Bolthole Index

Sussex County, Delaware

Zoning, building permits and septic rules in the Town of Ocean View, Delaware

The Town of Ocean View, Delaware has its own zoning code and requires a town building permit for construction inside town limits12. Sussex County conducts the structural inspections3. Septic permits come from the state, not the town4; we could not confirm whether a given lot inside town uses septic or public sewer. Land outside town limits follows Sussex County's rules.

At a glance

Building permit
Required from the town; the builder needs a town business license2
Zoning
Yes, the town's own Land Use and Development Code (Chapter 140)1
Structural inspections
Done by Sussex County; the town does a final inspection for its certificate of occupancy35
Septic
DNREC permit required statewide; inside-town practice unconfirmed4
Minimum home size
R-1: 1,600 sq ft; R-2 single-family: 1,250 sq ft67
Wells
DNREC well permit required before drilling8

Who to call

Building permits

Town of Ocean View Administrative Department

Town hall contact for building permit applications and zoning questions inside Ocean View

302-539-9797

201 Central Avenue 2nd Floor Ocean View, DE 19970

Zoning

Town of Ocean View (certificate of occupancy inspection)

Scheduling the town's final inspection for the certificate of zoning compliance (certificate of occupancy)

302-539-1208

Building permits

Sussex County Building Code Office

County building plan review and structural inspections for homes inside Ocean View

(302) 855-7860

Building Code Office, 2 The Circle, P.O. Box 589, Georgetown, DE 19947

Septic permits

DNREC-Ground Water Discharges Section

State septic (on-site wastewater) permits, including for lots in Sussex County towns

(302) 856-4561

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 23, 2026.

Off-grid gear

Going off-grid in Town of Ocean View means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

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Does Ocean View, Delaware have zoning?

Yes. The Town of Ocean View adopted its own Land Use and Development Code, Chapter 140 of the town code, and divides land inside town limits into zoning districts shown on an official zoning map1. The map is kept in the town offices, so ask there for the district of a specific lot9.

District matters because the numbers differ. In the R-1 district a single-family lot needs at least 14,000 square feet, 75 feet of width at the front property line, and a dwelling of at least 1,600 square feet106. In R-2 a single-family lot needs at least 10,000 square feet and 60 feet of width, and a dwelling of at least 1,250 square feet117.

The town's Land Use and Development Code also regulates dividing or combining land inside town limits, including lots offered for sale12.

Do you need a building permit in Ocean View, and who issues it?

Yes. Construction inside the Town of Ocean View needs a town building permit, and the town does not accept an application unless all required documents are submitted and the builder holds a town business license or submits a license application with the permit application2. The town requires several sets of detailed plans, and the sets it returns go to Sussex County for the county permit2.

So a new home inside Ocean View involves two permits, one from the town and one from Sussex County. Delaware law gives the county, not the state, the power to adopt and enforce building codes, and fees are set by the county rather than statewide13. The County Building Code Office also covers incorporated towns14.

A town permit is valid for one year, and construction must begin within 90 days of issuance or the permit expires2. We could not confirm whether the town offers an owner-builder exemption from the business-license requirement; ask the town office before you plan to build the house yourself.

Who inspects a new home in Ocean View?

Sussex County conducts the structural inspections (footer, framing, insulation and final structural) for construction inside Ocean View3. After the county's final inspection, the owner calls the town to schedule the town's own inspection, which is required before the town issues a certificate of zoning compliance (certificate of occupancy)5.

The town's checklist includes final plumbing and electrical stickers, a lot cleared of debris and stabilized, reflective house numbers at least 4 inches tall, and the setbacks in Chapter 14015. Skipping the certificate is a town code violation with penalties up to $500 per day15. Sussex County separately requires its own certificate of compliance/occupancy before anyone occupies a building16.

What are the setbacks and lot coverage limits in Ocean View?

In the R-1 district a single-family lot needs a 25-foot front setback, 15 feet on the side and 30 feet at the rear17. Buildings and structures together may cover no more than 35% of the lot18. In the R-2 single-family district the setbacks are 20 feet in front, 10 feet on the side and 20 feet at the rear, and coverage may reach 45%1920.

Principal dwellings in both R-1 and R-2 may be up to 42 feet and 3 stories tall2122. We did not review the town's other districts, so confirm the standards for those with the town office.

How do septic permits and wells work inside Ocean View?

Septic systems in Delaware are permitted by the state: DNREC's Wastewater Disposal Program oversees the siting, design and installation of septic systems23, and no one may build or repair a system without a DNREC permit4. The process starts with a site evaluation by a Class D soil scientist, then a licensed designer applies for the permit24.

