What permits do you need to open a retail store in Durham County?

Durham County Pet Shop Permit

Durham County Code § 8-104(1) provides that 'No person, partnership or corporation, whether operated separately or in connection with another business or enterprise, shall operate a pet shop unless a state license, where required, has been obtained pursuant to G.S. 19A-27 and unless a permit to operate such an establishment or business has been granted by the animal control director of the county', and § 8-104(5) sets the permit fee at $25.00 for the fiscal year or part thereof, payable to the county animal control department. Who is covered turns on two definitions and one exemption. § 8-96 defines a pet shop as 'any person, partnership or corporation, whether operated separately or in connection with another business or enterprise, that acquires for the purpose of resale animals bred by others whether as owner, agent or on consignment and sells, trades or offers to sell or trade such animals to the general public at retail or wholesale', and defines animal to 'mean fish, mammals, birds, spiders, scorpions, amphibians, snakes and reptiles', so an aquarium shop is as much a pet shop as a puppy retailer. § 8-99 then states that 'Veterinarian hospitals, animal shelters, kennels, businesses engaged in the sale of domesticated livestock and zoological parks owned or operated by the government are exempt from the provisions and regulations of this article', which takes a veterinary practice out of this permit entirely. The state license stacks on the county's: G.S. 19A-27 sets a State pet shop license fee of seventy-five dollars ($75.00) for each license period or part thereof beginning with the first day of the fiscal year. Conditions of the county permit include inspection of all animals and the premises by an animal control officer during normal business hours under § 8-104(3) and prominent display of the permit under § 8-104(7). Operating without a permit costs $25.00 for the first day and $15.00 for each day thereafter under § 8-104(8), failing to renew by June 1 costs $1.00 per day under § 8-104(9), and a civil citation under § 8-100(2) carries 'a civil penalty of $50.00 for the first day of the violation and an additional $25.00 per day for each day the violation continues to exist'. The county's FY 2026-27 adopted Animal Services fee schedule prices impoundment, boarding, civil penalties, failure to vaccinate and shelter rabies vaccination, and the $25.00 in the ordinance is the amount published for this permit.

County Fire Protection Construction Permit

Installing fire protection equipment in the Durham County fire marshal's jurisdiction is permitted per system by the county rather than by the merged building department, and the county's own Permits & Inspections page is what establishes that: it states that 'The Durham County Fire Prevention & Life Safety requires fire protection permits for any work as prescribed by the North Carolina Fire Code. Permit applications are completed electronically', links the county's own Approved Fee Schedule, and sends only Emergency Responder Radio Coverage requests to the City-County Inspections site. The line that reaches the most businesses here is Alternative Fire Extinguishing Systems at $150.00, which is the commercial kitchen hood suppression permit a restaurant or coffee shop needs, and it is separate from the $150.00 per hood mechanical permit the building department charges for the hood itself, listed separately. A sprinkler or fire alarm system is $150.00 for the first 10,000 square feet with $0.015 per square foot of gross floor area for each system above that, so the charge scales with the building rather than being flat. An auto-repair shop typically meets the Flammable & Combustible Liquids line at $175.00 per pipeline, tank or system and the Spraying & Dipping line at $150.00; a retail or assembly fit-out meets the standpipe, smoke control and hydrant lines at $200.00, $200.00 and $150.00. Design drawings must be sealed by a NC Licensed Professional Engineer or a NC Licensed Fire Sprinkler Contractor. The Fire Pumps and related equipment line fell from $500.00 to $200.00 for FY 2026-27, the only reduction among the construction permits.

