FAQs

Administrative

Q.When and where does the Laurel Mayor and Council meet?
A. They meet the first (as needed) and third Monday of each month, beginning at 7:00 p.m., at Laurel Town Hall, 201 Mechanic Street.
Q.What are the dates of the tax year?
A. October 1st to September 30th.
Q.What day is trash pick up?
A. Trash is picked up on the east side (east of Central Avenue) of town is picked up on Tuesdays and on the west side (west of Central Avenue) of town on Fridays.
Q.What can I put in my trash?
A. House hold waste is all that is permitted in your weekly trash removal service. Grass, leaves, sticks, construction materials, etc. are not permitted in the weekly pickup.

Public Works

Q.What should I do if I experience a sewer backup?
A. Before calling a plumber, contact the Laurel Town Hall at (302) 875-2277, Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. After normal business hours you may contact the On Call Phone (302) 236-6299. Public Works staff will be sent to the location to determine if the blockages in the sewer main in the street or the sewer lateral coming from the house.
Q.What can I do to prevent a sewer backup?
A. Be careful what you put in the sewer. Several items that should not be put into your sewer system are paper towels, diapers, baby wipes, mop heads, grease, and any item that will not dissolve.
Q.How do I get a secondary meter connection and what is the cost?
A. In order to obtain a secondary meter, you will need to contact the Public Works Director at (302) 875-2277. The cost of the secondary connection is $550.00 per secondary connection for existing Town of Laurel residents and residential and commercial units/developments. This does not apply to any future residential or commercial units or developments (that fee will be determined at the time of the development). The secondary connection fee includes the cost of the meter, dual pit, pit cover and installation by the Town of Laurel Public Works Staff.

Police

Q.How do I obtain a copy of an accident report or a crime report?
A. If you need to obtain a copy of an accident report or a crime report, please contact the Laurel Police Department at (302) 875-2244.

Code

Q.When do I need to get a building permit in Laurel?
A. For any renovations, repairs, construction, window and roof replacement, etc. No permit is required for painting and/or culking. If in doubt, contact the Code Enforcement Office at 302-875-2277.
Q.When do I need a Sussex County building permit?
A. You should contact Sussex County Permits at 302-855-7720 whenever you obtain a building permit from Laurel and they will advise you if a permit is required from their office.
Q.Am I responsible for maintaining the curbing, sidewalk, trees and vegetation surrounding my property?
A. Yes, the property owner is responsible.
Q.What Building Code does the Town of Laurel enforce?
A. The Town of Laurel enforces all 2009 International Codes.
Q.How do you start a business in Laurel?
A. Please highlight the following link and right click on the mouse and select go to link, for a one page document of guidelines for starting a business in Laurel. https://www.townoflaurel.net/pdfs/How_to_start_a_business.pdf