County Building Permits
Davidson County Building Permit Guide (Unincorporated Area)
How to apply for a building permit in unincorporated Davidson County, North Carolina. Permit authority, application steps, fees, and inspection requirements.
Permit Authority
Applies to county territory outside incorporated municipal permit jurisdictions and to places where Davidson County administers permits by contract.
- Department
- Davidson County Planning and Zoning; Davidson County Central Permitting
- Address
- Planning and Zoning, 913 Greensboro Street, Lexington, NC 27292; Central Permitting, 912 Greensboro Street, Lexington, NC 27292
- Phone
- Planning (336) 242-2220; Central Permitting (336) 242-2230
Online Permit Portal
Platform: OpenGov • Account required: Yes • Submission: In-person only
Additional resources:
Application Process
- Confirm zoning, floodplain, subdivision, addressing, and septic or utility prerequisites with the county planning and related departments.
- Create an OpenGov account or apply at the county counter.
- Select the permit type in OpenGov and enter project information.
- Upload plans and supporting attachments; the county provides separate OpenGov how-to guides for applying, uploading attachments, requesting inspections, and checking results.
- Pay the permit fees when the county review is complete.
- Receive the issued permit and request inspections through OpenGov.
- Complete all finals before occupancy or final closeout.
Source: Davidson County Planning and Zoning; Davidson County Central Permitting
General Requirements
County permits are required for code-regulated building, electrical, plumbing, mechanical, modular, manufactured-home, demolition, pool, and related work in unincorporated county areas.
Required Documents
- Permit application
- Plans as required
- Valuation
- Contractor information
- Workers-compensation affidavit where applicable
- Supporting zoning, septic, floodplain, or utility documents
- Permit validity
- County permits generally follow NC rules requiring work to begin within 6 months and not be suspended for more than 12 months.
- Building code
- 2018 NC State Building Code suite with state amendments
- Owner-builder
- County forms ask whether the owner is acting as general contractor and include workers-compensation affidavit language; owners remain responsible for obtaining final inspections.
- Contractor requirements
- State licensing rules apply, including NC general contractor licensing at $40,000 and up and licensed trade contractors as required by state law.
Fees
- Minimum permit fee
- Residential building permit fee is $70 up to $10,000 valuation; many county trade permits are subject to $40 minimums
- Plan check fee
- Commercial plan review is tiered from approximately $25 to $200 by construction cost
- Permit fee formula
- Residential building permits are $70 up to $10,000 plus $2.90 per $1,000 over $10,000; commercial permits are $40 plus $3 per $1,000 up to $500,000, then $2 per $1,000 over $500,000; trade permits use flat or formula-based charges
- Reinspection fee
- $100 for extra trips or reinspections
- Penalty (no permit)
- Floodplain development permit $50 each; work commencing without a permit is charged at double fee; county residential packet states failure to obtain final inspection or occupancy without TCO or CO results in a $100 penalty before TCO or CO is issued
- Payment note
- County OpenGov supports online permitting
Fees change. Verify current amounts at the official fee schedule.
Work That Does NOT Require a Permit
- Minor work exempt under NC statute may not require a county permit
- Like-kind plumbing or electrical replacement may be exempt in some cases
- Cosmetic finish work may be exempt if it does not affect structure, fire safety, or service systems
Important: Floodplain, septic, zoning, or 911 addressing requirements may still apply.
Inspections
How to Schedule
- OpenGov portal (online)
- Inspection hours
- Planning office hours 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Typical inspection sequence: Varies by permit type, commonly footing, foundation, under-slab, rough-ins, framing, insulation, finals, and occupancy approvals
Additional Resources
- Building code: 2018 NC State Building Code suite with state amendments
- Zoning information: View zoning info
- County OpenGov Portal
- How To Apply For A Permit
- How To Request An Inspection
- Residential Building Permit Packet
- License lookup guide: North Carolina Contractor License Requirements
- Contract template: North Carolina Homeowner-Contractor Agreement
- North Carolina hub: North Carolina Contractor License & Permit Hub
Information on this page was last verified: March 2026. Permit rules and fees change — confirm current requirements directly with the Davidson County Planning and Zoning; Davidson County Central Permitting before applying.
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