Clemmons, North Carolina Building Permit Guide

Building and trade permits for Clemmons come from the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Inspections Division, which also enforces the Village’s zoning; house plans are submitted online through GeoCivix. The Village of Clemmons itself issues only stormwater, sign and driveway permits. A new house is charged $0.15 per square foot for the building permit and $0.09 per square foot for each trade.

What requires a permit in Clemmons?

Building, electrical, mechanical and plumbing work needs a City-County permit. Signs, new or rebuilt driveways, and stormwater management on development sites need Village permits.

The City-County Division takes residential applications online for new houses, manufactured and modular homes, additions, alterations, accessory buildings and swimming pools. Every development or redevelopment site in Clemmons also needs a Village Stormwater Management Permit, and any new or rebuilt driveway needs a Village driveway permit before the street, curb, grass strip or sidewalk is cut.

Clemmons building department: who handles permitting

The Inspections Division is part of Winston-Salem’s Planning and Development Services Department and serves all of Forsyth County except High Point, Kernersville and King. For Clemmons it reviews plans, issues building, electrical, mechanical and plumbing permits, inspects the work and enforces the Village’s zoning. The permit office is closed on the first Tuesday of each month from 8 to 10 a.m.

Clemmons permit types and filing path

All City-County permits must be applied for electronically, even though walk-in hours are kept. There are two separate systems with separate logins:

• GeoCivix — plan submittal and review. Every single-family building permit application and every commercial plan goes here; register for an account, fill in the bold required fields, and upload the site plan, Workers’ Compensation Affidavit and lien agent information as PDFs. Review comments and revision requests also come through GeoCivix by email.
• BuildIT — permits, inspections and payments after review. Licensed plumbing, electrical, mechanical and refrigeration contractors buy trade permits and schedule inspections here. It cannot be used to apply for a building permit; general contractors can schedule inspections in it but not buy building permits. Anyone can use guest access to pay by card, look up a permit or read inspection comments.

Village stormwater, sign and driveway permits are applied for in the Clemmons OpenGov permitting portal.

Permit fees in Clemmons

Building and trade fees come from the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Inspections Division fee schedule dated April 2026. New houses and additions are charged by square foot, with a separate rate for each trade.

For example, a 2,000 sq ft house carries a $300 building fee and $180 for each of the three trades, $840 in all, before the Homeowners Recovery Fund, zoning review and erosion control charges. Commercial work is priced on construction value, from $100 up to $5,000 to $388 plus $2.60 per $1,000 between $100,000 and $500,000. A refund request must be made within 60 days, and the Division keeps $75 of every refund.

The Division warns that it never sends permit invoices; fees are paid inside BuildIT, so any invoice claiming to be from the City or County for permits should not be paid. Clemmons driveway permits cost $40 for a new driveway and $20 for reconstruction.

Electrical, plumbing, mechanical and gas permits

The City-County Inspections Division issues electrical, mechanical and plumbing permits for Clemmons. Licensed trade contractors apply for those permits and schedule their inspections in BuildIT. If a sign needs a building or electrical permit, that also comes from the City-County Division.

New-house electrical fees do not include a temporary saw service, which is permitted separately.

Alliance handles electrical permit applications for contractors here. More on this: who pulls the electrical permit.

Application documents and plan review

For a house, upload to GeoCivix a site plan, the Workers’ Compensation Affidavit and the lien agent details, all as PDFs, with the construction drawings. A new single-family house also needs an Energy Efficiency Certificate. Commercial plans must be submitted electronically through GeoCivix; paper plans are no longer accepted.

Village stormwater, sign and driveway permits use Clemmons forms and OpenGov. The Village Stormwater Administrator issues the stormwater permit once the site shows it meets the watershed and stormwater requirements, and that applies even to sites that may be exempt from post-construction controls.

A Village stormwater or driveway approval does not create a building permit, and a City-County building permit does not replace a Village permit when the project needs one.

Before you file

Check whether the project needs both a City-County building permit and a Clemmons stormwater, sign or driveway permit. Every development and redevelopment site in Clemmons must apply for a Stormwater Management Permit, even sites that may qualify for an exemption from post-construction stormwater controls.

How to apply — 6-step Clemmons workflow

Inspections and closeout in Clemmons

Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Inspections performs building and trade inspections in Clemmons. Licensed trade and general contractors schedule inspections in BuildIT; others call the permit office at 336-727-2624. Each trade has its own inspections, done by different inspectors, and inspection comments can be read in BuildIT.

After-hours inspections cost $100 an hour with a two-hour minimum and need supervisor approval. A stop work order carries a $225 fee.

Local details that matter in Clemmons

The City-County Inspections Division covers all of Forsyth County except the town or city limits of High Point, Kernersville and King, and it also enforces zoning for Clemmons.

Clemmons Village Hall, open Monday to Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., is the contact for the permits the Village issues itself, so one project may need records from both governments.

North Carolina building code

The 2018 North Carolina State Building Code family applies statewide, with the 2020 North Carolina Electrical Code; one- and two-family homes and townhouses still use the 2017 edition. The 2024 code has been delayed and cannot take effect before late 2027. The NC State Building Code and the delayed 2024 edition

Official permitting resources

These are the primary sources behind this guide. Codes, fee schedules and procedures change — confirm the position for your filing date.

• NC Office of State Fire Marshal — current codes
• Clemmons information for development
• Winston-Salem BuildIT
• Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Inspections Division
• Clemmons OpenGov permits and applications
• Clemmons Permitting
• GeoCivix digital submission portal
• W-S/Forsyth County Inspections fee schedule (April 2026)

Clemmons permit FAQ

Who issues building permits in Clemmons?

Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Inspections Division performs building permitting and inspections for the Village of Clemmons.

What permits does Clemmons issue directly?

The Village states that it directly issues stormwater management, sign and driveway permits.

Where do Clemmons trade permits go?

Licensed plumbing, electrical and mechanical/HVAC contractors use the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County BuildIT system.

Can BuildIT be used for a building construction permit?

No. The City states that BuildIT cannot be used to apply for a building construction permit.

Who should I call about Clemmons building permits?

The Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Inspections Division, at 336-727-2624.

How much is a building permit for a new house in Clemmons?

$0.15 per square foot for the building permit plus $0.09 per square foot for each of the electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits, so about $840 for 2,000 sq ft before smaller add-on fees.

Where do I submit house plans?

In GeoCivix, the City-County electronic plan review system. Paper plans are not accepted.

Do I need a Village driveway permit?

Yes, before building a new driveway ($40) or reconstructing one ($20).

Simplify Clemmons permitting with Alliance Permitting

Alliance Permitting is a permit documentation and submission company in North Carolina. We prepare your paperwork, file it correctly and coordinate with the permitting authority through issuance. We are not a contractor and we do not perform licensed plan review or inspections; that work stays with your licensed team and the jurisdiction.

This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Clemmons permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.