Building permits in Raleigh, North Carolina
Of the 13 common home projects we have verified in Raleigh, 5 need a permit outright and 8 depend on size or scope. Click any project for the full rule, fee, and how to apply.
By Mario Bailey Last checked · 1 official source
Verified against official sources- Project types verified
- 13
- in Raleigh
City of Raleigh Planning and Development Department (Permits - Residential; Planning and Development Customer Service Center)
- Planning and Development Customer Service Center, One Exchange Plaza, Suite 400, Raleigh, NC 27601
- Phone: 919-996-2500
- Email: DowntownDS@raleighnc.gov
- Official permit page
- Permit portal
- Official fee schedule
Look up a permit in Raleigh
Raleigh permit records are public, and you can check a property's permit history by address online.
What needs a permit in Raleigh
Of the 13 common home projects we have verified in Raleigh, 5 need a permit outright and 8 depend on size or scope. Click any project for the full rule, fee, and how to apply.
| Project | Permit needed? | Threshold | Typical fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bathroom Remodel Permit | It depends | cost of the remodel in a single-family residence, where no load-bearing, plumbing-design, HVAC or electrical work is involved | FY27 Development Fee Guide (applications submitted July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027)... |
| Deck Permit | It depends | Before building a new deck, screened porch, balcony or covered deck, or altering a... | ...through June 30, 2027), Building and Safety: "Minimum Trade Permit Fee" of $124.00... |
| Electrical Permit | It depends | Before an electrical service upgrade, adding circuits or outlets, installing an interior... | ...through June 30, 2027), Building and Safety: "Minimum Trade Permit Fee" of $124.00... |
| EV Charger Permit | Permit required | Any size | ...through June 30, 2027), Building and Safety: "Minimum Trade Permit Fee" of $124.00... |
| Fence Permit | It depends | share of an existing residential fence being replaced with no change of material, height or location | ...("A Zoning Permit is required for residential development activity."): $261.00 per... |
| HVAC Permit | Permit required | Any size | ..."New or replacement HVAC/Water Heater/other appliance - Commercial" at $224.00 per... |
| Patio Permit | Permit required | Any size | ...through June 30, 2027), Building and Safety: "Minimum Trade Permit Fee" of $124.00... |
| Plumbing Permit | It depends | Before installing, extending or generally repairing any plumbing system, replacing... | ...1, 2026 through June 30, 2027) lists a "Plumbing Utility Inspection Fee" of $133.00... |
| Pool Permit | It depends | water a pool, spa or hot tub can hold | ...June 30, 2027) lists only "Swimming Pool - Commercial (Building only)" at $534.00... |
| Roof Replacement Permit | It depends | cost of the roof replacement work in a single-family residence | FY27 Development Fee Guide (applications submitted July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027)... |
| Shed Permit | Permit required | Any size | ...permit): Zoning Permit Fee - 1&2 Family Dwellings Existing Structures, $261.00 per... |
| Solar Permit | Permit required | Any size | ...through June 30, 2027) lists only "Photovoltaic (Solar) - Commercial" at $543.00... |
| Water Heater Permit | It depends | Before installing a new water heater, or replacing one with a different fuel, energy... | ...work ("New or replacement HVAC/Water Heater/other appliance - Commercial"... |
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Schedule an inspection in Raleigh
Permitted work is not finished until it passes inspection. Inspections are scheduled, rescheduled or cancelled through a registered account in the Permit and Development Portal (Inspections tab on the project), via Ask Raleigh, or on the Permit Help line, 919-996-2500. Service hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Inspections cannot be cancelled by field staff on the day, and a re-inspection fee applies to same-day reschedules or cancellations ($122.00 per inspection per trade in the FY27 fee guide). Live Remote Inspections are voluntary and mainly for re-inspections; after-hours residential inspections are $90.00 per hour (FY27).
Schedule or request a Raleigh inspection
When the portal will not take the date you need, the office still books by phone: 919-996-2500.
Checked . If the office has changed its process, report it.
Raleigh permit fees compared with nearby North Carolina localities
| North Carolina locality | Deck Permit | HVAC Permit | Electrical Permit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Raleigh | ...and Safety: "Minimum Trade Permit Fee" of $124.00 per... | ...Heater/other appliance - Commercial" at $224.00 per... | ...and Safety: "Minimum Trade Permit Fee" of $124.00 per... |
| Charlotte | ...the LUESA Fee Ordinance (revised July 1, 2026): $1 to... | ...The minimum fee that multiplier works from is $59.70... | ...the LUESA Fee Ordinance (revised July 1, 2026): $1 to... |
| Durham | ..."Residential decks (single and two-family)"... | ...with any concealed ductwork or component"... | ...Surcharge): "Minimum electrical permit fee"... |
| Greensboro | ...#1005 dated 12/19/24: 'Minimum permit fee -... | ...#4200 dated 7/16/24: 'Minimum Inspection Fee $... | Electrical Permit Fee Schedule, Document #4100 dated... |
Each cell is the opening clause of that North Carolina jurisdiction's own fee schedule; the full wording and source sit on each permit page.
Raleigh permit questions, answered from the data
- Do you need a permit in Raleigh?
- For most projects, yes. Of the 13 permit types we have verified for Raleigh, 5 always require a permit (for example an EV charger permit), 8 depend on size or scope (a bathroom remodel permit, for instance). Each Raleigh permit type's page states the exact rule and its source.
- How much does a permit cost in Raleigh?
- Raleigh publishes a fee for 13 of the 13 permit types we cover, each quoted on its page from the jurisdiction's own schedule (linked on every page that carries one). Fees are set by City of Raleigh Planning and Development Department (Permits - Residential; Planning and Development Customer Service Center); we do not estimate or mark them up.
- Where do you apply for a permit in Raleigh?
- City of Raleigh Planning and Development Department (Permits - Residential; Planning and Development Customer Service Center) issues permits in Raleigh, with an online portal for applications, plan uploads and status checks, and takes questions at 919-996-2500. The Raleigh official page and portal are linked in the office section above.
How the Raleigh pages were verified. 13 permit types, 8 distinct official sources, most recently checked . Every rule is read from City of Raleigh Planning and Development Department (Permits - Residential; Planning and Development Customer Service Center) or the applicable code and cited on its page; anything we could not confirm for Raleigh is marked rather than estimated. How we verify.
Permitting activity in Raleigh
In 2025, Raleigh authorized permits for 4,738 new residential housing units (1,343 single-family, 3,395 in multi-family buildings), valued at $1.3B , down from 5,044 the year before. That works out to about 10 permits per 1,000 residents. It is a useful gauge of how busy the local permit office is.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2025 annual data · population 473,139.