Town of North Castle, New York Building Permit Guide

The Town of North Castle Building Department, in the Annex at 17 Bedford Road, Armonk (914-273-3000 ext. 44), issues building, electrical and plumbing permits and certificates for the entire town. Most applications are filed at the counter, while roofs, siding, windows, kitchen and bath renovations, boilers, oil tanks and trade permits may be emailed. The 2026 master fee schedule charges a house $125 to apply plus $16 per $1,000 of construction cost, and a $100 certificate of occupancy or compliance.

What requires a building permit in North Castle?

The town’s customer guide puts it simply: build, enlarge, alter, repair, move, remove, improve, convert or demolish a building or structure, from a tool shed to a house, and you need a permit; a code violation usually has to be cured under one too. Chapter 127 (Local Law 6 of 2022) carries the formal rule and a short list of exemptions.

Starting before the permit is expensive here: every fee marked on the 2026 schedule doubles when work began or finished before a permit was issued, and legalizing unpermitted work carries a further $2,000 fee, which the Building Inspector may waive for an owner who did not do the work.

What North Castle decides and what the state sets

Construction standards are those of the New York Uniform Code and Energy Code; the town’s Chapter 127 sets the local permit terms and its other chapters add zoning (Chapter 355), wetlands and watercourses (Chapter 340), trees (Chapter 308) and flood damage prevention (Chapter 177). A construction rule stricter than the Uniform Code would need the state Code Council’s approval.

North Castle building department: who handles permitting

Building and Fire Inspector Robert Melillo heads the Building Department, which also runs the Fire Prevention and Property Maintenance Division for operating permits and fire safety inspections. There is no incorporated village in North Castle, so no second building office exists. The counter is open Monday to Friday from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm (8 am to 4 pm from the Tuesday after Memorial Day to the Friday before Labor Day) but closes to the public at 2 pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays all year. The department also takes reports of property maintenance problems, possible code violations and illicit discharges through its online complaint form.

North Castle permit types and filing rules

Residential permits

The applications page carries separate residential and commercial building permit forms plus plumbing, HVAC, sign, blasting, rock chipping, fill, tree removal, floodplain development, temporary certificate and renewal or revision forms, along with the 2025 code review sheets (energy code submittal, HVAC design review and design criteria). A full packet holds the notarized application and checklist, fees, the contractor’s county license, liability, disability and workers’ compensation certificates on separate state forms, two sets of plans and specification sheets. Homeowners doing their own work file the CE-200; the department says the old BP-1 is no longer accepted.

The online permitting page limits email filing to electrical applications (the page links forms from three inspection agencies), plumbing, HVAC (new for 2026) and residential jobs for roofs, siding, replacement windows, boilers, oil tanks and bathroom or kitchen renovations. Send the complete set to Permits@northcastleny.com; once staff confirm it is complete, call ext. 44 and pay by credit card, with card fees, by the next business day. HVAC filings need Manual J and S calculations.

A home generator needs a building permit with a survey showing compliance with zoning Section 355-15Q: half the normal setback, no front-yard location unless three times the principal setback, screening as the Building Inspector requires, and exercise runs only on weekdays between 9 am and 5 pm. A separate plumbing permit covers the gas line unless the propane company installs it, and an electrical permit covers the wiring.

Building or remodeling a home here? Alliance handles residential permit applications, so the crew isn't waiting on the counter.

Commercial permits

Commercial work uses the commercial form at $200 plus $20 per $1,000. Outdoor dining, hot work and fireworks have their own forms, and the Fire Prevention Division charges $250 for most operating permits ($350 for assembly over 100 people).

Existing commercial and multifamily buildings are also on the division’s fire safety and property maintenance inspection cycle. The 2026 schedule charges $250 per occupancy in mixed-use and commercial buildings and for multiple dwellings of 3 to 40 units; larger apartment buildings ($300 for 41 to 60 units, $400 for 61 or more) and offices are inspected every three years, with office fees rising from $250 under 10,000 sq ft to $1,250 plus $250 per 25,000 sq ft above 125,000 sq ft.

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

• Preliminary review: the department encourages a call or appointment before filing to learn which approvals the project needs.
• RPRC and Planning Board: residential projects can be screened by the RPRC, whose members include the Director of Planning, the Building Inspector, the consulting engineer and the wetlands consultant. Planning approvals, with their own fees, must be granted before the building application is filed.
• Architectural Review Board and ZBA: design review and variances, with packets from the Building Department.
• Wetlands: Chapter 340 protects wetlands and watercourses; the department posts an administrative wetland permit application, and the town’s wetlands consultant sits on the RPRC.
• Septic and wells: new systems are permitted by the Westchester County Health Department.

North Castle building permit fees

Fees are set by Town Board resolution. The Master Fee Schedule 2026 lists these building items.

