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Kent County

Kent County Department of Planning Services, Division of Inspections and Enforcement

In short

Kent County Department of Planning Services, Division of Inspections and Enforcement issues 3 permits we publish for Kent County, last verified 2026-10-12. Each carries the fee as the agency publishes it, with a link to the schedule it was read from.

What this agency issues

Permits required, with issuing agency, fee, renewal term and the date each record was last verified against its source
Kent County Building Permit (commercial construction, fit-out, renovation, signs, demolition)only if it applies to youKent County Department of Planning Services, Division of Inspections and EnforcementKent County Code §128-42C(1): application fee $40 (nonrefundable once the application is accepted; not counted toward the surcharges); "For a valuation $0 to $1,000: $50"; "For a valuation not exceeding $1,000,000 for each $1,000 valuation or fraction thereof: $10"; "Over $1,000,000 for each additional $1,000 or fraction thereof: $3"; minimum fee $50; demolition $100; signs by contract price or Marshall & Swift evaluation (minimum $50); plan review for commercial buildings $0.003 for each dollar of value, minimum $20; reinspection $75 first, $150 second, $250 third, $300 fourth and after; renewal permit $50. Plus county surcharges on the construction valuation: School District Capital Improvement Fund surcharge of 1.16% (local school district) plus 0.09% (POLYTECH), limited to the first $1,000,000 of construction value for buildings not involving residential use and occupancy (§105-25A-B); and Emergency Services Assistance Fund surcharge of 1/4 of 1% (§37-1).Kent County Code §105-4G: a permit becomes invalid unless work starts within 180 days after issuance, or if work is suspended or abandoned for 180 days (written extensions of up to 180 days each may be granted); §105-4H: once work has begun, a permit is valid for one year from issuance; §105-4I: work must be completed and pass final inspection within two years, and after the first 12 months a permit may be renewed for one additional twelve-month period ($50 renewal permit, §128-42C(1)(s))2026-10-12
Business Certificate of Occupancy and Temporary Certificate of Occupancyonly if it applies to youKent County Department of Planning Services, Division of Inspections and EnforcementBusiness certificate of occupancy: the amount is not published in Kent County Code §128-42 or on the county permit pages; contact the Division of Inspections and Enforcement, (302) 744-2451, for the current amount. Temporary certificate of occupancy: "$100; renewable in thirty-day increments" (§128-42C(1)(k)); a separate fee applies for each 30 days (§105-10C).certificate of occupancy: issued once for the building and occupancy classification, until the occupancy changes; temporary certificate: issued in thirty-day increments2026-10-12
Temporary Certificate of Occupancy for a Temporary Structure at a Temporary Activity (tent, ticket booth, concession stand)only if it applies to youKent County Department of Planning Services, Division of Inspections and EnforcementKent County Code §205-17D: "The fee for this use shall be as set from time to time by ordinance of the Levy Court." The amount is not stated in §205-17; contact the Division of Inspections and Enforcement, (302) 744-2451, for the current amount.for the temporary activity, which may not run more than seven consecutive days or 14 days in a calendar year (§205-17A); the county closes out the permit 10 days after it expires (§205-17F)2026-10-12

Fees shown as a range or formula are set that way by the issuing agency — we do not average them into a single number.

About each permit

Kent County Building Permit (commercial construction, fit-out, renovation, signs, demolition)

Kent County Code §205-417A provides that no building shall be erected, constructed, altered, moved, converted, extended or enlarged without the owner first having obtained a building permit, and Chapter 105 (adopted 8-18-2020 by Ord. No. 20-6) applies to the unincorporated area and to any municipality that elects to be included. The county's Permitting Requirements & Adopted Codes page lists the commercial permit types as New Commercial Structures, Business Certificate of Occupancies, Commercial Fit-outs, Temporary Activities, Commercial Interior Renovations and Home Based Business, and states: "IMPORTANT: Permits are REQUIRED for any work in Flood Plain areas!!" Applications are made online through the county's My Government Online portal; the Division of Inspections and Enforcement answers questions at (302) 744-2451. Before a permit is issued, other approvals may be needed, including the Delaware State Fire Marshal, Kent Conservation District, the Division of Public Health and DNREC (§105-4). The fees are as set in Kent County Code §128-42C(1) (last amended 5-27-2025 by Ord. No. 25-12; the Code is current to March 24, 2026): a $40 application fee, "For a valuation $0 to $1,000: $50", "For a valuation not exceeding $1,000,000 for each $1,000 valuation or fraction thereof: $10", $3 for each additional $1,000 over $1,000,000, a $50 minimum, a commercial plan review fee of $0.003 for each dollar of value (minimum $20), and reinspection fees of $75, $150, $250 and $300. The building official sets the final permit valuation. Two county surcharges are added on the construction valuation: the School District Capital Improvement Fund surcharge of 1.16% for the local school district plus 0.09% for POLYTECH School District under §105-25 (in effect since 2006), limited to the first $1,000,000 of construction value for buildings not involving residential use and occupancy, with exemptions in §105-25D including 501(c)(3) organisations and government agencies; and the Emergency Services Assistance Fund surcharge of 1/4 of 1% under §37-1 (last amended 2-10-2015 by Ord. No. 15-03). Since December 1, 2025 a lines-and-grade survey is required for development on lots smaller than one-half acre. The county's Municipal Information page lists Camden, Cheswold, Clayton, Dover, Frederica, Harrington, Milford, Smyrna and Wyoming under "Towns Which Require Their Own Permits / No Permits are Required from Kent County, Delaware", and lists Bowers, Farmington, Felton, Hartly, Houston, Kenton, Leipsic, Little Creek, Magnolia, Viola and Woodside under "Towns Which Kent County Issues Building Permits, BUT Does NOT Enforce their Zoning" (those towns require a town permit or letter of approval before the county building permit). Kent County Code §105-4G: a permit becomes invalid unless work starts within 180 days after issuance, or if work is suspended or abandoned for 180 days (written extensions of up to 180 days each may be granted); §105-4H: once work has begun, a permit is valid for one year from issuance; §105-4I: work must be completed and pass final inspection within two years, and after the first 12 months a permit may be renewed for one additional twelve-month period ($50 renewal permit, §128-42C(1)(s)).

