Pender County building permits come from Inspections & Permitting, which runs two offices — Burgaw and Hampstead. Applications are available at either, which is a deliberate response to a county stretching from the Wilmington commuter belt up to the county seat.
One requirement gates everything. Before the permitting department can process your application you must submit environmental health water and sewer intention documentation — and the county asks that the intention letter be provided along with the application, not after it.
Applies to Pender County’s permitting jurisdiction. The Town of Burgaw and the Town of Surf City run their own building inspections; check with any other town before filing.
The intention letter comes with the application. Environmental health water and sewer intention documentation must be submitted before the department can process your file — so it travels with the application rather than following it.
What requires a permit in Pender County?
A Pender County building permit is required before most construction, alteration, repair, demolition, or change of occupancy in the county's jurisdiction. Pender stretches from the Wilmington suburbs at Hampstead up to Burgaw and inland, and it has been among the fastest-growing counties in south-eastern North Carolina — which is why it runs permitting offices at both ends.
Permit required
- New construction, additions, and accessory structures above the local size threshold
- Structural and load-bearing alterations, repairs, and demolition
- Electrical service changes, panel work, and most wiring alterations
- Plumbing additions, repipes, gas piping, and non-identical water heater swaps
- Mechanical and HVAC installations and changeouts
- Development inside a CAMA Area of Environmental Concern
- Docks, piers, bulkheads, and shoreline structures
- Any project requiring water or sewer, which needs an intention letter first
Typically exempt
- Nonstructural work costing $40,000 or less in a single-family home, farm building, or commercial building (G.S. 160D-1110(c))
- Replacement windows, doors, exterior siding, and porch/deck pickets, railings, stair treads, and decking
- Like-for-like plumbing swaps that keep size and capacity, and like-kind light fixtures, receptacles, and switches
- Same-spec water heater changeouts installed by a licensed contractor
- Painting, flooring, cabinetry, and other cosmetic work
North Carolina enforces one State Building Code statewide; the 2018 edition still governs while the 2024 edition waits on the State Fire Marshal and the new Residential Code Council. North Carolina rules
Pender County building department: who handles permitting
Pender County Inspections & Permitting operates from two locations — Burgaw and Hampstead — and all commercial and residential applications are available on request at either. Running two permitting counters in a county this shape is a deliberate response to geography: Hampstead sits in the Wilmington commuter belt, Burgaw is the county seat inland, and the drive between them is not trivial.
The gating requirement is the environmental health water and sewer intention letter. The county states it plainly: before the permitting department can process your application, you must submit that documentation. If you are applying for a construction permit, ensure the intention letter is provided along with the permitting application rather than following it.
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Get a free quote →| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Offices | Pender County Inspections & Permitting — Burgaw and Hampstead Annex locations · call centre 910-259-1201 · Mon–Fri 8am–5pm, permits issued until 4pm |
| Applications | Online through the Pender Online Resource Tool (PORT); paper applications at either office carry a $25 processing fee |
| Gating requirement | Environmental health water and sewer intention documentation, submitted with the application |
| Coastal overlay | Pender is one of North Carolina's 20 CAMA counties |
| Oceanfront | One of the eight CAMA counties that front the Atlantic |
| Does not serve | The Town of Burgaw and the Town of Surf City, which run their own building inspections |
Two offices means two chances to be efficient and one chance to waste a morning. Confirm which counter handles your parcel before you drive — Hampstead serves the southern, faster-growing end of the county near Wilmington, and Burgaw serves the county seat and the inland communities.
This guide covers Pender County, North Carolina, seated in Burgaw. Pender has no interstate twin. Locally, note that the Town of Burgaw runs its own Building Inspections department even though it is the county seat, and that Pender borders New Hanover — where the county issues permits inside Wilmington, an opposite arrangement worth not confusing.
In 2025, building permits issued in unincorporated Pender County authorized 679 new privately owned housing units, 625 of them single-family homes, according to the U.S. Census Bureau Building Permits Survey.
