Cheektowaga Building Department 2026: Permits, Inspections & Services

Cheektowaga Building Department Contact Information

The department office is not the same address as Cheektowaga Town Hall at 3301 Broadway. The Town notes that the Alexander Avenue building is shared with the Boys & Girls Club and visitors use the video doorbell for access.

Which Projects Need a Cheektowaga Building Permit?

Town Code generally requires an appropriate permit before constructing, enlarging, altering, renovating, improving, removing, demolishing or converting a building or structure, or changing its occupancy. Nonstructural repairs that do not involve plumbing, electrical, heating or venting may fall outside the building-permit requirement, but zoning or other rules can still apply.

How to Apply for a Building Permit in Cheektowaga

1. Confirm the property and project.
   Know the legal project address, property owner, proposed work, contractor and estimated construction value. For additions, sheds, decks, pools and other exterior work, also identify property lines, easements and required setbacks.
2. Open the Town’s Forms & Guides page.
   Go to Cheektowaga Forms & Guides. Select the application matching the project: residential new construction, residential renovation, commercial construction, plumbing/HVAC, pool, sign, tree removal or another listed service.
3. Check planning or zoning first when necessary.
   Development review, site-plan approval, variances, special-use permits and zoning changes are separate from an ordinary building permit. The Town states that projects seeking development review or site-plan approval must schedule a pre-submission meeting.
4. Prepare the supporting documents.
   A property survey, plans, owner authorization, contractor insurance, energy calculations, professional drawings or other project-specific documents may be required. Use the checklist in the applicable Town application instead of submitting only the first page.
5. Submit the complete packet.
   The Building Department directs submittals and fees to 275 Alexander Avenue. Building applications are accepted until 4:00 p.m. during regular Monday–Friday office operations.
6. Respond to review comments.
   Do not treat application filing as permit approval. If the inspector requests corrected plans, missing documents, zoning approval or professional information, provide those items before permit issuance.
7. Obtain the issued permit before regulated work begins.
   Keep the approved permit and plans available for the project and follow the required inspection sequence.
8. Complete inspections and final approval.
   Arrange required building, plumbing, electrical, fire-safety or other inspections. Resolve failed items before covering work or requesting final approval.

Documents to Prepare Before You Apply

The exact checklist depends on the project, but preparing these items before visiting the department can prevent an incomplete submission:

• Completed and signed permit application.
• Property address and owner information.
• Detailed description and estimated value of construction.
• Property survey for work affecting the exterior or site.
• Construction drawings appropriate to the work.
• Owner authorization when an agent applies for the owner.
• Contractor contact information.
• Workers’ compensation and disability insurance documents or acceptable exemptions when required.
• Energy-code documentation for applicable conditioned construction.
• New York licensed architect or professional engineer documents when the project requires professional design.
• Plumbing, sewer, fire-protection, zoning, site-plan or engineering approvals when applicable.

New Residential Construction

The Town’s residential construction packet specifically identifies items such as a property survey, energy calculations, tree-removal application, curb-cut permit, construction plans, grading/plot plan, subsurface investigation and a New York design professional’s code review analysis for applicable constructed homes.

Commercial Construction

Commercial applications can require substantially more documentation, including owner/developer or tenant intent information, professionally sealed construction plans, civil plans, code analysis, energy calculations, special-inspection information, geotechnical information, stormwater or sewer approvals, site-plan approval, zoning variances and contractor insurance.

Cheektowaga Building Permit Fees

The Town currently links a construction permitting and inspection fee schedule from its live Forms & Guides page. Fees depend on the project and can include separate plumbing, inspection, sewer, fire-safety or planning charges. The amounts below are selected examples from the Town-posted schedule; confirm the current amount before payment.

Cheektowaga Building Inspections: What to Expect

The inspections required depend on the approved project. Do not cover structural, plumbing, electrical or other work that the permit requires to remain visible for inspection. The Town Code authorizes inspections during construction and before applicable certificates of occupancy or compliance are issued.

For a Typical Construction Project

1. Review the issued permit and approved drawings for required inspection stages.
2. Contact the Building Department at 716-686-3470 for scheduling instructions applicable to your permit.
3. Have the permit number and project address ready.
4. Make sure the work is complete and accessible for the requested stage.
5. Correct any deficiencies identified by the inspector.
6. Request the required final inspection before treating the project as complete.