Shared with other businesses in Durham County

• Durham County Beer & Wine Privilege License — Durham County Tax Administration, $5–$25 a year per license, county-only, at the amounts G.S. 105-113.78 fixes: on-premises malt beverage $25.00, off-premises malt beverage $5.00, on-premises unfortified or fortified wine or both $25.00, off-premises unfortified or fortified wine or both $25.00, annual; G.S. 105-113.70(b) runs the license year from May 1 to April 30, County Code § 8-27(d)(1) makes the § 8-39 tax due on May 1 or before a business begun later in the year, the county page requires renewal by April 30, the License & Fees page adds a 5% late fee after May 2nd, and G.S. 105-113.70(c) bars transfer from one person to another or one location to another. Also required for restaurants, coffee shops and food trucks; what it involves is set out on the food trucks page.
• ABC Local Government Opinion and Inspection/Zoning Compliance — Durham Planning & Development Department (Durham City-County Planning), No fee for this signature is published in the Durham County FY 2026-27 Approved Fees and Other Charges Schedule or on any Durham County page. The county charges are the separate Beer & Wine Privilege License listed separately, and any building, fire or zoning charge the compliance form's underlying inspections attract in their own right. Contact Durham Planning & Development on 919-560-4137 or Planning@DurhamNC.gov for the current process., per ABC permit application; the NC ABC Commission states that designated officials are expected to process the forms within 15 days of receipt, and G.S. 18B-901(b) allows the local governing body 15 days from the mailing or delivery of the Commission's notice to file a written objection. Also required for restaurants, coffee shops and food trucks; what it involves is set out on the food trucks page.
• County Sewer Construction Drawing Review — Durham County Engineering & Environmental Services, Charged per review, county-only, base fee then re-review fee: Restaurant or Cafeteria Plumbing Plans $605.00 / $360.00; Core and Shell Building Plumbing Plans $605.00 / $360.00; Building Plumbing Plans for an upfit or renovation $970.00 / $540.00; Grease Trap or Pretreatment Units $300.00 / $65.00; Commercial or Industrial Development with a single lateral only $735.00 / $420.00; Municipal, Commercial or Industrial Development $1,810.00 plus $0.90 per linear foot of main or force main / $970.00; Single Family House $480.00 / $235.00; Sewer Extension Permit Application Re-Review $120.00 each above two; Field Change for all other development $605.00 each review. A 5% non-refundable technology fee applies to all development review fees. Per the Durham County Utilities Division FY27 Fee Schedule effective July 1, 2026 and the Sewer Utilities schedule in the county's FY 2026-27 budget., per review, at design; each re-review is charged again at the schedule's re-review amount, and a field change during construction is a further $605.00 for all other development. Also required for restaurants, coffee shops and auto repair shops; what it involves is set out on the auto repair shops page.
• County Sewer Construction Inspection Charges — Durham County Engineering & Environmental Services, Charged per occurrence or per structure, county-only: Not Ready Inspection $120.00 for each occurrence, payable before as-built approval; Re-Inspection or Failed Inspection $120.00 per hour based on the scheduled inspection time, excluding the certificate-of-occupancy inspection; Private Lift Station $605.00; Public Lift Station $2,625.00; Sewer Main or Outfall $3.70 per linear foot for 8 to 12 inches and $6.00 per linear foot above 12 inches; Force Main $3.70 per linear foot. Water and reclaimed water inspections on the same schedule: Water Tap Inspection up to a 2 inch meter $300.00; Water Line Inspection for a main extension only $3.70 per linear foot; Water Backflow Preventer Inspection $65.00 each; Reclaimed Water Tap Inspection $300.00 up to a 2 inch meter or $185.00 per inch of meter diameter above 2 inches; Reclaimed Water Backflow Preventer Inspection $120.00 each. A 5% non-refundable technology fee applies to all construction inspection fees. Per the Durham County Utilities Division FY27 Fee Schedule effective July 1, 2026 and the Sewer Utilities schedule in the county's FY 2026-27 budget., per occurrence or per structure, during construction; the Not Ready Inspection charge must be paid before as-built approval, so it gates the close-out of the work rather than arriving afterwards. Also required for restaurants, coffee shops and auto repair shops; what it involves is set out on the restaurants page.