Business Certificate of Occupancy and Temporary Certificate of Occupancy

Kent County Code §105-10A provides: "No building or structure shall be used or occupied, and no change in the existing occupancy classification of a building or structure or portion thereof shall be made, until the building official has issued a certificate of occupancy therefor as provided herein." Certificates are not required for work exempt from permits. Zoning §205-416B adds that no premises shall be used, and no buildings hereafter erected or structurally altered shall be used, occupied or changed in use, until a certificate of occupancy has been issued by the Division Head of Inspections and Enforcement stating that the building or proposed use complies with the building laws and the zoning regulations. The county's Permitting Requirements & Adopted Codes page lists "Business Certificate of Occupancies" among the commercial permits. The amount of the business certificate of occupancy fee is not published in §128-42 or on the county permit pages; the Division of Inspections and Enforcement ((302) 744-2451, Inspections@kentcountyde.gov) gives it. Under §105-10C the building official may issue a temporary certificate of occupancy before the entire work is complete where the portion can be occupied safely, in thirty-day increments, and "A separate fee applies for each 30 days"; Kent County Code §128-42C(1)(k) sets the temporary certificate of occupancy fee at "$100; renewable in thirty-day increments". The county's Municipal Information page lists Camden, Cheswold, Clayton, Dover, Frederica, Harrington, Milford, Smyrna and Wyoming under "Towns Which Require Their Own Permits / No Permits are Required from Kent County, Delaware", and lists Bowers, Farmington, Felton, Hartly, Houston, Kenton, Leipsic, Little Creek, Magnolia, Viola and Woodside under "Towns Which Kent County Issues Building Permits, BUT Does NOT Enforce their Zoning" (those towns require a town permit or letter of approval before the county building permit).

Temporary Certificate of Occupancy for a Temporary Structure at a Temporary Activity (tent, ticket booth, concession stand)

Kent County Code §205-17A permits a temporary activity such as a fair, circus, carnival, bazaar or fundraiser with no permanent improvements in all zoning districts, provided it does not occur more than seven consecutive days or a maximum of 14 days in a calendar year. Under §205-17D, "A temporary certificate of occupancy permit shall be required should a temporary structure such as a tent, ticket booth, concession stand, etc., be placed on the property"; the owner submits a plan to the Division of Inspections and Enforcement showing all existing structures and other pertinent information, and the Fire Marshal's approval is required should a tent be placed on the site. The section says the fee is set from time to time by ordinance of the Levy Court; the amount is not stated in §205-17, and the Division of Inspections and Enforcement ((302) 744-2451) gives it. The Building Official enforces the conditions attached to the permit, and appeals go to the Kent County Board of Adjustment. A vendor or retailer setting up a tent or concession stand at such an event in the area where the county enforces zoning needs this permit; an event inside one of the 20 municipalities is handled by that town.

Contact

Jurisdiction
Kent County
Phone
(302) 744-2451

Contact details are taken from the agency’s own site or its published fee schedule. Where we have not verified a phone number we leave it blank rather than guess.

Sources

Every fee and term above was read from one of these government pages on the date shown.

  1. Building PermitsKent County Levy Court · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-12
  2. Kent County Code §105-25 (Building Permit Fee Surcharge)Kent County, Delaware (via ecode360) · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-12
  3. Kent County Code §128-42 (Department of Planning Services fees), amended through Ord. No. 25-12 (5-27-2025)Kent County, Delaware (via ecode360) · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-12
  4. Kent County Code §205-17 (Temporary activities)Kent County, Delaware (via ecode360) · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-12
  5. Kent County Code Chapter 105 (Building Construction), including §105-4, §105-10 and §105-17Kent County, Delaware (via ecode360) · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-12
  6. Kent County Code Chapter 205, Article XXIX, including §205-416, §205-417 and §205-423Kent County, Delaware (via ecode360) · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-12
  7. Kent County Code Chapter 37, §37-1 (Building permit surcharge; Emergency Services Assistance Fund)Kent County, Delaware (via ecode360) · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-12
  8. Municipal Information (building permits)Kent County Levy Court · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-12
  9. Permitting Requirements & Adopted CodesKent County Levy Court · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-12

Other offices serving Kent County

The full permit list for this jurisdiction

Industry permit lists that include this agency

Delaware jurisdictions

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