For the unincorporated Town of Mount Pleasant, building permits come from the Building Department at One Town Hall Plaza, Valhalla (914-742-2305). Since July 1, 2026 every application has been uploaded to the town’s OpenGov Online Service Center, and anything drawn to the 2020 codes is returned. The adopted fee chapter charges a $200 non-refundable administration fee plus $30 for the first $1,000 of work and $18 for each further $1,000, with residential work valued at no less than $250 per square foot. Pleasantville, Sleepy Hollow and Briarcliff Manor permit their own land.
What requires a building permit in Mount Pleasant?
Chapter 68 of the Town Code requires a separate permit for each building or structure that is erected, enlarged, altered, removed, demolished or converted; only ordinary, non-structural repairs are exempt. The department states it plainly: homes and businesses need permits for any and all structural improvements, changes and renovations. Its upload checklists show the range of work it permits:
Checklists posted
- Additions, new homes, detached garages and sunrooms
- Kitchen and bath remodels, basements and interior alterations
- Decks, porticos, pergolas, stairs and steps
- Fences, retaining walls and decorative walls
- Garden sheds, tool houses, playhouses, tree houses and play apparatus
- Pools and permanent hot tubs; tent garages; greenhouses
- Roofs, windows and doors, solar panels, generators, geothermal systems and oil tanks
Local limits to know
- Sheds in R-10 and R-20 zones: no more than 150 sq ft and 12 feet high
- Sheds in the R-40 zone: no more than 250 sq ft and 15 feet high
- Oil tanks of 1,100 gallons or more must also be registered with the Westchester County Department of Health
- Every elevator needs a building permit and a yearly inspection
Since January 1, 2026 an air-to-air heat pump is handled on a plumbing permit, while a geothermal heat pump still needs a building permit; either way the town wants Manual J load calculations for Mount Pleasant conditions plus Manual D duct and Manual S equipment sizing.
What the town decides and what the state sets
Plans must show compliance with the 2025 New York codes; since January 1, 2026 the department treats any application drawn to the 2020 code as incomplete. The town sets administration and fees in Chapters 68 and A224 and adds local land-use rules: zoning (Chapter 218), freshwater wetlands (Chapter 111), steep slopes (Chapter 180), trees (Chapter 201), flood damage prevention (Chapter 108) and an eight-foot construction fence around new buildings and full demolitions (Section 68-21, added in 2023). A stricter technical standard than the Uniform Code would need state Code Council approval.
Mount Pleasant building department: who handles permitting
The town’s Building / Planning and Zoning Department, led by Building and Fire Inspector Salvatore Pennelle, enforces the building, fire and zoning codes on the unincorporated land: the hamlets of Hawthorne, Thornwood, Valhalla and Pocantico Hills, home to 25,887 of the town’s 45,444 residents (Census 2025 estimates). The three villages inside the town each have their own building inspector.
Short on time to read all of this?
Get a free quote →| Area | Office and contact |
|---|---|
| Unincorporated town (Hawthorne, Thornwood, Valhalla, Pocantico Hills) | Town Building Department, One Town Hall Plaza, Valhalla, NY 10595; 914-742-2305 (Planning and Zoning 914-742-2330); Monday to Friday 8:30 am to 4:30 pm |
| Village of Pleasantville (7,391 residents) | Pleasantville Building Department, 80 Wheeler Avenue, Pleasantville, NY 10570; 914-769-1926; weekdays 8 am to 4 pm |
| Village of Sleepy Hollow (11,474) | Sleepy Hollow Department of Architecture, Land Use Development, Buildings and Building Compliance, Village Hall, 28 Beekman Avenue, Sleepy Hollow, NY 10591; Building Inspector 914-366-5124 |
| Village of Briarcliff Manor, Mount Pleasant part (692) | Briarcliff Manor Building & Engineering Department, 1111 Pleasantville Road, Briarcliff Manor, NY 10510; 914-944-2770; Monday to Friday 8:30 am to 4:30 pm |
Most of Briarcliff Manor lies in the Town of Ossining, but the whole village, including its small Mount Pleasant corner, is served by the village office. Sleepy Hollow’s department is supervised by the Village Architect.
Mount Pleasant permit types and filing rules
Residential permits
Building, fire alarm, electrical and plumbing permits are all applied for in the Online Service Center (OpenGov); the PDF forms on the Forms & Applications page are for reference only. Each upload must be a PDF named in the town’s format (address, what the file is, date), for example “1 TOWN HALL ARCH. DRAWINGS DOB SUBMISSION”. Chapter 68 asks for a description of the land and the work, the valuation and floor area, plans with a plot plan, and an affidavit of estimated cost that splits materials from labor. A revised 2026 affidavit of ownership and a 2026 amendment form are posted for owners and changes.
