Greenburgh, NY Building Safety: Building Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- Greenburgh Code § 100-7
- Issuing office
- Building Inspector
- Permit needed for
- construction, alteration, demolition, chimneys
- Exempt fences
- 6 ft front/side, 8 ft rear yard
- Exempt retaining walls
- under 4 feet high
- Application must include
- 3 sets of construction documents
Summary
Greenburgh requires a Building Permit from the Building Inspector for any work covered by the Uniform Code, Energy Code or Town Code, including construction, enlargement, alteration, removal, relocation or demolition and installing a solid-fuel heating appliance, chimney or flue.
Building permits required. Except as otherwise provided in Subsection B of this section, a Building Permit shall be required for any work which must conform to the Uniform Code, the Energy Code and/or this Chapter, including, but not limited to, the construction, enlargement, alteration, improvement, removal, relocation or demolition of any building or structure or any portion thereof, and the installation of a solid-fuel-burning heating appliance, chimney or flue in any dwelling unit. No Person shall commence any work for which a Building Permit is required without first having obtained a Building Permit from the Building Inspector.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4570580; v39 updated 2025-10-22; through 10-22-2025).
Full Breakdown
Town Code § 100-7A makes a Building Permit mandatory for any work that must conform to the Uniform Code, the Energy Code and/or Chapter 100, explicitly naming construction, enlargement, alteration, improvement, removal, relocation or demolition of a building or structure or any portion of one, plus installing a solid-fuel-burning heating appliance, chimney or flue in a dwelling unit. No person may commence permit-required work without first obtaining the permit from the Building Inspector, and questions about whether a permit is needed go to the Building Department.
Subsection B lists six narrow exemptions: painting, wallpapering, tiling, carpeting and similar finish work; replacing incidental hardware such as doorknobs, locks, broken window panes and same-size doors; fences at or below six feet in a front or side yard and eight feet in a rear yard; retaining walls under four feet; small receive-only antennas under specific size and height limits; and satellite dishes up to 18 inches in diameter within emission limits. Subsection C is explicit that an exemption from the permit requirement is not authorization to build in violation of the Uniform Code, Energy Code or Town Code.
Applications under Subsection D go to the Building Inspector in writing, signed by the owner or an authorized agent, and must include a description of the work, the Tax Map number and address, occupancy classification, any required special-inspection statement, and three sets of construction documents.
Violations & Fines
Starting permit-required work without first obtaining a Building Permit exposes the property owner or contractor to the § 100-26 misdemeanor penalties: $500 to $1,000 and/or up to three months in jail for a first offense, $750 to $2,500 and/or up to six months for a repeat conviction within two years, with each day of continued unpermitted work a separate offense, plus possible Stop-Work Orders and injunctive relief.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does Greenburgh require a Building Permit?
Can I do minor repairs in Greenburgh without a permit?
Does an exempt project still have to meet code in Greenburgh?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Greenburgh
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