Broome County, NY Building Safety: Building Permits (2026)

Under Broome County Code § 210-2, no person, firm, corporation or association may begin the erection, construction, enlargement, alteration, improvement, relocation, removal or demolition of any building, structure or equipment within the Code Enforcement Official's authority, or install solid-fuel heating equipment, without first obtaining a building permit. That authority, set out in § 210-1, is narrow: the Commissioner of Public Works serves as Code Enforcement Official only for buildings and grounds owned or leased by the County, special-purpose units of county government, the Off-Track Betting Corporation, and any other property the County is accountable for under state law. Construction on private property inside a town, village or city runs through that municipality's own code enforcement office, not the county's.

Four categories skip the permit: necessary repairs that do not affect structural features; alterations under $10,000 that do not touch structural, firesafety/life-safety, or electrical systems and add no solid-fuel appliance; noncommercial structures under 140 square feet not meant for living, sleeping, eating or cooking; and nonresidential farm buildings such as barns, sheds and poultry houses used directly for agriculture.

Applications go to the Code Enforcement Officer with the owner's name and address, a description of the land and proposed work, estimated cost, and the required fee, plus stamped plans from a licensed architect, engineer or surveyor when required. A permit must be displayed on the property, expires two years from issuance or upon a certificate of occupancy, and can be renewed for one-year periods if it has not been revoked and the renewal fee is paid.