Lewisville, North Carolina Building Permit Guide

Building and trade permits in Lewisville come from the joint Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Inspections Division, which also enforces Lewisville’s zoning on each permit; home building permits are submitted online through GeoCivix. Under the April 2026 fee schedule a new house is $0.15 per sq ft for the building permit plus $0.09 per sq ft for each trade.

What requires a permit in Lewisville?

The Inspections Division reviews plans and issues building, electrical, mechanical and plumbing permits in Lewisville. Its single-family permit types and fee schedule show what it permits:

Lewisville building department: who handles permitting

The Inspections Division covers all of Forsyth County except High Point, Kernersville and King, and it issues zoning permits under Lewisville’s Unified Development Ordinance as part of the building permit. Its fax is 336-747-9428. Lewisville Planning and Zoning administers the Town UDO, rezoning, subdivision and site-plan review. The Town states that inspections are handled through the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Inspections Department, so a Town planning approval is not the building permit.

Lewisville permit types and filing path

The Inspections Division uses two separate systems, each with its own login:

• GeoCivix is for plan submittal and review. All single-family and commercial building permit applications are filed here electronically; paper plans are no longer accepted. Revisions and review comments are handled in GeoCivix, and notices arrive by email.
• BuildIT is the permit and inspection system. Licensed plumbing, electrical, mechanical and refrigeration contractors apply for trade permits and schedule inspections in it. Anyone can use it as a guest to search permits, check plan review and permit status, read inspection comments and pay by card.

BuildIT cannot be used to apply for a building permit. The Town of Lewisville publishes its own stormwater, driveway, encroachment and dock applications, plus rezoning, special use, site plan and subdivision forms.

Permit fees in Lewisville

Building and trade fees are set by the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Inspections Division fee schedule (April 2026) and paid within its system; the Division does not send invoices, so any emailed invoice claiming to be from the City or County should not be paid.

For example, a new 2,000 sq ft house is $300 for the building permit and $180 for each of the electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits, $840 in all, before the $65 zoning review and inspection, $40 erosion control fee and any gas appliance fee. No building permit is less than $100. Commercial plan review is $100 under 4,000 sq ft, $125 to 15,000, $325 to 40,000 and $800 above, and other work is priced on value, from $100 up to $5,000.

Starting work without a permit costs double. A temporary Certificate of Occupancy is $50 plus $35 per unfinished trade. Refunds can be requested within 60 days if the permit has not expired, no inspection has been made and work has not started; $75 is kept.

Electrical, plumbing, mechanical and gas permits

Licensed trade contractors buy their own permits in BuildIT. On a new house the trade fees are charged per sq ft; other trade work follows the fee schedule’s unit rates, with a $75 minimum for any electrical, plumbing or mechanical permit.

Fire alarm, sprinkler and extinguishing system shop drawings are reviewed for $150 each, and fire review of commercial construction drawings is $50 to $1,500 depending on building cost.

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

Application documents and plan review

Upload everything to GeoCivix as PDFs. The Inspections Division’s typical checklists:

New single-family homes also need an Energy Efficiency Certificate. Site plans for Town review follow Lewisville’s Site Plan Checklist.

Before you file

• Check whether the project needs Town rezoning, site plan or subdivision approval.
• Get Town stormwater or driveway approval where the project needs it.
• Set up an account to apply electronically with the Inspections Division.

How to apply: 6-step Lewisville process

Inspections and closeout in Lewisville

The Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Inspections Division inspects building and trade work in Lewisville, including the zoning inspection added to residential permits. Licensed trade contractors schedule their own inspections in BuildIT; call 336-727-2624 for help. Once an inspection fails, extra trips are charged: $50 for the second trip, $75 for the third and $100 for each one after that. After-hours inspections cost $100 an hour with a 2-hour minimum and need a supervisor’s approval.

A temporary Certificate of Occupancy can be issued for $50 plus $35 for each unfinished trade.

Local details that matter in Lewisville

The Inspections Division’s permit office closes on the first Tuesday of every month from 8:00 to 10:00 a.m. Phone calls are not received after 4:43 p.m., and walk-in help is offered Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on the first floor of the Bryce A. Stuart Building, though applications must still be made online.

Lewisville charges its own stormwater review fees: $250 for the first disturbed acre plus $40 for each additional acre where no stormwater control is needed, or $100 per extra acre and $500 per quantity BMP where one is. Sites under 1 acre pay a $200 administration fee. Driveway permits require the owner to tell the Town Manager when work starts and finishes.

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 OSFM current codes
• Lewisville permits and applications
• Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Inspections
• Town of Lewisville departments
• Inspections Division fee schedule (April 2026)
• Single-family building permit checklists
• GeoCivix digital submission portal
• BuildIT permits and inspections
• Lewisville stormwater fees
• Lewisville driveway application

Lewisville permit FAQ

Who issues building permits in Lewisville?

The Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Inspections Division issues building and trade permits for Lewisville and enforces the Town’s zoning on them.

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

$0.15 per sq ft for the building permit and $0.09 per sq ft for each of the electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits. A 2,000 sq ft house comes to $840 before zoning, erosion control and gas appliance fees.

How do I apply for a building permit?

Online through GeoCivix, the Inspections Division’s plan review system. BuildIT cannot be used for building permits; it is for trade permits, payments and inspections.

What does the Town of Lewisville handle?

Rezonings, subdivisions and site plans, plus its own stormwater, driveway, encroachment and dock permits.

What do failed inspections cost?

After a failed inspection, the second trip is $50, the third $75 and later trips $100 each.

What is the inspections phone number?

336-727-2624. Calls are not taken after 4:43 p.m.

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