Village of Hempstead Building Dept: 99 James A. Garner Way, Hempstead, NY 11550 • 516-478-6234

• Department: Building Department, Incorporated Village of Hempstead
• Address: 99 James A. Garner Way, Hempstead, NY 11550 (mailing: P.O. Box 32, Hempstead, NY 11551)
• Phone: 516-478-6234 or 516-478-6238
• Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:15am–4:15pm. Closed weekends and Village holidays.
• Permit filing portal: SmartGov: https://vlg-hempstead-ny.smartgovcommunity.com/Public/Home
• Forms & instructions: https://vlg-hempstead-ny.smartgovcommunity.com/Public/DocumentsView

Office hours and links can change, and offices close on holidays. Call ahead before visiting.

The Incorporated Village of Hempstead runs its own Building Department, separate from the Town of Hempstead that surrounds it. That matters more than people expect. The Village's own FAQ points out that a home in West Hempstead is under the Town, not the Village. So the first thing we do is confirm which department actually has jurisdiction over your address. Then we file in the right place.

The Village posts its building permit instructions, homeowner waivers, floor plan certification, fence height diagram and backflow device plans on its SmartGov portal. Typical residential jobs include additions, interior alterations, fences, decks, plumbing and backflow devices, and electrical work. Rental properties need the Village's rental application packet (1–3 family or multi-dwelling). Businesses moving into a space need a building permit and Planning Board review before they can get a business license.

• Online through SmartGov. You register for a portal account, verify it by email, then submit applications, upload plans and track reviews and inspections online.
• New businesses start with the Building Department. The Village says every new business application begins with a building permit filing. After that comes a Planning Board application on the same portal, and only then the business license, which is filed online only (walk-ins and paper are not accepted).
• Cellar and basement apartments are not allowed. The Village's FAQ says the only allowed basement uses are a recreation room, bathroom, laundry room and furnace room, all with proper permits. This is a common source of violations.
• Keep applications moving. The Village's permit instructions say any application left dormant for 90 days is deemed abandoned and destroyed without notice.

An open or abandoned SmartGov application doesn't go away by itself. It stays on the property's record and can come up at a sale, a refinance or a rental registration. Work done without a permit, especially in a basement, can lead to violations, a summons to Village court and a stalled closing. Closing out old permits and legalizing past work before you list the house is almost always faster than doing it under a contract deadline.

• SmartGov, handled for you. We set up the filing, upload your documents, answer the Village's review comments and track the job to issuance and final inspection. NCE has filed residential and commercial permits on the Village's SmartGov portal.
• Free consultation and quote. We check what's on file for the property first, then tell you what the job needs.
• Typical timing: about 2–4 weeks for simple jobs (sheds, fences, decks, pools) and 4–8 weeks for more complex jobs. It varies by municipality and scope, and it's never guaranteed.
• Zoning variances: if the work needs one, we refer you to a zoning/land-use attorney and keep the permit side moving.

Call or text 516-399-0139. We usually get back to you within an hour or two. Open Monday–Friday, 8:30am–8:30pm. Weekend messages are returned by Monday.