North Carolina building permits

Where to get a building permit in North Carolina

Apply to the building department of the city, town or county where the property is (the steps).

Our North Carolina city guides, with each department's contacts, fees, inspections and project rules:

• Charlotte
• Raleigh

North Carolina state agencies

These offices set statewide codes or license the trades. They do not issue permits for most home projects.

Building code in North Carolina

For homes, the residential code is the 2018 North Carolina Residential Code (2015 IRC base)⁴, in effect since January 1, 2019⁴ (statewide; applies everywhere²).

Every code family, edition and effective date is on North Carolina building codes.

State rules on which work needs a permit

N.C.G.S. § 160D-1110(a), (c); N.C.G.S. § 143-138(b5), (b16)

• $40,000. No permit issued under Article 9 of Chapter 143 of the General Statutes is required for any construction, installation, repair, replacement, or alteration costing forty thousand dollars ($40,000) or less and performed in accordance with the current edition of the North Carolina State Building Code in any single-family residence, farm building, or commercial building unless the work involves any of the following…⁶
• Load-bearing work needs a permit at any cost; replacement of windows, doors, exterior siding, and porch/deck pickets, railings, stair treads and decking is exempt only when the project costs $40,000 or less and no other 160D-1110(c) trigger applies. (1) The addition, repair, or replacement of load-bearing structures. However, no permit is required for replacement of windows, doors, exterior siding, or the pickets, railings, stair treads, and decking of porches and exterior decks that otherwise meet the requirements of this subsection.⁶
• Plumbing additions/design changes need a permit; same-size replacements exempt. (2) The addition or change in the design of plumbing. However, no permit is required for replacements otherwise meeting the requirements of this subsection that do not change size or capacity.⁶
• HVAC/electrical additions, replacement or design changes need a permit (except like-kind electrical devices and fixtures). (3) The addition, replacement, or change in the design of heating, air- conditioning, or electrical wiring, devices, appliances, or equipment, other than like-kind replacement of electrical devices and lighting fixtures.⁶
• Materials not permitted by the code need a permit. (4) The use of materials not permitted by the North Carolina State Building Code.⁶
• Adding roofing needs a permit; replacement exempt (within $40,000). (5) The addition of roofing, excluding replacement.⁶
• Work subject to the NC Fire Code needs a permit. (6) Any changes to which the North Carolina Fire Code applies.⁶
• No permit to connect a replacement water heater in a 1-2 family dwelling if done by a G.S. 87-21 licensee who checks the work and has the gas piping leak-tested, with no higher input and no change in fuel, energy source, location, capacity, or venting/piping. (2) The installation, extension, or general repair of any plumbing system, except that in any one- or two-family dwelling unit a permit is not required for the connection of a water heater that is being replaced if (i) the work is performed by a person licensed under G.S. 87-21 who personally examines the work at completion and ensures that a leak test has been performed on the gas piping and (ii) the energy use rate or thermal input is not greater than that of the water heater that is being replaced, there is no change in fuel, energy source, location, capacity, or routing or sizing of venting and piping, and the replacement is installed in accordance with the current edition of the North Carolina State Building Code.⁶
• Like-for-like lighting fixtures/devices and electric water heater reconnection exempt in 1-2 family dwellings when done by licensed electrician. …two-family dwelling unit a permit is not required for repair or replacement of electrical lighting fixtures or devices, such as receptacles and lighting switches, or for the connection of an existing branch circuit…⁶
• No permit for repair/replacement of dishwashers, disposals, water heaters, electrical devices or lighting fixtures if conditions met. Exclusion for Electrical Devices and Lighting Fixtures. - No permit shall be required under the Code or any local variant approved under subsection (e) of this section for the repair or replacement of dishwashers, disposals, water heaters, electrical devices, or lighting fixtures in residential or commercial structures, provided that all of the following apply…⁶
• (b16) condition: no added or relocated wiring. (1) The repair or replacement does not require the addition or relocation of electrical wiring.⁶
• (b16) condition: licensed electrical contractor. (2) The work is performed by a person or employee of a company licensed under G.S. 87-43.⁶
• OSFM: deck additions, repairs or replacement are not exempt; repair/replacement of decking (floorboards) costing $40,000 or less is exempt. § 160D-1110(c) only exempts the repair or replacement of deck floorboards (decking) for projects costing $40,000 or less.⁷
• OSFM: roofing replacement exempt incl. up to 15% of roof deck, within $40,000. Yes, but § 160D-1110(c)(5) is only exempting the replacement of roofing and up to 15% of the total existing roof deck for projects costing $40,000 or less.⁷
• OSFM: windows/doors etc. need a permit when project cost exceeds $40,000. Windows, doors, and other items listed in § 160D-1110(c)(1) all require a permit if the cost of the project is over $40,000.⁷
• 160D-1110(a) permit requirement has exceptions in 160D-1110(c) and G.S. 160D-1110.1(h). Except as provided in subsection (c) of this section, and subsection (h) of G.S. 160D-1110.1, no person shall commence or proceed with any of the following without first securing all permits required by the North Carolina State Building Code and any other State or local laws applicable to any of the following activities…⁶