Whether a particular lot inside Ocean View is served by public sewer or needs its own septic system is something we could not confirm from the town's published rules; ask the town office and DNREC's Ground Water Discharges Section25. Sussex County's soils matter here: USDA rates almost none of the county's soils as not limited for a conventional drain field, so expect a site evaluation and often an engineered system if a lot is not on sewer26.

New wells need DNREC approval before drilling begins8. For public water, the town's permit sheet lists a water permit and tie-in where applicable27.

Can you live in an RV or tiny home in Ocean View?

We could not confirm a rule for long-term RV living, temporary camping, tiny homes or accessory dwellings inside Ocean View; the town's zoning use regulations are the place to look, and the town office can say what is allowed on a specific lot. Because the minimum dwelling size is 1,600 square feet in R-1 and 1,250 square feet in R-2 single-family67, a very small home is unlikely to qualify as a primary dwelling in those districts.

Statewide, camping on land managed by the Division of Fish and Wildlife is restricted28, but that rule covers state wildlife lands, not private lots in town.

What are the steps to build a home in Ocean View, in order?

  1. Ask the town office which zoning district the lot is in, and check the lot size, setbacks and minimum home size for that district1.
  2. Confirm water and sewer service for the lot, and if septic is needed, hire a Class D soil scientist for the site evaluation and a licensed designer for the DNREC permit24.
  3. Make sure the builder holds a Ocean View business license2.
  4. Submit the town building permit application with its full set of plans, then take the returned sets to Sussex County for its permit2.
  5. If the lot is in a flood zone, follow the town's environmental protection chapter and its wetland buffer rules29.
  6. Pass the county's structural inspections3.
  7. Call the town for its final inspection and certificate of zoning compliance before moving in5.

What stays with Sussex County, and what should you check before buying?

The county's role inside town is structural inspection and its own building permit3. Septic and well permits come from the state48. A driveway onto a state-maintained road needs a DelDOT entrance permit30.

For land outside Ocean View's limits, Sussex County's own permits and zoning apply; see the Sussex County page. Sussex County's effective property tax rate is 0.3% and its median property tax bill is $1,171 per year3132. Also check flood zone status, since construction in a flood zone triggers extra town requirements29.

Watch-outs

  • Ocean View's building permit requirements sheet we reviewed is dated 2016, so confirm the current application form and requirements with the town office before you apply2.
  • A town permit alone is not enough: Sussex County also issues its own building permit and does the structural inspections23.
  • We could not confirm septic rules, RV or tiny-home rules, or an owner-builder exemption for lots inside Ocean View; call the town office and DNREC's Ground Water Discharges Section25.

Sources

  1. Chapter 140 Land Use and Development, Article I General Provisions (eCode360) (Town of Ocean View), quoted and re-checked
  2. Town of Ocean View Building Permit Requirements & Guidelines (revised 042216) (Town of Ocean View), quoted and re-checked
  3. Town of Ocean View Building Permit Requirements & Guidelines (revised 042216) (Town of Ocean View), quoted and re-checked
  4. 7101 Regulations Governing the Design, Installation and Operation of On-Site Wastewater Treatment and Disposal Systems (Delaware statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  5. Town of Ocean View Building Permit Requirements & Guidelines (revised 042216) (Town of Ocean View), quoted and re-checked
  6. ecode360.com (Town of Ocean View), quoted and re-checked
  7. ecode360.com (Town of Ocean View), quoted and re-checked
  8. 7301 Regulations Governing the Construction and Use of Wells (Delaware statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  9. Chapter 140 Land Use and Development, Article I General Provisions (eCode360) (Town of Ocean View), quoted and re-checked
  10. ecode360.com (Town of Ocean View), quoted and re-checked
  11. ecode360.com (Town of Ocean View), quoted and re-checked
  12. Chapter 140 Land Use and Development, Article I General Provisions (eCode360) (Town of Ocean View), quoted and re-checked
  13. Title 16, Chapter 76: County or Municipal Building, Plumbing, Electrical and Other Codes (Delaware statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  14. Sussex County Building Code Office (sussexcountyde.gov)
  15. Town of Ocean View Building Permit Requirements & Guidelines (revised 042216) (Town of Ocean View), quoted and re-checked
  16. Final Completion Requirements To Obtain Certificate of Compliance/Occupancy, quoted and re-checked
  17. ecode360.com (Town of Ocean View), quoted and re-checked
  18. ecode360.com (Town of Ocean View), quoted and re-checked
  19. ecode360.com (Town of Ocean View), quoted and re-checked
  20. ecode360.com (Town of Ocean View), quoted and re-checked
  21. ecode360.com (Town of Ocean View), quoted and re-checked
  22. ecode360.com (Town of Ocean View), quoted and re-checked
  23. dnrec.delaware.gov, quoted and re-checked
  24. Septic Systems, quoted and re-checked
  25. DNREC-Ground Water Discharges Section (sussexcountyde.gov)
  26. Share of soils USDA rates "not limited" for a conventional septic drain field (SSURGO). A strict rating: the median county is about 6% and a tenth of counties are 0%, so a low figure means most lots need a site evaluation or an engineered system, not that septic is impossible. Cite it only with that caveat: Bolthole Index county data
  27. Town of Ocean View Building Permit Requirements & Guidelines (revised 042216) (Town of Ocean View), quoted and re-checked
  28. Delaware Administrative Code, Wildlife Area Regulations (Delaware statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  29. Town of Ocean View Building Permit Requirements & Guidelines (revised 042216) (Town of Ocean View), quoted and re-checked
  30. Entrance Permit System - Frequently Asked Questions (Delaware statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  31. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  32. Median property tax bill: Bolthole Index county data

