Siding rules in all 21 towns
Town names link to our roofing page for each town. Historic review means a local district or property adopted under state law; National Register listing alone brings none.
| Town | Local historic review | Built before 1980 | Design wind | Building dept. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bozrah | None adopted | 65.7% | 125 mph | 860-889-2689 |
| Colchester | Colchester Historic District | 38.5% | 125 mph | 860-537-7285 |
| East Lyme | 3 properties: Thomas Lee House, Little Boston School House, Samuel Smith House | 57.1% | 126 mph | 860-691-4114 |
| Franklin | None adopted | 61.7% | 125 mph | 860-642-4338 |
| Griswold | None adopted | 55.2% | 125 mph | 860-376-7060 |
| Groton | Town: Burnett’s Corners, Center Groton, Mystic (Groton side). City: Eastern Point | 60.6% | 128 mph | 860-446-5982 (town) 860-446-4104 (City of Groton) |
| Lebanon | None adopted | 54.9% | 125 mph | 860-642-6028 |
| Ledyard | 2 town-owned districts: Nathan Lester House, Up-Down Sawmill Park | 72.2% | 126 mph | 860-464-3217 |
| Lisbon | None adopted | 58.7% | 125 mph | 860-376-8291 |
| Lyme | Hadlyme Ferry Historic District | 62.1% | 125 mph | 860-434-7733 |
| Montville | None adopted | 60.9% | 125 mph | 860-848-6782 |
| New London | Starr Street Historic District | 83.3% | 127 mph | 860-447-5240 |
| North Stonington | None adopted (village is National Register only) | 55.1% | 127 mph | 860-535-2877 |
| Norwich | Norwichtown and Little Plain historic districts | 72.6% | 125 mph | 860-823-3745 |
| Old Lyme | Old Lyme Historic District | 71.3% | 126 mph | 860-434-1605 |
| Preston | None adopted | 65.8% | 125 mph | 860-887-5581 |
| Salem | None adopted | 30.7% | 125 mph | 860-859-3873 |
| Sprague | None adopted | 75.7% | 125 mph | 860-822-3000 |
| Stonington | None adopted (Borough zoning reviews visible exterior renovations) | 62.2% | 129 mph | 860-535-5075 |
| Voluntown | None adopted | 42.5% | 125 mph | 860-376-3867 |
| Waterford | 2 properties: Jordan Park House, Nevins Cottage | 62.5% | 127 mph | 860-444-5826 |
Sources: town codes, commission pages and plans, checked against Preservation Connecticut’s inventory; Census ACS 2020–2024, table B25034; 2022 Connecticut State Building Code, Appendix AY; state list of municipal building officials, April 6, 2026. Checked September 17, 2026.
Historic district review in New London County
Nine towns have adopted local historic districts or properties under chapter 97a of the Connecticut General Statutes. Inside one, a change open to view from a public street, way or place needs the commission’s certificate of appropriateness “whether or not a building permit is required” (CGS 7-147d), and the commission weighs “the type and texture of building materials” (CGS 7-147f). Ordinary maintenance or repair that does not change appearance or design is exempt (CGS 7-147j).
- Groton: the Town commission’s handbook regulates the “addition of aluminum, vinyl or similar siding” and permits aluminum or vinyl on existing structures “only in unusual circumstances.” Eastern Point, in the City of Groton, has its own commission.
- Norwich: the commission’s rules say “In no instance will synthetic siding such as aluminum or vinyl be approved as the dominant material on a historic structure.”
- Old Lyme: the commission requires a certificate for “siding replacement of any type”; since April 2023, an identical replacement needs only a Like for Like form, filed before work begins.
- Colchester: the commission’s application lists re-siding among work needing a certificate.
Stonington’s six National Register districts, including Stonington Borough and Mystic Bridge, bring no local historic review, nor does North Stonington Village’s listing. The Borough of Stonington’s own zoning regulations, though, send all but insignificant exterior renovations visible from the street or the surrounding waters to its Planning and Zoning Commission for approval (Section 2.6.5).
Housing age and the EPA lead rule
Summed across the 21 towns, Census ACS 2020–2024 estimates count about 123,600 homes, 63.8 percent built before 1980 and 49.8 percent before 1970; because the Census groups the 1970s, the share built before 1978 lies between the two. New London’s housing is the oldest, 83.3 percent before 1980 and 47.2 percent before 1940, and Salem’s the newest, at 30.7 percent. Small-town margins reach about 13 points.
The EPA Renovation, Repair and Painting rule (40 CFR 745) covers paid work that disturbs painted surfaces on most housing built before 1978. Its exclusion for 20 square feet or less of painted exterior never covers demolition, which EPA defines as removing a painted part in a way that destroys or ruins it, so tearing off painted siding that way is covered at any size. The firm must be EPA-certified, give the owner EPA’s Renovate Right pamphlet before work starts, and cover the ground with sheeting at least 10 feet past the work. EPA, not Connecticut, administers the rule.
