Leland, North Carolina Building Permit Guide

The Town of Leland Planning & Inspections Department issues building, trade and fire permits and inspects the work, and every application goes through the Town’s Evolve portal. A new home costs 0.55% of its ICC building value (minimum $300) plus a $50 plan review fee, and a first residential plan review takes about 10 business days.

What requires a permit in Leland?

Leland issues building, trade (plumbing, mechanical and electrical), fire construction and fire operational permits. Larger commercial and multi-family projects also need Development Site Plan approval first. The Town’s permitting FAQ answers the common residential questions:

Masonry walls go to Permitting & Inspections to decide whether a permit is needed, and pool barriers are permitted and inspected under the pool permit.

Leland building department: who handles permitting

Leland permit types and filing path

Leland uses Evolve for online permitting and inspection services. For new commercial or multi-family development, expansions and major modifications, the Town’s published sequence starts with Development Site Plan review through the Evolve Project Module and Technical Review Committee. Building-permit filing follows site-plan approval. Other permit types, including residential new construction and change of occupancy, can begin directly in Evolve with the applicable zoning, floodplain and building reviews routed as needed.

When every department has approved the plans, the Town emails an invoice, and the permit is emailed automatically once it is paid. New homes and new commercial buildings and units need an address assignment, requested as a Zoning “Address Request” in the Town’s online planning services. Forms the Town publishes include:

• Homeowners Affidavit, for owners acting as their own general contractor; the owner must be present for every inspection unless the plans were drawn and sealed by an architect.
• Trade Affidavit and Gas Piping Diagram.
• Permit & Plan Revision Form, for contractor changes, revised plans or closing a review early.
• Temporary CO Request and Temporary Utility Service Application.
• Building Code Summary (an abbreviated version for minor commercial projects) and Statement of Special Inspections.
• Solar PV Form, EV Charger Residential Checklist, A2L Affidavit and Energy Certificate.

Permit fees in Leland

Fees come from the Town’s Building Permitting and Inspections Fee Schedule (FY25-26, effective December 1, 2025). New homes and additions are priced on gross square feet under roof times the ICC Building Valuation Data value per sq ft; the ICC figures published each February apply from July 1. Plan review, zoning, re-inspection and administrative fees are added.

For example, a 400 sq ft deck is 400 × $60 × 0.0055 = $132. Commercial buildings up to 15,000 sq ft pay sq ft × ICC value × 0.0045 (0.0025 above 15,000 sq ft), with a $300 minimum and building, trade and building fire inspections included; upfits are $60 per sq ft × 0.0045 with a $300 minimum plus $100 per trade, and commercial building plan review starts at $50.

Permit fees include one re-inspection per trade. A second re-inspection is $50 and each one after that doubles; a not-ready inspection is $100, and cancelling on the day costs $25. The first two plan reviews are covered by the review fee, a third costs double, and revisions to approved plans are $100 an hour. Work without a permit costs the permit fee again, at least $100.

Electrical, plumbing, mechanical and gas permits

The Town issues plumbing, mechanical and electrical permits in Evolve. They are priced by how many inspections the job needs:

Fire construction and operational permits are also filed in Evolve; operational permits run for 2 years. Leland Fire/Rescue’s Fire Inspectors handle fire permit and annual inspections, while the Town’s inspectors do Level I–III construction fire inspections. A like-for-like water heater or plumbing fixture replacement by a licensed contractor can be exempt, but not a homeowner’s own replacement or any fuel gas appliance.

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

Application documents and plan review

Every plan review submittal needs a completed building permit application. For residential work, list the general contractor and any required subcontractors before plan review; commercial contractors must be named before issuance. The Residential Plan Review Checklist asks for:

• Square footage: total under roof, heated, unheated and decks.
• A site plan with lot lines, fire separation distance, floodplain and known easements; it must be sealed in a flood hazard area.
• Floor plans with room names, window and door sizes for egress, stairs and garage separation.
• Elevations and wall sections with building height, roof covering, insulation R-values and fire-rated assembly details.
• Engineering for anything outside the prescriptive NC Residential Code.

