code enforcement issues. We oversee all Town construction and development projects. All residents and contractors are expected to know the Town requirements for permitting and licensing of contractors. Any questions can be directed to the Building & Development Department by the telephone numbers listed or via email at mbarry@townofporter.com.

Building Permits

The Town of Porter requires a building permit for all construction projects or building improvements/repairs/alterations that cost over $500.00.
The excerpt from the Town Code follows:

"Sec. 14-46. Permit required.
A permit shall be obtained before beginning construction, alteration or repair of any building or structure, the cost of which exceeds $500.00, using forms furnished by the building commissioner, and all fees required by this code shall be paid to the town clerk-treasurer.
(Ord. No. 93-02, § 7, 1-12-1993; Ord. No. 98-07, § 7, 12-15-1998)"

Any resident or contractor found working without a permit may be issued a Stop Work Order. The penalty for working without a permit is a citation and fine of $75.00 up to $250.00 in addition to the cost of the proper permit(s). Citations may also be issued for violations of a Stop Work Order.

Building Permit Fees

Building permit fees are based on the total cost of the work. For projects between $500 and $3000, the permit fee is a flat rate of $30.00. For work over $3000, the permit fee is set by a calculation in the Porter Municipal Code shown here. Permit fees must be calculated or verified by the Building Commissioner prior to payment.

Licensing of Contractors

All contractors working in the Town of Porter are required to be licensed with the Town. The annual license fee is $100.00. The contractor license form can be found under the "Permits" button on the main page or here. Any contractor found working without the proper license may be issued a citation and $75.00 fine as well as a Stop Work Order. A current list of licensed contractors is in the links to the upper left.