13 permits · verified 2026-10-12
What permits do you need to open a contractor or trade in Kent County De?
In short
A contractor or trade in Kent County De, DE has 2 permits that apply to every business of this type, plus 11 more that depend on your premises, signage or how you are set up. Kent County Department of Planning Services, Planning Division charges $50 per zoning certificate of use ("Certificate of use: $50", Kent County Code §128-42A(8)(b)) for the zoning certificate of use (where kent county enforces zoning). 6 of the 13 are charged as a range or formula rather than a flat fee. Verified 2026-10-12 against the issuing agencies’ published fee schedules.
Permits particular to a contractor or trade in Kent County De
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| Contractor Business License | Delaware Division of Revenue | $75 a year, the same base rate as the general business license, taxed further on gross receipts at 0.6472% | annual | 2026-09-04 |
| Plumbing or HVACR Licenseonly if it applies to you | Delaware Board of Plumbing, Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Examiners | $173 for a Master Plumber or Master HVACR license | 2 years — licenses expire October 31 of even-numbered years, terminating outright if not renewed within a year past expiration | 2026-09-04 |
| Electrician Licenseonly if it applies to you | Delaware Board of Electrical Examiners, Division of Professional Regulation | $42–$203 by classification — Master $203, Limited $127, Journeyperson or Residential $105, Apprentice $100, Homeowner Permit $42 | 2 years — licenses expire June 30 of even-numbered years | 2026-09-04 |
Fees shown as a range or formula are set that way by the issuing agency — we do not average them into a single number.
Local permits that apply to every type of business in Kent County De
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kent County Building Permit (commercial construction, fit-out, renovation, signs, demolition)only if it applies to you | Kent County Department of Planning Services, Division of Inspections and Enforcement | Varies — formula on the Kent County De page | 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 you | Kent County Department of Planning Services, Division of Inspections and Enforcement | Varies — formula on the Kent County De page | certificate of occupancy: issued once for the building and occupancy classification, until the occupancy changes; temporary certificate: issued in thirty-day increments | 2026-10-12 |
| 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 |
| Sewer Connection Permit and Main System Capital Improvement Fee (Kent County central sewer)only if it applies to you | Kent County Department of Public Works | Varies — formula on the Kent County De page | the sewerage connection permit is valid for 18 months after receipt of payment by the Department of Public Works, then becomes null and void (Table 128-I-1(5)) | 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.
DE registrations that apply to every type of business
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Certificate of Formation (LLC)only if it applies to you | Delaware Department of State, Division of Corporations | $110 one-time filing | perpetual, but a flat $300 tax is owed every year | 2026-09-04 |
| Certificate of Incorporationonly if it applies to you | Delaware Department of State, Division of Corporations | $109 minimum one-time filing; rises with a larger authorized-share structure | perpetual, but an annual report and franchise tax are due every year | 2026-09-04 |
| LLC Annual Taxonly if it applies to you | Delaware Department of State, Division of Corporations | $300 a year, flat | annual — due every June 1 | 2026-09-04 |
| Business License | Delaware Division of Revenue | $75 a year for most classifications, $90 for general retailers; each additional location adds $25 or $40 | annual, expiring December 31 — a 3-year license may be bought after the first year at exactly three times the annual fee | 2026-09-04 |
| Annual Report and Franchise Taxonly if it applies to you | Delaware Department of State, Division of Corporations | Varies — formula on the DE page | annual — due every March 1 | 2026-09-04 |
Fees shown as a range or formula are set that way by the issuing agency — we do not average them into a single number.
How much does it actually cost to permit a contractor or trade in Kent County De?
There is no single figure, and any site quoting one is rounding away the part that matters. Of the 13 records listed for a contractor or trade in Kent County De, DE, 2 apply to every business of this type and 11 are conditional. Adding every fee on the page together would overstate what most operators pay, because it would include permits they never need.
Of the 2 that always apply, 2 carry a flat fee, coming to $150.00. That is a floor, not a total. 6 of the 13 are charged as a range or a formula set by the issuing agency, and 0 have no fee published at all. The ones particular to this business that vary:
Home Occupation, Home-Based Contractor Establishment or Home Professional Office Approval (administrative PC/C review): 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."
Electrician License: $42–$203 by classification — Master $203, Limited $127, Journeyperson or Residential $105, Apprentice $100, Homeowner Permit $42
The other 4 variable fees belong to permits that apply to every type of business here; their formulas are set out on the Kent County De permits page and the DE state page.
Which offices issue these permits in Kent County De?
Permits for a contractor or trade in Kent County De, DE come from 7 separate offices: Kent County Department of Planning Services, Division of Inspections and Enforcement, Kent County Department of Planning Services, Planning Division, Kent County Department of Public Works, Delaware Department of State, Division of Corporations, Delaware Division of Revenue, Delaware Board of Plumbing, Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Examiners, Delaware Board of Electrical Examiners, Division of Professional Regulation. No single office issues them all, which is why an opening means filing in several places rather than one.
