Orleans County, Vermont Building Permit Guide

There is no county permit office in Orleans County. Newport City, Derby, Barton, Greensboro, Jay, Troy, Newport Town, Morgan, Westmore, Westfield and Lowell have zoning administered locally, while Charleston, Craftsbury, Glover, Coventry, Brownington, Holland, Albany and Irasburg have no zoning. Newport City requires a zoning permit for all development, including interior renovations, and public buildings anywhere in the county also need a Division of Fire Safety construction permit.

What needs a permit in Orleans County?

The answer depends on the town. Newport City spells out the widest rule: a zoning permit is required for all development, including dividing a parcel, building, altering, moving or enlarging a structure, razing a structure over 500 sq ft or any structure in the Central Business District, interior or exterior renovations, signs, and development in the fluvial erosion hazard area. In Newport Town, a zoning permit is needed whenever the footprint or the use of a property changes. In Greensboro, permitted uses such as single-family homes, additions, sheds and small home occupations get an administrative permit from the zoning administrator.

Orleans County building department: who handles permitting

Orleans County has no general government that issues permits; the county is a map of 18 towns, the City of Newport and six incorporated villages (Albany, Barton, Orleans, Derby Center, Derby Line and North Troy). The villages in Barton and Derby are zoned under their town’s bylaw.

No zoning: Charleston’s site says it has no zoning and does not issue town permits (802-895-2814). Craftsbury has no zoning, so most building projects need no permit, but the town asks owners to complete a Building Notification Form, which also checks that construction meets local floodplain requirements; the Planning Commission includes a floodplain administrator (802-586-2823). Glover has no zoning, but its Selectboard adopted a Flood Hazard Area Bylaw and a River Corridor Bylaw on December 11, 2025, a driveway permit is required, and lakeshore builders are sent to the Agency of Natural Resources (802-525-6227). Coventry’s town plan says it has no zoning or subdivision regulations, but it enforces flood hazard area regulations (802-754-2266). Brownington’s January 2024 plan says it does not have zoning (802-754-8401). Holland’s 2025 plan says it has no land use or building codes, zoning having been voted out in the early 1990s; it does issue curb cut permits (802-895-4440). Albany’s town plan relies on non-regulatory tools rather than zoning. Irasburg’s 2019 town plan says the town has not adopted any land use regulations and has no permanent zoning or subdivision bylaws.

State offices: all of Orleans County is in the Division of Fire Safety’s Waterbury region (45 State Drive, Waterbury; 802-479-4434). DEC’s St. Johnsbury Regional Office, 374 Emerson Falls Road, Suite 4, issues wastewater and potable water supply permits for every Orleans municipality (802-751-0130, by appointment). Act 250 applications go to the District 7 Environmental Commission in the same building (coordinator 802-522-6074).

Orleans County applications

• Newport City: one zoning permit application for all development; the Development Review Board handles the hearings the city’s zoning regulations require.
• Derby: the zoning administrator issues zoning permits, and the Development Review Board does site plan review of all commercial applications, conditional use review and appeals.
• Greensboro: an administrative permit for a permitted use may take only several days; anything that needs a Development Review Board hearing can take a few weeks to a few months once warning periods and written decisions are counted.
• Jay posts a building permit application dated June 8, 2026 and a plot plan form; Troy uses a 2023 zoning permit application; Newport Town and Morgan post their own applications with instructions.
• Craftsbury uses an online Building Notification Form instead of a permit.
• State: the Division of Fire Safety takes construction permit applications, with a shorter form for renovations under $200,000, and electrical and plumbing work notices on paper or online; DEC wastewater permits are filed through ANR Online.

Permit fees in Orleans County

Fees are set by each town and city. Morgan posts its full 2025 fee sheet with its zoning application:

A new house in Morgan therefore pays $115. Barton’s zoning page lists $130 + $0.05 per sq ft for new residential structures, additions, alterations and accessory buildings, with recording and the certificate of compliance included, and $165 for a Development Review Board hearing; Westfield charges $70 for a standard zoning permit and $370 when a hearing is needed. Towns with no zoning charge no zoning fee, and state construction, work notice and wastewater fees apply everywhere.

