Unincorporated Washington County

County approvals are required for county-regulated activities in unincorporated areas, especially shoreland, floodplain, wetland, and land division matters. Building permits are generally handled by the town inspector.

• Exempt Applicants should not assume exemption for shoreland, floodplain, wetland, or land division activity without county confirmation.

Building code

County pages reviewed are planning and zoning oriented rather than a unified county building code page.

1. 01
   Confirm whether the parcel is in unincorporated Washington County and whether county shoreland, wetland, floodplain, land division, or park/planning approvals apply.
2. 02
   Use the county GIS tools and Planning and Parks pages to identify regulated areas and required county approvals.
3. 03
   Submit county applications for any county-regulated approvals and town applications for building or zoning permits as required.
4. 04
   Do not begin work until both county and town approvals are issued where applicable.

Source: Washington County Planning and Parks Department for county shoreland, wetland, floodplain, land division, and related unincorporated zoning approvals; building permits are otherwise routed through the applicable town inspector or town zoning office rather than a single countywide building department. ↗

• Varies by permit type and by the town inspector for building inspections. (phone)

Inspection hours

County office hours were not clearly posted on the page reviewed.

Typical sequence: County inspections vary by county permit type; structural inspections are routed through the town or town-contracted inspector.