Engineered plans must be 24″ x 36″; 11″ x 17″ may be accepted for non-engineered plans if they are legible on site. Commercial plans generally need a design professional’s seal. For projects requiring Development Site Plan review, Technical Review Committee approval comes before the building permit.

Published turnaround: intake 1–2 business days; residential review 10 business days for the first submittal and 3 for the second and third; commercial review 10, then 5 and 5. The Town does not offer expedited review. You cannot upload documents during an open review: wait for all reviewers to finish, or use the Permit & Plan Revision Form to close the review and restart the clock.

Before you file in Leland

• For applicable commercial/multi-family projects, complete Development Site Plan/TRC approval before applying for the building permit.
• Use Evolve for the current permit record, plan uploads, payments and inspection requests.
• Request inspections before the 3:00 p.m. daily cutoff.

How to apply: 6-step Leland process

Leland inspections

Request inspections in Evolve before the Town’s 3:00 p.m. daily cutoff. A request can be blocked by unpaid permit or re-inspection fees, an unissued or expired permit, a hold, the daily inspection limit or an earlier inspection that has not passed; email inspections@townofleland.com or call (910) 371-3754, option 1, for help. A homeowner, licensed contractor or authorized adult must be on site when access is needed.

Cancel in Evolve before the inspection day to avoid the $25 same-day fee; same-day cancellations go by email or phone. Live remote inspections are available only for residential like-for-like mechanical change-outs, including mini-splits. The Certificate of Occupancy is issued after every final passes; a building changing occupancy without alterations needs fire, zoning and building finals. Inspection results can be contested through the Town’s online form.

Local Leland details that matter

• TRC sequencing — New commercial or multi-family development, expansions and major modifications must get Development Site Plan approval through the Evolve Project Module and Technical Review Committee before the building permit.
• Septic and well — Brunswick County Environmental Health, not the Town, reviews and permits well and septic systems; the Town recommends getting its approval letter before construction starts.
• Permit life — a permit expires 6 months after issue if work has not begun, or once work stops for 12 months. Extensions cost a third of the building permit fee (at least $50) and must be requested 5 business days before expiry.
• No business licence — the Town does not require one to work in Leland.
• Public records — permit copies and Certificates of Occupancy can be looked up in Evolve.

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

Leland permit search and official resources

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

• Fee schedule (FY25-26)
• Fire inspections
• Stormwater permits
• Permitting FAQ
• Review process
• Permitting & Inspections
• Planning & Inspections
• NC Office of State Fire Marshal — current and past codes
• Leland Evolve permitting portal
• Leland codes and forms
• Residential Plan Review Checklist

Leland permit FAQs

Who issues building permits in Leland?

The Town of Leland Planning & Inspections Department, for building, trade and fire permits inside the Town.

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

Gross sq ft under roof times the current ICC value per sq ft times 0.0055, with a $300 minimum, plus a $50 plan review fee, the $10 Homeowners Recovery Fund and any zoning fees.

How long does plan review take in Leland?

About 10 business days for a first residential or commercial submittal, after 1–2 days of intake. Later residential reviews take 3 days and commercial 5. There is no paid expedited review.

Do I need a permit for a shed in Leland?

Not a building permit if it is no more than 12 feet in any dimension, but you still need a zoning permit, and any electrical or plumbing work needs a trade permit.

Can a homeowner pull a permit in Leland?

Yes. A homeowner can act as general contractor on their own house by filing the Homeowners Affidavit, and must be present for inspections unless an architect drew and sealed the plans.

What is the inspection-request cutoff?

The Town’s daily cutoff is 3:00 p.m. Same-day cancellations cost $25.

Who handles septic or well approvals?

Brunswick County Environmental Health.

Simplify Leland 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 Leland permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.