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Delaware Opening Checklist (Printable)
Print-friendly checklist with statewide baseline and municipality-specific notes.
State section — Delaware
- Delaware health/public health program
- State or delegated fire authority
- Local building and planning departments
Municipality and county section — Delaware
| Jurisdiction | Lead office | Process notes |
|---|---|---|
| Wilmington | Licenses & Inspections + Fire Marshal | Coordinate city permits/inspections with state health approval before opening food operations. |
| Dover | Planning & Inspections | Track zoning/building milestones with fire and health sign-offs on one schedule. |
| Newark | Planning & Development | Submit complete permit sets early and align city inspections with state pre-operational approval. |
| New Castle County | Department of Land Use | Use county permit and certificate workflow for unincorporated sites. |
| Kent County | Planning Services / Inspections & Enforcement | Follow county intake, permit issuance, and finals sequence for county-jurisdiction sites. |
| Sussex County | Planning & Zoning + Building Code | Coordinate planning/building approvals and required inspections before final occupancy and opening. |
Local office locations and maps
- Wilmington L&I: 800 N French St, Wilmington, DE 19801 — https://maps.google.com/?q=800+N+French+St+Wilmington+DE+19801
- Dover Planning & Inspections: 15 Loockerman Plaza, Dover, DE 19901 — https://maps.google.com/?q=15+Loockerman+Plaza+Dover+DE+19901
- Newark Planning & Development: 220 S Main St, Newark, DE 19711 — https://maps.google.com/?q=220+S+Main+St+Newark+DE+19711
- New Castle County Land Use: 87 Reads Way, New Castle, DE 19720 — https://maps.google.com/?q=87+Reads+Way+New+Castle+DE+19720
- Kent County Planning: 555 Bay Rd, Dover, DE 19901 — https://maps.google.com/?q=555+Bay+Rd+Dover+DE+19901
- Sussex County offices: 2 The Circle, Georgetown, DE 19947 — https://maps.google.com/?q=2+The+Circle+Georgetown+DE+19947
Official references
- https://dhss.delaware.gov/dhss/dph/hsp/ofp.html
- https://statefiremarshal.delaware.gov/plan-review-and-inspections/
- https://www.wilmingtonde.gov/government/city-departments/department-of-licenses-and-inspections
- https://www.cityofdover.gov/planning-and-inspections
- https://newarkde.gov/59/Planning-and-Development
- https://www.newcastlede.gov/100/Department-of-Land-Use
- https://www.kentcountyde.gov/My-Government/Departments/Planning
- https://sussexcountyde.gov/planning-zoning
- https://sussexcountyde.gov/building-code
Opening task checklist
| Done | Task | Owner | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zoning/use verification complete | __________________ | __________ | |
| Plan review package submitted | __________________ | __________ | |
| Health/building/fire permits issued | __________________ | __________ | |
| Final inspections passed | __________________ | __________ |
Notes
Signature: ________________________
Date: ________________________