Written October 23, 2026 from the rules quoted below, each taken from an official source and re-checked by an independent reviewer. This is research, not legal advice: rules change, so confirm with the office before you buy or build.

Answers from the rulebook for Town of Ocean View

Town of Ocean View’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    Construction inside Ocean View town

    • Applications are not accepted unless all required documents are submitted and the builder is licensed with the town or a business license application is submitted with the permit application.
    • Three sets of plans are required; two sets go to Sussex County for its county permit, plus one electronic copy.
    • Permits are valid for one year from issuance, and construction must begin within 90 days of issuance or the permit expires (cited as § 140-56-c (7) on the requirements sheet).
    • Sheet is revised 042216. The current application form (BP App FINAL 030526 eFORM) was not opened.
    “completed town of ocean view building permit application with all required documents.”
  • InspectionsRequired

    Final town inspection before a certificate of zoning compliance (certificate of occupancy) is issued for construction inside Ocean View town

    • Town inspection follows the county final inspection. The owner must call the town at 302-539-1208 to schedule it.
    “after receiving final inspection from the county you must contact the town of ocean view at 302-539-1208 to schedule an inspection for required issuance of a certificate of zoning compliance (certificate of occupancy) from the town of ocean view”
  • Certificate of occupancyRequired

    Completed construction inside Ocean View town

    • Town inspection items listed: final site plan or as-built survey (if applicable), elevation certificate (if applicable), final plumbing, electrical and county stickers on the main electrical panel (if applicable), lot cleared of debris and stabilized, house numbers at least 4 inches, reflective and visible, and setbacks per chapter 140.
    • The requirements sheet cites §84-10-a and §140-94 for the certificate.

    administrative fees and penalties: <= 500 USD per day (stated as 'up to $500.00 per day' for failure to obtain the certificate)

    “failure to obtain a certificate of zoning compliance (certificate of occupancy) from the town of ocean view is a violation of the town code and subject to administrative fees and penalties up to $500.00 per day.”
  • Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

    Land inside Ocean View town limits (incorporated area)

    • The town adopted its own Land Use and Development Code (Chapter 140) and divides the incorporated area into zoning districts shown on the official zoning map.
    • The zoning map is stated to be on file in the town offices.
    “this chapter shall be known as the "land use and development code" of the town of ocean view, sussex county, delaware.”
  • Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

    Zoning districts inside Ocean View town limits

    • The zoning map is kept in town offices (editor's note at §140-4 a), so the map itself is not online in the opened sources.
    • District standards are published in Chapter 140 for R-1, R-2, R-3, RMH, GB-1 and GB-2. R-3, GB and special districts were not fully analyzed.
    “the incorporated area of the town is divided into the zoning districts shown on the zoning map.”
  • Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

    Single-family dwelling in the R-1 zone inside Ocean View town

    • Amended 1-13-2015 by ord. no. 320 per the source. No effective date is stated.
    • The source table is flattened; the first numeric column is R-1 and the second is R-2 standard single-family.

    minimum livable floor area per dwelling: >= 1600 sq ft (R-1 zone)

    “minimum livable floor area per dwelling (square feet) 1,600 1,250 1,250 1,250”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • Specified — Single-family dwelling in the R-2 zone (standard single-family column) inside Ocean View town
      “minimum livable floor area per dwelling (square feet) 1,600 1,250 1,250 1,250”
  • Minimum lot sizeSpecified

    Single-family lot in the R-1 zone inside Ocean View town

    • Amended 1-13-2015 by ord. no. 320 per the source. No effective date is stated.
    • Source table is flattened; the first numeric column is R-1 standard single-family.

