Richmond County Building Inspections, part of Central Permitting at 190 Midway Road in Rockingham (910-997-8203), issues building and trade permits for the unincorporated county and for Hamlet, Ellerbe, Hoffman, Norman and Dobbins Heights; the City of Rockingham has its own Planning & Inspections department. Under the schedule effective July 1, 2026, a new home is charged $0.35 per total sq ft, with electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits added.
What needs a permit in Richmond County?
The County’s application list and July 2026 fee schedule cover:
Homes
- New houses, additions and remodels
- Modular homes
- Mobile and manufactured homes, before the home is moved onto the lot
- Detached accessory buildings
- Decks over 6 by 6 feet and retaining walls
- Swimming pools
- Rooftop solar and generators
- Electrical, plumbing and mechanical work, gas piping, water and sewer lines
- Demolition
Commercial
- New buildings and additions
- Towers, retaining walls and other non-building structures
- Electrical services, sub panels and transformers
- Heating and air, kitchen hoods and their suppression systems
- Fire alarms and sprinkler systems
- Signs, tanks and tents
- Solar farms
- Day care, ABC licence, fireworks, group home and rest home inspections
Starting any of this work before the permit is issued doubles the permit fees.
Who handles permitting in Richmond County?
Central Permitting brings the County’s building inspections, zoning and addressing together at the Richmond County Government Complex. The County inspects for the unincorporated area and the five smaller towns, whose own zoning approval is part of its checklist. The City of Rockingham runs plan review, building permits and inspections itself.
Short on time to read all of this?
Get a free quote →| Area | Zoning approval | Building permits and inspections |
|---|---|---|
| Unincorporated county | Richmond County Planning, 910-417-4904 | Richmond County Building Inspections |
| Hamlet, Ellerbe, Hoffman, Norman and Dobbins Heights | The town or city | Richmond County Building Inspections |
| City of Rockingham | City of Rockingham Planning & Inspections | City of Rockingham Planning & Inspections, 910-997-5546 |
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Address | 190 Midway Road (PO Box 504), Rockingham, NC 28379 |
| Phone / fax | 910-997-8203 / 910-997-8206; Building Inspections 910-997-8204 |
| Hours | Monday to Thursday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. |
| Planning and zoning | 910-417-4904 |
| Environmental Health (septic and wells) | 127 Caroline Street, Rockingham, 910-997-8320 |
Online applications and paper forms
Building and manufactured home permit applications can be filed through the County’s iWorQ portal, and zoning applications through a separate iWorQ zoning portal, by email, or at Central Permitting. The County assigns new addresses with E911 as part of zoning: enter “TBD” and the road name on the zoning application, and the address appears at the bottom of the approved zoning permit.
Printable forms on the Building Inspection Applications page include the building permitting packet and the building, manufactured home, electrical, plumbing, mechanical, swimming pool, generator, miscellaneous and demolition applications, a conditional power form, the owner exemption affidavit and an unlicensed-as-trade-contractor form.
Richmond County permit fees from July 1, 2026
The Building Inspection fee schedule effective July 1, 2026 sets these residential rates for one- and two-family dwellings. Square footage counts heated and unheated space.
Not sure this scope needs a permit?
Get a free quote →| Project | Fee |
|---|---|
| New construction, addition or remodel | $0.35 per total sq ft, $150 minimum, trades extra |
| Modular home | $0.25 per total sq ft, $150 minimum, trades extra |
| Detached accessory building | $0.15 per sq ft, $100 minimum |
| Mobile or manufactured home | $300, electrical, plumbing and mechanical included; water and sewer lines extra |
| Decks, retaining walls and other accessory structures | $100 |
| Swimming pool | $150, plus electrical |
| Rooftop solar | $250, building and electrical included |
| Demolition | $100 |
| Re-inspection | $50 |
A new house with 2,000 sq ft under roof has a building permit fee of $700 at $0.35 per sq ft, before the trade permits.
Commercial new construction and additions are $0.20 per sq ft of gross floor area with a $175 minimum, and towers, retaining walls and similar structures $5 per $1,000 of value. Permits are not refunded once issued. The $50 re-inspection fee is charged from the third trip needed because the work is done in sections or because of code violations, a locked building or wrong information; on a mobile or manufactured home it starts with the fourth such trip.
Electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits
Trade permits are added to the building permit for new homes, additions, remodels and modular homes.
Rather talk it over?