The shed checklist (April 2026) is a good example of what the town expects: plans stamped by a New York architect or engineer if the shed is built from scratch, or the manufacturer’s specifications if bought; a survey marking the location; the contractor’s Westchester County home improvement license; general liability, disability and workers’ compensation certificates naming the town as certificate holder; and a Dig Safely number for any mechanical excavation.
Building or remodeling a home here? Alliance handles residential permit applications, so the crew isn't waiting on the counter.
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Get a free quote →Commercial permits
Commercial projects use the same portal, with valuation set at no less than $400 per square foot for fee purposes and a $200 certificate of occupancy. Commercial site plans cost a $250 administrative fee plus $400 and $40 per parking space; elevators need a building permit, a $100 certificate and a $275 annual inspection per device.
For tenant improvements and new commercial builds, Alliance handles commercial building permits through issuance. More on this: commercial building permits explained.
What comes before the building permit
- Planning Board: residential site plans cost a $250 administrative fee plus $300 and $30 per parking space; residential wetlands review $150 and steep-slope review $250, and Section A224-2 can require an escrow deposit for consultant review.
- Zoning Board of Appeals: residential appeals pay a $250 administrative fee plus $200 for a proposed variance or $400 to legalize an existing condition.
- Architectural review: the Advisory Board of Architecture and Community Appearance charges $100 per application.
- Accessory apartments: $200 Planning fee.
- Septic: a new septic system on an unsewered lot needs a Westchester County Department of Health permit.
- Flood zones: FEMA lists the town as participating, on the Westchester County map effective September 28, 2007; Chapter 108 governs building in mapped flood areas.
Mount Pleasant building permit fees
Building fees are set in Chapter A224 of the Town Code, last amended by Local Law 13 of 2025 on October 28, 2025. The fee chart the department page links does not currently open, so the table follows the adopted chapter.
| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| Application administration fee (residential or commercial) | $200, non-refundable |
| Building permit, first $1,000 of value | $30 |
| Each additional $1,000 or fraction | $18; value counted at no less than $250 per sq ft (residential) or $400 per sq ft (commercial) |
| Certificate of occupancy or compliance | $100 residential; $200 commercial |
| Temporary certificate of occupancy | $25 (valid up to three months) |
| Six-month extension (two allowed) | $300 each |
| Legalization | $1,000 per item |
| Work started without a permit | Double the building permit application fee, at least $500 |
| Residential plumbing, new home | $200 (1–15 fixtures), $250 (16–25), $300 (26 or more); electrical permit $100 |
| Residential plumbing, remodeling | $125 up to 3 fixtures, $15 each additional; electrical permit $50 |
| Sewer or water service connection inspection | $150 each |
| Residential water heater; boiler, heating unit, pool heater or HVAC unit | $100 each |
| Residential generator, 20–80 kW / backflow device / reinspection | $250 / $100 / $50 |
| Commercial plumbing | Remodeling: $200 up to 3 fixtures, $15 each additional; new: $550 (1–15 fixtures), $1,200 (16–25), $15 per $1,000 (26 and over) |
| Commercial electrical | New: $18 per $1,000; generators $350 (100–200 kW), $450 (200–300 kW), $550 (300 kW and up) |
| Freestanding wood stove or fireplace | $25 permit + $10 certificate |
| Elevator | $100 certificate; $275 annual inspection per device |
| Record search / survey verification | $20 / $100 |
Rather talk it over?
Call 1-855-478-4290 →Worked example: a 300 sq ft house addition is valued at no less than $75,000 (300 × $250). The permit is $30 for the first $1,000 plus 74 × $18 ($1,332), or $1,362; with the $200 administration fee and the $100 certificate the town total is $1,662, and Section 68-10 has you pay any extra if the final cost affidavit shows a higher value.
Trade permits and who may pull them
Plumbing. Chapter 157 bars anyone from working as a plumber in Mount Pleasant without a Westchester County plumber’s license, and only licensed plumbers may make sewer and water connections. The plumbing permit must be shown to the Building Inspector before the building permit issues, and the town’s own inspector checks plumbing work.
Electrical. Wiring may be installed only by a person holding a Westchester County electrician’s license. A residential electrical permit costs $100 for a new home or $50 for remodeling, and a certificate from the electrical inspection is needed before a certificate of occupancy or compliance can issue. The county keeps a list of licensed electrical inspection agencies.
HVAC contractors. The town requires HVAC contractors on heat pump jobs to hold and show a Westchester County home improvement license, citing a county licensing regulation effective July 23, 2025.
Licensing office. The Westchester County Department of Consumer Protection, 148 Martine Avenue, Room 407, White Plains (914-995-2155), issues home improvement, master plumber and master electrician licenses; the home improvement application fee is $750 for applications accepted since January 1, 2026.
