What do these permits involve in Iredell County?

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Variance, Special Use Permit, Appeal or Change of Use (zoning board request, unincorporated county)

A business in unincorporated Iredell County whose use or site needs a board decision, such as a special use permit for the use, a variance from a zoning standard, an appeal of a staff decision or a change of use, pays $500 per application to Iredell County Planning & Development. The fee schedule lists these under 'Board Requests' as 'Variance/Special Use Permit/Appeal $500' and 'Change of Use $500'. This planning change of use request is separate from the Building Standards change of use permit. The figures are as published in the Iredell County 'PLANNING & DEVELOPMENT FEE SCHEDULE (Effective July 1, 2024)', the planning schedule linked from the county's Fee Schedules page and its Planning & Development page. The county's Zoning Permits page directs applicants in the 'white area' on its map to get zoning permits from Iredell County Planning and Development, and states that applicants 'in Statesville, Troutman, or Mooresville's zoning jurisdiction' get zoning permits from the respective town's planning and zoning department.

Commercial Building Permit (new construction, upfit, renovation, shell)

Building a new commercial space, upfitting or renovating a tenant space, or finishing a shell building in Iredell County outside Mooresville needs a building permit from Iredell County Building Standards. The schedule states that permit fees 'will be based on the latest edition of the International Code Council's Building Valuation Data', adjusted by a regional modifier, and that 'The product of the estimated Building Value from Table A multiplied by the permit fee multiplier is the permit fee for the project.' The multiplier is 0.0068; upfit, renovation and shell/dry-in projects use 50% of the Table A average cost. That permit fee covers the initial permit for each trade and the project's inspections; the temporary certificate of occupancy is charged separately. The schedule adds: 'Each Building, Tenant Space, Project Phase, or Structure requires an individual permit.' The county's Zoning Permits page sends applicants in the unincorporated county to Planning and Development for zoning, and to Environmental Health for septic approval where needed, before Building Standards. The figures are as published in the Iredell County Building Standards Fee Schedule, the county's current linked schedule, which carries the footer 'Jan-26' and shows no adoption date. The schedule states: 'All permits are subject to a 3% Technology / Administrative Fee.' Under the same schedule, work started without permits has its permit fees doubled for a first violation and tripled for a second or later violation. Building Standards does not serve the Town of Mooresville or its ETJ: the county's notice 'Building Permits within the Town of Mooresville & its ETJ' states that 'As of September 5, 2023, Iredell County Building Standards is no longer responsible for administering and enforcing the North Carolina State Building Codes within the Town of Mooresville and its ETJ', and that the Town of Mooresville Building Permitting & Inspections Department 'has accepted those responsibilities'. Building Standards: 349 North Center Street, Statesville.

Change of Use Permit (with new Certificate of Occupancy) and Temporary Certificate of Occupancy

A business moving into a building whose use is changing, for example a retail space becoming a restaurant, gets a change of use permit from Iredell County Building Standards: $200.00, which 'includes new Certificate of Occupancy'. A business that needs to occupy before final completion can get a Temporary Certificate of Occupancy, $150.00, 'posted for 30 Days'. The schedule's building permit fee does not include the temporary certificate of occupancy, which is charged separately. The figures are as published in the Iredell County Building Standards Fee Schedule, the county's current linked schedule, which carries the footer 'Jan-26' and shows no adoption date. The schedule states: 'All permits are subject to a 3% Technology / Administrative Fee.' Under the same schedule, work started without permits has its permit fees doubled for a first violation and tripled for a second or later violation. Building Standards does not serve the Town of Mooresville or its ETJ: the county's notice 'Building Permits within the Town of Mooresville & its ETJ' states that 'As of September 5, 2023, Iredell County Building Standards is no longer responsible for administering and enforcing the North Carolina State Building Codes within the Town of Mooresville and its ETJ', and that the Town of Mooresville Building Permitting & Inspections Department 'has accepted those responsibilities'. Building Standards: 349 North Center Street, Statesville.

Non-Residential Site Plan Review (unincorporated county)

A commercial project in the unincorporated part of Iredell County has its site plan reviewed by Iredell County Planning & Development; the fee schedule lists 'Non-Residential Site Plan Review' at $100. The county's Non-Residential Permits page states: 'Non-residential projects differ from residential projects in that site plans and architectural plans are required.' It links the Non-Residential Zoning Permit Application and the Commercial Site Plan Review Instructions. The figures are as published in the Iredell County 'PLANNING & DEVELOPMENT FEE SCHEDULE (Effective July 1, 2024)', the planning schedule linked from the county's Fee Schedules page and its Planning & Development page. The county's Zoning Permits page directs applicants in the 'white area' on its map to get zoning permits from Iredell County Planning and Development, and states that applicants 'in Statesville, Troutman, or Mooresville's zoning jurisdiction' get zoning permits from the respective town's planning and zoning department.

Fire Marshal Change of Use Inspection

A business moving into a building whose use is changing, in the area the Iredell County Fire Marshal's Office serves, has a fire change of use inspection. The fee page lists 'Change of Use Inspection' at $100.00 under 'Inspection/Test Fees'. The same page states 'There is no charge for operational permits' and lists 'NC Fire Code Operational Permits' as 'No Charge'. The figures are as published on the Iredell County Fire Marshal's Office 'Permits & Plan Review Fees' page, which lists its construction permit fees as 'effective FY 26/27'; the page names no adopting order. The Fire Marshal's Office page states: 'With the exception of the cities of Statesville and Mooresville, we are the code enforcement authorities in Iredell County.' A business inside Statesville or Mooresville deals with that city's fire marshal instead. Fire Marshal's Office: 404 Bristol Dr, Statesville; 704-832-2164.

