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Johnston County

Johnston County Building Inspections Department

In short

Johnston County Building Inspections Department issues 3 permits we publish for Johnston County, last verified 2026-10-21. 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
Commercial Building, Electrical, Plumbing and Mechanical Permitsonly if it applies to youJohnston County Building Inspections Departmentper the Johnston County Building Inspections fee page, headed 'Fee Schedule Effective July 1, 2024'. For all commercial projects there is a fee for each trade (building, electrical, plumbing, mechanical) based on the total job cost of that trade: $0–1,500 $75.00; $1,501–5,000 $150.00; $5,001–25,000 $220.00; $25,001–50,000 $440.00; $50,001–100,000 $885.50; $100,001–200,000 $1,771.00; $200,001–350,000 $3,096.50; $350,001–500,000 $4,092.00; $500,001–750,000 $5,472.50; $750,001–1,000,000 $6,853.00; over $1,000,000, the remaining job cost multiplied by .002 (.2%) plus $6,853. An initial $1,000 fee is due at submittal for commercial plan review for projects over $500,000 and is credited to the total permit fee at issuance. Reinspection $75.00. Non-emergency after-hours inspections $125 per hour with a 2-hour minimum, approved in advance by the Director.per project2026-10-21
Change of Use / Tenant Change Permitonly if it applies to youJohnston County Building Inspections Department$75 per change, building fee, per the Johnston County Building Inspections fee page, headed 'Fee Schedule Effective July 1, 2024': 'Change of Use: $75.00 Building' and 'Tenant Change: $75.00 Building'per change of use or change of tenant2026-10-21
Tent PermitJohnston County Building Inspections Department$75 per tent over 200 square feet, building fee, per the Johnston County Building Inspections fee page, headed 'Fee Schedule Effective July 1, 2024'per tent2026-10-21

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

Commercial Building, Electrical, Plumbing and Mechanical Permits

Any business building out, expanding or altering a commercial space under Johnston County Building Inspections pays a separate permit fee for each trade, building, electrical, plumbing and mechanical, priced by that trade's own job cost per the Johnston County Building Inspections fee page, headed 'Fee Schedule Effective July 1, 2024'. The table runs from $75.00 for a trade costing up to $1,500 to $6,853.00 at $750,001–1,000,000, and above $1,000,000 the remaining job cost is multiplied by .002 and added to $6,853. The page's own worked example shows a job with building at $52,400, electrical at $32,500, mechanical at $16,200 and plumbing at $1,650 paying $885.50, $440, $220 and $150 for those four trades. Projects over $500,000 pay an initial $1,000 at submittal for commercial plan review, credited at issuance, and each reinspection is $75.00. The county's June 15, 2026 release announcing the adopted FY 2026-27 budget lists no inspection fee changes; the fee items it lists are the landfill tipping fee, water and sewer rates and the recreation fee in lieu. The county's Inspections home page states that effective April 1, 2026 all construction drawings for residential and commercial projects must be submitted digitally. A county land use permit comes first, under the separate land use permit record. The Inspections Contractor Information and Searches page links the North Carolina licensing boards for general, refrigeration, plumbing, heating and fire sprinkler, and electrical contractors. Contact: Johnston County Building Inspections, 309 E. Market Street, Smithfield, NC 27577, 919-989-5060.

Change of Use / Tenant Change Permit

A business moving into an existing commercial space in Johnston County Building Inspections territory, whether taking over from a previous tenant or changing what the space is used for, pays a $75.00 building fee. The Inspections fee page lists 'Y. Change of Use: $75.00 Building' and 'Z. Tenant Change: $75.00 Building', per the Johnston County Building Inspections fee page, headed 'Fee Schedule Effective July 1, 2024'. The county's June 15, 2026 release announcing the adopted FY 2026-27 budget lists no inspection fee changes; the fee items it lists are the landfill tipping fee, water and sewer rates and the recreation fee in lieu. This fee covers the building side of the change; any electrical, plumbing or mechanical work done to fit out the space is priced separately under the commercial per-trade job-cost table, and the land use permit from Planning and Zoning is a separate step. A retail store, salon, studio or office moving into a vacant unit with no construction should still expect this fee. Contact: Johnston County Building Inspections, 309 E. Market Street, Smithfield, NC 27577, 919-989-5060.

Tent Permit

A restaurant or retailer putting up a tent for a sale, opening or event in Johnston County Building Inspections territory pays $75.00 Building for a tent over 200 square feet. The Inspections fee page lists 'S. Tents: $75.00 Building (if over 200 Sq. Ft.)' and adds that it will '(Also require a flammability certificate be brought in.)', so the tent supplier's flammability certificate should be in hand when applying. The figure is per the Johnston County Building Inspections fee page, headed 'Fee Schedule Effective July 1, 2024'. The county's June 15, 2026 release announcing the adopted FY 2026-27 budget lists no inspection fee changes; the fee items it lists are the landfill tipping fee, water and sewer rates and the recreation fee in lieu. A tent of 200 square feet or less falls outside this fee line. A tent used for selling food also brings in the Environmental Health temporary food permit, listed separately. Contact: Johnston County Building Inspections, 309 E. Market Street, Smithfield, NC 27577, 919-989-5060.

Contact

Jurisdiction
Johnston County
Phone
919-989-5060

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. Contractor Information and Searches | Building Inspections — links to the North Carolina licensing boards for general contractors, refrigeration, plumbing/HVAC/fire sprinkler and electrical contractorsJohnston County Building Inspections Department · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-21
  2. Johnston County Adopts Balanced Budget While Reducing Tax Rate and Fully Funding Public Schools — county news release dated June 15, 2026Johnston County Government · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-21
  3. Johnston County Building Inspections — department home page, stating that effective April 1, 2026 all construction drawings must be submitted digitallyJohnston County Building Inspections Department · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-21
  4. Permit Fee Schedule | Building Inspections — headed 'Fee Schedule Effective July 1, 2024', with the commercial per-trade job-cost table, reinspection, change of use, tenant change, tent and sign linesJohnston County Building Inspections Department · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-21

Other offices serving Johnston 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.