The City of Graham Inspections Department, at 201 South Main Street, issues building and trade permits and inspects construction inside the City, with applications filed through its online Permits/Inspections Portal. Under the 2026–2027 rates and fees schedule, residential building permits cost $0.25 per square foot of structure and commercial permits $5 per $1,000 of value, with a $60 minimum.
What requires a permit in Graham?
Graham requires applications before work begins for building, demolition, plumbing, electrical, insulation, mechanical, mobile-home, moving and other regulated construction activities. Development work can also trigger zoning, site-plan, driveway, floodplain, stormwater or sign approvals.
Graham building department: who handles permitting
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Primary authority | City of Graham Inspections Department |
| Contact | 336-570-6700 |
| Inspections Department line | 336-570-6705 |
| Location | 201 South Main Street, Graham, NC 27253 |
| Portal | Permits/Inspections Portal (iWorQ) |
The Inspections Department reviews and approves plans, issues residential and commercial permits and inspects building, plumbing, mechanical and electrical work. The City Building Inspector also issues driveway permits, and the department handles new-business building and fire inspections. If you are not sure a job needs a permit, the City invites you to call the Inspections Department and ask.
Short on time to read all of this?
Get a free quote →Graham permit types and filing path
Graham publishes separate applications for building, demolition, plumbing, electrical, insulation, mechanical, mobile homes, moving, driveways, blasting and tents. The City also maintains a Permits/Inspections Portal and separate development applications for zoning, site plan, signs, floodplain and stormwater.
Permit fees in Graham
Fees come from the City’s 2026–2027 rates and fees schedule, effective July 1, 2026. A processing fee is added to all electronic payments.
| Project | Fee |
|---|---|
| Residential building permit | $0.25 per sq ft of total structure, $60 minimum |
| Commercial building permit | $5 per $1,000 of value, $60 minimum |
| Residential plan review | $60 |
| Commercial plan review, up to 10,000 sq ft | $200 (+$0.01 per sq ft above 10,000) |
| Commercial upfit plan review | $100 |
| Swimming pool | $100 |
| Insulation, single-family house | $60 |
| HUD-labeled mobile home (on-site inspection) | $200, all inclusive |
| Demolition or moving a building | $60 plus a $1,000 cash bond |
| Homeowners Recovery Fund | $10 |
| Re-inspection, any trade | $100 |
| Change of contractor | $60 |
For example, a 2,000 sq ft house has a $500 building permit fee plus the $60 residential plan review, before trade permits. Expired permits can be renewed for 50% of the original fee within 180 days of expiring; after that the job must be resubmitted at new cost.
Not sure this scope needs a permit?
Get a free quote →Electrical, plumbing, mechanical and gas permits
Each trade has its own City application (electrical has an extra addendum), and each is priced separately:
| Permit | Fee |
|---|---|
| Electrical service, residential or commercial | $0.10 per sq ft, $60 minimum |
| Low-voltage wiring | $0.05 per sq ft |
| Saw service or temporary construction service | $60 |
| Pool wiring | $110 |
| Heating and air-conditioning | $60 minimum, plus $5 per additional $1,000 |
| New gas line, fireplace or duct smoke test | $60 each |
| Plumbing | $60 for the first fixture, $10 for each additional |
| Fire sprinkler system (review and permit) | $100 |
In multi-family buildings plumbing is calculated unit by unit. Extra electrical trips cost $30 each.
Alliance handles electrical permit filing for contractors here. More on this: who pulls the electrical permit.
Application documents and plan review
Use the application for the permit type and provide the plans or documents it asks for. Site plan, zoning and stormwater records have their own City applications.
Rather talk it over?
Call 1-855-478-4290 →Before you file
Graham says a site plan must be approved before any building, structure or parking facility is constructed, installed, expanded or extended. Development that disturbs one acre or more, in one project or cumulatively over phases, needs a stormwater permit, and any development in a Special Flood Hazard Area needs a floodplain development permit first.
How to apply — 6-step Graham workflow
Make sure the project address is inside Graham’s jurisdiction.
Get site plan, zoning, floodplain or stormwater approvals the project needs.
Fill out the building and trade applications and attach the plans.
Use the City’s Permits/Inspections Portal or the Inspections Department.
Answer plan review comments on the same permit.
Request required inspections, correct failed items and obtain the final approval or Certificate of Occupancy when applicable.
Inspections and closeout in Graham
The City Inspections Department performs building, plumbing, mechanical and electrical inspections, requested through the Permits/Inspections Portal. Equipment change-out inspections are done on Mondays and Wednesdays only.
Rather not deal with the building department?
Get a free quote →A $100 re-inspection fee can be charged when work is not ready at the requested time or when the same deficiencies keep recurring. On-site consultations with an inspector cost $60, and new businesses pay $60 for their building and fire inspection.
Local details that matter in Graham
Graham’s own Inspections Department, not Alamance County, handles building-code permits and inspections in the City. Inspections staff also investigate zoning compliance and nuisances such as abandoned vehicles and overgrown lots.
Before cutting or building a driveway, get a $60 driveway permit from the City Building Inspector. New businesses must also complete the City’s required wastewater survey describing what they will discharge to the Graham Wastewater Treatment Plant.
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.
Want this handled start to finish?
Get a free quote →- NC Office of State Fire Marshal — current codes
- Graham Permitting
- Graham construction permit applications
- Graham Inspections Department
- Graham Permits/Inspections Portal
- Graham rates and fees schedule 2026–2027
Graham permit FAQ
Who issues building permits in Graham, NC?
The City of Graham Inspections Department reviews plans, issues construction permits and performs local building-code inspections.
Does Alamance County issue Graham building permits?
No. Graham operates its own Inspections Department for building-code permits and inspections.
Does Graham require site-plan approval before construction?
The City states that a site plan must be approved before a building, structure or parking facility is constructed, installed, expanded or extended.
When does Graham require a stormwater permit?
The City says development that disturbs one acre or more, in one project or cumulatively over phases, needs a stormwater permit.
What trade inspections does Graham perform?
The City performs building, plumbing, mechanical and electrical inspections.
How much is a building permit for a new house in Graham?
$0.25 per square foot of total structure, so $500 for 2,000 sq ft, plus a $60 residential plan review and the trade permits.
When are HVAC and water heater change-outs inspected?
The City inspects change-outs on Mondays and Wednesdays only.
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →Simplify Graham 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.
Ready to break ground in Graham sooner?
Let Alliance prepare, file, and track your Graham permits while your crew stays on the job.
More North Carolina permitting guides
Alamance County
Read guide →Burlington
Read guide →Elon
Read guide →Granville County Building Permit Guide
Read guide →Greene County Building Permit Guide
Read guide →Greensboro Building Permit Guide
Read guide →This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Graham permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.