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Union County

Union County Building Code Enforcement

In short

Union County Building Code Enforcement issues 3 permits we publish for Union 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 PermitsUnion County Building Code EnforcementTotal gross building floor area x cost per sq ft by occupancy group (12,000 sq ft and less / greater than 12,000 sq ft): Assembly $0.66 / $0.60; Business $0.46 / $0.40; Educational $0.66 / $0.60; Factory/Industrial $0.36 / $0.29; Hazardous $0.29 / $0.23; Institutional $0.66 / $0.62; Mercantile $0.31 / $0.26; Residential $0.40 / $0.36; Storage $0.50 / $0.40; Utility $0.24 / $0.19. Plan review fee $0.05 / $0.04 per sq ft. Renovations: sq ft of renovated area x occupancy fee x 75%. Upfit of shell building: sq ft x occupancy fee. Fees are calculated to the nearest dollar; minimum fee $100. Electrical service or sub-panel: 0-100 A $130; 101-200 A $200; 201-400 A $270; 401-600 A $340; 601-1000 A $400; 1001-2000 A $540; 2001 A and above $600. Mechanical and plumbing items and all other installations $100 each. Change of occupancy (change of use) $100; conditional power $100 per utility; demolition $100; construction trailer $100 per trade; change of contractor $100; re-inspection $120; extra inspection $100 per offense; State Recovery Fund charge to contractors $10; starting work without a permit, double the permit fee; new permit within six months of expiry $100. Optional: after-hours inspection (off/on inspections) $250 per trip.expires six months after issuance if work has not commenced, or after work is discontinued for 12 months (G.S. 153A-357 and 153A-358, as quoted in the Building Code Enforcement fee schedule)2026-10-21
Day Care, Therapeutic Home and Group Home Inspection (Building Code)only if it applies to youUnion County Building Code Enforcement$100 per unit ("Day Care, Therapeutic Home & Group Home Inspections", Attachment B)per inspection2026-10-21
Sign Permitonly if it applies to youUnion County Building Code Enforcement$190 per unit ("Signs", Attachment B)lapses if the work is not completed within one year of issuance (Union County Development Ordinance, Article 50, as posted on the Planning Department page)2026-10-21

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

New construction, additions, renovations and upfits of commercial space need building, electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits from Union County Building Code Enforcement. The Development Services page states that Building Code Enforcement "has authority for issuing building permits in all parts of the county, except for Monroe and Waxhaw", and the Report-a-Violation page states that it "is responsible for all parts of the county, except for the City of Monroe and the Town of Waxhaw". The Building Code Enforcement page lists water and sewer, zoning and applicable codes as the three considerations for a building permit, with applications through the county's Evolve portal. Tax Rate and Fee Schedule Attachment B to the FY 2027 Budget Ordinance (adopted June 16, 2026, effective July 1, 2026) sets commercial fees by multiplying total gross floor area by an occupancy-group rate, for example Business $0.46 per sq ft up to 12,000 sq ft and $0.40 above, and Mercantile $0.31 and $0.26, plus a plan review fee of $0.05 or $0.04 per sq ft; renovations are charged at 75% of the occupancy rate, and the minimum fee is $100. A business moving into an existing building pays the $100 Change of Occupancy Permit (Change of Use). The Building Code Enforcement One-Stop Permitting Fee Schedule effective August 1, 2026 carries the same figures and quotes G.S. 153A-357 and 153A-358 on permit expiry. Attachment B also lists an optional after-hours inspection at $250 per trip. Contractor licensing is a North Carolina state record.

Day Care, Therapeutic Home and Group Home Inspection (Building Code)

A child care facility in Union County within the building jurisdiction of Union County Building Code Enforcement pays a building code inspection fee for the facility. Tax Rate and Fee Schedule Attachment B to the FY 2027 Budget Ordinance (adopted June 16, 2026, effective July 1, 2026) lists "Day Care, Therapeutic Home & Group Home Inspections" at $100 per unit, and the Building Code Enforcement One-Stop Permitting Fee Schedule effective August 1, 2026 lists "Daycare, Therapeutic & Group Home" at $100.00. The Development Services page states that Building Code Enforcement "has authority for issuing building permits in all parts of the county, except for Monroe and Waxhaw". The county's child care plan review process document lists building and fire code approvals among the approvals needed before Environmental Health releases its pre-opening inspection report. The Fire Marshal's Office charges its own day care inspection fee, recorded separately, and the State child care license is a North Carolina state record.

Sign Permit

A business erecting a monument, freestanding or wall sign in Union County applies to Union County Building Code Enforcement through the Evolve portal. Tax Rate and Fee Schedule Attachment B to the FY 2027 Budget Ordinance (adopted June 16, 2026, effective July 1, 2026) sets "Signs" at $190 per unit, and the Building Code Enforcement One-Stop Permitting Fee Schedule effective August 1, 2026 lists "Sign Permits" at $190.00. The county's "Building Permit Submittal Requirements for Signs" require approval from the local zoning jurisdiction, and Public Works approval for monuments and freestanding signs near sewer or water easements; roof signs and signs over 10 feet above the foundation need drawings sealed by a North Carolina licensed engineer. The same document states that "Non-illuminated wall signs, temporary signs, signs erected by transportation authorities, projecting signs less than 6 square feet, and the changing of moveable parts of an approved sign that is designed for such changes are exempt from permitting" and that "Approval from the local Zoning Jurisdiction is required for all signs regardless of whether a building permit is required." The Union County Development Ordinance, as posted on the Planning Department page, states that a sign permit lapses "If the work associated with a sign permit has not been completed within one year of the date of the issuance of the permit".

Contact

Jurisdiction
Union County
Phone
704-283-3816

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. Building Code EnforcementUnion County Building Code Enforcement · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-21
  2. Building Code Enforcement One-Stop Permitting Fee Schedule (Effective Aug. 1, 2026)Union County Building Code Enforcement · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-21
  3. Building Permit Submittal Requirements for SignsUnion County Building Code Enforcement · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-21
  4. Development ServicesUnion County, North Carolina · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-21
  5. Report a violation - choose from one of the following categoriesUnion County, North Carolina · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-21
  6. Union County Unified Development OrdinanceUnion County Planning Department · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-21
  7. Union County, North Carolina Adopted Operating and Capital Budget 2027 (Appendix: Tax Rate and Fee Schedule Attachment B)Union County, North Carolina · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-21

Other offices serving Union County

The full permit list for this jurisdiction

Industry permit lists that include this agency

North Carolina jurisdictions

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