Pole barns and barndominiums in New Castle, Delaware.
Building in New Castle.
The New Castle Court House Museum, part of First State National Historical Park, stands in a town the Dutch settled in 1651. Along the Delaware River, its historic district covers roughly four blocks and about 500 buildings from 1700 to 1940, and the Amstel House is another landmark. The district is a National Historic Landmark and runs from the river to parts of Sixth Street.
Inside or outside that district, the City of New Castle runs its own permits, so New Castle County’s rules stop at the city line. A 54-minute drive, about 42 miles, separates the city from our Dover office, close enough for the extra meetings a historic project can take. You get drawings, an organized quote and a project manager who keeps you posted.
- County
- New Castle County, Delaware
- Population
- 5,551 (2020 Census)
- ZIP code
- 19720
- From our office
- About 54 minutes (42 miles) by car
- Permits
- City of New Castle Building Department
- Main roads
- US 13, US 40, DE 9, DE 273
Permits and rules in New Castle.
The City of New Castle Building Department, 220 Delaware Street, (302) 322-9801, reviews plans, issues permits and enforces the City’s zoning, building, floodplain and fire codes. Its building-code amendments set a 25 psf ground snow load and require frost protection at least 32 inches below grade. The City says all of New Castle is at risk of flooding, and its adopted floodplain ordinance puts a home’s lowest floor at base flood elevation plus 18 inches, though its web page mentions 12, so we confirm the figure with the Building Department.
In the Historic District, the building permit is only half the approval. All work there needs prior Historic Area Commission approval and a Historic Review Certificate under Zoning Ordinance sections 230-51 and 230-52. File the Building Permit Application and the Historic Area Commission Review Application together; a complete HAC application is due at least 15 days before the monthly meeting, the second Thursday at 6:30 p.m. The Commission also requires natural replacement materials: siding and trim must be wood, painted or finished with an opaque stain.
Who issues the permit
City of New Castle Building Department
- Address
- 220 Delaware Street, New Castle, DE 19720
- Phone
- (302) 322-9801
- Website
- Permit information(opens in a new tab)
Where this comes from
- newcastlecity.delaware.gov (opens in a new tab)
- newcastlecity.delaware.gov (opens in a new tab)
- ecode360.com (opens in a new tab)
- newcastlecity.delaware.gov (opens in a new tab)
- newcastlecity.delaware.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 New Castle.
In the old town, a new outbuilding has to look at home beside buildings dating back to 1700, which points to a carriage-house garage or small workshop in the rear yard with wood siding and trim. Outside the district the City’s permit still applies, but materials are more flexible, so a post-frame garage, boat or camper storage, or a backyard pavilion can take a more standard form.
New Castle questions.
Have a question about your property? Call 302-399-4420 and we’ll look it up.
The county offices have a New Castle address. Do they issue my permit?
Not if you are inside city limits. There, the City of New Castle Building Department at 220 Delaware Street, (302) 322-9801, issues permits. The 19720 ZIP code also reaches unincorporated land, where the New Castle County Department of Land Use takes over. We confirm which side of the line you are on first.
Can I put a metal shed or garage in the Historic District?
Plan on resistance. The Commission’s 2016 design guidelines, which the City’s copy still marks as a draft, call pre-manufactured sheds with plywood, vinyl or metal cladding visible from the public right-of-way not appropriate and place sheds in rear yards. We design for that and confirm the details with the Commission before you commit.
How long does it take your crews to reach New Castle?
Roughly 54 minutes from our Dover office, a trip of about 42 miles. US 13, US 40, DE 9 and DE 273 all serve the city, so getting crews and materials there is simple.
Let’s plan your building in New Castle.
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
- New Castle and all of New Castle County