Fire Plan Review — Building Permit (including inspection)

A commercial building project in the area the Iredell County Fire Marshal's Office serves has its plans reviewed for the fire code alongside the building permit. The fee page lists 'Plan Review - Building Permit' at '$75.00 ($75 minimum charge <12,000 sq ft or $.02 per sq ft >12,000 sq ft)' under 'Plan Review Fees - (Including Inspection)'. The figures are as published on the Iredell County Fire Marshal's Office 'Permits & Plan Review Fees' page, which lists its construction permit fees as 'effective FY 26/27'; the page names no adopting order. The Fire Marshal's Office page states: 'With the exception of the cities of Statesville and Mooresville, we are the code enforcement authorities in Iredell County.' A business inside Statesville or Mooresville deals with that city's fire marshal instead. Fire Marshal's Office: 404 Bristol Dr, Statesville; 704-832-2164.

Fire Alarm, Sprinkler/Standpipe, Kitchen Hood and Paint Booth Suppression System Installation Permits

Installing a fire protection system in a business in the area the Iredell County Fire Marshal's Office serves needs an installation permit, with plan review and inspection included. A restaurant, coffee shop or commissary kitchen installing a kitchen hood suppression system pays $100.00, and an auto repair or body shop installing a paint booth suppression system pays $100.00. A fire alarm system and a fire sprinkler/standpipe system are each $250.00 minimum for buildings under 12,000 sq ft, or $0.02 per sq ft over 12,000 sq ft. The figures are as published on the Iredell County Fire Marshal's Office 'Permits & Plan Review Fees' page, which lists its construction permit fees as 'effective FY 26/27'; the page names no adopting order. The Fire Marshal's Office page states: 'With the exception of the cities of Statesville and Mooresville, we are the code enforcement authorities in Iredell County.' A business inside Statesville or Mooresville deals with that city's fire marshal instead. Fire Marshal's Office: 404 Bristol Dr, Statesville; 704-832-2164.

Permit	Issuing agency	Fee	Renews	Last checked
Variance, Special Use Permit, Appeal or Change of Use (zoning board request, unincorporated county)only if it applies to you	Iredell County Planning & Development	Variance/Special Use Permit/Appeal $500; Change of Use $500 (Board Requests, Iredell County Planning & Development Fee Schedule, Effective July 1, 2024).	per application	2026-10-27
Commercial Building Permit (new construction, upfit, renovation, shell)only if it applies to you	Iredell County Building Standards	Estimated building value from the International Code Council's Building Valuation Data Table A (adjusted by a regional modifier) × the Permit Fee Multiplier 0.0068; for 'Upfit', 'Renovation' and 'Shell/Dry-In' projects the construction cost is reduced to 50% of the Table A average cost, with the same 0.0068 multiplier; items not listed are $7.00 per $1,000 of project cost; plus a 3% Technology / Administrative Fee on all permits (Iredell County Building Standards Fee Schedule, footer 'Jan-26').	per project	2026-10-27
Change of Use Permit (with new Certificate of Occupancy) and Temporary Certificate of Occupancyonly if it applies to you	Iredell County Building Standards	Change of Use (includes new Certificate of Occupancy) $200.00; Temporary Certificate of Occupancy (posted for 30 Days) $150.00; plus the 3% Technology / Administrative Fee on all permits (Iredell County Building Standards Fee Schedule, footer 'Jan-26').	change of use: per permit; temporary certificate of occupancy: posted for 30 days	2026-10-27
Non-Residential Site Plan Review (unincorporated county)only if it applies to you	Iredell County Planning & Development	$100 per non-residential site plan review	per review	2026-10-27
Fire Marshal Change of Use Inspectiononly if it applies to you	Iredell County Fire Marshal's Office	$100 per Change of Use Inspection	per inspection	2026-10-27
Fire Plan Review — Building Permit (including inspection)only if it applies to you	Iredell County Fire Marshal's Office	Plan Review – Building Permit: $75.00 minimum charge under 12,000 sq ft, or $0.02 per sq ft over 12,000 sq ft, including inspection (Iredell County Fire Marshal's Office Permits & Plan Review Fees, effective FY 26/27).	per project	2026-10-27
Fire Alarm, Sprinkler/Standpipe, Kitchen Hood and Paint Booth Suppression System Installation Permitsonly if it applies to you	Iredell County Fire Marshal's Office	Fire Alarm System Installation Permit: $250.00 minimum charge under 12,000 sq ft, or $0.02 per sq ft over 12,000 sq ft; Fire Sprinkler/Standpipe System Installation Permit: $250.00 minimum charge under 12,000 sq ft, or $0.02 per sq ft over 12,000 sq ft; Kitchen Hood Suppression System Installation Permit $100.00; Paint Booth Suppression System Installation Permit $100.00 (Iredell County Fire Marshal's Office Permits & Plan Review Fees, effective FY 26/27).	per system, per installation	2026-10-27

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