East Hampton Town Building Permits, Inspections & Official Services
As of November 2026, Building Department applications are submitted online through the Town’s OpenGov portal. The Town states that applications are no longer accepted as ordinary counter submissions and payments are made online.
Official Building Department Open OpenGov PortalEast Hampton Town Building Department Contact Information
| Information | 2026 details |
|---|---|
| Department | Town of East Hampton Building Department |
| Physical address | 300 Pantigo Place, Suite 110, East Hampton, NY 11937 |
| Phone | 631-324-4145 |
| Office / document drop-off | Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. |
| Licensed contractor inspector-counter time | Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m.-9:00 a.m. |
| General public inspector-counter time | Monday-Friday, 9:00 a.m.-10:30 a.m. |
| Permit submission | Online through OpenGov |
| Counter payments | Not accepted |
The office-hours arrangement above took effect October 26, 2026. If you need to discuss a project directly with a building inspector, calling or visiting during the applicable morning inspector window can save a frustrating second trip.
Verify current Building Department hours and notices on the official Town page.
What Can You Do Through the Building Department?
Most visitors are not simply looking for a department address. They usually need to complete one of these tasks:
| Your goal | Best starting point |
|---|---|
| Apply for construction or alteration permit | Building permit application through OpenGov |
| Upload plans or supporting documents | Your OpenGov application record |
| Pay permit charges | Online payment within the digital process |
| Schedule or follow inspections | Issued permit/OpenGov inspection process; contact inspector if needed |
| Obtain a Certificate of Occupancy | Complete required inspections and close-out requirements |
| Request an updated CO | Updated Certificate of Occupancy application |
| Register residential rental property | Rental Registration service |
| Update rental tenants | Rental Registration Tenant Update |
| Request buildability information | Letter of Buildability application |
| Research older building records | Building Department Research Request |
The Town’s official forms page currently lists online services for building permits, rental registration, tenant updates, updated Certificates of Occupancy and Letters of Buildability.
View the current East Hampton Building Department forms and applications.
How to Apply for an East Hampton Town Building Permit
The biggest process change to know is simple: start online, not at the permit counter.
Step 1: Confirm the Town is your permitting authority
Verify that the property falls under Town of East Hampton jurisdiction. Do this before preparing the entire application because incorporated villages can have their own building offices and requirements.
Step 2: Open the official OpenGov portal
Go directly to the Town of East Hampton OpenGov Permitting & Licensing portal.
Step 3: Create your OpenGov account
The Town’s account instructions say to select Sign Up, then choose Sign up using Secure Portal. Enter your email and create a password containing at least eight characters, including an uppercase letter, lowercase letter and digit.
After signing in, open My Account → Profile and add your name, phone number and address. Save the profile before beginning the application.
Step 4: Choose the correct application type
Select the service that matches the actual project. Do not submit a general building permit simply because you cannot immediately find the right category. Pools, solar work, additions, demolition, rental registration and other services can have different requirements.
Step 5: Complete every property and project field
Have the property address, Suffolk County tax-map information, owner details, contractor details, scope of work, estimated construction cost and applicable plans ready before you begin.
Step 6: Upload the required supporting documents
Attach the survey, plans, insurance documentation and outside approvals that apply to the project. Missing documents can prevent a submission from moving into substantive review.
Step 7: Monitor comments inside OpenGov
This detail is easy to miss: the Town says OpenGov sends notifications to your profile email, but when a reviewer leaves a comment or asks a question, respond through the comment box inside the application rather than replying to the notification email.
Step 8: Pay when the portal requests payment
The Building Department currently states that counter payments are not accepted. Online payment options are posted as credit card with a 2.99% + $0.99 processing charge or e-check with a $2.25 flat charge.
What Should You Prepare Before Applying?
The Town still publishes a detailed Building Permit Application and Instructions PDF. Parts of that older document refer to previous counter procedures and the former Suite 104 location, so use the current Building Department webpage and OpenGov portal for submission, payment and office-location instructions. The document checklist, however, remains useful for understanding the type of information the department reviews.
Depending on the project, be prepared for:
- Property survey: showing property boundaries, existing and proposed structures, setbacks and relevant site conditions.
- Clearing and lot calculations: where applicable.
- Staked clearing survey: a permit application involving clearing must include the required survey showing the clearing envelope.
- Construction drawings: plans describing the proposed building work and applicable structural, mechanical, plumbing and electrical information.
- Project square footage: clearly shown where required.
- Contractor information: including applicable East Hampton Town home-improvement contractor licensing.
- Workers’ compensation documentation: or the appropriate exemption documentation where legally applicable.
- Estimated cost of construction: used in calculating the building permit charge.
- Outside approvals: such as Zoning Board, Architectural Review Board, Planning or Suffolk County Department of Health Services approval when the project requires them.