Call 1-855-478-4290 →| Permit | Fee |
|---|---|
| Electrical, new home or project | $0.05 per total sq ft, $150 minimum |
| Electrical service up to 200 A, new construction | $200, plus $0.50 per amp over 200 |
| Service upgrade only | $150, plus $0.20 per amp over 200 |
| Minimum electrical (per trip) / temporary service | $75 / $50 |
| Generator, gas piping included | $150 |
| Heating and air, new construction | $100 per unit, gas piping included |
| Heating and air change-out or ductwork | $75 |
| Gas appliance or gas piping | $75 |
| Plumbing | $75 minimum plus $10 per trapped fixture, floor drain or water heater; $75 more for under-slab plumbing |
| Sewer line / water line | $75 each |
What to have before you apply
The County’s building permit procedures list what must be in hand before a building, manufactured home or pool application is submitted:
- A plan or drawing of the project, with every page, where the Building Inspector says one is needed.
- Zoning approval from the County or from Hamlet, Ellerbe, Hoffman, Norman or Dobbins Heights.
- Septic and well permit approval from Environmental Health, or proof of public water and sewer.
- For projects totaling $40,000 or more: the lien agent, an Affidavit of Workers’ Compensation with the certificate of insurance, and the owner exemption affidavit if the owner is building.
Rather not deal with the Richmond County building department?
Get a free quote →For a manufactured home, add the title or sales agreement and, when a used home is being moved, the tax office moving permit. The home must have been built after July 1, 1976 to HUD standards.
Steps to a Richmond County permit
Rockingham city lots go to the City’s Planning & Inspections department.
Apply to the County or the town; the approved County zoning permit carries the new address.
Apply at Environmental Health, 127 Caroline Street, or show proof of water and sewer.
Use the iWorQ portal or the paper application, with plans and the $40,000-plus documents where needed.
Electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits are priced separately for site-built and modular homes.
Permits expire if work has not begun within 6 months of issue or stops for 12 months after the last inspection.
Inspections and manufactured home set-ups
Inspections for County permits are handled by Richmond County Building Inspections at 910-997-8204. Every permit for a manufactured home must be issued before the home is moved onto the property, or the fees double. Power is not released to a manufactured home until the underpinning is properly installed, a rule the County applies together with Hamlet, Ellerbe, Hoffman, Dobbins Heights and Norman, and any deck larger than 6 by 6 feet at the home needs its own permit.
Local Richmond County details
Plats: plats needing the Subdivision Administrator’s or Review Officer’s signature are now taken at Central Permitting, 190 Midway Road, Monday to Thursday 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Friday 8:00 a.m. to noon, or electronically by DocuSign.
Code enforcement: the County’s Code Enforcement office (910-417-4917) handles minimum housing and nuisance cases in the unincorporated area; inside town limits the town’s own office does.
Want this handled start to finish?
Get a free quote →Ordinances: zoning and subdivision rules are in the Richmond County Unified Development Ordinance on the Planning page.
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
Richmond County permit search and official resources
- Richmond County Planning and zoning applications
- Richmond County Central Permitting and Inspections
- Building Inspection fees effective July 1, 2026 (PDF)
- Building permit procedures (PDF)
- Manufactured home permitting procedures (PDF)
- Building inspection applications
- Richmond County iWorQ permit portal
- City of Rockingham Planning & Inspections
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →Richmond County permit FAQ
Who issues building permits in Hamlet and the other towns?
Richmond County Building Inspections issues them for Hamlet, Ellerbe, Hoffman, Norman and Dobbins Heights, after the town’s zoning approval. Rockingham issues its own.
How much is a building permit for a new house in Richmond County?
$0.35 per sq ft of heated and unheated space, with a $150 minimum, plus electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits. A 2,000 sq ft house is $700 before trades.
How much does it cost to permit a mobile home?
$300, covering electrical, plumbing and mechanical; water and sewer lines are extra. All permits must be issued before the home is moved onto the lot.
Do I need a permit for a deck?
Yes. Decks and retaining walls are $100, and at a manufactured home any deck over 6 by 6 feet needs its own permit.
What if I start work without a permit?
The permit fees are doubled.
Can I apply online?
Yes. Building and manufactured home permits go through the County’s iWorQ portal, and zoning has its own iWorQ application.
Simplify Richmond 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.
Ready to break ground in Richmond County sooner?
Let Alliance prepare, file, and track your Richmond County permits while your crew stays on the job.
More North Carolina permitting guides
This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Richmond County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.