Shed Permit in Town of Hempstead, New York

Frequently asked questions

Do you need a shed permit in Town of Hempstead?

A shed is filed as a building permit with the Department of Buildings, and the Department publishes a shed instruction sheet listing the required Affidavit of Property Owner, unaltered survey, plot plan showing the shed dimensions and distance to the property line, construction drawings or the manufacturer's specifications for a prefabricated shed, and a notarized Affidavit of No Plumbing or Electrical. The Town publishes no small shed exemption: the 144 square foot figure in its instructions is the largest shed allowed as of right, not a size below which no permit is needed. Placement rules are strict: rear yard only, at least 45 feet from any front property line and at least two feet from the rear and side lines, with corner lots fixed at exactly two feet and a plan examiner consultation recommended. Always confirm with the Town of Hempstead Department of Buildings before starting.

How much does a shed permit cost in Town of Hempstead?

Charged as a building permit under Town Code 86-11C(1) as amended by Local Law No. 20-2024 (effective 4-2-2024): $200 for residential work with an estimated cost up to $1,000, then $200 plus $18 for each additional $1,000 or fraction thereof. A shed already standing without a permit is charged under 86-11C(2) at $400 plus $36 per additional $1,000. Local Law No. 20-2024 also carries 86-11C(4) from Local Law No. 93-2022: multiple accessory structures filed under one application are charged $200 residential for each separate accessory structure. A Building Department record search, needed when the application is going to the Board of Zoning Appeals, is $40. See the official fee schedule for current amounts.

Where do you apply for a shed permit in Town of Hempstead?

You can apply through the Town of Hempstead permit portal or contact the Town of Hempstead Department of Buildings directly. The links are listed on this page.

Can a homeowner pull a shed permit themselves in Town of Hempstead?

Under New York law (Inside New York City: NYC Admin. Code 28-104.1, 28-105.1, 28-105.4, 28-105.5.1, 28-401.3 (definition of "general contractor"). Outside New York City: N.Y. Exec. Law 381(2); 19 NYCRR 1203.3(a)(1).): New York State sets no owner-builder rule at all outside New York City. Executive Law 381(2) puts administration and enforcement in the hands of each local government, and 19 NYCRR 1203.3(a)(1) only requires each authority having jurisdiction to make building permits mandatory for work that must conform to the codes, leaving who may apply to local law. The state licenses no general contractors and imposes no owner-builder affidavit, disclosure form or post-permit sale restriction of the kind Florida uses, so whether a homeowner may pull the permit is a question for the specific city, town, village or county. New York City is the genuine outlier. Administrative Code 28-105.1 makes the work itself unlawful without a written permit, and Administrative Code 28-104.1 bars the department from issuing that permit until it approves the required construction documents, which must be prepared by or under the supervision of a registered design professional, meaning a licensed architect or engineer, as required by the code. A homeowner therefore cannot self-prepare and file the plans for permit-requiring work in New York City even though Administrative Code 28-105.5.1 defines the permit applicant as the person who performs the work or retains a subcontractor, and even though the general contractor registration definition in Administrative Code 28-401.3 expressly excludes an individual who constructs a residential structure of no more than three dwelling units for his or her own occupancy. Note that Administrative Code 28-105.4 exempts minor alterations and ordinary repairs from the permit requirement entirely, so the design professional bottleneck applies only to work that needs a permit in the first place. Confirm how Town of Hempstead applies this before you apply.