- Energy-code documentation: depending on the type and scope of work.
Open the official Building Permit Application and Instructions PDF.
East Hampton Town Building Permit Fees
The Building Department’s current webpage continues to direct applicants to the Town’s amended fee resolution. The published amounts include:
| Permit or service | Published fee |
|---|---|
| General building permit | 0.5% of estimated construction cost, plus $300 Certificate of Occupancy fee |
| Certificate of Occupancy | $300 |
| Updated Certificate of Occupancy | $600 |
| Letter of Buildability | $150 |
| Demolition permit | $1,000 |
| Gunite swimming pool | $1,000 |
| Vinyl swimming pool | $500 |
| Tennis, pickle or paddle-ball court | $1,000 |
| Other listed sports courts | $500 |
| Solar permits / solar storage | No fee listed in the resolution |
| Geothermal system | No fee listed in the resolution |
| I/A septic system | No fee listed in the resolution |
Read the Town’s official Building Department fee resolution.
For a general project, a simple planning example is useful: if the accepted estimated construction cost is $200,000, the 0.5% permit component would be $1,000 before applicable CO and other project-specific charges. The Building Department determines the actual amount due.
Town Code §102-10 also provides that when a building-permit application is not approved, an applicant may be entitled to a 50% refund of the fee paid if construction has not started. If work has already begun, the code states that the fees are not refunded.
East Hampton Building Inspections: What to Expect
An issued permit is not the end of the process. Work must remain available for the inspections required for that particular project, and a final inspection is generally necessary before a Certificate of Occupancy can be issued.
The Town’s Building Department FAQ gives examples of inspection stages that may apply:
| Possible inspection | Typical timing |
|---|---|
| Footing / foundation | At the required foundation stage and before covered work prevents inspection |
| Foundation waterproofing | Before concealment/backfill where applicable |
| Strapping | At the applicable construction stage |
| Rough plumbing | Before walls or related work conceal piping; water testing may apply |
| Framing | After applicable structural framing is ready for review |
| Fireplace / chimney | At the stages required for masonry or factory-built systems |
| Insulation | Before enclosure where inspection is required |
| Pool drywell | For applicable swimming-pool work |
| Gunite pool reinforcing steel | Before gunite placement |
| Final inspection | After permitted work and required supporting approvals are complete |
Practical inspection steps
- Keep the permit active and follow the approved plans.
- Do not cover work that still requires inspection.
- Sign in to OpenGov and open the permit/project record.
- Use the available inspection function for the applicable permit.
- If the correct inspection cannot be identified, call 631-324-4145 during inspector phone hours.
- Have the permit number and property address ready.
- Correct any failed items before asking for the next inspection or final sign-off.
Town Code allows the Building Inspector to conduct inspections during construction and requires an inspection before the final certificate is issued.
Important 2026 Code and Zoning Points
New York’s 2025 codes apply to 2026 applications
New York State’s 2025 Uniform Code and 2025 Energy Conservation Construction Code became fully effective December 31, 2025. Building permit applications submitted in 2026 therefore need to be evaluated under the current state code framework together with applicable East Hampton Town requirements.
Check the New York Department of State’s official 2025 code adoption notice.
This matters because older East Hampton documents and webpages may still contain references to earlier code editions. Do not assume an older code reference in a legacy form controls a new 2026 application.
Local gross-floor-area rule
The Town Building Department highlights a zoning amendment effective July 1, 2025 for maximum gross floor area of a single-family residence: 7% of lot area plus 1,500 square feet, or 10,000 square feet, whichever is less, subject to the applicable Town Code and property-specific requirements.
Projects involving clearing
The Building Department specifically warns applicants that a building-permit application involving clearing must include a staked survey prepared by a licensed surveyor showing the clearing limitations or envelope.
Review the Town’s 2026 Building Department Code Check List when preparing plans. The Town explains that this is a practical plan-review checklist, not a substitute for the complete building code.
How long is an East Hampton building permit valid?
Town Code §102-9 states that a building permit authorizes the commencement of approved work for one year from issuance. For good cause, the Building Inspector may allow a maximum of two extensions, subject to the terms of the code.
Do not let a permit quietly expire while work is unfinished. Check the expiration date early enough to resolve an extension before it becomes a closing or final-inspection problem.
Certificate of Occupancy and the 2026 Updated-CO Pause
A normal Certificate of Occupancy remains part of closing out permitted construction. Town Code provides for the Building Inspector to inspect the completed work and issue the certificate when the work complies with applicable requirements and the approved permit documents.
Special 2026 rule for property transfers
East Hampton Town adopted a requirement for an updated Certificate of Occupancy when ownership changes, with limited exceptions. However, the Town Board has placed a stay on enforcement through December 31, 2026.
