Licking County
Deck Permit Guide

Do You Need a Permit to Build a Deck in Licking County?

In almost all cases, yes. Ohio Residential Code requires a building permit for:

• Any deck attached to the house
• Any elevated deck more than 30 inches above grade
• Any deck over 200 square feet
• Any deck with a roof, pergola, or enclosed structure above it

A small, freestanding, ground-level platform under 200 square feet may not require a permit in some jurisdictions — but that's a narrow exception, not the norm. If you're building anything substantial, assume you need a permit.

Which Office Do You File With?

This is where it gets complicated in Licking County, because jurisdiction depends on whether your address is in a municipality or an unincorporated township.

• City of Newark: Newark Building Department
• City of Heath: Heath Building Department
• City of Pataskala: Pataskala Building Department
• Village of Granville: Granville Building Department
• Village of Hebron: Licking County Building Department
• Village of Johnstown: Licking County Building Department
• Unincorporated townships: Licking County Building Department
• New Albany (Licking County side): Licking County Building Department

When in doubt, call the Licking County Building Department at (740) 349-6618 — they can confirm jurisdiction for your address. Or just let us handle it. We know which office governs every address we work at.

What Does the Permit Process Look Like?

The permit process for a residential deck in Licking County typically involves:

1. Application submission — site plan, construction drawings, and property plat showing the deck location and setbacks from property lines
2. Plan review — the building department reviews for code compliance (footings, framing, railing height, etc.). Typically takes 1 to 3 weeks depending on current workload.
3. Permit issuance — permit is issued and construction can begin
4. Inspections — footing inspection before concrete is poured, framing inspection before decking is installed, and final inspection on completion

We handle steps 1 and 2 for every project we build. You don't need to prepare drawings, visit the building department, or manage the timeline. We do it.

What Happens if You Build Without a Permit?

Building without a permit creates real problems:

• You may be required to tear the deck down or pay for a retroactive inspection that requires significant modifications
• Your homeowner's insurance may deny claims related to the deck
• The deck will show up as an unpermitted structure on a home inspection, which complicates any future sale
• You assume full liability for any injury that occurs on an uninspected structure

We don't build without permits. It's not worth the risk to you, and it's not how we operate.

Setback Requirements

Most jurisdictions in Licking County require decks to be set back from property lines — typically 5 to 10 feet from side and rear lot lines, though this varies by township and zoning district. We verify setbacks for every project at the design stage so there are no surprises at permit submission.

"The permit process in Licking County is straightforward once you know which office to file with. The part that trips homeowners up is not knowing whether their address is in a municipality or the unincorporated county. We know — and we handle it."