Sussex County, DE Building Safety: Building Inspections (2026)

Under § 52-28, the Building Official inspects buildings before issuing a permit if the work involves enlarging, altering, repairing, moving, demolishing or changing occupancy, and continues inspecting during and after construction, keeping a record of every examination and any code violations found. The permit holder must post the building permit card in a conspicuous place on the front of the premises and keep it there until the certificate of occupancy issues. With 48 hours' notice from the permit holder, the Building Official conducts three staged inspections: a foundation inspection after trenches are excavated and forms erected, a frame inspection after the roof, framing, fire blocking and bracing are in place and pipes, chimneys and vents are complete, and a final inspection after the building is completed and ready for occupancy.

Work cannot proceed past the point covered by each inspection without written approval, and reinforcing steel or structural framework cannot be covered until the Building Official approves it. Modular or sectional homes can skip the frame inspection if a certified inspection agency has already inspected under IRC standards, though the county can still require its own inspection at any time. Review and inspection fees run on a schedule; a single-family dwelling under 600 square feet costs $120, rising to $550 for 6,000 square feet and above, covering plan review plus up to five on-site inspections, with additional visits billed at $40 each.