Electrical Inspections Are Different

Cheektowaga requires electrical installations, alterations and modifications to be inspected through a Town-approved third-party electrical inspection agency. A valid Town permit number is required before the electrical inspection. The approved agency submits proof of inspection to the Building Department, and that documentation is needed before a Certificate of Occupancy or Compliance can be issued when applicable.

View the Town’s April 29, 2026 approved electrical inspection list.

Building Codes Used in Cheektowaga in 2026

Cheektowaga administers and enforces the New York State Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code together with applicable Town laws. For permit applications submitted in 2026, the important statewide update is the 2025 New York State Uniform Code and 2025 Energy Conservation Construction Code, which became fully effective on December 31, 2025.

Check the New York Department of State’s current code-adoption notice before designing or submitting a project.

Local Rules That Commonly Affect Cheektowaga Projects

Sheds and Accessory Structures

The Town’s shed guide shows typical five-foot side/rear separation examples and warns that accessory structures cannot be placed in required yards or easements. Properties on Borden Road, Losson Road or Towers Boulevard can have increased front-setback requirements, potentially as much as 50 feet according to the Town guide. Confirm your parcel’s exact zoning before purchasing or placing a structure.

Residential Fences

The residential fence guide states that a fence permit is not required, but local placement and height limits still apply. The guide shows a maximum of 3.5 feet within the required front yard and up to 6 feet outside applicable required yards in the illustrated residential situations. The entire fence, including post holes, must remain on the owner’s property. Call 811 before digging.

Pools, Hot Tubs and Spas

Cheektowaga’s pool process requires applicants to show the pool, equipment, decking, fencing, utilities and relevant distances on the property survey. Town materials identify a minimum five-foot separation from property lines for the pool, equipment and decking and require applicable barrier, alarm, electrical and drainage compliance. In-ground pool projects require additional drainage information.

Buying or Selling Property: I&I / Time-of-Sale Inspection

Cheektowaga has an Inflow and Infiltration (I&I) program for properties in the Town’s Consolidated Sewer District. The Town states that covered properties must be inspected and brought into compliance before sale. The inspection checks for improper clear-water connections such as roof drains, foundation drains and sump pumps connected to the sanitary sewer.

If problems are found, corrective work must be completed and a follow-up inspection requested in time for the transaction. After a successful inspection, the Building & Plumbing Department issues an I&I Compliance Certificate. The Town’s published program information states that the certificate is valid for 120 days to allow the sale to be completed.

Commercial Tenant Changes and Occupancy

A business moving into an existing commercial space should not assume that an existing building approval automatically covers the new use. Cheektowaga’s current change-of-tenant worksheet asks applicants to verify zoning, compare the former and proposed occupancy types and identify construction changes.

If the business use changes occupancy classification, a change-of-occupancy permit may be required. If walls, doors, windows or floors will be altered, a commercial alteration permit may also be necessary. For pre-application assistance, the Town’s worksheet lists 716-686-3490 for scheduling a meeting.

Code Violations and Building Complaints

The Building Department also handles code-compliance matters. If you received a notice of violation, contact the department at 716-686-3470 or BuildingClerks@tocny.org. If you need to report a property or building concern, use the complaint resource linked from the official Building Department page.

Official Cheektowaga Building Resources

• Building Department
  Contacts, office hours and department services.
  Open official department page
• Forms & Guides
  Permit applications, project guides, inspection forms and contractor resources.
  Open forms and guides
• Town Code
  Building construction, permits, enforcement and local ordinances.
  Open Cheektowaga building code provisions
• New York State Codes
  Current statewide Uniform Code and Energy Code adoption information.
  Open NY Department of State

Related Building Permit Guides

If you are comparing permitting procedures for property in another jurisdiction, these published USBuilding.org guides may also help:

• Armonk Building Department 2026 — another New York permitting guide.
• Bergenfield Building Department 2026 — municipal permits, zoning and inspections in New Jersey.
• Ann Arbor Building Department 2026 — online permitting, inspections and construction-code guidance.

Cheektowaga Building Department FAQs