EV Charger Permit in Durham, North Carolina
Permit required
Yes, a permit is required
Before installing a hard-wired EV charger or a new circuit or receptacle for one.
Issued byDurham City-County Building & Safety Department (formerly the Durham City-County Inspections Department), a joint City of Durham and Durham County department that issues building, electrical, mechanical and plumbing permits for both the City of Durham and unincorporated Durham County
By Mario Bailey, verified against official sources
Quick answer
Durham publishes nothing specific to EV chargers, so the answer comes from its electrical rule: an electrical permit is required to install, extend, alter or generally repair any electrical wiring, devices, appliances or equipment. A charger on a new 240-volt circuit is new wiring and equipment, not the like-for-like fixture or device replacement the department exempts, so it needs an electrical permit, applied for in the Land Development Office portal. An owner-occupant may pull it with the Homeowner Acting as Their Own Contractor form.
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When a permit is usually needed
Before installing a hard-wired EV charger or a new circuit or receptacle for one.
What an EV charger permit costs in Durham
How to apply in Durham
In Durham, in most of the US, installing a Level 2 (240 volt) home EV charger is handled as an electrical permit built around a load calculation and a single line diagram showing the new dedicated circuit. A Level 1 charger that simply plugs into an existing 120 volt outlet typically needs no permit unless new wiring is added.
What most EV charger permit applications include:
- For Durham, a Level 2 charger needs its own dedicated 240 volt circuit and requires an electrical permit with inspection, since each outlet installed for EV charging must be fed by an individual branch circuit with no other outlets on it (NEC 625.40).
- For Durham, the application includes an electrical load calculation showing the existing service panel has enough spare capacity for the added EVSE demand, worked out using the standard dwelling load calculation method (NEC 220.83).
- For Durham, the breaker or other overcurrent device feeding the charger must be sized for continuous duty, rated at not less than 125 percent of the equipment's maximum load (NEC 625.41).
- Plan submittal typically includes a single line diagram showing conductor size, breaker size, conduit, and panel rating, plus the charger's manufacturer specifications, since the EVSE itself must be a listed product (NEC 625.5).
- For charging equipment rated over 60 amps or over 150 volts to ground, the application has to show a disconnecting means installed in a readily accessible location and capable of being locked open (NEC 625.43).
- For Durham, the charger must be shown connected and fastened in place according to the manufacturer's installation instructions, whether it is hardwired or a plug in unit on a dedicated receptacle (NEC 625.44).
General submittal guidance from National Electrical Code (NFPA 70), Article 625 Electric Vehicle Charging System and Article 220 Load Calculations, 2017 to 2023 editions. Source. Durham City-County Building & Safety Department (formerly the Durham City-County Inspections Department), a joint City of Durham and Durham County department that issues building, electrical, mechanical and plumbing permits for both the City of Durham and unincorporated Durham County sets the exact checklist for Durham.
Where to apply in Durham:
Durham City-County Building & Safety Department (formerly the Durham City-County Inspections Department), a joint City of Durham and Durham County department that issues building, electrical, mechanical and plumbing permits for both the City of Durham and unincorporated Durham County
- 101 City Hall Plaza, Ground Floor, Suite 400, Durham, NC 27701
- Phone: 919-560-4144
- Email: permittechnicians@durhamnc.gov
EV Charger Permit in Durham compared with nearby North Carolina localities
| Locality | Permit needed? | Threshold | What each North Carolina schedule says | Verified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Durham | Permit required | Any size | ...on individual branch circuits and not covered in other schedules, each" $10.90... | |
| Raleigh | Permit required | Any size | ...through June 30, 2027), Building and Safety: "Minimum Trade Permit Fee" of $124.00... |
Inspections and closing out your permit
In Durham, a Level 2 EV charger installation gets a rough wiring inspection if any new conductors will be hidden inside walls, ceilings, or run underground, then a final inspection that checks the dedicated circuit, breaker sizing, any required GFCI protection, the disconnect, and the charger's listing before the permit closes.
- In Durham: if new EVSE conductors will be concealed in a wall or ceiling, or run underground, they must pass a rough wiring inspection before being covered, since that inspection confirms the dedicated branch circuit required for the charger (NEC 625.40).
