Homeowner Guide
Remodeling Permits and Licensing in Westchester County
Last reviewed: October 2026
(914) 474-1951A License and a Permit Are Two Different Things
Homeowners mix these up constantly, and it is worth getting straight before a project starts. The county licenses the contractor. The city, town, or village issues the permit for the job. They are two different governments doing two different things, and a contractor who is licensed is not the same thing as a project that is permitted.
The license tells you the contractor met the county's requirements to do this work. The permit tells you the building department has seen the plans for your specific house and approved them. You want both.
The County License
Westchester law requires home improvement contractors to have a county license. The Westchester County Department of Consumer Protection issues it and keeps the list of licensed contractors. The license runs for two years and is renewed for two years.
To get it, a contractor has to show proof of liability and property damage insurance and of workers' compensation and disability coverage. The licensee must give the license number in all advertisements and on all contracts, invoices, proposals, and stationery. The county also issues a vehicle decal for each vehicle a licensee uses for the work, to be displayed on the vehicle.
Anyone can check a license by calling the department at (914) 995-2155. Our license number is WC-33098-H20, and we would rather you checked it than took our word for it.
Who Issues Your Building Permit
Building permits are not issued by the county. They are issued by the building department of the city, town, or village the house is in. Here is the department and phone number for each of the fourteen towns we work in:
| Where your house is | Building department |
|---|---|
| Pleasantville | Village of Pleasantville, (914) 769-1926 |
| Hawthorne | Town of Mount Pleasant, (914) 742-2305 |
| Valhalla | Town of Mount Pleasant, (914) 742-2305 |
| White Plains | City of White Plains, (914) 422-1269 |
| Scarsdale | Village of Scarsdale, (914) 722-1140 |
| Harrison | Town/Village of Harrison, (914) 670-3050 |
| Larchmont | Village of Larchmont, (914) 834-4349 |
| Mamaroneck (Village) | Village of Mamaroneck, (914) 777-7731 |
| Mamaroneck (Town, unincorporated) | Town of Mamaroneck, (914) 381-7830 |
| Rye | City of Rye, (914) 967-7372 |
| Port Chester | Village of Port Chester, (914) 939-5203 |
| Chappaqua | Town of New Castle, (914) 238-5177 |
| Armonk | Town of North Castle, (914) 273-8625 |
| Bedford, Bedford Hills, Katonah | Town of Bedford, (914) 666-8040 |
| Lewisboro | Town of Lewisboro, (914) 763-3060 |
The county keeps a county directory of building departments. We pull the permits on our projects.
Plumbers and Electricians Are Licensed Separately
Westchester County licenses plumbers and electricians under separate laws from home improvement contractors. The plumbing and the electrical work on a remodel is done under those licenses. A home improvement license on its own does not cover that work.
Review Boards: Who Looks at an Addition Before the Permit
Before a building permit is issued, some municipalities send the application to a review board that looks at the exterior of the proposed work. What triggers a review, and which board, depends on the town. Here is what each of the fourteen municipalities requires:
- Pleasantville: the Planning Commission acts as the Board of Architectural Review, but detached single- and two-family houses are generally not referred to it, except in newer subdivisions.
- Scarsdale: the Board of Architectural Review reviews new buildings and any addition or alteration that substantially changes the exterior character and appearance of a building.
- Harrison: the Building Inspector sends a copy of every building permit application to the Architectural Review Board.
- Larchmont: the Architectural Review Board reviews exterior alterations to residential properties.
- Village of Mamaroneck: permit applications estimated above $40,000 are referred to the Board of Architectural Review.
- City of Rye: permit applications that would affect the exterior appearance of a structure, including additions, are referred to the Board of Architectural Review.
- Port Chester: the Village has an Architectural Review Board; whether a one- or two-family house goes before it depends on the district.
- Chappaqua (Town of New Castle): the Architectural Review Board reviews exterior work in residence districts estimated above $25,000.
- Armonk (Town of North Castle): the Residential Project Review Committee reviews residential permit applications; interior-only alterations are exempt.
- Bedford: exterior changes in the Bedford Village Historic District need a certificate of approval from its Review Commission; Katonah has its own historic district commission; a third commission covers surveyed historic buildings elsewhere in the Town.
- Lewisboro: the Architecture and Community Appearance Review Council reviews exterior work in the Town's Special Character Overlay Districts.
Other municipalities have their own boards — ask the building department before design starts. Interior work that does not change the outside of the house is generally not what these boards review.
If Your House Is on Septic
Under Westchester County Health Department rules, when a house served by its own septic system gets an addition or modification, the local building department refers it to the Health Department, which has to sign off that the existing septic system is adequate.
This matters most in the northern towns — New Castle, North Castle, Bedford, and Lewisboro — where septic is common. Bedford, New Castle, and Lewisboro each require a septic system to be inspected at least once every five years.
Find out whether the house is on sewer or septic before planning a bedroom addition. A bedroom addition on septic can mean the system has to be upgraded or replaced, and that is a cost and a step you want to know about early.
If Your House Is in a Flood Zone
Larchmont, the Village of Mamaroneck, the City of Rye, and Port Chester each require a floodplain development permit for work in a special flood hazard area. They all use the same federal definition of a substantial improvement.
A "substantial improvement" is any reconstruction, rehabilitation, addition, or other improvement whose cost equals or exceeds 50% of the market value of the structure before the work starts. When a project crosses that line, the house is treated like new construction for flood purposes. In these four municipalities that includes raising the lowest floor, basement included, to two feet above the base flood level.
A large remodel can cross that line without anyone intending it. Ask the building department whether the property is in the special flood hazard area before design starts.
Wetlands, Steep Slopes and Trees
In the northern towns a separate town permit is needed to work in or near a wetland. The regulated buffer around a wetland is 100 feet in New Castle, North Castle, and Bedford, and 150 feet in Lewisboro. These towns also require permits to disturb steep slopes and to remove larger trees.
On a wooded or sloping lot these rules decide where an addition can go. They are worth knowing about before the design is drawn, because a plan that runs into a wetland buffer or a steep slope may have to move.
What This Means When You Hire Us
We hold the county license, we pull the permits, and Anthony is on the job. If you are planning an addition, a kitchen, a bathroom, or a whole-home remodel, we handle the permitting. See our guide to hiring a remodeling contractor for how to check any contractor, including us.
Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to remodel a kitchen or bathroom?
Who issues building permits — the county or my town?
How do I check that a contractor is licensed in Westchester County?
Does my addition need architectural review?
Can I add a bedroom to a house on septic?
What is the 50% rule in a flood zone?
This page is general information, not legal advice. Local rules change, and you should confirm the requirements that apply to your property with your own building department.
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