The pause does not mean the Town has eliminated updated CO applications. The Town’s 2026 FAQ says owners and sellers should continue applying. The stay addresses enforcement while the Building Department processes the workload.
The Town has also reported that many updated-CO applications become more complicated because previously completed improvements are discovered without corresponding building permits. If you are preparing to sell, checking the property file early can prevent a last-minute surprise.
Read the official 2026 Updated Certificate of Occupancy FAQ.
How to Research Existing Permits or Building Records
Permit history matters when buying, selling, refinancing or planning a renovation. A deck, pool, addition or interior alteration may physically exist while the department’s file shows an old permit that was never finally closed.
Start with these details
- property street address;
- Suffolk County tax-map number if available;
- current and former owner names;
- approximate year of the work;
- known permit or certificate numbers; and
- type of improvement being researched.
Micro-step: request building records
- Open the Building Department Forms page.
- Select the Building Department Research Request Form.
- Enter the property information as completely as possible.
- Identify the record you actually need—permit, CO, plans, inspection history or other building file.
- Follow the Town’s current submission instructions for the research request.
If you are comparing permit procedures elsewhere in Suffolk County, see our Brookhaven, New York Building Department guide. For statewide code context, our city building-code guide explains how local permitting interacts with adopted codes. If your property is elsewhere in New York, the Cattaraugus County building-permit guide is a useful example of why municipal jurisdiction must be identified before applying.
Before You Submit: Five Checks That Prevent Avoidable Problems
- Town or Village? Make sure the application is going to the correct government.
- Correct application category? Choose the actual project type in OpenGov.
- Current survey? Confirm that it contains the calculations and site information needed for the project.
- Outside approvals complete? Do not assume the Building Department can issue a permit before required zoning, health, planning or other approvals are resolved.
- Portal messages checked? Review OpenGov regularly and answer reviewer comments inside the portal.
East Hampton Town Building Department FAQs
1. Where is the East Hampton Town Building Department?
The Building Department is at 300 Pantigo Place, Suite 110, East Hampton, NY 11937. Its main phone number is 631-324-4145.
2. Can I submit an East Hampton building permit application at the counter?
The Town currently directs applicants to submit Building Department applications digitally through its OpenGov portal. The counter remains available for designated office and drop-off functions, but ordinary application filing is handled online.
3. Is East Hampton Town the same permitting authority as East Hampton Village?
No. The Town of East Hampton and incorporated Village of East Hampton have separate building authorities. Confirm the property’s actual municipal jurisdiction before applying.
4. How much is an East Hampton Town building permit?
The Town’s published schedule lists a general building-permit fee of 0.5% of estimated construction cost plus a $300 Certificate of Occupancy fee. Special project categories have separate charges.
5. What documents are normally needed for a building permit?
Requirements depend on the project, but common items include a completed application, property survey, construction plans, contractor information, workers’ compensation documentation, estimated construction cost and any required approvals from other agencies or Town boards.
6. What building code applies in East Hampton in 2026?
New York’s 2025 Uniform Code and 2025 Energy Conservation Construction Code became fully effective December 31, 2025. East Hampton’s local zoning and other Town Code requirements also apply.
7. How do I schedule a building inspection?
Use the inspection functions associated with the applicable permit in OpenGov where available. If you need help identifying the correct inspection, contact the Building Department at 631-324-4145 during current inspector phone hours.
8. How long is an East Hampton Town building permit valid?
Town Code §102-9 provides that a building permit authorizes commencement of the approved work for one year after issuance. The Building Inspector may grant up to two extensions for good cause under the conditions stated in the code.
9. Do I need an updated Certificate of Occupancy when selling in 2026?
The Town’s updated-CO requirement remains in the code, but enforcement is stayed through December 31, 2026. The Town says sellers should continue applying for an updated CO during the pause.
10. How can I check old East Hampton building permits or certificates?
Start with the Building Department’s Research Request Form. Provide the property address, tax-map information if known, owner details and the specific permits, certificates, inspections or other records you are trying to locate.
Final Practical Takeaway
For most East Hampton Town construction projects, the fastest path is to get three things right at the beginning: confirm jurisdiction, prepare the complete project documents, and use the correct OpenGov application. The Town now relies heavily on the digital portal, so incomplete uploads or missed portal comments can create avoidable delays.
If your work involves clearing, zoning relief, an older open permit, an unrecorded improvement, a property sale or outside health/planning approval, resolve those issues early rather than waiting until the final inspection.
Information reviewed: November 1, 2026. USBuilding.org is an independent informational resource and is not affiliated with the Town of East Hampton. Permit requirements, code interpretations, fees, office procedures and property-specific determinations can change. The responsible government office remains the final authority.