Pole barns and barndominiums in Delaware City, Delaware.
Building in Delaware City.
Delaware City is a small port town of 1,885 people at the eastern end of the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal. The Forts Ferry Crossing leaves from here for Fort Delaware on Pea Patch Island, Fort DuPont State Park is one of its landmarks, and the Delaware City Historic District covers the National Register district plus other listed properties.
In 2015 the City removed New Castle County as its building inspector and code enforcer and set up its own department, so a garage or pole building here starts at City Hall, not the county offices. That local system has its own fees, setbacks and historic review. We work through each one, then draw the building and quote it clearly.
- County
- New Castle County, Delaware
- Population
- 1,885 (2020 Census)
- ZIP code
- 19706
- From our office
- About 50 minutes (38 miles) by car
- Permits
- City of Delaware City, City Hall (Building Inspection and Code Enforcement)
- Main roads
- DE 9, DE 72
Permits and rules in Delaware City.
Applications go to City Hall at 407 Clinton Street, (302) 834-4573. The City’s Building Inspection and Code Enforcement Department works through a Building Code Inspector under contract approved by Council, who issues permits and certificates of occupancy and performs inspections. Accessory buildings belong in the rear yard and may come within 7 feet of a rear or side lot line; except for garages, they must stay 10 feet from the house and other outbuildings. No permit is issued while a zoning, building or housing violation is unresolved on any Delaware City property you have a vested interest in.
Fees for sheds, garages and similar residential work are the greater of $100 or 2.5% of the anticipated construction cost, and they double if work starts before the permit is issued. In the Historic District, a new principal or accessory structure goes to the Historic Preservation Commission, which sends Mayor and Council a Letter of Appropriateness recommendation within 60 days. Parts of the zoning chapter have been amended, so we confirm current fees and rules at City Hall.
Who issues the permit
City of Delaware City, City Hall (Building Inspection and Code Enforcement)
- Address
- 407 Clinton Street, P.O. Box 4159, Delaware City, DE 19706
- Phone
- (302) 834-4573
- Website
- Permit information(opens in a new tab)
Where this comes from
- delawarecity.org (opens in a new tab)
- delawarecity.org (opens in a new tab)
- delawarecity.org (opens in a new tab)
- delawarecity.org (opens in a new tab)
Permit details checked October 2026. Rules change, so we confirm the current requirements for your parcel before anything is drawn.
What people build around Delaware City.
Near the water, a garage or storage building has to fit the flood rules as well as the zoning. On an in-town lot, that points to a detached garage or a workshop that respects the 7-foot setbacks, with siding and proportions that suit the historic district. Boat and camper storage suits a port town, and post-frame keeps the floor open for both. The 50-minute drive from our Dover office, about 38 miles, is an easy one for our crews.
Delaware City questions.
Have a question about your property? Call 302-399-4420 and we’ll look it up.
Who issues building permits in Delaware City?
The City does. Since a 2015 ordinance removed New Castle County as its building inspector, Delaware City has run its own Building Inspection and Code Enforcement Department. Apply at City Hall, 407 Clinton Street, (302) 834-4573, where a contracted Building Code Inspector issues the permit and the certificate of occupancy.
What if my Delaware City lot is in a flood zone?
The City’s floodplain chapter puts a home’s lowest floor at or above base flood elevation plus 12 inches. An accessory building of 180 square feet or less, used only for parking or storage, can skip elevation if it is flood-resistant, anchored and fitted with flood openings. The chapter was amended later, so we confirm the current rule with City Hall.
How far is Delaware City from Dover?
Delaware City is roughly 50 minutes by car, about 38 miles from our office. That is close enough for a site visit before we draw and steady oversight while the building goes up.
Let’s plan your building in Delaware City.
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
- Delaware City and all of New Castle County