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New Hanover County

New Hanover County Building Safety

In short

New Hanover County Building Safety issues 4 permits we publish for New Hanover 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
Facility Licensing Verification Inspection (conditional)only if it applies to youNew Hanover County Building Safety$100 per trade inspectionper inspection2026-10-27
Commercial Building Permit and Trade Permitsonly if it applies to youNew Hanover County Building SafetyICC Value per sq. ft. x Total sq. ft. up to 15,000 x NHC Recovery Factor (0.004), plus sq. ft. over 15,000 x Reduced cost factor (0.0012); New Construction and Additions at a 100% cost factor, Shell Buildings at 80%, and Accessory, Alteration, Remodel, Renovation, Repair, Upfit at 50%; minimum $400 per permit. Commercial Minor Permit (a single building inspection) $75; Electrical, Mechanical and Plumbing Permits $75 each (Exhibit 1, Building Safety).per project2026-10-27
Sign Permitonly if it applies to youNew Hanover County Building SafetySign Pole & Signs Attached to Buildings (includes trades) $125; Signs with foundation (includes trades) $200 (Exhibit 1, Building Safety). The Permit Cost page states that the 'fee is charged per sign'.per sign2026-10-27
Hood-Suppression System Permitonly if it applies to youNew Hanover County Building SafetyHood-Suppression Systems: $100 + $10 per 1,000 sq ft, minimum $110 (Exhibit 1, Fire Prevention Fees, Permits/Verifications for Other Than New Construction).per system2026-10-27

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

Facility Licensing Verification Inspection (conditional)

New Hanover County Building Safety charges $100 per trade inspection for a Facility Licensing Verification, the line 'Facility Licensing Verification (per trade inspection) $100' in the commercial section of its fee schedule. The schedule lists the fee without naming the types of facility it applies to; a business whose state license calls for a building inspection of the premises should ask Building Safety whether this verification applies. The figure is as published in Exhibit 1 (Building Safety) of the New Hanover County Fee Schedule FY26-27, whose footer reads 'Fee Schedule FY26-27 (Revised 7-01-26)'. The county's Permit Cost page lists the same line and amount.

Commercial Building Permit and Trade Permits

A business building, adding to or upfitting a commercial space through New Hanover County Building Safety pays a permit fee set by formula: the ICC building valuation per square foot times the square footage up to 15,000 times a recovery factor of 0.004, plus the square footage over 15,000 times 0.0012. New construction and additions are charged at 100% of that figure, shell buildings at 80%, and alterations, remodels, renovations, repairs and upfits at 50%, with a $400 minimum for each. A commercial minor permit, defined as requiring a single building inspection, is $75, and separate electrical, mechanical and plumbing permits are $75 each. The figure is as published in Exhibit 1 (Building Safety) of the New Hanover County Fee Schedule FY26-27, whose footer reads 'Fee Schedule FY26-27 (Revised 7-01-26)'. The county's Permit Cost page publishes the same formula, cost factors and minimum. The Planning & Land Use zoning FAQ states: 'If your building requires any new construction, you will need to apply for a building permit with the Building Safety Department.'

Sign Permit

A business putting up a sign through New Hanover County Building Safety pays $125 for a sign pole or a sign attached to a building, or $200 for a sign with a foundation; both amounts include the trade permits. The figure is as published in Exhibit 1 (Building Safety) of the New Hanover County Fee Schedule FY26-27, whose footer reads 'Fee Schedule FY26-27 (Revised 7-01-26)'. The county's Permit Cost page lists the same amounts and states that the 'fee is charged per sign'.

Hood-Suppression System Permit

A restaurant, coffee shop or commissary kitchen installing or working on a kitchen hood fire-suppression system pays $100 plus $10 per 1,000 square feet, with a $110 minimum, under the line 'Hood-Suppression Systems (Minimum $110)'. The line sits in the 'Fire Prevention Fees' section of Exhibit 1, under 'Permits/Verifications for Other Than New Construction'. The figure is as published in Exhibit 1 (Building Safety) of the New Hanover County Fee Schedule FY26-27, whose footer reads 'Fee Schedule FY26-27 (Revised 7-01-26)'.

Contact

Jurisdiction
New Hanover County
Phone
Not verified — use the website

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 Planning & Zoning OverviewNew Hanover County Planning & Land Use · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-27
  2. New Hanover County Fee Schedule FY26-27 (Revised 7-01-26)New Hanover County · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-27
  3. Permit CostNew Hanover County Building Safety · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-27

Other offices serving New Hanover County

The full permit list for this jurisdiction

Industry permit lists that include this agency

North Carolina jurisdictions

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