City Building Permits

Winston-Salem, NORTH-CAROLINA Building Permit Guide

How to apply for a building permit in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Permit authority, application steps, fees, and inspection requirements.

North Carolina Forsyth County Updated March 2026

Permit Authority

City-county agency for Winston-Salem building, trade, and zoning enforcement; also serves most of Forsyth County outside High Point, Kernersville, and King.

Department
Inspections Division, Planning and Development Services Department
Address
Bryce A. Stuart Municipal Building, 100 E First Street, Winston-Salem, NC 27101
Phone
336-727-2624
Website
https://www.cityofws.org/343/Inspections-Division

Online Permit Portal

Open GeoCivix Digital Submission Portal

Platform: GeoCivix • Account required: Yes • Submission: Online only

Application Process

  1. Confirm project scope with the Inspections Division and collect the applicable application/checklist from Planning and Development Services.
  2. Create a GeoCivix account and submit the residential building permit or commercial plan review package electronically.
  3. Upload required PDFs, including the site plan and, where applicable, Workers Compensation Affidavit and Lien Agent information.
  4. City staff reviews the plans; if corrections are issued, revise and resubmit through GeoCivix.
  5. After approval, pay permit fees.
  6. Use BuildIT for permit status, inspection comments, and contractor inspection scheduling; licensed contractors can also pull trade permits in BuildIT.

Source: Inspections Division, Planning and Development Services Department

General Requirements

Building permits are required for construction, reconstruction, alteration, repair, moving, removal, or demolition of buildings/structures; trade permits are required for plumbing, mechanical/HVAC, and electrical work, subject to limited state-law exemptions.

Required Documents

  • Site plan
  • Plan set
  • PDF uploads in GeoCivix
  • Workers Compensation Affidavit where applicable
  • Lien Agent information where applicable
Building code
State-mandated NC State Building Code. The 2018 NC code family remains in effect pending delayed 2024 rollout; the 2020 NEC took effect November 1, 2021, with stated exceptions for older parent permits.
Owner-builder
The main portal pages do not publish a standalone owner-builder policy, but the city publishes homeowner affidavit forms for certain residential permit types; owners should confirm owner-occupant eligibility with the Permit Office.
Contractor requirements
Licensed contractors use BuildIT for trade permits; state licensure applies, including NC general contractor licensure for projects of $40,000 or more and state electrical licensure for electrical contracting.

Fees

Minimum permit fee
$100 building minimum; $75 minimum for plumbing, mechanical, and electrical permits
Plan check fee
Commercial plan review starts at $100 and increases by square footage/project type
Permit fee formula
Mixed. Single-family new work is largely square-foot based; nonresidential work is valuation based; many trade items are flat-fee or unit based.
Reinspection fee
Extra trip charge after first fail: second trip $50, third $75, all others $100
Penalty (no permit)
Starting work without permit is generally double permit fee
Payment note
BuildIT guest users can pay by credit card; city warns against bogus off-system invoices and states payments are handled within the system.

Fees change. Verify current amounts at the official fee schedule.

Work That Does NOT Require a Permit

  • Ordinary repairs in a single-family residence, farm building, or commercial building that do not involve load-bearing work, changed plumbing design, changed HVAC/electrical design, new roofing layer, fire-code-triggering work, or non-code materials
  • Replacement of windows, doors, exterior siding, or porch/deck pickets, railings, stair treads, and decking when otherwise within the state ordinary-repair exemption
  • In one- or two-family dwellings, certain like-kind electrical fixture/device replacements such as receptacles and switches
  • In one- or two-family dwellings, certain water-heater replacement connections meeting the state-law conditions

Inspections

How to Schedule

  • BuildIT (online)
  • 336-727-2624 (phone)
Inspection hours
Monday through Friday, 7:45 a.m. to 4:45 p.m.; phone calls not received after 4:43 p.m.

Typical inspection sequence: Typical sequence: permit issuance, trade rough-ins as applicable, framing/building inspections, finals, then certificate/occupancy closeout as applicable

Additional Resources

Information on this page was last verified: March 2026. Permit rules and fees change — confirm current requirements directly with the Inspections Division, Planning and Development Services Department before applying.

Need help with your project?

Navigating permits in Winston-Salem can be complicated.

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Important: This page is an educational resource provided by jaspector.com. It is not legal advice, and it does not substitute for official guidance from the permit authority listed above. Permit requirements, fees, and processes change frequently. Always verify current requirements directly with the issuing department before beginning any construction project. Use of this page does not create an attorney-client relationship. Jaspector assumes no liability for any outcomes arising from reliance on this information.

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