Town of Yorktown, New York Building Permit Guide

Every building permit in the Town of Yorktown is issued by the Building Department at Town Hall, 363 Underhill Avenue, Yorktown Heights (914-962-5722 ext. 233, weekdays 7:30 am to 3:30 pm); the town contains no incorporated village. Applications are uploaded to the town’s CitySquared portal, and fees are paid only by check to the Town of Yorktown. Under the Master Fee Schedule of March 4, 2025, a house project pays a non-refundable application fee ($125 over $2,000 of work) and a permit fee of $175 for the first $2,000 of value, then $13.50, $10 and $9 per $1,000 in bands.

What requires a building permit in Yorktown?

Section 300-195 of the zoning ordinance and Chapter 15 of the Town Code require a permit from the Building Inspector before any building or structure is erected, enlarged, altered or moved, and any work under the Uniform Code needs one unless Section 15-4B exempts it. Plumbing, electrical, mechanical and fire sprinkler work each need their own permit from the Building Department, as do signs.

Fences follow Section 300-13: in residence districts no more than 4.5 feet in the front yard and 6.5 feet in side and rear yards, with the decorative side facing out, and on a corner lot nothing over 3½ feet inside the sight triangle 30 feet from the intersection.

What the town decides and what the state sets

Since December 31, 2025, applications must meet the 2025 New York codes; earlier filings are reviewed under the 2020 codes. Yorktown sets local administration in Chapter 15 (Local Law 5 of 2010), including its narrower shed exemption and its permit terms, and its own land-use law in the zoning chapter (Chapter 300), freshwater wetlands (Chapter 178), flood damage prevention (Chapter 175) and trees (Chapter 270). Any technical standard stricter than the Uniform Code would need state Code Council approval.

Yorktown building department: who handles permitting

Building Inspector John H. Landi and his staff of assistant building inspectors, an assistant fire inspector and a code enforcement officer issue permits and certificates of occupancy, enforce the zoning ordinance and post violations for all 35,944 residents (Census 2025 estimate). The Census lists no village inside Yorktown, so there is no second building office to check.

Yorktown permit types and filing rules

Residential permits

Applications are submitted, with their documents uploaded, through the CitySquared online portal, where you can also track status; Section 15-4E lets projects of $20,000 or less file on paper instead. The building permit instructions list what may be needed: the completed application, a survey by a New York licensed land surveyor, a plot plan drawn on a copy rather than on the sealed survey, three sets of construction plans sealed by a New York architect or engineer where the law requires, and the contractor’s Westchester County home improvement license for any work on a home. If the applicant is not the owner, a proxy statement goes with the application.

Contractors prove liability, workers’ compensation and disability coverage with the Town of Yorktown as certificate holder, and a homeowner doing their own work files the state BP-1 affidavit of exemption. Applications that are never turned into permits are discarded, documents and all, after two years.

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Commercial permits

Buildings other than one-family houses and their accessory structures need a Planning Board site plan and its resolution of approval before a permit. New commercial buildings, exterior changes to commercial buildings and all signs also need an ABACA application first, and businesses use the operating permit and change of occupancy forms. Commercial permits cost $200 for the first $2,000 of value, then $15 per $1,000 to $15,000 and $12 per $1,000 to $50,000.

For tenant improvements and new commercial builds, Alliance handles commercial permit filing through issuance. More on this: commercial building permits explained.

What comes before the building permit

• Septic: for additions and alterations on a lot not served by public sewer, the Building Inspector endorses two plan sets that you take to the Westchester County Department of Health and bring back approved; a new building needs a county sewage system permit or a town sewer permit.
• Driveways: a permit from the state, county or town highway authority for any new or relocated road access.
• Water: a town water permit for a new municipal connection.
• Wetlands: $800 for a permit issued by the Town Engineer, $1,800 for a Planning Board environmental permit.
• Flood areas: a $100 flood development permit; FEMA lists Yorktown as participating, on the county map effective September 28, 2007.
• Zoning Board: appeals cost $210.

Yorktown building permit fees

The Town Board sets fees by resolution in the Master Fee Schedule; the current version is dated March 4, 2025. Value is the reasonable cost of the work as the Building Inspector determines it, using residential cost data as a guide, and every fee is paid by check to the Town of Yorktown.

Worked example: a $50,000 kitchen and bath remodel in a house runs $175 for the first $2,000, 13 × $13.50 ($175.50) to reach $15,000 and 35 × $10 ($350) to reach $50,000, a $700.50 permit; with the $125 application fee and a $125 certificate of occupancy the town total is $950.50.

