Commercial Compliance Hub
Check requirements

Gaston County

Gaston County Office of Emergency Management and Fire Services — Fire Services Division

In short

Gaston County Office of Emergency Management and Fire Services — Fire Services Division issues 3 permits we publish for Gaston County, last verified 2026-10-27. Each carries the fee as the agency publishes it, with a link to the schedule it was read from.

What this agency issues

Permits required, with issuing agency, fee, renewal term and the date each record was last verified against its source
ABC Permit Inspection (Fire)only if it applies to youGaston County Office of Emergency Management and Fire Services — Fire Services Division$185 per inspectionper inspection2026-10-27
State-Mandated Periodic Fire Inspection (commercial occupancies)Gaston County Office of Emergency Management and Fire Services — Fire Services Division$95–$400 per inspection by building size: 0–2,499 sq ft $95.00; 2,500–4,499 $140.00; 4,500–7,999 $185.00; 8,000–15,999 $225.00; 16,000–49,999 $275.00; 50,000–99,999 $320.00; 100,000–499,999 $365.00; 500,000+ $400.00; Interior Suites $95.00; Vacant Building $185.00 (FY 2027 Adopted Fee Schedule, page 134)recurring on a six-month, one-year, two-year or three-year rotation, per the Fire Services Notice of Billing Changes2026-10-27
Fire Code Operational and Construction Permits (hood suppression, spray booths, flammable liquids, LP gas, tents, tanks)only if it applies to youGaston County Office of Emergency Management and Fire Services — Fire Services Division$185.00 per permit, including 105.7.1 Automatic Fire-Extinguishing Systems, 105.6.43 and 105.7.16 Spraying or Dipping, 105.6.17 and 105.7.8 Flammable & Combustible Liquids, 105.7.12 LP Gas, and 105.6.45 and 105.7.18 Temporary Membrane Structures & Tents; 105.7.7 AST / UST Install / Removal Inspection $185.00 per tank (FY 2027 Adopted Fee Schedule, pages 134–135).per permit2026-10-27

Fees shown as a range or formula are set that way by the issuing agency — we do not average them into a single number.

About each permit

ABC Permit Inspection (Fire)

A restaurant, coffee shop or store in Gaston County seeking a state ABC permit pays Gaston County Fire Services $185.00 for the fire inspection, listed in the schedule as 'ABC Permit Inspection' under Fire Inspections & Code Violations. The figure is as published in the FY 2027 Adopted Fee Schedule, the 'Fee Schedules' section of Gaston County's FY 2027 Adopted Budget (page 134), which the budget describes as listing 'the fees and charges adopted by the Board of Commissioners for County services'. The Board of Commissioners adopted the FY 2027 budget on May 12, 2026, and the schedule applies for fiscal year 2027, July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027. The county's Fire Inspections page states that Gaston County Emergency Management and Fire Services 'does NOT conduct inspections for ALL jurisdictions' and directs businesses in Belmont, Cherryville, Gastonia and Mt. Holly to those municipalities for inspections, so a business inside one of those four cities deals with that city's fire inspectors instead. The building-side ABC inspection is a separate record. Fire Services: 704-866-3350.

State-Mandated Periodic Fire Inspection (commercial occupancies)

Every commercial business in the area Gaston County Fire Services covers is inspected on a recurring cycle and billed by building size, from $95.00 for under 2,500 square feet to $400.00 for 500,000 square feet or more. The Fire Services Notice of Billing Changes dated December 1, 2025 states that 'inspections are conducted in all existing commercial occupancies, including residential greater than duplex, on a six-month, one year, two year or three-year rotation, depending on the state requirements', that 'all inspections and permits will be pre-billed prior to the Certificate of Compliance inspection or permits being issued', and that 'Bills will be mailed sixty days prior to the month of inspection.' Re-inspections where violations remain add violation fees, and a no-show costs $95.00. The figure is as published in the FY 2027 Adopted Fee Schedule, the 'Fee Schedules' section of Gaston County's FY 2027 Adopted Budget (page 134), which the budget describes as listing 'the fees and charges adopted by the Board of Commissioners for County services'. The Board of Commissioners adopted the FY 2027 budget on May 12, 2026, and the schedule applies for fiscal year 2027, July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027. The county's Fire Inspections page states that Gaston County Emergency Management and Fire Services 'does NOT conduct inspections for ALL jurisdictions' and directs businesses in Belmont, Cherryville, Gastonia and Mt. Holly to those municipalities for inspections, so a business inside one of those four cities deals with that city's fire inspectors instead. Fire Services: 704-866-3350.

Fire Code Operational and Construction Permits (hood suppression, spray booths, flammable liquids, LP gas, tents, tanks)

Some Gaston County businesses need a fire code permit from Fire Services, at $185.00 each: a restaurant installing a kitchen hood fire-extinguishing system (105.7.1), an auto repair shop running a spray booth (105.6.43 and 105.7.16) or storing or piping flammable and combustible liquids (105.6.17 and 105.7.8), a business installing an LP gas system (105.7.12), and a store or vendor putting up a tent (105.6.45 and 105.7.18). Installing or removing an aboveground or underground storage tank is $185.00 per tank. The schedule lists these under 'Mandatory Operational Permits' and 'Required Construction Permits'. The figure is as published in the FY 2027 Adopted Fee Schedule, the 'Fee Schedules' section of Gaston County's FY 2027 Adopted Budget (page 134–135), which the budget describes as listing 'the fees and charges adopted by the Board of Commissioners for County services'. The Board of Commissioners adopted the FY 2027 budget on May 12, 2026, and the schedule applies for fiscal year 2027, July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027. The county's Fire Inspections page states that Gaston County Emergency Management and Fire Services 'does NOT conduct inspections for ALL jurisdictions' and directs businesses in Belmont, Cherryville, Gastonia and Mt. Holly to those municipalities for inspections, so a business inside one of those four cities deals with that city's fire inspectors instead. Fire Services: 704-866-3350.

Contact

Jurisdiction
Gaston County
Phone
704-866-3350

Contact details are taken from the agency’s own site or its published fee schedule. Where we have not verified a phone number we leave it blank rather than guess.

Sources

Every fee and term above was read from one of these government pages on the date shown.

  1. Current Year Budget (FY 2027)Gaston County · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-27
  2. Emergency Management & Fire ServicesGaston County · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-27
  3. Fire InspectionsGaston County · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-27
  4. FY 2027 Adopted Budget (PDF) — Fee Schedules, pages 126–142Gaston County · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-27
  5. Notice of Billing Changes (December 1, 2025)Gaston County Office of Emergency Management and Fire Services · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-27

Other offices serving Gaston County

The full permit list for this jurisdiction

Industry permit lists that include this agency

North Carolina jurisdictions

Commercial Compliance Hub publishes information, not legal advice. Requirements change — confirm anything you rely on with the issuing agency before you file.