Rather not deal with the building department?
Get a free quote →How to apply for a Mount Pleasant building permit
Pleasantville, Sleepy Hollow and Briarcliff Manor addresses go to those villages.
Zoning questions need an in-office visit; obtain any Planning Board, Zoning Board or architecture board approval before filing.
Download the required-item list for your project type from Forms & Applications.
Stamp plans, attach the survey, cost affidavit, county license and insurance, and name every file in the town’s format.
Submit in the Online Service Center; the $200 administration fee is not refundable.
Pass the inspections, file the notarized affidavit of final cost and request the certificate.
Review, corrections and what causes delay
The department returns applications drawn to the 2020 codes and those with missing or badly labeled documents as incomplete. Heat pump filings without Manual J, D and S reports and contractors without a county license are other common holdups. A permit authorizes work for one year; the Building Inspector may grant two six-month extensions at $300 each, and after the second a new permit with full fees is required.
Inspections and certificates in Mount Pleasant
Book inspections with the Building Department (914-742-2305). Approved plans and the permit must stay on site for the inspector, and a new building or a demolition to grade must be enclosed by a solid or screened construction fence at least eight feet high.
A certificate of occupancy or compliance issues once the permit fees are paid, the final inspection is passed and a notarized affidavit of final cost is filed, plus an electrical certificate if any wiring was done. A new building may not be occupied before its certificate, and an altered building may stay in use no more than 30 days after the work ends without one. A temporary certificate ($25) can cover a safe, finished part of a building for up to three months.
New York building code
New York builds on one statewide code, the Uniform Code, outside New York City; the 2025 edition and 2025 Energy Code took effect on 31 December 2025 (the all-electric provisions remain suspended by court order). Cities, towns and villages administer it, and local standards stricter than the code need Code Council approval. The Uniform Code in New York
Mount Pleasant permit FAQ
I live in Thornwood. Who issues my permit?
The Town of Mount Pleasant Building Department at Town Hall in Valhalla; Thornwood, Hawthorne, Valhalla and Pocantico Hills are unincorporated hamlets of the town.
Can I still drop off a paper application?
No. Since July 1, 2026 every application document must be uploaded to the Online Service Center; the PDF forms online are for reference.
Want this handled start to finish?
Get a free quote →Do I need a permit for a shed?
Yes. The town has a shed checklist that asks for a survey, plans or manufacturer’s specifications and the contractor’s county license. Sheds are limited to 150 sq ft and 12 feet high in the R-10 and R-20 zones and to 250 sq ft and 15 feet in R-40.
How is a heat pump permitted?
Since January 1, 2026 an air-to-air heat pump is permitted as plumbing work and a geothermal system as building work. Both need Manual J, D and S calculations and an installer with a Westchester County home improvement license.
Why is my permit fee higher than my contract price suggests?
Chapter A224 values residential work at no less than $250 per square foot (commercial $400), so a small addition can be valued above its contract price.
Can I extend a permit?
Twice, for six months each, at $300 per extension. After that a new permit is needed and earlier fees are not credited.
Can I do my own wiring?
Chapter 157 says no one may install wiring for light, heat, power or alarm devices in the town without an electrician’s license issued by Westchester County, so plan on a licensed electrician and the electrical inspection certificate.
What does removing an old oil tank involve?
A building permit plus a plumbing permit filed by an oil tank company or licensed plumber, and an inspection when the tank comes out. Tanks of 1,100 gallons or more are also registered with the Westchester County Department of Health.
How do I find a property’s permit history?
Use the online title search request linked from the department page or file a FOIL request with the town; Chapter A224 charges $20 for a record search.
Permit search and official resources
The Online Service Center tracks open applications. For a property’s permits and certificates, use the online title search request or the town’s FOIL request page; a record search costs $20, a survey verification $100 and copies 25 cents a page.
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →- Building / Planning and Zoning Department
- Online Service Center (OpenGov)
- Forms, applications and required-item checklists
- Garden shed and play structure checklist (April 2026)
- County HVAC licensing notice
- Town Code Chapter A224, Fees
- Town Code Chapter 68, Building Construction Administration
- Town Code Chapter 157, Plumbing and Electrical Work
- Planning Board
- Zoning Board of Appeals
- Village of Pleasantville Building Department
- Village of Sleepy Hollow Building
- Village of Briarcliff Manor Building & Engineering
- Westchester County plumber and electrician licenses
- Westchester County home improvement license fees
- Westchester County Health septic and well permits
- FEMA Community Status Book, New York
- NYS code adoption notice
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Read guide →This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Town of Mount Pleasant permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.