In unincorporated Dare County, building permits come from the County Planning Department office for the project’s area: Manteo (252-475-5870), Frisco (252-475-5878) or Nags Head (252-475-5871). A home is charged $0.75 per heated and $0.40 per unheated sq ft, with electrical, plumbing and mechanical included. Inside the six towns, the town issues the permit.
What requires a permit in Dare County?
The County’s guidelines for unincorporated areas:
Permit required
- All new construction
- Remodels costing more than $40,000 (the limit in G.S. 160D-1110(c); Dare’s permit guidelines still say $15,000), and any remodel that touches load-bearing walls or enlarges the footprint
- Any plumbing, electrical or mechanical work, whatever it costs
- Storage buildings larger than 12 x 12 ft
- Fences over 6 ft tall
- Docks, piers, bulkheads, dune walks, pools and hot tubs
- Moving or demolishing a building
No building permit
- Replacing roof shingles, unless the plywood under them is also replaced
- Fences 6 ft tall or less
- Storage buildings 12 x 12 ft or smaller (an accessory structure under 12 ft on every side needs only a flood development permit)
A North Carolina licensed general contractor is required for building work or repairs costing $40,000 or more, and every contractor and subcontractor must hold the state licence for their trade.
Who handles permitting in Dare County?
The six towns permit themselves. Duck, Kill Devil Hills, Kitty Hawk, Manteo, Nags Head and Southern Shores are each responsible for planning and building permits inside their town limits; the County does not issue building permits there. Contact the town’s own planning or inspections office.
Unincorporated Dare County is served by the County Planning Department. You must apply to the office that covers the project’s location, although mechanical, plumbing and electrical sub-permits can be picked up at any of the three.
Short on time to read all of this?
Get a free quote →| Office | Address and phone | Areas served |
|---|---|---|
| Manteo | County Administration Building, 954 Marshall C. Collins Drive, Room 148, Manteo, NC 27954; 252-475-5870 | Unincorporated Roanoke Island including Wanchese, and the mainland: East Lake, Manns Harbor, Mashoes and Stumpy Point |
| Frisco | 50347 N.C. Highway 12, Frisco, NC 27936 (mail PO Box 859, Buxton, NC 27920); 252-475-5878 | All of Hatteras Island, including Rodanthe, Waves, Salvo, Avon, Buxton, Frisco and Hatteras Village |
| Northern Beach | 2514 South Croatan Highway, Nags Head, NC 27959 (mail PO Box 1000, Manteo); 252-475-5871 | Baum Bay, Colington and Martin’s Point |
Crew Hayes is the Chief Building Inspector. Septic permits and floor-plan approval come from the Dare County Department of Health & Human Services, and CAMA permit applications from any County planning office (252-475-5849).
Applications and the online portal
The County posts Residential and Commercial Building Permit Applications, a Contractor Release Form, Subcontractor Permit Applications and a Workers’ Comp Affidavit. Completed applications go to the right area office by email, mail or drop-off.
Licensed general contractors and electrical, plumbing, mechanical and gas subcontractors can register for Citizen Self Service to apply, schedule inspections and see results online. Registration has two steps: create the login, then complete the online access application so the Planning office can link your customer account. Owners acting as their own contractor must call Planning staff for instructions instead.
Planning fees for special use permits, rezonings, plats and variances are paid in person at a planning office; the County warns that it never asks for wire transfers or online payment for them.
Dare County permit fees
Building fees are set in the Schedule of User Fees and Charges attached to the County’s budget ordinance for fiscal year 2027, which keeps the heated and unheated area rates of the department’s September 1, 2017 schedule; the department’s fee page still shows the older $119 CAMA fee. Electrical, plumbing and mechanical work on new construction and remodels is included in the building permit.
Not sure this scope needs a permit?
Get a free quote →| Work | Fee |
|---|---|
| One- and two-family dwellings, modular homes, additions | $0.75 heated / $0.40 unheated per sq ft |
| Mobile home | $0.50 per heated sq ft |
| Accessory structure over 12 ft in any dimension | $0.75 / $0.40 per sq ft |
| Commercial buildings | $0.95 heated / $0.65 unheated per sq ft |
| Hotels and motels / condos and apartments | $50 / $100 per unit, plus the square-foot rate |
| Docks, piers, bulkheads, dune walks | $250 |
| Swimming pool or hot tub | $300 each |
| Remodel or alteration | $10 per $1,000 of cost |
| Flood development permit, with / without a building permit | $75 / $50 |
| CAMA minor permit | $100 |
| Change of use without remodel / moving permit | $150 / $200 |
| Demolition not tied to a replacement building | $250 |
| Minimum building permit fee | $150 |
| Re-inspection | $100 |
For example, a house with 2,000 sq ft of heated space and 500 sq ft of unheated area comes to $1,500 plus $200, or $1,700. Starting work without a permit costs the original fee plus 50%, and failing to call for required inspections brings a penalty of 50% of the original permit cost. An expired permit renewed within 30 days is treated as a new permit.