Pender County permits: record types and what each covers
Pender's records carry the coastal and utility approvals that govern schedules in a fast-growing shoreline county. These are the ones you will file:
Residential permit types
| Permit type | What triggers it | Review path | Fee basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| New construction | New dwellings, additions, and accessory structures above the local size threshold | Full plan review against the 2018 NC Residential Code, plus zoning | Valuation-based |
| Renovation / alteration | Load-bearing changes, work over $40,000, or added or redesigned plumbing, HVAC, or electrical | Plan review scaled to scope; 15-business-day residential clock applies | Valuation-based |
| Reroof | Roof covering replacement costing over $40,000, and any work that adds rather than replaces roofing | Inspections set by the local department; plan review rarely required | Valuation or squares |
| Solar photovoltaic | Rooftop or ground-mount PV, with or without battery storage | Electrical review led, with structural review of the attachment | Flat or system-size based |
| Battery energy storage | Wall or floor-mounted ESS added to a dwelling | Electrical review plus fire separation and location check | Flat or per-permit minimum |
| Electrical | Service changes, panel upgrades, new circuits, EV chargers, most rewiring | Trade review by the electrical inspector; filed as its own record | Per-permit minimum or per-device |
| Plumbing | New piping, repipes, fixtures, gas piping, and non-identical water heater swaps | Trade review; like-for-like same-capacity swaps are statutorily exempt | Per-permit minimum or per-fixture |
| Mechanical / HVAC | All HVAC equipment installs and changeouts, including like-for-like swaps, plus ductwork and refrigeration | Trade review by the mechanical inspector | Per-permit minimum or per-unit |
| Deck and porch | New decks and structural rebuilds; pickets, rails, treads, and decking are exempt replacements | Footing and framing review against the residential code | Flat or valuation-based |
| Pool and spa | In-ground and above-ground pools, spas, barriers, and bonding | Structural, barrier, and electrical bonding review | Valuation-based |
| Accessory structure | Sheds, detached garages, and carports above the local size threshold | Zoning first, then structural review where applicable | Flat or valuation-based |
| Demolition | Full or partial demolition of a structure | Utility disconnect verification and asbestos notification | Flat |
| Water and sewer intention letter | Environmental health documentation | Required before the permitting department can process the application | Set by the county |
| CAMA minor permit | Residential development inside an Area of Environmental Concern | Issued locally by a designated Local Permit Officer | State-set, CPI-adjusted |
| Septic and well permits | Environmental Health records on unsewered parcels | Soil evaluation and system design review | Flat by system type |
Not sure this scope needs a permit?
Get a free quote →Commercial permit types
| Permit type | What triggers it | Review path | Fee basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| New construction | Ground-up commercial, industrial, and multifamily buildings | Full multi-discipline review; sealed plans required | Valuation-based |
| Upfit / tenant improvement | Interior build-outs and suite fit-ups in an existing shell | Concurrent building, trade, and fire review | Valuation-based |
| Renovation / alteration | Structural, envelope, or system changes to an existing building | Plan review scaled to scope; accessibility triggers attach | Valuation-based |
| Change of occupancy | Converting a building from one occupancy classification to another | Life-safety, accessibility, and zoning review | Valuation or flat |
| Shell building | A building permitted without a known tenant or use | Shell review only; no certificate of occupancy until an upfit closes | Valuation-based |
| Reroof | Commercial roof covering replacement or recover | Structural check on added dead load; fire review where applicable | Valuation or squares |
| Solar photovoltaic | Commercial rooftop, carport, and ground-mount arrays | Structural, electrical, and fire access review | Valuation or system-size based |
| Electrical | Service, distribution, and branch circuit work | Trade review; separate record from the building permit | Valuation or per-device |
| Plumbing | Supply, waste, vent, grease, and gas systems | Trade review; backflow and grease interceptor sign-offs attach | Valuation or per-fixture |
| Mechanical / HVAC | Rooftop units, ductwork, exhaust, and refrigeration | Trade review; energy compliance documentation required | Valuation or per-unit |
| Fire protection | Sprinkler, standpipe, alarm, hood, and suppression systems | Fire prevention review, often a separate submittal | Valuation or per-device |
| Sign | Wall, monument, and illuminated signage | Zoning review plus electrical where illuminated | Flat or per-sign |
| CAMA major permit | Coastal development needing other approvals, or dredge and fill | Issued by the NC Division of Coastal Management | State-set, CPI-adjusted |
| Dock, pier, or bulkhead | Waterfront and shoreline structures | Structural review plus CAMA clearance where an AEC applies | Valuation-based |
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- Single-discipline review in most cases
- One permit covers simultaneous same-address residential projects (G.S. 160D-1110(d))
- Initial review due within 15 business days; after 20, 10% of the fee is refunded for each business day late (up to 10 days)
- No engineer's or architect's seal may be demanded unless the code itself requires it
Commercial — multi-discipline
- Concurrent review across building, trades, fire, and zoning
- Signed and sealed plans where state law requires them; small commercial buildings can be exempt (G.S. 83A-13)
- Third-party plan review available under G.S. 160D-1110.1 when review stalls
- Accessibility and life-safety review attach to any change of occupancy
Records you will actually see in Pender
| Record | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Residential building permit | New dwellings, additions, and alterations in the county's jurisdiction |
| Commercial building permit | Ground-up commercial, upfits, and alterations |
| Water and sewer intention letter | Environmental health documentation required before processing |
| Septic and well permits | Environmental Health records on unsewered parcels |
| CAMA minor permit | Development inside an Area of Environmental Concern, issued locally |
| CAMA major permit | Larger or multi-agency coastal development via the Division of Coastal Management |
| Dock, pier, and bulkhead | Waterfront structures, frequently CAMA-triggering |
| Trade permits (electrical, plumbing, mechanical) | Filed by the state-licensed contractor for each trade |
Rather not deal with the Pender County building department?
