Shed Permit in Durham, North Carolina
Permit required
Yes, a permit is required
Before placing or building any accessory structure, including a storage building, of any size.
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 City-County Building & Safety requires a building permit to place or build any accessory structure, naming a storage building, detached carport, garage and pool house as examples, with no size exemption published. Every application needs two copies of a site plan, and a building greater than 12 feet in length on a side must also submit two copies of structural drawings and an application with a plot plan. Accessory buildings may not sit in a front yard and follow UDO Article 5.4 setbacks.
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When a permit is usually needed
Before placing or building any accessory structure, including a storage building, of any size.
What a shed permit costs in Durham
How Durham compares in North Carolina
| Jurisdiction | Permit needed? | Threshold |
|---|---|---|
| Charlotte | Permit required | Any size |
| Durhamthis page | Permit required | Any size |
| Greensboro | It depends | length, width or height of the accessory building |
| Mecklenburg County | It depends | a storage shed requires a building permit if any dimension exceeds 12 feet; sheds under 12 feet in any dimension do not require a building permit but may require a zoning permit |
| Raleigh | Permit required | Any size |
| Wake County | It depends | any dimension of the detached accessory building |
How to apply in Durham
In Durham, a residential shed permit application, once the shed is large enough to require one, is a set of construction documents that show what will be built and prove it meets the adopted residential code. In practice that means a written permit application, a scaled site plan locating the shed and its distances to the property lines, and construction documents covering the shed's foundation or anchoring system and its framing.
What most shed permit applications include:
- For Durham, a written permit application identifying the proposed work and describing the property by its address or legal description, filed with the building department before construction begins (IRC R105.3).
- For Durham, a scaled site plan showing the shed's size and location and its dimensioned distances to all property lines so required setbacks can be verified before the permit is issued (IRC R106.2).
- Construction documents showing the shed's foundation: freestanding accessory structures at or under the code's small-structure size and eave-height limits (600 square feet and a 10 foot eave height in the model code) are exempt from continuous footings but must still be shown supported on undisturbed soil or engineered fill and anchored to resist wind-induced uplift and overturning (IRC R403.1).
- Where the shed does sit on a continuous foundation with a wood sill plate, anchor bolt or approved strap details tying the sill plate to the foundation (IRC R403.1.6).
- Roof framing details showing the rafter-to-wall or truss-to-wall connections, since even a shed exempt from continuous footings must be anchored to resist wind-induced uplift and overturning (IRC R403.1; R802.11).
General submittal guidance from IRC R105.3 (permit application), R106.2 (site plan), R403.1 (footings and anchorage for accessory structures), and R403.1.6 (sill anchorage), 2021 IRC. 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
Shed 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 | ...Technology Surcharge), Schedule C "Accessory Buildings": "No footing" $50.00... | |
| Charlotte | Permit required | Any size | ...the LUESA Fee Ordinance (revised July 1, 2026): Total Construction Permit Value $1... | |
| Greensboro | It depends | length, width or height of the accessory building | Building Permit Fee Schedule, Document #1005 dated 12/19/24: 'Minimum permit fee - $85' | |
| Mecklenburg County | It depends | a storage shed requires a building permit if any dimension exceeds 12 feet; sheds under 12 feet in any dimension do not require a building permit but may require a zoning permit | Trade permit priced off total construction value with a $59.70 minimum for projects not... | |
| Raleigh | Permit required | Any size | ...permit): Zoning Permit Fee - 1&2 Family Dwellings Existing Structures, $261.00 per... |
Inspections and closing out your permit
In Durham, a permitted shed is inspected in stages as it goes up: the foundation or the anchors that hold it down before they are covered, the framing before it is enclosed, and a final inspection once the shed is finished. Each stage checks the items that would be hidden or unsafe if skipped.
- Foundation or anchor inspection in Durham: called after any required footings, piers, or ground anchors are set and any forms or reinforcing steel are in place, but before concrete is placed, so the foundation or anchoring system can be verified before it is covered (IRC R109.1.1).
- Frame inspection in Durham: after the shed is framed, sheathed, and braced, the inspector checks the framing, bracing, fasteners, and the roof connections that resist wind uplift, before those elements are covered (IRC R109.1.4 frame inspection; R403.1 anchorage).
- Final inspection in Durham: made after the permitted work is complete and before the shed is used; work may not proceed past any inspection stage without the building official's approval (IRC R109.1.6 final inspection; R109.4 approval required).
- In Durham: for a pre-fabricated or kit shed, the manufacturer's installation instructions must be on site at the time of inspection so the inspector can confirm the anchoring and assembly match the design (IRC R106.1.2).
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 IRC R109.1.1 (foundation inspection), R109.1.4 (frame inspection), R109.1.6 (final inspection), and R106.1.2 (manufacturer's instructions on site), 2021 IRC. Source. An open permit left un-inspected can surface later in a title search or home sale.
Your Shed Permit checklist for Durham
- Confirm the requirement. Yes, a permit is required. Usually needed: Before placing or building any accessory structure, including a storage building, of any size.
- Budget the fee. Building Permit Fee Schedule (Effective 7/1/18, Includes Technology Surcharge), Schedule C "Accessory Buildings": "No footing" $50.00 building permit fee plus $50.00 plan review fee; "Footing" $100.00 building permit fee plus $50.00 plan review fee. A Planning Zoning fee is also assessed for accessory structures under Small Project Review. Official fee schedule.
- Apply. In Durham, a residential shed permit application, once the shed is large enough to require one, is a set of construction documents that show what will be built and prove it meets the adopted residential code. In practice that means a written permit application, a scaled site plan locating the shed and its distances to the property lines, and construction documents covering the shed's foundation or anchoring system and its framing. 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 permitted shed is inspected in stages as it goes up: the foundation or the anchors that hold it down before they are covered, the framing before it is enclosed, and a final inspection once the shed is finished. Each stage checks the items that would be hidden or unsafe if skipped.
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 a shed permit in Durham?
- Durham City-County Building & Safety requires a building permit to place or build any accessory structure, naming a storage building, detached carport, garage and pool house as examples, with no size exemption published. Every application needs two copies of a site plan, and a building greater than 12 feet in length on a side must also submit two copies of structural drawings and an application with a plot plan. Accessory buildings may not sit in a front yard and follow UDO Article 5.4 setbacks. 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 a shed permit cost in Durham?
- Building Permit Fee Schedule (Effective 7/1/18, Includes Technology Surcharge), Schedule C "Accessory Buildings": "No footing" $50.00 building permit fee plus $50.00 plan review fee; "Footing" $100.00 building permit fee plus $50.00 plan review fee. A Planning Zoning fee is also assessed for accessory structures under Small Project Review. See the official fee schedule for current amounts.
- Where do you apply for a shed 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 a shed 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"... |
| EV Charger Permit | Permit required | Any size | ...on individual branch circuits and not covered in other schedules, each" $10.90... |
| 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)"... |
| 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)"... |
Shed 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.
- IRC R105.3 (permit application), R106.2 (site plan), R403.1 (footings and anchorage for accessory structures), and R403.1.6 (sill anchorage), 2021 IRC
- IRC R109.1.1 (foundation inspection), R109.1.4 (frame inspection), R109.1.6 (final inspection), and R106.1.2 (manufacturer's instructions on site), 2021 IRC
How this shed 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 Shed Permit requirements across North Carolina localities