Kent County
Kent County Department of Planning Services, Planning Division
In short
Kent County Department of Planning Services, Planning Division issues 2 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
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zoning Certificate of Use (where Kent County enforces zoning)only if it applies to you | Kent County Department of Planning Services, Planning Division | $50 per zoning certificate of use ("Certificate of use: $50", Kent County Code §128-42A(8)(b)) | continues in effect as long as the use is in complete conformity with Chapter 205; a certificate is required for each use, and it continues in effect when the ownership of the property changes as long as the use does not change (§205-52F) | 2026-10-12 |
| Home Occupation, Home-Based Contractor Establishment or Home Professional Office Approval (administrative PC/C review)only if it applies to you | Kent County Department of Planning Services, Planning Division | Kent County Code §128-42A(1)(e)[1]: "Home occupation/professional office/home-based contractor's establishment/school bus parking: $300 (plus $250 if public hearing required)"; §128-42A(1)(h): "Second and each subsequent review: $150." | per approval, subject to the conditions of approval for the use | 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
Zoning Certificate of Use (where Kent County enforces zoning)
Kent County Code §205-52F provides: "Except for single-family residences, agricultural uses, and uses approved through a separate review process, no premises or structure, including a nonconforming use, may be used or altered until a zoning certificate of use is issued by the Department of Planning Services, Division of Planning." The certificate authorises the occupancy and use of the structure or premises and continues in effect as long as the use is in complete conformity with Chapter 205; a certificate is required for each use, and as long as a use does not change it continues in effect when the ownership of the property changes. Section 205-52F says the fee is set by ordinance of the Levy Court, and Kent County Code §128-42A(8)(b) (last amended 5-27-2025 by Ord. No. 25-12; the Code is current to March 24, 2026) sets it: "Certificate of use: $50." The Planning Division handles zoning information and administrative applications at (302) 744-2471 or planning@kentcountyde.gov. 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). A business in any of those 20 towns therefore applies to the town for zoning rather than to the county.
Home Occupation, Home-Based Contractor Establishment or Home Professional Office Approval (administrative PC/C review)
In the Kent County zoning use table, "Home occupations", "Home-based contractor establishment, no outdoor storage" and "Professional office (home-based)" are PC/C uses; under §205-53A(5) "PC/C" indicates a use permitted through an administrative review process that can be subject to formal conditional use review, with specific conditions of approval. Section 205-55 defines a HOME-BASED CONTRACTOR ESTABLISHMENT as a residential parcel with a contractor's business, owned and operated by the owner-occupants, as an accessory use, and defines a FAMILY CHILD-CARE HOME as a dwelling licensed or qualified to be licensed by the State of Delaware, limited to six full-time and three part-time or latch key children (nine in all), that "shall be approved by kent County Levy Court as an authorized home occupation". Home occupations may not change the outside appearance of the dwelling, generate traffic, parking, sewerage or water use beyond what is normal, create objectionable noise, smoke, fumes, odour, dust or electrical interference, or store or display anything outside; §205-55 lists unsuitable uses including child-care centres of more than nine children, automobile service or repair, and on-premises veterinarian services. Under §205-423 (added 4-25-2023 by Ord. No. 23-06) the application includes a plot plan, a description of the use, a floor plan and any signage, and the applicant notifies all property owners within 200 feet by certified mail; if a letter of objection is received, the application is processed as a conditional use needing Levy Court approval. As set in Kent County Code §128-42A(1)(e)[1] and (h): $300, plus $250 if a public hearing is required, and $150 for each second or later review. The Planning Division handles these applications at (302) 744-2471. A home business inside one of the 20 municipalities applies to that town.
Contact
- Jurisdiction
- Kent County
- Phone
- (302) 744-2471
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.
- 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
- Kent County Code Chapter 205, Article V (Use regulations), including §205-52, §205-53 and §205-55Kent County, Delaware (via ecode360) · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-12
- 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
- Municipal Information (building permits)Kent County Levy Court · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-12
- Planning ServicesKent County Department of Planning Services · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-12
Other offices serving Kent County
The full permit list for this jurisdiction
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