Coastal wind, flood zones and the code for new siding
All 21 towns lie in the code’s hurricane-prone region. Appendix AY of the 2022 Connecticut State Building Code sets ultimate design wind speeds of 125 mph in 13 towns, 126 in East Lyme, Ledyard and Old Lyme, 127 in New London, North Stonington and Waterford, 128 in Groton and 129 in Stonington, the highest in the residential code’s statewide table.
Attachment and exposure
Siding and its fasteners must resist the wall wind loads for the site (IRC R703.1.2). The standard attachment table, R703.3.2, has rows for 120 and 130 mph and none between: at 120 mph it sets no height limit in Exposure B and a 30-foot maximum mean roof height in Exposure C; at 130 mph, 60 feet and 15 feet. In Exposure D both rows require a design, as does any design wind pressure over 30 psf. Connecticut’s amended R301.2.1.4.3 applies Exposure D where water or other flat, unobstructed ground runs at least 5,000 feet upwind, and to sites within 600 feet, or 20 times the building height if greater, of that condition.
Flood zones on the shoreline
FEMA’s National Flood Hazard Layer maps VE zones, the coastal high-hazard areas exposed to waves, in East Lyme, Groton, New London, Old Lyme, Stonington and Waterford (checked September 17, 2026). If a house in a FEMA flood hazard area (an A or V zone) is substantially improved, with work costing 50 percent or more of its market value (44 CFR 59.1), wall coverings below the required elevation must be flood damage-resistant materials under FEMA Technical Bulletin 2 (IRC R322.1.8).
What every new siding job needs
The 2022 code, based on the 2021 International Residential Code, remains in force; its replacement was voted down without prejudice on April 28, 2026, and Connecticut does not amend the wall-covering chapter. R703.2 requires a continuous water-resistive barrier, R703.4 corrosion-resistant flashing applied shingle-fashion at windows, doors, deck attachments and wall-roof intersections, R703.11 vinyl labeled to ASTM D3679, and R703.10 fiber cement meeting ASTM C1186 Type A, Grade II minimum.
Siding we install
We install vinyl, including CedarMAX and CedarPEAK, HeartTech insulated siding, fiber cement, engineered wood and manufactured stone veneer, in clapboard, Dutch lap, board and batten, shake and scallop profiles, from ProVia, James Hardie, CertainTeed, Mastic and other brands. Every job gets flashing, house wrap and trim integration. Your rep builds a 3D model of your home from photos, compares two or three complete looks and brings full-size samples. The work carries a 25-year workmanship warranty, and financing is available through Service Finance Company and Hearth, with approved credit.
Also in New London County: our New London County roofing page.
Get a straight answer on your siding
A 3D model of your own home, full-size samples, and a 25-year workmanship warranty.
Common questions about siding in New London County
Do I need a permit to replace siding in New London County?
Yes, in every town, for a full re-siding. The 2022 Connecticut State Building Code exempts only repairs limited to 25 percent of the siding within one calendar year, and a contractor may not start work before the permit is issued (CGS 20-427).
Which towns across New London County have historic district review for siding?
Nine: Colchester, East Lyme, Groton, Ledyard, Lyme, New London, Norwich, Old Lyme and Waterford have local historic districts or properties, and inside them siding changes visible from a public way need a certificate of appropriateness. Stonington has none, though Borough of Stonington zoning reviews most visible exterior renovations.
Does the EPA lead rule apply to re-siding a house in New London County?
Yes, when paid work disturbs painted surfaces on a house built before 1978, unless certified testing finds no lead paint on them. The 20-square-foot small-job exclusion never covers demolition, such as tearing off painted siding in a way that ruins it. Census estimates put 63.8 percent of the county's homes before 1980.
What wind speed does new siding have to meet in New London County?
Between 125 and 129 mph, depending on the town (2022 Connecticut State Building Code, Appendix AY), and siding and fasteners must resist the matching wall loads (IRC R703.1.2). On a site rated Exposure D, such as open shoreline, the standard attachment table requires a design at both 120 and 130 mph (Table R703.3.2).
What Connecticut law requires of any siding contractor
Under Connecticut’s Home Improvement Act, siding work on a private residence priced over $200 is a home improvement (CGS 20-419), and the contractor must hold a Department of Consumer Protection certificate of registration (CGS 20-420, 20-420a). The contract must be in writing and signed by both parties, with start and completion dates, the contractor’s registration number and notice of cancellation rights (CGS 20-429). The owner may cancel until midnight of the third business day; Sundays and legal holidays do not count, and since July 1, 2025, neither do Saturdays (CGS 42-134a, 42-135a).
Sources: 2022 Connecticut State Building Code; 2021 IRC as adopted in Connecticut; Census ACS 2020–2024, B25034; FEMA National Flood Hazard Layer; town historic district ordinances and handbooks; 40 CFR 745; 44 CFR 59.1; CGS chapters 97a, 400 and 740; checked September 17, 2026. Confirm current details with the town. Stallion Ridge Exteriors is a service-area business based in Bethel, Connecticut.