The Town of Tarboro issues its own building permits. Its Department of Planning & Building Inspections handles zoning and land use, and its building inspectors issue building and trade permits and inspect the work.
What requires a permit in Tarboro?
The Town’s building permit application covers new houses, modular homes, additions and garages, renovations and commercial buildings. Separate Town permits cover electrical, mechanical, plumbing, insulation, conditional power, demolition, fire and sign work. Work started without a permit brings a stop work order and a $250 fine or twice the permit fee, whichever is greater.
Who issues permits in Tarboro?
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Authority | Town of Tarboro Inspections (Department of Planning & Building Inspections) |
| Contact | 252-641-4236; inspections@tarboro-nc.com |
| Local office | 500 N. Main Street, Room 119, Tarboro, NC 27886 (mail: P.O. Box 220); Town Hall open Mon–Fri, 8 a.m.–5 p.m. |
Short on time to read all of this?
Get a free quote →Tarboro’s Department of Planning & Building Inspections combines land-use review with permitting and inspections. The Town’s building inspectors keep office hours of 8:00–9:00 a.m. and 1:00–2:00 p.m.
Tarboro permit types and filing path
Filing route: Town of Tarboro Inspections, using the Town’s permit application forms.
The Town publishes fillable application forms for building, electrical, mechanical, plumbing, insulation, conditional power, demolition, fire and sign permits, plus an owner exemption affidavit. Ask Inspections at 252-641-4236 or inspections@tarboro-nc.com how to submit them.
Permit fees in Tarboro
The building permit application lists a re-inspection fee of $80 per trip from the second visit on. Starting work without a permit brings a $250 fine or twice the permit fee, whichever is greater. Ask Inspections for the permit fee itself.
Electrical, plumbing, mechanical and gas coordination
Electrical, plumbing, mechanical and insulation work each have their own Town permit application. The building permit application also asks for each subcontractor’s name and licence number.
Not sure this scope needs a permit?
Get a free quote →Application documents and plan review
The building permit application asks for the tax parcel ID, E-911 address, owner, contractor and subcontractor details with licence numbers, total project cost, building size and use. Attach 3 copies of plans for the inspector’s review; modular homes need engineered plans.
Before you file
- 01 — Confirm the parcel and zoning district with Tarboro Planning.
- 02 — Determine whether historic-district approval or another land-use approval applies.
- 03 — Prepare 3 copies of plans, and engineered plans for a modular home.
- 04 — List every subcontractor and licence number on the application.
How to apply — 6-step Tarboro workflow
Confirm the parcel is in Tarboro and check its zoning district with Planning.
For work in the Tarboro Historic District, apply to the Historic District Commission for a Certificate of Appropriateness.
Complete the Town building permit application and any trade applications, with 3 copies of plans.
Deliver the application to Town of Tarboro Inspections, 500 N. Main Street, Room 119, or contact inspections@tarboro-nc.com.
Respond to the inspector’s plan review comments; work may start only after the permit is issued.
Request inspections from Town Inspections at 252-641-4236 and complete the final inspections.
Rather talk it over?
Call 1-855-478-4290 →Inspections and closeout in Tarboro
Town of Tarboro building inspectors perform the inspections. Contact Inspections at 252-641-4236 or inspections@tarboro-nc.com. Re-inspections cost $80 per trip from the second visit on.
Do not cover work before the required inspection.
Local details that matter in Tarboro
Tarboro has a local historic district. Exterior alterations, new structures, additions, yard-area changes and demolition inside the Tarboro Historic District need a Certificate of Appropriateness application to the Historic District Commission, and incomplete applications are not accepted. The Town publishes Historic District Guidelines with the application.
Rather not deal with the building department?
Get a free quote →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 Office of State Fire Marshal — current codes
- Tarboro documents, forms and applications
- Tarboro Planning & Building Inspections
- Town of Tarboro official site
Want this handled start to finish?
Get a free quote →Tarboro permit FAQ
Who handles building permitting in Tarboro?
The Town of Tarboro’s Department of Planning & Building Inspections issues building and trade permits and inspects the work.
Does Tarboro have a local historic-district permit layer?
Yes. Exterior alterations, new construction, additions, yard changes and demolition in the Tarboro Historic District need a Certificate of Appropriateness from the Historic District Commission.
How do I apply?
Use the Town’s permit application forms and contact Town of Tarboro Inspections at 252-641-4236 or inspections@tarboro-nc.com.
Should I assume Edgecombe County issues the Tarboro building permit?
No. Inside the Town, building permits come from Town of Tarboro Inspections.
What does a re-inspection cost?
$80 per trip from the second visit on, according to the Town’s building permit application.
Inspections are where schedules slip.
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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.
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More North Carolina permitting guides
This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Tarboro permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.