Reading
Middlesex County, Massachusetts
Last verified September 16, 2026
Reading is a jurisdiction in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, with an online portal for searching and pulling active or historical building permits. Use the contact information below to reach the local building department, or the mailing address if the jurisdiction needs to be listed as a certificate holder on a contractor's insurance documentation.
Contact
- Phone
- 781-942-6613
- ksaunders@ci.reading.ma.us
- Department Site
- Building Division (opens in a new tab)
Permit Search
Certificate Holder Mailing Address
Reading Building Division16 Lowell Street
Reading, MA 01867
Use this address when the jurisdiction needs to be listed as a certificate holder on a contractor's insurance documentation.
Additional Notes
This is Reading, MASSACHUSETTS (Middlesex County) - not to be confused with Reading, VT. Email/direct line is for Permits Coordinator Kim Saunders (781-942-6620). Fax 781-942-9071. Building Commissioner role was in an active hiring process as of a May 2025 job posting; no confirmed current name.
What You Need Before Applying for a Permit
Most building departments ask for the same core package before they'll issue a permit: a completed application naming the property owner and contractor, the contractor's state license number and proof of insurance (general liability, and workers' comp if employees are on the job), a notice of commencement or equivalent recorded filing for larger jobs where the state requires one, and scaled plans or a site plan for anything beyond minor repairs. Roofing, fence, pool, and solar permits typically have their own simplified checklists — Reading's department (above) can confirm exactly what applies to your project.
Why this matters for insurance: permit history is one of the first things an underwriter or adjuster checks. Unpermitted work — a finished basement, an added bedroom, a rebuilt roof — can complicate a claim or even void coverage for that portion of the loss, and it routinely surfaces during a home inspection. Pulling the right permit up front, and keeping the closed-permit record on file, protects both the property's value and its insurability at resale.
More in Middlesex County
See Middlesex County property and court records →
Other building permit jurisdictions in Middlesex County: