One of the primary responsibilities of Mecklenburg County Code Enforcement is to issue building, electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits as required by North Carolina General Statute 160D-1110.
Appropriate permits are required for Commercial Work related to any new construction, reconstruction, alteration, repair, movement to another site, removal or demolition of any building. Permits are also required for the installation, extension, alteration or general repair of electrical, mechanical or plumbing systems.
Permits are also required for Residential Work on one- and two-family dwellings and townhomes related to any new construction, reconstruction, alteration, repair, movement to another site, removal or demolition of any building. Permits are also required for the installation, extension, alteration or general repair of electrical, mechanical or plumbing systems. However, permits may not be required for any projects with work costing $20,000 or less, unless the work involves:
- The addition, repair, or replacement of load bearing structures
- The addition or change in the design of a plumbing system
- The addition, replacement or change in the design of a heating or air conditioning system
- The addition, replacement or change in the design of an electrical system
- The use of materials not permitted by the code
- The addition of roofing, excluding replacement of like grade fire resistance material
- Costs in place: including material, labor and equipment
- Overhead, profit and taxes
- When do I need a permit (printable document).
Permits are required to be grouped by the specific project and paid for by the general contractor or the homeowner acting as their own general contractor. Separate permits are required for building, electrical, heating, air conditioning and plumbing work.
Most commercial projects and residential projects on new construction and additions require plan review. Please see below for additional information regarding our plan review services.
The Land Use & Environmental Services Agency
Fee Ordinance contains information on permitting and other fees.
Our permitting services are organized into the following service streams:
- Instant online permits for homeowners doing their own work
- For projects less than $30,000 where homeowner serves as contractor
- Projects are managed through an online dashboard
- Consult our Code Information & Resource Center for assistance at 980-314-CODE (follow prompts for technical assistance on residential projects).
TRADE INTERNET PERMITTING (TIP)
- Instant online permits for primary contractors
- For projects that do not require plan review
- Residential projects or commercial equipment change-outs
- For contractor-driven projects requiring a little more info than TIP, but not full plan review
- Commercial projects only
- Login to
contractor’s dashboard and begin permit process to use this option
- Residential Plan Review
- Small Commercial Project Plan Review
- Commercial Plan Review
- Mega-Multifamily Plan Review
- Special Projects Plan Review
- Residential or commercial properties
- Total Demolition
- Partial Demolition
- Move-on/move-off permits
- Login to contractor's dashboard and select "building permit" to begin this process
SPECIAL EVENTS PERMITS
- Permits for special events where required by N.C. Building Code
- Additional permits may be required from other agencies, including but not limited to the following:
- the municipal planning department with jurisdiction
- Fire Marshal’s Office from City of Charlotte or Mecklenburg County
- Mecklenburg County Environmental Health
- Local law enforcement
- Charlotte Department of Transportation
Director of Plan Review & Permitting
For help with plan review, please call 980-314-CODE (2633) and enter the following prompts:
Help with residential projects -- enter 2, then 1, then 1, then 4.
Help with commercial projects -- enter 2, then 1, then 1 again, then 3.