Pole barns and barndominiums in Clayton, Delaware.
Building in Clayton.
Clayton is a town of 3,961 people (2020) on DE 6, DE 300 and DE 15. It grew up around a Delaware Railroad stop known as Smyrna Station, about 1.5 miles west of Smyrna, after the line came through in 1855, and it took the name Clayton when it incorporated on April 15, 1887. The Clayton Railroad Station, St. Joseph’s Industrial School and Byrd’s AME Church are all on the National Register.
In Clayton the plot plan carries real weight, because the setbacks, the rear-yard coverage and any easements are all checked against it. So we measure the lot first, and our designers draw the site plan and the building together, with an organized, easy-to-read quote. Once the town issues the permit, our crews build and a project manager keeps you posted.
- County
- Kent County, Delaware
- Population
- 3,961 (2020 Census)
- ZIP code
- 19938
- From our office
- About 20 minutes (12 miles) by car
- Permits
- Town of Clayton, Inspections & Enforcement (License & Inspection Department)
- Main roads
- DE 6 (Main Street), DE 300, DE 15
Permits and rules in Clayton.
Clayton issues its own permits; Kent County lists it among the towns that require their own. The Town of Clayton Inspections & Enforcement office (License & Inspection Department) at 414 Main Street handles building permits, contractor licensing and code enforcement (302-653-5637; Town Hall 302-653-8419). Any accessory building or structure over 120 sq ft needs a town permit, filed with two copies of a plot plan or mortgage survey showing the building’s size and setbacks. All contractors must hold a yearly Town of Clayton contractor’s license, and final inspections are scheduled with the town or First State Inspection Agency (302-422-3859).
Who issues the permit
Town of Clayton, Inspections & Enforcement (License & Inspection Department)
- Address
- 414 Main Street, P.O. Box 1130, Clayton, DE 19938
- Phone
- (302) 653-5637 (License & Inspection); Town Hall (302) 653-8419
- Website
- Permit information(opens in a new tab)
Where this comes from
Permit details checked October 2026. Rules change, so we confirm the current requirements for your parcel before anything is drawn.
What people build around Clayton.
Because the permit threshold is 120 sq ft, nearly any post-frame building in Clayton goes through the town, from a single-bay garage to a workshop or a covered spot for a camper or boat. A garage has the most freedom on the lot, since only garages are approved for front, side or rear yard areas. Bigger plans, like a shop with a loft, still have room under the 35 ft height limit, as long as rear-yard coverage stays at 25% or less.
Clayton questions.
Have a question about your property? Call 302-399-4420 and we’ll look it up.
How close to the property line can a garage go in Clayton?
Accessory buildings must be at least 5 ft from the rear property line and 3 ft from the side. Total accessory coverage is capped at 25% of the rear yard, the height limit is 35 ft, and anything built in an easement can be removed at the owner’s expense. We draw the plot plan to those numbers.
How far is Clayton from your office?
Clayton is about 12 miles from 575 N Dupont Hwy, roughly a 20-minute drive north of our Dover office. Call 302-399-4420 to set up a site visit, and have a mortgage survey ready if you have one, since the town’s permit asks for it.
Do flood zone rules apply to a shed in Clayton?
Yes. In flood zones, Clayton requires all four corners of a shed to be anchored to the ground. If your lot falls in a mapped flood zone, we confirm the anchoring details with the town’s Inspections & Enforcement office and show them on the plans.
Let’s plan your building in Clayton.
Tell us what you’d like to build and where, and we’ll come back with drawings and a free quote.
- info@pbuincde.com
- Office
- 575 N Dupont Hwy, Dover, DE 19901 (opens Google Maps in a new tab)
- Hours
- Mon to Fri, 8:00 am to 4:30 pm
- We build in
- Clayton and all of Kent County