- Kent County Department of Planning Services, Division of Inspections and EnforcementIssues 2 permits on this page: Kent County Building Permit (commercial construction, fit-out, renovation, signs, demolition), Business Certificate of Occupancy and Temporary Certificate of OccupancyKent County Levy Court Administrative Complex, 555 Bay Rd., Dover, DE 19901 · (302) 744-2451www.kentcountyde.gov/My-Government/Departments/Planning
- Kent County Department of Planning Services, Planning DivisionIssues 2 permits on this page: Zoning Certificate of Use (where Kent County enforces zoning), Home Occupation, Home-Based Contractor Establishment or Home Professional Office Approval (administrative PC/C review)Kent County Levy Court Administrative Complex, 555 Bay Rd., Dover, DE 19901 · (302) 744-2471www.kentcountyde.gov/My-Government/Departments/Planning
- Kent County Department of Public WorksIssues 1 permit on this page: Sewer Connection Permit and Main System Capital Improvement Fee (Kent County central sewer)Kent County Levy Court Administrative Complex, 555 Bay Rd., Dover, DE 19901 · (302) 744-2430www.kentcountyde.gov/Residents/Permits/Sewer-Permits
- Delaware Department of State, Division of CorporationsIssues 4 permits on this page: Certificate of Formation (LLC), Certificate of Incorporation, LLC Annual Tax, Annual Report and Franchise TaxPO Box 898, Dover, DE 19903 · (302) 739-3073corp.delaware.gov
- Delaware Division of RevenueIssues 2 permits on this page: Contractor Business License, Business License820 North French Street, Wilmington, DE 19801 · (302) 577-8200revenue.delaware.gov
- Delaware Board of Plumbing, Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration ExaminersIssues 1 permit on this page: Plumbing or HVACR License861 Silver Lake Boulevard, Cannon Building, Suite 203, Dover, DE 19904 · (302) 744-4500dpr.delaware.gov/boards/plumbers
- Delaware Board of Electrical Examiners, Division of Professional RegulationIssues 1 permit on this page: Electrician License861 Silver Lake Boulevard, Cannon Building, Suite 203, Dover, DE 19904 · (302) 744-4500dpr.delaware.gov/boards/electrician
What does a contractor or trade need in Kent County De that other businesses do not?
3 of the 4 permits particular to a contractor or trade here apply to no other business type we cover in Kent County De: Contractor Business License, Plumbing or HVACR License and Electrician License.
Contractor Business License
Contractors license through the same Division of Revenue business license system as any other business, at the identical $75 base rate. A non-resident contractor faces an additional requirement the rest of this license category does not: registering with the Department of Labor's Industrial Accident Board before a license issues, and posting a bond, cash bond or letter of credit equal to 6% of the contract amount.
Plumbing or HVACR License
Delaware licenses plumbing and HVACR work under a single combined board rather than two separate ones, and prices a Master Plumber and a Master HVACR license identically at $173. Unlike most licenses here, there is no grace period at all past the one-year lapse window — the license simply terminates.
Electrician License
A Master Electrician's $203 license costs roughly twice a Journeyperson's or Residential Electrician's $105, on a shared two-year cycle expiring every even year. Continuing education runs alongside it — 10 hours per cycle for Master and Limited license holders, 5 hours for Journeyperson and Residential.
Shared with other businesses in Kent County De
- Home Occupation, Home-Based Contractor Establishment or Home Professional Office Approval (administrative PC/C review) — 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. Also required for childcare centres; what it involves is set out on the childcare centres page.
The other 4 local permits in the tables apply to every type of business in Kent County De, DE; what each one involves is set out on the Kent County De permits page. The 5 state-level registrations apply to every type of business across DE and are covered on the DE state page.
How does a contractor or trade compare with other businesses in Kent County De?
The closest match is a childcare centre, which shares 1 of these permits. A contractor or trade also needs Contractor Business License, Plumbing or HVACR License and Electrician License. A childcare centre needs Child Care License, which a contractor or trade does not.
| Business | Its own permits | Shared with a contractor or trade | Only a contractor or trade needs | Only it needs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Childcare centres | 2 | 1 | 3 | 1 |
| Auto repair shops | 2 | 0 | 4 | 2 |
| Coffee shops | 3 | 0 | 4 | 3 |
| Fitness studios | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| Food trucks | 3 | 0 | 4 | 3 |
| Restaurants | 3 | 0 | 4 | 3 |
| Retail stores | 2 | 0 | 4 | 2 |
| Salons and barbers | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 |
| Veterinary clinics | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 |
Sources
Every figure for the permits explained on this page was read from one of these government pages on the date shown. Sources for the permits shared with other businesses are listed with their explanations on the childcare centres page. Sources for the permits that apply to every type of business are listed on the Kent County De permits page and the DE state page. Confirmed by Editorial Team.
- Delaware Division of Revenue — resident and non-resident contractor licensing and bonding requirementsDelaware Division of Revenue · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-04
- Delaware Division of Revenue — detailed list of license fees and gross receipts tax rates by classificationDelaware Division of Revenue · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-04
- Delaware Board of Plumbing, HVACR Examiners — license fees, expiring October 31 of even yearsDelaware Division of Professional Regulation · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-04
- Delaware Board of Electrical Examiners — license fees by classificationDelaware Division of Professional Regulation · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-04
- Delaware Board of Electrical Examiners — continuing education and renewal cycleDelaware Division of Professional Regulation · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-04
Related
Commercial Compliance Hub publishes information, not legal advice. Requirements change — confirm anything you rely on with the issuing agency before you file.