Pole barns and barndominiums in Ocean View, Delaware.
Building in Ocean View.
In 1923 Cecile Long Steele raised the first commercial broiler flock in Ocean View; by 2022, poultry and eggs brought Sussex County $1.16 billion in sales. The town was incorporated in 1889 about a mile west of the Atlantic, the Assawoman Canal forms its eastern border, and today it is a bedroom community for neighboring Bethany Beach. The Tunnell-West House and the Evans-West House are both on the National Register.
Ocean View’s permit process has three hand-offs: the Town issues its permit, the County inspects the structure, and the Town inspects again before it issues the Certificate of Zoning Compliance at the end. We keep the plan sets, placards and inspections in order so nothing stalls. The town sits 57 miles from our Dover office, about 89 minutes by car.
- County
- Sussex County, Delaware
- Population
- 2,636 (2020 Census)
- ZIP code
- 19970
- From our office
- About 1 hr 29 min (57 miles) by car
- Permits
- Town of Ocean View Planning, Zoning & Development (permits)
- Main roads
- DE 26, DE 54 Alternate
Permits and rules in Ocean View.
Start with the Town of Ocean View Planning, Zoning & Development (permits), 201 Central Avenue, 2nd Floor, (302) 539-1208 ext. 110. You submit three sets of detailed plans; the Town issues its building permit and returns two sets to present to Sussex County for the County permit. Ocean View is one of the towns where the County does plan review and inspections, so the County handles the footer, framing, insulation and final structural inspections, and both permit placards must be posted at the job site.
After the County’s final, the Town inspects and issues a Certificate of Zoning Compliance; failing to obtain it can bring penalties of up to $500 per day. Permits are valid for one year and expire if work does not begin within 90 days. In a flood zone, the project must comply with Chapter 116, Article 1 of the Environmental Protection code, Chapter 116 wetland buffers apply, and the Town needs an elevation certificate for its CO where applicable.
Who issues the permit
Town of Ocean View Planning, Zoning & Development (permits)
- Address
- 201 Central Avenue, 2nd Floor, Ocean View, DE 19970
- Phone
- (302) 539-1208 ext. 110 (permits); Administrative Department (302) 539-9797
- 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 Ocean View.
With Bethany Beach next door and the ocean about a mile away, a detached garage with room for bikes, kayaks and a boat trailer, a pool house, or a shed for chairs and umbrellas suits an Ocean View lot. If the lot is in a flood zone, we design around the Chapter 116 rules and the elevation certificate the Town needs.
Ocean View questions.
Have a question about your property? Call 302-399-4420 and we’ll look it up.
What order do the Ocean View permits go in?
Town first. The Town of Ocean View issues its building permit and returns two of your three plan sets for the Sussex County permit. The County does the structural inspections, and after the County final, the Town inspects and issues the Certificate of Zoning Compliance.
Is there a deadline to start work in Ocean View?
Yes. A permit expires if work does not begin within 90 days, and permits are valid for one year. Town construction hours run 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekdays and 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturdays, with no Sunday work except by owners.
How far is Ocean View from your office?
Roughly 57 miles. The drive from our Dover office at 575 N Dupont Hwy takes about 89 minutes, and Ocean View, like neighboring Millville and Bethany Beach, is within the area we serve.
Let’s plan your building in Ocean View.
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
- Ocean View and all of Sussex County