Full building plans drawn to scale are required for all new commercial construction, additions, renovations, alterations, and change of building use, such as warehouse to church or store to restaurant. site plan is required when covering new ground (contact the Planning Department for site plan information requirements).

Review Time:
Fourteen to 21 business days, depending on Planning Department approval of site plan, if applicable. Read the Design Review Application.

Forms: 
Commercial Application 
Building Permit Fee Schedule
Commercial Building Plan Submittal Requirements 

Codes Used:
2018 North Carolina Building Code 
1994 North Carolina Modular Home Code
2018 North Carolina Plumbing Code
2018 North Carolina Mechanical Code
2020 North Carolina Electrical Code
2018 North Carolina Energy Code
2018 North Carolina Existing Building Code
2018 North Carolina Fuel Gas Code

Fees:
Paid for at time of application.
Building Permit Fee Schedule

Designer Requirements:
A designer is not required on projects for the buildings:

• A family residence, up to eight units attached with grade level exit, which is not a part of or physically connected to any other building or residential units
• A building upon any farm for the use of any farmer, unless the building of such nature is intended for such use as to substantially involve the health or safety of the public
• An institutional or commercial building if it does not have a total value exceeding $300,000
• An institutional or commercial building if the total building area does not exceed 3,000 square feet in gross floor area
• Alteration, remodeling, or renovation of an existing building or building site that does not alter or affect the structural system of the building, change the building's access or exit pattern, or change the live or dead load on the building's structural system.

North Carolina Board of Architecture

Contractor Requirement:
When cost of construction is less than or equal to $40,000, the building owner can act as his or her own contractor as long as the owner has owned and occupied the building for at least one year. If the cost of construction is greater than or equal to $40,000 and a contractor is hired, that contractor must be state-licensed. If the cost of construction is less than $40,000, the tenant may do the work him- or herself.
North Carolina Licensing Board of General Contractors