Worked example: a $40,000 bathroom and kitchen renovation in a house pays $125 to apply, $640 for the permit (40 × $16) and $100 for the certificate, or $865 before separate electrical and plumbing permits. Begin work first and the marked fees double.

Trade permits and who may pull them

Electrical. Under Chapter 152 the Building Inspector issues electrical permits only to licensed electrical contractors, and the town requires every electrician working in North Castle to hold a Westchester County license. The town’s email filing page links electrical application forms from Statewide Inspection Services, New York Electrical Inspection Services and Better Homes Electrical Inspection Services. The contractor calls the inspector when the work is done, and the inspector issues a certificate of approval once it passes. County law requires inspectors to be county-licensed unless they work for a government; the county keeps the list of qualifying agencies.

Plumbing and gas. Plumbing permits ($125 for five fixtures) are taken by email and need a county licensed plumber; gas piping is pressure-tested for $100.

Contractors and insurance. Westchester County licenses home improvement contractors through its Department of Consumer Protection, 148 Martine Avenue, Room 407, White Plains (914-995-2211), at a $750 application fee since January 1, 2026. Every filing needs a copy of that license and liability, disability and workers’ compensation certificates naming the Town of North Castle; disability and compensation cannot be shown on an ACORD form.

How to apply for a North Castle building permit

Review, corrections and what causes delay

Plans are reviewed in the order received. The town’s goal is an initial review within 2 to 4 weeks and re-reviews in up to 2 to 3 weeks, though a busy season can stretch both. Incomplete filings are sent back with a list of missing items; the checklist calls for notarization when the applicant is not the owner, insurance on separate state forms rather than ACORD, and any planning approvals first. Under Section 127-4I a permit becomes invalid if work has not begun within 12 months and expires 24 months after issue unless renewed.

North Castle inspections and certificates

The permit card lists each required inspection. Call 914-273-3000 ext. 44 the day before; staff inspect on any weekday, and the approved plans must be on site. A follow-up visit after a failed inspection can cost up to $100.

When the work is finished, every department tied to the permit must sign off, including Engineering, Highway and Water and Sewer where they apply; the consulting engineer, who also inspects new roads, drainage, grading, erosion controls and utilities while they are built and writes a report for each visit, confirms site work matches any approved site plan before a final certificate of occupancy. A certificate of occupancy or compliance then issues. Where part of a project is safe to use while the rest continues, the Building Inspector may grant a temporary certificate at $200 for every 45 days on a house.

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

North Castle permit FAQ

Is there a separate village building department in North Castle?

No. The town contains no incorporated village, so the Building Department in Armonk permits every property.

Can I email my permit application?

Only for electrical, plumbing and HVAC permits and for residential roofs, siding, replacement windows, boilers, oil tanks and kitchen or bath renovations. Everything else is filed in person.

How long does plan review take?

The town aims to finish the first review in 2 to 4 weeks and re-reviews in 2 to 3 weeks, after any Planning or RPRC approval.

Do I need a permit for a fence or shed?

A fence needs one; only garden walls under 4 feet that do not act as a fence are exempt. Sheds, playhouses and treehouses are exempt only up to 64 sq ft at a one- or two-family home.

What happens if I start before the permit?

The marked fees double, and legalizing finished work adds a $2,000 fee unless the Building Inspector waives it for an owner who was not responsible.

What does a home standby generator need?

A building permit with a survey showing the unit meets Section 355-15Q setbacks and screening, an electrical permit, and a plumbing permit for the gas line unless the propane company runs it. Test runs are limited to weekdays from 9 am to 5 pm.

Is North Castle in the federal flood insurance program?

Yes. FEMA lists the Town of North Castle as participating, with a current flood map dated September 28, 2007; building in a flood zone needs a $250 flood development permit.

Permit search and official resources

For a property’s permit history, order a title search letter from the Building Department ($100 for up to four certificates) or ask for copies of approved plans ($5 a page). The consulting engineer keeps the town’s official stormwater and wetland maps and files of proposed and as-built plans for roads, drainage and utilities, which property owners and contractors may consult.

• North Castle Building and Engineering
• Building applications and information
• Email filing rules for listed permits
• Master Fee Schedule 2026
• Customer’s guide to the building permit process
• Residential Project Review Committee
• Residential generator requirements
• Town Code Chapter 127, Building Code Administration
• Town Code Chapter 152, Electrical Installations
• 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

Simplify Town of North Castle permitting with Alliance Permitting

Alliance Permitting is a permit documentation and submission company in New York. We prepare your paperwork, file it correctly and coordinate with the permitting authority through issuance. We are not a contractor and we do not perform licensed plan review or inspections; that work stays with your licensed team and the jurisdiction.

This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Town of North Castle permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.