Do I Need a Permit To Build a Deck? #infographic

An addition to a deck is a great investment and a nice return. You are looking for outdoor living areas that can offer you a competitive edge if you ever want to sell your home. A deck addition can improve functional living room outdoors, providing a place for family and friends to spend time. Building a deck needs permission in most instances.

Building codes and laws will differ slightly from town to town, but you may need to get a license for your building project. For instance, decks above 2 feet will require a building permit. The first thing you should do is check with your local municipality and find out what's needed before employing deck contractors or trying a DIY deck-building weekend.

You might run into some trouble down the road if you don't get a deck license. You might be dinged with a fine in some jurisdictions. The effects could be to tear the deck down and build a fresh one. If you're hiring a deck contractor and they don't get a license, there's no way to know if they're building code compliant.

Building code exists to guarantee proper and safe construction of buildings. Whether you've done it on your own or a business employed, building outside code laws could make your deck dangerous. There is no guarantee that the work will be quality or that the deck will be secure without a license. Someone might get seriously wounded. In some instances, it is possible to penalize a contractor who builds without a license.