Martin County, North Carolina Building Permit Guide

Martin County’s Inspections Department in Williamston issues building, electrical, plumbing, mechanical and manufactured home permits for the whole county, including all nine towns. Permits are issued in person, Monday to Friday, for cash or check. A new house is charged $0.20 per heated square foot and $0.16 per unheated square foot under the fees in force since August 1, 2025, with the trades priced separately.

What requires a permit in Martin County?

Chapter 6 of the Martin County Code applies the state building code to all of the county and its municipalities. It requires permits for building and repair work, plumbing, electrical, heating and air conditioning, setting up mobile homes, signs and awnings where the state code calls for them, and any change of use of an existing building, which is inspected before the permit is issued.

Who handles permitting in Martin County?

The County Inspections Department provides building inspections and permits for all of Martin County, and its website names every town it covers: Bear Grass, Everetts, Hamilton, Hassell, Jamesville, Oak City, Parmele, Robersonville and Williamston. Inside a town, the town’s zoning permit goes in with the application where one is required.

Every building, plumbing, heating and air conditioning, insulation or electrical contractor working in the county must register with the Inspections Department, giving the business address and state licence number.

The application

The County posts its Building Permit Application, Mobile Home Permit Application and manufactured housing requirements online, and applications are signed by the owner or the owner’s authorised agent. The building application asks for:

• The owner or project name, structure address and tax parcel number
• Heated and unheated square footage, stories, bedrooms, baths and roof type
• Whether the site is inside a town’s limits, the zoning or septic permit number, and the flood zone
• The job cost and the pest control contractor
• The electrical contractor, service size, utility provider and whether temporary power is needed
• The plumbing contractor with the fixture count, and the mechanical contractor with tonnage or BTU and unit type

The structure address must be assigned by the County Tax Assessor’s Office and checked by the 911 Addressing Coordinator; a wrong address brings a $50 fine.

Martin County permit fees

The current fees took effect August 1, 2025.

For example, a house with 1,800 sq ft heated and a 400 sq ft unheated garage is $360 plus $64, or $424, for the building portion, before electrical, plumbing, insulation and mechanical fees.

Each re-inspection costs $50, and an occupancy evaluation $50. Work without a permit is fined $200 or double the permit fee, whichever is greater.

Electrical, plumbing and mechanical fees

A 200-amp house service at the residential rate is $80.

Plans and site approvals

Under section 6-58 of the County Code, the department can ask for two or more sets of plans drawn to scale, plans must show who drew them, and plans must carry an architect’s or engineer’s seal where state law requires one. The department may also ask for a site drawing showing all buildings on the lot, or a boundary survey by a registered land surveyor.

Before any permit is issued, the district health department must approve a septic system wherever the building cannot connect to town or county sewer. Martin-Tyrrell-Washington District Health handles on-site wastewater and private water supplies.

How to get a building permit in Martin County

Inspections in Martin County

The permit holder must tell the Inspections Department when each stage is ready. The County Code lists four inspections: foundation, before concrete is placed; framing, with rough plumbing, ducts and wiring in place; insulation, before finishes go on; and final, when the building is ready to occupy. Work may not go past a stage until the department gives written approval.

A permit expires if work has not started within 6 months of issue, or if it stops for 12 months. The department issues certificates of compliance and occupancy at the end.

Manufactured homes in Martin County

The County’s set-up requirements, updated in September 2026, say power will not be connected until all of them are met:

• Return the Manufactured Home Application with the make, model, serial number, size and year, plus the septic permit and, inside a town, the zoning permit
• Buy the electrical and set-up permits from the Building Inspector’s office
• Block and tie down the home to the manufacturer’s instructions and the state manufactured housing code
• Fit backflow (check) and gate valves on the water line, and never mix ABS and PVC fittings on the sewer line
• Post the 911 address in 3-inch reflective numbers visible from both directions
• Request the inspection when everything is complete but before the underpinning goes on
• Build steps at least 36 inches wide with a 36 by 36-inch landing at an outward-opening door, and handrails where steps rise 30 inches or more

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

Martin County permit search and official resources

• Martin County Building Inspections Fees (August 1, 2025)
• Martin County Code, inspections required
• Martin County Code, application for permits
• Martin County Code, inspections department
• Martin County Building Inspections
• Permits and applications
• Building Permit Application
• Requirements for manufactured housing set-up
• Martin-Tyrrell-Washington District Health

Martin County permit FAQ

Who issues building permits in Williamston and Robersonville?

Martin County. Its Inspections Department covers the whole county, including all nine towns.

How much is a building permit for a new house?

$0.20 per heated sq ft and $0.16 per unheated sq ft for the building, plus $0.40 per amp electrical, $8 per drain plumbing, $0.05 per sq ft insulation and mechanical by tonnage.

Can I pay by card?

The County says permits are issued for cash or check.

Do I need a permit for a small storage building?

Not for a prefabricated outside storage building under 145 sq ft, but any wiring, plumbing or mechanical work in it still needs a permit.

What is the penalty for building without a permit?

$200 or double the permit fee, whichever is greater.

When can I submit plans?

The application lists plan review hours of 8:00 to 10:00 a.m., Monday to Friday.

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