Applies to

Single-family residence, farm building, or commercial building⁶

Homeowners doing their own work

N.C.G.S. § 87-1(b)(2); § 87-14; § 160D-1113

• Yes: owner may act as own general contractor if the owner (and family) will solely occupy the building. A property owner can act as his own general contractor and thus be exempt from the requirement to hire a licensed general contractor for building projects costing $40,000 or more if the property owner (including the owner’s family) intends to solely occupy the building being altered or built on his property.⁸
• 12 months. If the building is not solely occupied by the property owner for at least 12 months following completion of the project, it is presumed that the property owner did not intend to solely occupy the building.⁸
• Owner must personally supervise; may delegate only to a licensed GC. In addition, a property owner who acts as his own general contractor must personally supervise and manage the building construction or alteration project for which the building permit was obtained under the exemption.⁸
• Applies to residential and commercial projects. The exemption – and the criteria for eligibility under the exemption – applies to both residential and commercial building construction projects.⁸
• Homeowner who lives in the home 12 months may do own work without license; permit and inspections still required. Exception: A homeowner who lives in the home and plans to live there for 12 months may do his own work without a license.⁹
• Permit and inspections still required. Permit and inspections are still required to determine that the work is in compliance with state and local codes.⁹
• Yes (Home Owner Exemption Affidavit with permit; example: City of Mebane). A Home Owner Exemption Affidavit is required with the permit.⁹

Applies to

Projects costing $40,000 or more (below that no GC license is needed anyway)⁸

Contractor licensing

N.C.G.S. § 87-1 (general contractors); Chapter 87 Articles 2 (plumbing/heating, G.S. 87-21) and 4 (electrical, G.S. 87-43)

• Threshold raised to $40,000 effective October 1, 2023 (H.B. 488). Included in the bill was a provision that increased the project threshold pursuant to NCGS 87-1 to $40,000 effective October 1, 2023.⁸
• No permit for licensed-trade work (general construction, plumbing, mechanical, electrical, fire protection, gas) issued to an unlicensed person or firm. When the General Statutes require that general construction, plumbing, mechanical, electrical, fire protection or gas work be performed by an appropriately licensed individual, no permit for such type work shall be issued to an unlicensed person or firm.¹

Handyman limits

N.C.G.S. § 87-1

• Electrical device/fixture permit exclusions require a licensed electrical contractor. (2) The work is performed by a person or employee of a company licensed under G.S. 87-43.⁶

Private plan review and inspections

N.C.G.S. § 160D-1106; § 160D-1105; § 160D-1104.1

• OSFM: G.S. 160D-1106 allows a local government to accept, without further responsibility to inspect, a licensed architect or engineer design/proposal for a component or element. N.C.G.S 160D-1106 allows for a local government to accept, without further responsibility to inspect, a design or other proposal for a “component” or “element”.¹⁰
• Components examples: footing trench, foundation, underslab; not systems. Examples of a component include an excavated footing trench containing no concrete, a foundation, and a prepared underslab with slab-related materials without concrete. The term does not include a system.¹⁰
• OSFM: cannot replace local inspection of whole systems. A component or element does not encompass a system, such as a structural system, plumbing system, HVAC system, electrical system, etc., but only a component or element within a system; therefore, such systems must be inspected by a certified code enforcement official (inspector) of the local government.¹⁰

Selling a home with unpermitted work

N.C.G.S. Chapter 47E (Residential Property Disclosure Act); NCREC form REC 4.22

• Yes: seller must answer whether property violates building codes incl. missing permits. E3. Is the property in violation of any building codes (including the failure to obtain required permits for room additions or other changes/improvements)?¹¹
• Disclosure statement required before any offer. North Carolina law N.C.G.S. 47E requires residential property owners to complete this Disclosure Statement and provide it to the buyer prior to any offer to purchase.¹¹
• Owner may answer No Representation where offered. An owner is not required to disclose any of the material facts that have a NR option, even if they have knowledge of them.¹¹