Trade permits and who may pull them

Licenses. The Building Department states that all electricians and plumbers working in Yorktown must be licensed by Westchester County, and it lists the county Department of Consumer Protection (148 Martine Avenue, Room 407, White Plains; 914-995-2155) as the licensing office. Home improvement contractors need the county license for any work on a private residence; that application has cost $750 since January 1, 2026. Chapter 222 of the Town Code, unchanged since 1975, still requires a master plumber license from the town’s Examining Board of Plumbers, applied for through the Town Clerk (5 or 0, renewed yearly for 5). The town’s March 2025 Master Fee Schedule lists no plumber license fee, and the department’s permit instructions (revised October 27, 2020) say all plumbers must be licensed by Westchester County, so ask the Building Department whether it also checks for a town license.

Electrical. Electrical work needs a separate town permit ($75 to $250 depending on the job). Under Chapter 155 the Building Inspector deputizes electrical inspectors who apply in writing with an IAEI or ICC certificate and proof of insurance; outside the town’s own staff, Westchester County licenses electrical inspectors and lists the approved agencies.

Plumbing, mechanical and fire protection. Plumbing, mechanical, generator, fire alarm and fire sprinkler work each use their own application; oil tank installation or removal and gas testing are $100 each. The town’s instructions send security and fire alarm installer licensing to the New York Department of State and asbestos abatement to the state Department of Labor.

How to apply for a Yorktown building permit

Review, corrections and what causes delay

Applications are reviewed first come, first served, and the applicant is told the result. A permit cannot issue until any outside approvals (septic sign-off, site plan resolution, ABACA review) and the county license are in the file, and applications never issued are discarded after two years. A permit is valid for 12 months and can be renewed each year if no violations or fines are outstanding; a late renewal means paying every missed year’s renewal fee, and all exterior and site work must be finished within 24 months of the first permit.

Yorktown inspections and certificates

Contact the Building Department (914-962-5722 ext. 233) to arrange inspections as work reaches each stage; Chapter 15 requires work to stay exposed until it is inspected and accepted. The town checks, where they apply, the site before the permit issues, footings and foundation, slab preparation, framing, underground and rough-in systems, fire-resistant construction and penetrations, wood stoves, chimneys and gas vents, energy code compliance and a final; work that fails stays open until it is corrected and passes. A re-inspection after a second failure or a not-ready visit costs $75.

At the end, file the affidavit of final construction cost and request the certificate of occupancy ($125 for buildings under 4,000 sq ft) or, for smaller jobs such as roofs, a certificate of compliance. A temporary certificate costs $100 and each extension $75. The department also issues pre-date letters ($175), zoning verification letters ($150) and non-conforming certificate of occupancy letters ($25).

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

Yorktown permit FAQ

Is any part of Yorktown a separate village with its own building department?

No. Yorktown has no incorporated villages, so the town Building Department at 363 Underhill Avenue permits every part of the town.

Do I need a permit for a fence?

Yes. The town repealed its fence exemption in 2023 and uses a fence permit application with a survey showing the fence heights. Residential fences may be 4.5 feet high in front yards and 6.5 feet in side and rear yards.

Do I need a permit for a shed?

Only sheds under 100 sq ft are exempt. A larger shed pays a $50 application fee and $150 for the permit and certificate of occupancy (up to 200 sq ft).

How much is a permit for a $50,000 renovation?

About $950.50 in town fees: a $700.50 permit, a $125 application fee and a $125 certificate of occupancy.

Can I pay by credit card or wire?

No. The town warns that fees may only be paid by check payable to the Town of Yorktown and that it never asks for wire transfers.

My house has a septic system. What extra step is there?

For additions and alterations, the Building Inspector endorses two sets of plans, which you take to the Westchester County Department of Health for approval and return to the town.

How long does a Yorktown permit last?

Twelve months. It can be renewed a year at a time for $250 or half the original fee, whichever is less, twice; a third renewal costs the first two renewals plus the full original fee, and outdoor and site work must be done within 24 months of the first permit.

How do I see past permits on a property?

Email the Building Department’s research request; pre-date letters cost $175 and zoning verification letters $150.

Permit search and official resources

Open applications can be tracked on CitySquared. Requests for records on a property go through the Research Request Form, which is emailed to the Building Department.

• Town of Yorktown Building Department
• Building permit applications and forms
• Instructions for obtaining a building permit
• CitySquared online application portal
• Master Fee Schedule page
• Master Fee Schedule, March 4, 2025
• Fence permit application
• Town Code Chapter 15, Building Construction Administration
• Town Code Chapter 155, Electrical Standards
• Zoning Board of Appeals
• 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 Yorktown 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 Yorktown permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.