Get a free quote →Solar permits in Pender
Solar in Pender is an electrical-led county record filed at whichever office holds your file. On a shoreline parcel a ground-mount raises the same AEC question as any other structure within the measured distances.
Roofing permits in Pender
Reroofs in the county's jurisdiction are county permits; inside the Town of Burgaw they are town records. Coastal wind exposure drives the fastening schedule at the southern end of the county in particular.
Solar covenants and the roofing permit exemption are set by state law, and utilities run interconnection on their own timeline. North Carolina rules
Pender County permit cost
Pender County building permit fees follow the county's published schedule, with trade permits charged separately. Environmental health records — septic, wells, and the intention letter process — carry their own charges ahead of the building permit.
Coastal costs sit outside the county schedule. CAMA permit fees are set by the state and CPI-adjusted from July 1, 2025 on a four-year cycle under G.S. 143B-279.19, so a figure from an older handbook understates the current cost. North Carolina also makes the money visible. Under S.L. 2022-11, every local government must publish an annual financial report showing how it used the prior year's building-code fees to support, administer, and implement its code enforcement program (G.S. 160D-402(d), with G.S. 160D-1102 governing the inspection department's own accounting).
| Fee component | How it works |
|---|---|
| Building permit | County fee schedule by record type and scope |
| Trade permits (E/P/M) | Charged separately per trade record |
| Environmental Health | Septic, well, and intention letter records charged separately |
| CAMA minor permit | State-set, CPI-adjusted from July 1, 2025 |
| CAMA major permit | State-set, through the Division of Coastal Management |
| Re-inspection | Charged on failed inspections before final or certificate |
Want a precise number for a specific Pender project? Send us the scope and we will price the permit path before you file.
Pender County trade permits
Pender County trade permits for electrical, plumbing, and mechanical work are separate records pulled by the state-licensed contractor performing the work, filed at either the Burgaw or Hampstead counter.
Electrical permits
Required for services, panel upgrades, circuits, EV chargers, and solar interconnection. Electrical work takes a contractor licensed by the NC State Board of Examiners of Electrical Contractors, unless owners wire their own home that is not for sale or rent.
Plumbing permits
Required for new piping, repipes, fixtures, gas piping, and non-identical water heater changeouts — and the water and sewer intention letter gates the application either way.
Mechanical (HVAC) permits
Required for all installations and changeouts, including like-for-like swaps, plus ductwork and refrigeration. Salt-air corrosion drives equipment selection near the shoreline.
Coastal and waterfront specialty
Docks, piers, bulkheads, and shoreline stabilisation typically need CAMA clearance alongside the building record, on a separate and usually longer clock.
Want this handled start to finish?
Get a free quote →Pender County permit application: how to apply step by step
Here is how to get a building permit in Pender County, from confirming the requirement through to close-out. Each step below corresponds to a real decision point where projects commonly stall.
Burgaw serves the county seat and inland communities; Hampstead serves the southern end near Wilmington. Confirm before you drive.
Environmental health water and sewer intention documentation must accompany the application — the department cannot process without it.
Determine whether the parcel sits inside an Area of Environmental Concern and start the CAMA permit immediately if it does.
Commercial and residential applications are available on request at either permitting office.
Coastal clearance is a separate approval on its own timeline. Starting it late is the most common coastal delay in North Carolina.
Pay the applicable fees, request inspections against the permit, and run through to your certificate.
Inspections in Pender County
Pender County inspections are requested through the call centre at 910-259-1201 (press 1) with your name, phone number, permit number, site address, and inspection type; requests in before 2:00 pm are scheduled for the following business day. Some trade permits can now choose a virtual inspection in PORT. Typical checkpoints run footing and foundation, rough-in trades, framing, insulation, and final.
