Pole barns and barndominiums in Harbeson, Delaware.
Building in Harbeson.
Harbeson takes its name from landowner Harbeson Hickman and has its own ZIP code, 19951, though it is an unincorporated community rather than a town. The Allen Harim Foods chicken plant stands on DE 5, and from Harbeson the Delaware Bayshore Byway follows DE 5 north to Milton. Sussex County’s farms sold $1.42 billion of products in 2022, most of it poultry and eggs.
Harbeson is about 38 miles from our Dover office, and the drive takes about 55 minutes. Because the County is the only permit authority here, the path is direct: one County permit, with Planning & Zoning checking setbacks and the Building Code Office reviewing plans and inspecting. We draw the building, file it, build it and keep you posted through the final inspection.
- County
- Sussex County, Delaware
- ZIP code
- 19951
- From our office
- About 55 minutes (38 miles) by car
- Permits
- Sussex County Building Permit Office
- Main roads
- US 9, DE 404, DE 5
Permits and rules in Harbeson.
Harbeson is in unincorporated Sussex County, so the County is the permit authority. The Sussex County Building Permit Office, 2 The Circle in Georgetown, (302) 855-7720, issues the permit; the Building Code Office does plan review at (302) 855-7860 and inspections at (302) 858-5500 under the 2021 IBC and IRC, enforced since January 1, 2023; and Planning & Zoning, (302) 855-7878, handles zoning and property-line setbacks. A County permit is required for sheds, carports, detached garages, pole buildings and agricultural buildings alike.
Planning & Zoning’s reference guide lets sheds, detached garages and pole buildings under 600 square feet sit 5 feet from the side and rear property lines; at 600 square feet or more, they must meet the house setbacks. The County FAQ wants footers at least 24 inches below final grade and post holes at least three times larger than the post on all sides, and it exempts pole-style buildings from the gutter and downspout rule. The County does not enforce private deed restrictions or covenants, so check yours.
Who issues the permit
Sussex County Building Permit Office
- Address
- 2 The Circle, P.O. Box 589, Georgetown, DE 19947
- Phone
- (302) 855-7720
- Website
- Permit information(opens in a new tab)
Where this comes from
- sussexcountyde.gov (opens in a new tab)
- sussexcountyde.gov (opens in a new tab)
- sussexcountyde.gov (opens in a new tab)
- sussexcountyde.gov (opens in a new tab)
- sussexcountyde.gov (opens in a new tab)
- sussexcountyde.gov (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 Harbeson.
Harbeson is a farm-country crossroads, and working buildings fit its parcels: a horse barn with a run-in shed, an implement building for the tractor and wagon, a farm shop with room to work. Keep the County’s animal numbers in mind: its zoning guide treats more than four horses as commercial-scale animal keeping, tied to farms of 5 acres or more.
Harbeson questions.
Have a question about your property? Call 302-399-4420 and we’ll look it up.
Who issues building permits in Harbeson?
Sussex County. Harbeson is unincorporated, so the Sussex County Building Permit Office issues the permit, the Building Code Office reviews the plans and inspects, and Planning & Zoning checks setbacks. There is no town step.
How many horses can I keep before it counts as commercial?
The County’s Planning & Zoning reference guide treats keeping more than four horses (or more than 4 cows, 8 sheep, 8 goats, 8 hogs or 99 chickens) as commercial-scale animal keeping, tied to farms of 5 acres or more. It is a summary guide, so we confirm your parcel’s zoning with Planning & Zoning.
Is Harbeson far from your Dover office?
No. It is about 38 miles, roughly 55 minutes by car, from 575 N Dupont Hwy in Dover, and the County permit office is in Georgetown on The Circle, west of Harbeson.
Let’s plan your building in Harbeson.
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
- Harbeson and all of Sussex County