Pole barns and barndominiums in Lincoln, Delaware.
Building in Lincoln.
Col. Abel Stokes Small established Lincoln City in 1865, in anticipation of the railroad, and the Delmarva Central Railroad line still runs through the community, once headquarters of the Delaware Coast Line Railroad. Lincoln sits on US 113 between Ellendale and Milford, and DE 30 also reaches the area. It became a census-designated place in 2020, with 894 residents.
Lincoln is only 24 miles from our Dover office, about 37 minutes, so site visits and build days are easy to fit in. Because the County handles everything here, there is one set of rules to follow, and we draw to them from the start. Then our crews build, and final payment waits until the County’s final inspection.
- County
- Sussex County, Delaware
- Population
- 894 (2020 Census)
- ZIP code
- 19960
- From our office
- About 37 minutes (24 miles) by car
- Permits
- Sussex County Building Permit Office
- Main roads
- US 113, DE 30
Permits and rules in Lincoln.
Lincoln is unincorporated, so Sussex County is the only permitting authority: the Sussex County Building Permit Office, (302) 855-7720, issues the permit, Sussex County Planning & Zoning, (302) 855-7878, reviews zoning and setbacks, and the Building Code Office does plan review and inspections. Every project here needs a County permit, from detached garages and pole buildings to agricultural buildings. If the site is in a flood zone, a flood review comes before the permit, and an elevation certificate may be needed before occupancy.
For a pole building, the plans must show the size and depth of every post hole. Unless a Delaware architect or engineer designs the footings, poles up to 12 feet, floor to truss bottom chord, need at least 36 inches to the bottom of the footer; taller poles need a footer depth equal to the pole height divided by 4; and poles over 16 feet, or a second story outside the trusses, need sealed plans. Delaware-sealed truss specifications must be on site at the framing inspection.
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)
Permit details checked October 2026. Rules change, so we confirm the current requirements for your parcel before anything is drawn.
What people build around Lincoln.
Wheat covered 21,118 acres of Sussex County in 2022 and vegetables another 13,155 harvested acres, beside all the poultry. On a rural parcel near Lincoln, that kind of farming calls for a machinery shed with tall doors, hay and grain storage or a farm shop. On a smaller lot, a detached garage under 600 square feet can sit 5 feet from the side and rear lines.
Lincoln questions.
Have a question about your property? Call 302-399-4420 and we’ll look it up.
Is there a Lincoln town permit?
No. Lincoln is unincorporated, so the only permit comes from Sussex County. Planning & Zoning checks the setbacks, and the Building Code Office reviews the plans and inspects the work, including a header inspection before any wall covering goes on a pole building.
Do I need an erosion control plan for a pole barn in Lincoln?
If the work disturbs 5,000 square feet or more, yes. The Sussex Conservation District’s Residential Standard Plan has to be in place before the County issues the building permit. A large building pad plus a driveway can reach that threshold, so we measure it during design.
How close is Lincoln to your office?
Close. Lincoln is 24 miles from our office at 575 N Dupont Hwy in Dover, about 37 minutes by car, so it is easy for us to meet you on site.
Let’s plan your building in Lincoln.
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
- Lincoln and all of Sussex County