- In Durham: at final inspection, the breaker or other overcurrent device serving the charger is checked to confirm it is properly rated for the continuous EV charging load (NEC 625.41).
- In Durham: any receptacle installed for EV charging, as opposed to a hardwired connection, has to be checked for ground fault circuit interrupter protection (NEC 625.54).
- In Durham: where the EVSE is rated over 60 amps or 150 volts to ground, the inspector confirms a lockable, readily accessible disconnecting means was installed (NEC 625.43).
- In Durham: the inspector verifies the charger, along with its fittings and associated equipment, carries a nationally recognized testing laboratory listing (NEC 625.5).
- In Durham: mounting height is checked against the manufacturer's instructions, with the coupling means generally required to sit at least 18 inches above an indoor floor or 24 inches above outdoor grade unless the equipment is listed otherwise (NEC 625.50).
Schedule each inspection in advance and pass the final before you use the work or close the permit. Request inspections through the Durham permit portal or by phone at 919-560-4144.
Inspection sequence from National Electrical Code (NFPA 70), Article 625 Electric Vehicle Charging System, 2017 to 2023 editions. Source. An open permit left un-inspected can surface later in a title search or home sale.
Your EV Charger Permit checklist for Durham
- Confirm the requirement. Yes, a permit is required. Usually needed: Before installing a hard-wired EV charger or a new circuit or receptacle for one.
- Budget the fee. Electrical Permit Fee Schedule (Effective 7/1/18, Includes Technology Surcharge), Schedule E: "All other devices, appliances or equipment which are installed on individual branch circuits and not covered in other schedules, each" $10.90, subject to the "Minimum electrical permit fee" of $65.00. The schedule has no EV charger line item. Official fee schedule.
- Apply. In Durham, in most of the US, installing a Level 2 (240 volt) home EV charger is handled as an electrical permit built around a load calculation and a single line diagram showing the new dedicated circuit. A Level 1 charger that simply plugs into an existing 120 volt outlet typically needs no permit unless new wiring is added. Start at the Durham permit portal.
- Keep the office details handy. Durham City-County Building & Safety Department (formerly the Durham City-County Inspections Department), a joint City of Durham and Durham County department that issues building, electrical, mechanical and plumbing permits for both the City of Durham and unincorporated Durham County. Phone: 919-560-4144. Address: 101 City Hall Plaza, Ground Floor, Suite 400, Durham, NC 27701.
- Plan for inspections. In Durham, a Level 2 EV charger installation gets a rough wiring inspection if any new conductors will be hidden inside walls, ceilings, or run underground, then a final inspection that checks the dedicated circuit, breaker sizing, any required GFCI protection, the disconnect, and the charger's listing before the permit closes.
Compiled from the official sources on this page. Last checked .
Permitting activity in Durham
In 2025, Durham authorized permits for 4,483 new residential housing units (2,518 single-family, 1,965 in multi-family buildings), valued at $1.3B, up from 2,793 the year before. That works out to about 15.7 permits per 1,000 residents.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2025 annual data · population 285,809.
Frequently asked questions
- Do you need an EV charger permit in Durham?
- Durham publishes nothing specific to EV chargers, so the answer comes from its electrical rule: an electrical permit is required to install, extend, alter or generally repair any electrical wiring, devices, appliances or equipment. A charger on a new 240-volt circuit is new wiring and equipment, not the like-for-like fixture or device replacement the department exempts, so it needs an electrical permit, applied for in the Land Development Office portal. An owner-occupant may pull it with the Homeowner Acting as Their Own Contractor form. Always confirm with the Durham City-County Building & Safety Department (formerly the Durham City-County Inspections Department), a joint City of Durham and Durham County department that issues building, electrical, mechanical and plumbing permits for both the City of Durham and unincorporated Durham County before starting.
- How much does an EV charger permit cost in Durham?
- Electrical Permit Fee Schedule (Effective 7/1/18, Includes Technology Surcharge), Schedule E: "All other devices, appliances or equipment which are installed on individual branch circuits and not covered in other schedules, each" $10.90, subject to the "Minimum electrical permit fee" of $65.00. The schedule has no EV charger line item. See the official fee schedule for current amounts.
- Where do you apply for an EV charger permit in Durham?