On a coastal parcel, flood elevation and coastal wind requirements shape what is inspected as much as the code does — and on the oceanfront, ocean hazard setbacks are settled long before an inspector arrives. If the local inspection department will not inspect within two business days of the request, the permit holder may ask the State Fire Marshal in writing to send an inspector (G.S. 143-139.4). G.S. 160D-1104 also requires the inspector to carry out every inspection requested for a scheduled visit and to point out each part of the work that fails the code.
State law sets how long a North Carolina permit stays valid and when changes need written approval. North Carolina rules
Pender County permit search and official resources
Reach Pender County Inspections & Permitting, or check the coastal requirements that apply on a CAMA parcel, with the official links below.
- Pender County Inspections & Permitting
- Town of Burgaw Building Inspections
- NC Division of Coastal Management
- CAMA counties and AEC rules
- NC Licensing Board for General Contractors
- LiensNC — designate a lien agent (jobs of $40,000 or more)
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →Frequently asked questions
Who issues building permits in Pender County?
Pender County Inspections & Permitting (910-259-1201), from two offices — Burgaw and the Hampstead Annex — with most applications filed online through PORT. The Town of Burgaw and the Town of Surf City run their own building inspections.
What do I need before Pender County will process my application?
Environmental health water and sewer intention documentation. The county states it directly: before the permitting department can process your application you must submit that documentation, and it should be provided along with the permitting application rather than after it.
Why does Pender County have two permitting offices?
Geography. Hampstead sits in the Wilmington commuter belt at the fast-growing southern end of the county; Burgaw is the county seat inland. The drive between them is not trivial, so the county takes applications at both.
Is Pender County a CAMA county?
Yes — one of North Carolina's 20, and one of the eight that front the Atlantic. A CAMA permit is required where the project falls inside an Area of Environmental Concern, which is a measured test rather than a general coastal designation.
Does a Pender County building permit cover CAMA?
No. They are separate approvals on separate timelines, and an inspection department can issue a building permit for a project that still needs coastal clearance. The stop-work order that follows is entirely avoidable.
What triggers a CAMA permit?
Being in or on state waters, a marsh, or a wetland; within 75 feet of the normal high water line along an estuarine shoreline; within 30 feet of the normal water level of designated inland fishing waters; or within 575 feet of the mean high water line along an Outstanding Resource Water shoreline.
Does the Town of Burgaw use county permits?
No. Burgaw runs its own Building Inspections department even though it is the county seat (inspection requests 910-259-9934). Surf City also runs its own.
How do coastal wind and flood rules affect a Pender County build?
They shape the structure rather than decorate it. Flood zone elevation, elevation certificates, and coastal wind design all drive the design, and oceanfront parcels add ocean hazard setbacks measured from erosion rates.
Does Pender County border New Hanover?
Yes, and the two run opposite arrangements worth not confusing. New Hanover County issues building permits inside the City of Wilmington; in Pender, the Town of Burgaw issues its own. Neighbouring counties, inverted structures.
When is a general contractor licence required in Pender County?
On projects of $40,000 or more, under G.S. 87-1 and the NC Licensing Board for General Contractors, with tiers capping single-project value at $750,000, $1,500,000, or without limit excluding land cost.
Do I need a lien agent for a Pender County project?
For work costing $40,000 or more, yes — designated through LiensNC before the permit issues. Improvements to an owner-occupied existing single-family residence and incidental accessory structures are exempt.
When does a Pender County building permit expire?
Six months after issuance if work has not commenced, and immediately if work is discontinued for 12 months, under G.S. 160D-1111. Changes from approved plans need written approval from the inspection department first.
Simplify Pender County permitting with Alliance Permitting
Two counters an hour apart, a utility letter that stops the application before it starts, and a coastal permit running on its own clock — Pender rewards arriving at the right office with the right documents. A permit expediter for Pender County does exactly that.
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Contractors and builders choose Alliance for Pender because the work is done by people who have stood at the counter:
- Right office, right documents — intention letter in hand before the application is presented.
- Coastal sequencing — CAMA started in parallel with the building record, not after a stop-work order.
- Complete oversight — every Pender County permit and inspection tracked across your jobs in one place.
Alliance Permitting is a permit documentation and expediting service. We are not a law firm and do not provide legal advice, and we are not the permitting authority.
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More North Carolina permitting guides
This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Pender County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.