Town of North Hempstead, New York Building Permit Guide

The Town of North Hempstead Department of Building, Safety, Inspection & Enforcement administers the state and town building codes in the unincorporated areas of the town only. It is at 176 Plandome Road, Manhasset NY 11030, phone 516-869-7660. Its Inspection Section takes in applications, issues building, plumbing and rental permits and carries out the site inspections.

This guide covers the department, the Town Code rules on surveys, fees and inspections, electrician licensing and the zoning, highway and planning offices. The MyToNH portal could not be read, so its forms and submittal lists were not checked. The fee schedule is a Town Board resolution not found online, so only the application fee is given.

What requires a building permit in the Town of North Hempstead?

In North Hempstead the Town Code’s building permit requirement also covers the removal of trees.

Each building permit application needs plans and an original property survey of existing conditions stamped and sealed by a licensed land surveyor. The plot plan must show all trees to remain, be removed or be planted. The survey is not required for interior work that does not change the footprint or exterior shell.

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

Who handles permitting in the Town of North Hempstead?

Zoning, roads and planning in North Hempstead

Board of Zoning & Appeals

The BZA hears variance and special-use applications. Applications are filed through the online portal with signed and sealed plans, and a variance application must include a current Notice of Disapproval from the Department of Buildings.

Road Opening Permits

Utility connections, driveway aprons, sidewalk or curb work in the town right-of-way need a Road Opening Permit from the Highway Department. Town roads are only in the unincorporated areas; residents of the town’s 31 villages contact their village.

Planning and historic review

Subdivision and site plan applications go to the Planning Department. Permits involving historic properties may need review by the Historic Landmarks Preservation Commission.

Nassau County contractor licence

Nassau County’s Department of Consumer Affairs licenses everyone running a residential home improvement business in the county, and all licensed home improvement contractors must be fingerprinted.

Town of North Hempstead permit costs and fees

Building fees are set by a schedule adopted by Town Board resolution. On filing, the applicant pays a nonrefundable $250 application fee that is credited to the fee the Commissioner later calculates. If the whole fee is estimated at $250 or less, the applicant pays the full estimate. Ask the department for the current schedule.

Electricians and plumbing in the Town of North Hempstead

The town licenses electricians. Electrical work in the town must be done by or under a master electrician holding a town certificate of competency or licence, and the main electrical service must be wired by a town-licensed electrician. Rough wiring must be accepted by an electrical inspection agency certified and approved for the Town of North Hempstead before any wall, floor or ceiling is closed. Plumbing permits come from the department’s Inspection Section.

Where a municipality issues separate trade permits, the work is done under whatever electrical or plumbing licence that city, town or county requires; many places license neither trade. Trade licences in New York

How to get a building permit in the Town of North Hempstead

Every permit carries an expiration date set by the Town of North Hempstead, which may void a permit if work does not start in time; confirm the expiry on phased or delayed work. Permit validity in New York

Inspections in the Town of North Hempstead

The Building Commissioner must get at least 24 hours’ notice before work starts under a permit, and must be notified before walls, ceilings or partitions are covered; the Commissioner inspects within three days of that notice. A final survey must be submitted before a certificate of occupancy or certificate of completion is issued, except for interior work that does not change the footprint or exterior shell. Inspector hours are 7:00 a.m. to 2:45 p.m.

Official Town of North Hempstead permitting resources

These are the primary sources behind this guide. Codes, fee schedules and procedures change — confirm the position for your filing date.

• North Hempstead Department of Buildings
• North Hempstead Town Code: building construction
• North Hempstead Town Code: electricians
• North Hempstead Board of Zoning & Appeals
• North Hempstead Highway Department
• North Hempstead Planning & Environmental Protection
• Nassau County home improvement licensing

Frequently asked questions

Does tree removal need a permit in North Hempstead?

Yes. The Town Code’s building permit requirement also covers the removal of trees, and the plot plan must show the trees to remain, be removed or be planted.

Can I file a North Hempstead building application on paper?

No. Building permit applications must be filed electronically through the Building Department online portal (MyToNH).

Does the Town department cover the villages?

It administers the codes in the unincorporated areas of the town only. For road work, residents of the town’s villages contact their village.

Simplify Town of North Hempstead permitting with Alliance Permitting

• Confirm the office for the parcel and the zoning, historic or street approvals that go with the permit
• Prepare the application, insurance certificates and plans and file them online or at the counter
• Schedule the inspections and follow the permit through to the certificate of occupancy

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 Hempstead permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.