    lot area per dwelling unit: >= 14000 sq ft (R-1 zone) · lot width at front property line: >= 75 feet (R-1 zone) · lot depth: >= 100 feet (R-1 zone)

    “lot area per dwelling unit (square feet) 14,000 10,000 7,000 14,000 lot width at front property line (feet) 75 60 70 70 lot depth (feet) 100 100 100 100”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • Specified — Single-family lot in the R-2 zone (standard single-family column) inside Ocean View town
      “lot area per dwelling unit (square feet) 14,000 10,000 7,000 14,000 lot width at front property line (feet) 75 60 70 70 lot depth (feet) 100 100 100 100”
  • SetbacksSpecified

    Single-family lot in the R-1 zone inside Ocean View town

    • Front setback applies from the front lot line or a side lot line abutting a street.
    • Amended 1-13-2015 by ord. no. 320 per the source. No effective date is stated.
    • Projections into setbacks are governed by §140-33 and accessory structures by §140-32; those were not analyzed.

    front setback: >= 25 feet (from front lot line or side lot line abutting a street) · side setback: >= 15 feet (from side lot line) · rear setback: >= 30 feet (from rear lot line)

    “setbacks (feet) from front lot line or side lot line abutting a street 25 20 25 25 from side lot line 15 10 10 10 from rear lot line 30 20 30 30”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • Specified — Single-family lot in the R-2 zone (standard single-family column) inside Ocean View town
      “setbacks (feet) from front lot line or side lot line abutting a street 25 20 25 25 from side lot line 15 10 10 10 from rear lot line 30 20 30 30”
  • Lot coverageSpecified

    Single-family lot in the R-1 zone inside Ocean View town

    • Coverage includes all buildings and structures.
    • Minimum green area for R-1 is 65%.

    maximum lot coverage: <= 35 percent of lot area (R-1 zone, includes all buildings and structures)

    “maximum coverage of lot area (includes all buildings and structures) 35% 45% 45% 45% minimum green area 65% 55% 55% 55%”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • Specified — Single-family lot in the R-2 zone (standard single-family column) inside Ocean View town
      “maximum coverage of lot area (includes all buildings and structures) 35% 45% 45% 45% minimum green area 65% 55% 55% 55%”
  • Building heightSpecified

    Principal dwelling in the R-1 zone inside Ocean View town

    • §140-5 e allows a board of adjustment exception and allows extra stories on the downhill side of sloping lots, without raising the maximum height.
    • Amended 1-13-2015 by ord. no. 320 per the source.

    maximum height: <= 42 feet (R-1 zone) · maximum number of stories: <= 3 stories (R-1 zone)

    “maximum height feet 42 42 42 42 number of stories 3 3 3 3”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • Specified — Principal dwelling in the R-2 zone (standard single-family column) inside Ocean View town
      “maximum height feet 42 42 42 42 number of stories 3 3 3 3”
  • Mandatory utility hookupWater (with conditions)

    New construction inside Ocean View town that needs a water service tie-in

    • Requirement is stated 'if applicable'; the code section cited is §213-1 (chapter 213 Water), which was not opened.
    • A water permit and tie-in to the public water system is listed on the requirements sheet.
    “water permit and tie in to the public water system (§213-1 if applicable)”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Division, partition or combination of land inside Ocean View town

    • Applies to tracts, parcels, lots or property divided by metes and bounds, subdivision or land development. Land offered for sale is also covered by §140-5 a.
    • The subdivision approval procedure and fees were not opened.
    “tracts, parcels, lots, or property shall be divided, partitioned, or combined, whether by metes and bounds, subdivision, or land development, in conformance with the provisions of this chapter.”
  • Building in a floodplainRequired

    Construction in a designated flood zone inside Ocean View town

    • Applies only if the parcel is in a flood zone; the wetland buffer rules of chapter 116 also apply.
    • Chapter 116, Article I was not opened.
    “if in flood zone must comply with the environmental protection chapter 116, article 1, of the town code as well as all other applicable rules and regulations governing construction in designated flood zones.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Town of Ocean View or Sussex County directly.

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder permit exemption for work inside Ocean View town
  • Living in an RV — Long-term RV occupancy on private land inside Ocean View town
  • Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land inside Ocean View town
  • Tiny homes — Tiny home occupancy inside Ocean View town
  • Accessory dwellings — Accessory dwelling units inside Ocean View town
8 more unanswered
  • Who permits septic
  • Septic permit
  • Septic inspection
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Driveway access
  • Short-term rentals

Each answer was extracted from an official source and independently re-checked against that source by a second reviewer. That is an evidence check, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with the authority before you buy or build.

Unanswered questions are usually a sign that Town of Ocean View publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Sussex County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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