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Call 1-855-478-4290 →Electrical, plumbing, mechanical and gas permits
Trade work that is part of a new building or remodel is covered by the building permit. Stand-alone trade permits, which can be bought at any of the three County offices, cost:
- Electrical: $150 for a service change, new service, service upgrade, added circuits or a generator.
- Plumbing: $150 for fixture replacement, relocation or addition.
- Mechanical: $150 for changing out up to three HVAC units, $50 per unit for four or more.
- Gas installation: $150.
Each trade permit has a $150 minimum. Subcontractors use the County’s Subcontractor Permit Applications.
What to bring for a building permit
- Survey: a blue-line survey by a registered North Carolina land surveyor showing natural ground elevation, the flood zone and the parcel identification number.
- Water: on central water, the Dare County Water Department tap authorization and the receipt for hookup fees; otherwise the lot needs a private well.
- Septic: a Health & Human Services septic permit, plus floor plans approved by Health & Human Services. For Martin’s Point, Colington and Hatteras Island these are handled at the Nags Head satellite office; for Roanoke Island, Manteo and the mainland at the Administration Building in Manteo.
- Plans: three complete sets: one for the inspector, one for the job site and one for the contractor.
- CAMA: a Coastal Area Management Act permit if the project is on the oceanfront, the sound or a canal.
- Contractors: valid state licences for the contractor and every subcontractor.
Rather not deal with the Dare County building department?
Get a free quote →How to apply for a Dare County building permit
If the lot is inside Duck, Kill Devil Hills, Kitty Hawk, Manteo, Nags Head or Southern Shores, apply to that town instead.
Manteo for Roanoke Island and the mainland, Frisco for Hatteras Island, Nags Head for Baum Bay, Colington and Martin’s Point.
It must show the natural ground elevation, flood zone and PIN.
Water tap receipt or well plan, and the Health & Human Services septic permit and plan approval.
Oceanfront, sound and canal lots may need a CAMA permit before building.
By email, mail or drop-off at the area office, or online once your Citizen Self Service account is linked.
Inspections in Dare County
Registered contractors can schedule inspections and see results in Citizen Self Service, and each area has its own inspector (numbers below). The County lists these inspections for new construction:
- Footing, with trenches dug, grade stakes set and steel tied, before concrete.
- Under-slab, where there is a slab.
- Foundation: supports, crawl space levelling, clearances and drainage; piling inspections count as foundation inspections.
- Framing, with blocking, bracing, fire stopping and any structural sheathing in place, and pipes, chimneys, vents and insulation baffles visible.
- Rough-in for all concealed electrical, plumbing, fire protection and HVAC work; shower pans are inspected at this stage unless a separate courtesy inspection is requested.
- Insulation, after the permanent roof covering is on and before wall covering.
- Fire protection, where fire-protection materials are used.
- Final for each trade; permanent power is not released until the final is approved.
Area inspectors: Baum Bay, Colington and Martin’s Point 252-475-5872; Roanoke Island and the mainland 252-475-5867; Buxton, Frisco and Hatteras Village 252-475-5876; Rodanthe, Waves, Salvo and Avon 252-475-5877. Each re-inspection costs $100.
Want this handled start to finish?
Get a free quote →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
Dare County permit search and official resources
- Dare County permit search
- Dare County Building Permits & Inspections
- Building permit applications and area offices
- Dare County permits
- Dare County building permit fee schedule
- Dare County budget for fiscal year 2027, with the Schedule of User Fees and Charges
- Citizen Self Service portal
- Citizen Self Service permit registration instructions
Dare County permit FAQ
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →Does Dare County issue building permits in Nags Head or Kill Devil Hills?
No. Duck, Kill Devil Hills, Kitty Hawk, Manteo, Nags Head and Southern Shores each issue building permits inside their town limits. The County permits only unincorporated areas such as Colington, Wanchese, the mainland and Hatteras Island.
Which County office do I apply to on Hatteras Island?
The Frisco satellite office, 50347 N.C. Highway 12, 252-475-5878, which covers all of Hatteras Island.
How much does a building permit cost for a new house?
$0.75 per heated sq ft and $0.40 per unheated sq ft, with the trade permits included; a 2,000 sq ft heated house starts at $1,500.
Do I need a permit for a fence or a shed?
Not for a fence 6 ft tall or less, or a storage building no larger than 12 x 12 ft. Bigger ones need a building permit.
Do I need a permit to re-roof?
Not to replace shingles, unless the plywood underneath is also being replaced.
Can a homeowner use the online portal?
Online registration is for state-licensed contractors; owners acting as their own contractor should call the Planning Department at 252-475-5870 for instructions.
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More North Carolina permitting guides
This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Dare County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.