Town of Hempstead Building Permits

Get your permit filed or your violation fixed. Free quote.

Call or Text 516-399-0139 Get a Free Quote

The Town covers its unincorporated areas only. Villages in the Town, like Freeport and Garden City, have their own building departments.

Town of Hempstead Building Department (not us)

Address: One Washington Street, 2nd Floor, Hempstead, NY 11550
Phone: 516-538-8500
Permit portal: Online Permit Center
Local code: Town of Hempstead Code

Permits We Handle in the Town of Hempstead

Town of Hempstead Building Permit Fees

A residential building permit in the Town of Hempstead costs $200, plus $18 for each additional $1,000 of estimated cost.

Fees charged by the Town of Hempstead Building Department
Permit	Fee
Building permit, residential (new work or alteration)	$200, plus $18 per additional $1,000 of cost
Work started before a permit, residential	$400, plus $36 per additional $1,000 of cost
Approved permit not paid within 90 days, residential	$200 for each 90-day extension

Source: Town of Hempstead: Local Law 20-2024 amending Section 86-11, Fees, effective April 2024 (PDF) (opens in a new tab). Checked October 21, 2026.

Places in the Town of Hempstead

The Town's Building Department handles

Elmont
Seaford
Uniondale
Levittown
Oceanside
Woodmere
Baldwin
Franklin Square
North Bellmore
Garden City South
Inwood
Lido Beach
Merrick
Roosevelt
Wantagh
West Hempstead

Villages with their own building department

Selling your house? Close your open permits first.

Open permit close-outs

How We Help in the Town of Hempstead

We order your survey, with no markup, and file for you.
Need a variance? We refer you to a zoning/land-use attorney.

Decks, fences, sheds and pools: about 2–4 weeks. Other jobs: about 4–8 weeks on average.* It varies by town and scope.*Typical time is based on an average job in the Town of Hempstead, assuming no extra work or construction needs to be done and the building department accepts the permit application.

Rolled blueprints and a permit folder on a pickup tailgate in front of a home renovation

Town of Hempstead Rental Permit: How to Get One

Renting out a house or apartment in the unincorporated Town? Town Code Chapter 99 says you need a rental occupancy permit from the Department of Buildings before a tenant moves in.

It is issued only to the owner. It lasts two years and doesn't transfer. Rentals under 28 nights aren't allowed.

In a village like Freeport, Garden City or Lynbrook? Your village has its own rental rules.

How to get a rental permit

Step 1: Check your records. You need a CO or Certificate of Compliance and permits for every structure. Open permits or violations can hold up approval.
Step 2: Gather your documents (list below).
Step 3: Fill out the Town's Rental Property Registration form. The owner signs it under oath. It must be notarized.
Step 4: File it with the Building Department.
Step 5: Pass the inspection of each rental unit.
Step 6: Renew every two years, at least 60 days before it expires.

What you'll need (11 items)

Name, address and phone of every owner (or of each principal, if a company owns it)
Proof of residency for each owner
Nassau County tax map section, block and lot
Floor plan with each room's use and size
Number of units, and the number of people in each
Recent certified deed and tax bill
Certificate of Occupancy or Compliance
Survey or scaled site plan, including parking
Building permits for all structures
Carbon monoxide alarm certificate of installation
A Nassau County agent for notices, if you live outside the county

Rental permit questions

Do you file Town of Hempstead rental permits?

No. We don't file rental permits. This section is information only.

How long does a rental permit take?

It varies with how complete your file is, the inspection schedule, and whether open permits or violations need to be cleared first.

Can I use the seller's rental permit?

No. Rental permits don't transfer. New owners must register within 30 days of closing.

What if I rent without a permit?

It's a violation. Fines increase with repeat offenses, each day can count separately, and late charges apply. Advertising an unpermitted rental is also a violation.

Does a mother-daughter unit need a rental permit?

Not if you hold a Town mother-daughter permit. Mother-daughter permits don't transfer when a property is sold, so new owners need their own. We handle those too.

Town of Hempstead Permit Questions

What work needs a permit in the Town of Hempstead?

Most building work (like an extension), plumbing (like a new bathroom) and public assembly (like an event in a store or hall).

Source: Town of Hempstead Building Department (opens in a new tab)

What counts as a violation?

Illegal housing, work done without a permit, or structural changes that were never approved. They can lead to fines and unsafe homes.

What happens if I don't close a permit?

It can mean fines, or a sale that can't close. One Hempstead homeowner never closed a basement permit. The sale was held up until they passed more inspections and paid fines.

History of Building Codes