Electrical, plumbing and fire safety permits

Orleans County town offices deal with zoning. Construction in public buildings, which in Vermont include rentals and commercial buildings, needs a construction permit from the Division of Fire Safety’s Waterbury Regional Office, and the electrical and plumbing work the Division regulates needs a work notice before it starts. Fire alarm, sprinkler, suppression, exhaust hood, tank and tent work have separate state applications.

Alliance handles electrical permit expediting for contractors here. More on this: who pulls the electrical permit.

How to get a permit in Orleans County

Inspections in Orleans County

The Waterbury Regional Office inspects public buildings and the electrical and plumbing work under the Division of Fire Safety’s permits. The Residential Building Energy Standards apply to all new residential construction, including additions, alterations, renovations and repairs. The builder, or a licensed engineer, licensed architect or accredited home energy rating organization, signs the certificate, fixes it near the heating or cooling equipment or electrical panel, sends a copy to the Department of Public Service and records it in the town land records. Since July 14, 2026, either the 2020 or the 2024 standards may be used.

Floodplains, borders and Act 250 in Orleans County

Flood insurance program: FEMA’s Community Status Book lists Barton town and village, Coventry, Craftsbury, Derby (with Derby Center and Derby Line), Glover, Greensboro, Jay, Lowell, Newport City, Newport Town, North Troy, Orleans village, Troy and Westfield as participating. Brownington, Charleston, Irasburg, Morgan and Westmore are in its list of communities not participating, and Albany and Holland are not listed.

Village districts: Derby’s bylaw has its own Derby Line and Derby Center district rules, and Barton’s joint bylaw covers Barton and Orleans villages.

Act 250: the county is in District 7 with Caledonia and Essex counties; the St. Johnsbury office meets applicants by appointment.

Vermont building code

Vermont has no statewide building code for an owner-occupied single-family home. The state code covers public buildings, including rented homes, and each town decides whether it runs a building department or only issues zoning permits. Vermont rules

Orleans County permit FAQ

Does Orleans County issue building permits?

No. Zoning permits come from the town or Newport City, and state agencies issue construction, wastewater and Act 250 permits.

Do I need a permit to renovate a building in Newport City?

Yes. Newport City requires a zoning permit for all development, and its list includes interior or exterior renovations.

Which Orleans County towns have no zoning?

Charleston, Craftsbury, Glover, Coventry, Brownington, Holland, Albany and Irasburg. Craftsbury still asks for a building notification form, Glover and Coventry have flood hazard rules, and Holland issues curb cut permits.

How much is a zoning permit in Morgan?

$115 for a principal structure such as a house, $40 for accessory structures, decks and sheds, and $165 for industrial or commercial uses, under the 2025 fee sheet.

Who issues septic permits in Orleans County?

DEC’s St. Johnsbury Regional Office, which serves every town in the county.

How long does a zoning permit take in Greensboro?

An administrative permit for a permitted use may take only several days; a Development Review Board hearing can add weeks to months.

Orleans County permit search and official resources

Town and city zoning pages and the state offices for Orleans County.

• Newport City planning and zoning
• Derby planning and zoning
• Derby Zoning Bylaw (amended June 9, 2025)
• Greensboro zoning
• Jay planning and zoning
• Troy zoning
• Newport Town zoning board
• Morgan zoning documents
• Morgan zoning permit information and fees (2025)
• Westmore planning and zoning
• Westfield permits and fees
• Barton zoning office and fees
• Glover town documents (flood hazard and river corridor bylaws)
• Vermont Division of Fire Safety permits and forms
• Division of Fire Safety regional offices map
• DEC St. Johnsbury Regional Office (wastewater and water supply)
• Act 250 district commissions and coordinators

Simplify Orleans County permitting with Alliance Permitting

Alliance Permitting is a permit documentation and submission company in Vermont. 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 Orleans County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.