Pole barns and barndominiums in Ellendale, Delaware.
Building in Ellendale.
Ellendale sits on DE 16, the Beach Highway, and US 113, close to the Ellendale and Redden state forest tracts that were merged into Delaware’s largest state forest. The Ellendale State Forest Picnic Facility and Teddy’s Tavern are local landmarks. With 487 residents at the 2020 Census, it is a small town, and its oldest parts carry a historic preservation overlay.
Outside town, Sussex County rules apply and larger parcels give a barn more room; in town, the setbacks and the historic overlay set the limits. We visit your property, measure and design to whichever rules apply, then build and keep you posted. Ellendale is 29 miles down the road from our Dover office, about 43 minutes.
- County
- Sussex County, Delaware
- Population
- 487 (2020 Census)
- ZIP code
- 19941
- From our office
- About 43 minutes (29 miles) by car
- Permits
- Town of Ellendale Town Office
- Main roads
- DE 16, US 113
Permits and rules in Ellendale.
Inside town, the first stop is the Town of Ellendale Town Office, 300 McCaulley Ave., (302) 422-6727, which reviews a Zoning Compliance/Building Permit application against the Town Zoning Ordinance. Once the Town approves the zoning, the application goes to Sussex County for International Building Code review. From there the County takes over plan review and the inspections, and it issues the certificate of occupancy at the end.
Ellendale’s zoning (§10.2.10.a) requires a building permit for every accessory building and allows one only behind or beside the house, with 6 feet of clearance to the side and rear lot lines and 5 feet to the house or another outbuilding, and it has to be kept structurally sound. The Town’s application also lists special approvals that may come into play: the Health Department, the fire company, the Sussex Conservation District and DelDOT.
Who issues the permit
Town of Ellendale Town Office
- Address
- 300 McCaulley Ave., P.O. Box 6, Ellendale, DE 19941
- Phone
- (302) 422-6727
- 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 Ellendale.
Livestock and poultry made up 83% of Sussex County’s farm sales in 2022, and on parcels outside Ellendale, post-frame equipment sheds, farm shops and horse barns fit that work, along with barndominiums where there is room for a home and a shop under one roof. In town, a garage or shed that keeps its 6-foot side and rear clearances fits a residential lot.
Ellendale questions.
Have a question about your property? Call 302-399-4420 and we’ll look it up.
What is the permit order in Ellendale?
Town zoning first. The Town of Ellendale reviews your Zoning Compliance/Building Permit application against its zoning ordinance, and after that approval the application goes to Sussex County for building code review. The County inspects the work and issues the certificate of occupancy.
Is there a historic review in Ellendale?
In the oldest parts of town, yes. The Historic Preservation Overlay District gives the Planning and Zoning Commission a special review of historic-preservation design factors, based on the Secretary of the Interior’s guidelines. If your lot falls inside it, we plan the design around that review.
Do you build in Ellendale?
Yes. From our office at 575 N Dupont Hwy in Dover, Ellendale is roughly 43 minutes south, about 29 miles, so it is an easy run for site visits and build days.
Let’s plan your building in Ellendale.
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
- Ellendale and all of Sussex County