Nassau County has 64 incorporated villages, and nearly every one runs its own building department. If your home is inside a village, your permit comes from the village — not from the Town of Hempstead, North Hempstead, or Oyster Bay, and not from Nassau County.
This is the single most common source of delay on a Nassau renovation. Homeowners assume the town issues the permit. Contractors unfamiliar with the village file with the wrong authority. The application comes back, and weeks are gone.
We have been building on Long Island since 1976 and file permits in these villages as part of the job. Below is every incorporated village in Nassau County, which town it sits in, and a direct link to its building department where we have verified one.
All 64 Incorporated Villages in Nassau County
| Village | Town | Building Department |
|---|---|---|
| Atlantic Beach | Hempstead | OZ permit guide · 516-371-4600 |
| Bellerose | Hempstead | Contact village hall |
| Cedarhurst | Hempstead | OZ permit guide · 516-295-5770 |
| East Rockaway | Hempstead | OZ permit guide · 516-887-6300 |
| Garden City | Hempstead | OZ permit guide · 516-465-4040 |
| Hempstead | Hempstead | Contact village hall |
| Hewlett Bay Park | Hempstead | Contact village hall |
| Hewlett Harbor | Hempstead | Contact village hall |
| Hewlett Neck | Hempstead | Contact village hall |
| Island Park | Hempstead | OZ permit guide · 516-431-0600 |
| Lawrence | Hempstead | OZ permit guide · 516-239-4600 |
| Lynbrook | Hempstead | OZ permit guide · 516-599-8300 |
| Malverne | Hempstead | OZ permit guide · 516-599-1200 |
| Rockville Centre | Hempstead | OZ permit guide · 516-678-9247 |
| South Floral Park | Hempstead | Contact village hall |
| Stewart Manor | Hempstead | Contact village hall |
| Valley Stream | Hempstead | OZ permit guide · 516-825-4200 |
| Woodsburgh | Hempstead | Contact village hall |
| Floral Park | Hempstead/North Hempstead | OZ permit guide · 516-326-6319 |
| Mineola | Hempstead/North Hempstead | OZ permit guide · 516-746-0750 |
| New Hyde Park | Hempstead/North Hempstead | OZ permit guide · 516-354-0022 |
| Baxter Estates | North Hempstead | Contact village hall |
| East Williston | North Hempstead | Contact village hall |
| Flower Hill | North Hempstead | Contact village hall |
| Great Neck | North Hempstead | OZ permit guide · 516-482-2000 |
| Great Neck Estates | North Hempstead | Contact village hall |
| Great Neck Plaza | North Hempstead | Contact village hall |
| Kensington | North Hempstead | Contact village hall |
| Kings Point | North Hempstead | OZ permit guide · 516-504-1000 |
| Lake Success | North Hempstead | Contact village hall |
| Manorhaven | North Hempstead | OZ permit guide · 516-883-7000 |
| Munsey Park | North Hempstead | Contact village hall |
| North Hills | North Hempstead | OZ permit guide · 516-627-3690 |
| Plandome | North Hempstead | Contact village hall |
| Plandome Heights | North Hempstead | Contact village hall |
| Plandome Manor | North Hempstead | Contact village hall |
| Port Washington North | North Hempstead | Contact village hall |
| Roslyn | North Hempstead | Contact village hall |
| Roslyn Estates | North Hempstead | Contact village hall |
| Roslyn Harbor | North Hempstead | Contact village hall |
| Russell Gardens | North Hempstead | Contact village hall |
| Saddle Rock | North Hempstead | Contact village hall |
| Sands Point | North Hempstead | Contact village hall |
| Thomaston | North Hempstead | Contact village hall |
| Westbury | North Hempstead | OZ permit guide · 516-334-1700 |
| Williston Park | North Hempstead | Contact village hall |
| East Hills | North Hempstead/Oyster Bay | Contact village hall |
| Old Westbury | North Hempstead/Oyster Bay | OZ permit guide · 516-626-0800 |
| Bayville | Oyster Bay | Contact village hall |
| Brookville | Oyster Bay | Contact village hall |
| Centre Island | Oyster Bay | Contact village hall |
| Cove Neck | Oyster Bay | Contact village hall |
| Farmingdale | Oyster Bay | Contact village hall |
| Lattingtown | Oyster Bay | Contact village hall |
| Laurel Hollow | Oyster Bay | Contact village hall |
| Massapequa Park | Oyster Bay | OZ permit guide · 516-798-0244 |
| Matinecock | Oyster Bay | Contact village hall |
| Mill Neck | Oyster Bay | Contact village hall |
| Muttontown | Oyster Bay | Contact village hall |
| Old Brookville | Oyster Bay | Contact village hall |
| Oyster Bay Cove | Oyster Bay | Contact village hall |
| Sea Cliff | Oyster Bay | OZ permit guide · 516-671-0080 |
| Upper Brookville | Oyster Bay | Contact village hall |
Why the Village Matters More Than the Town
An incorporated village is a separate municipality. It has its own code, its own building department, its own inspectors, and in many cases its own zoning board, planning commission, and architectural review board. Two houses a quarter mile apart can sit under entirely different rules.
Practically, this affects three things:
- Who issues the permit. Filing with the town when the village has jurisdiction means starting over.
- Whether a board reviews your project. Board calendars, not staff review, are usually the longest part of a timeline.
- What the code actually requires. Setbacks, height limits, lot coverage, and design review vary village to village.
Coastal Villages and FEMA Requirements
Several Nassau villages carry coastal flood exposure, where FEMA elevation and substantial-improvement rules govern renovation on top of the village code. The rule that catches people is the 50% rule: when improvements exceed 50% of the structure’s value, the entire structure can be required to meet current flood-compliant standards.
That single threshold can change a project’s scope and budget completely. It applies in villages including East Rockaway, Island Park, Atlantic Beach, Bayville, Manorhaven, Sea Cliff, Lattingtown, Laurel Hollow, and Centre Island.
We have built to FEMA and town compliance on the South Shore, including ground-up waterfront construction. Read the full FEMA flood zone guide.
How We Handle Village Permitting
- We identify the correct authority before anything is filed
- We flag board review requirements up front, not after a rejection
- We prepare drawings to the village’s submission standard
- We carry the project through inspections to certificate of occupancy
Questions About Nassau Village Permits
How many incorporated villages are in Nassau County?
64. They sit within the three towns of Hempstead, North Hempstead, and Oyster Bay. Nassau also contains two cities — Glen Cove and Long Beach — which are separate from the towns entirely.
Does my village or my town issue my building permit?
If your property is inside an incorporated village, the village issues the permit. If it is in an unincorporated area, the town issues it. Village boundaries do not always match mailing addresses, so confirm before filing.
Why do village permits take longer than town permits?
Not always longer — but more variable. Villages are smaller, so review may be faster, while projects requiring a zoning board, planning commission, or architectural review board wait for that board’s meeting calendar.
What happens if my contractor files with the wrong authority?
The application is rejected and refiled with the correct municipality. Time is lost, and any work already started may be subject to a stop-work order.
Renovating Inside a Nassau Village?
We file the permits as part of the job. Free consultation and a written line-item estimate.
516-826-8054 · Licensed Nassau County #184594 · BBB A+ since 1991 · 14× Angi Super Service Award
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Who actually issues your Nassau County building permit ·
Renovating in a FEMA flood zone ·
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