- You can apply through the Durham permit portal or contact the Durham City-County Building & Safety Department (formerly the Durham City-County Inspections Department), a joint City of Durham and Durham County department that issues building, electrical, mechanical and plumbing permits for both the City of Durham and unincorporated Durham County directly. The links are listed on this page.
- Can a homeowner pull an EV charger permit themselves in Durham?
- Under North Carolina law (N.C. Gen. Stat. 87-1(a), 87-1(b)(2), 87-14(a)(1), 160D-1113, 160D-1115): A North Carolina homeowner may pull the permit and do the work. G.S. 87-1(a) reaches general contracting only where the cost of the undertaking is $40,000 or more, and G.S. 87-1(b)(2) then exempts a person who constructs or alters a building on land that person owns, provided the building is intended solely for occupancy by that person and his family after completion and the person complies with G.S. 87-14. There is no outright ban on selling, but there is a look-back that works like one: if the building is not occupied solely by the person and his family for at least 12 months following completion, the statute presumes the person did not intend the building solely for that occupancy, which defeats the exemption. G.S. 87-14(a)(1) requires an owner claiming the exemption to execute a verified affidavit attesting that they own the property, that they will personally superintend and manage all aspects of the construction and will not delegate that duty to anyone unlicensed, and that they will be personally present for all inspections required by the State Building Code unless a licensed architect sealed the plans. The inspector transmits that affidavit to the Licensing Board, and if the Board determines the exemption was not available the building permit is revoked under G.S. 160D-1115. The exemption removes the general contractor license requirement only. It does not exempt the work from permits or inspections, and G.S. 160D-1113 provides that when a permit is held by an owner exempt under 87-1(b)(2), no inspection may be conducted without the owner present unless an architect sealed the plans. Confirm how Durham applies this before you apply.
From the Library
What else needs a permit in Durham
Every other permit type we have verified for this jurisdiction, with the rule that applies here.
| Project | Permit needed? | Threshold | Typical fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bathroom Remodel Permit | It depends | cost of the remodel work on a single-family residence | No Change to Rough-in": 1-4 fixtures $65.00 |
| Deck Permit | It depends | Before building a new deck or altering its load-bearing structure | ...Schedule F "Miscellaneous": "Residential decks (single and two-family)"... |
| Electrical Permit | It depends | Before installing, extending, altering or generally repairing any electrical wiring... | ...7/1/18, Includes Technology Surcharge): "Minimum electrical permit fee"... |
| Fence Permit | It depends | Only when the fence or wall is on a property in a designated flood plain, is used as a... | See schedule |
| HVAC Permit | Permit required | Any size | ...of a heating/cooling system with any concealed ductwork or component"... |
| Plumbing Permit | It depends | Before installing, extending or generally repairing any plumbing system | No Change to Rough-in": 1-4 fixtures $65.00 |
| Pool Permit | Permit required | Any size | See schedule |
| Roof Replacement Permit | It depends | cost of the roof replacement work on a single-family residence | ...Surcharge), Schedule F "Miscellaneous": "Residential Reroofing (addition)"... |
| Shed Permit | Permit required | Any size | ...Technology Surcharge), Schedule C "Accessory Buildings": "No footing" $50.00... |
| Solar Permit | Permit required | Any size | ...Schedule G "Miscellaneous": "Solar panel inspections" "Residential"... |
| Water Heater Permit | It depends | Before installing a new water heater, or replacing one with a change in fuel, location... | ...Technology Surcharge), Schedule E: "Electric water heater (permit required)"... |
EV Charger Permit in other North Carolina localities
Everything above, sourced
Code references
National and state model-code sections the general guidance on this page is drawn from. They are not Durham documents; the office above sets the local rules.
How this EV charger permit page for Durham was verified. 2 official sources: durhamnc.gov, web.archive.org; fee schedule: official document. Last checked by Mario Bailey, not confirmed with Durham City-County Building & Safety Department (formerly the Durham City-County Inspections Department), a joint City of Durham and Durham County department that issues building, electrical, mechanical and plumbing permits for both the City of Durham and unincorporated Durham County. Rules change; confirm before you build. How we verify.
Last checked: Report an error on this page
Compare EV Charger Permit requirements across North Carolina localities