Probably, if your project changes the structure of your house or touches wiring, plumbing or heating and air systems. Mecklenburg County Code Enforcement handles residential building permits. Its homeowner guide lists decks, room additions, garage and porch conversions, significant kitchen and bathroom upgrades, crawlspace pier or floor joist repairs, new light fixtures, ceiling fans, and water heater or HVAC swaps among the projects that typically require one. This page goes through those projects one by one. It explains when a homeowner can pull a permit and when a contractor should, and it quotes the county's own words wherever a rule matters. Where the county sources we checked say nothing about a project, we say so and point you to the county instead of guessing.
What the county says needs a permit
In its June 2022 homeowner guide, "Permit, Please! Hammer Down the Home Improvement Process," Mecklenburg County Code Enforcement says work on a home's structural, electrical, mechanical or plumbing systems needs a permit no matter what the project costs. It also gives a list of home projects that typically require one. The county says that when a permit is required, it is usually because the work has a direct impact on life safety. "Permit, Please!" on the Mecklenburg County blog
The same guide also names a project-cost amount above which any home project needs a permit. That amount has changed over the years, and the county's 2018 post and its 2022 update give different figures. Confirm the current number with Mecklenburg County Code Enforcement before you rely on it.
Project by project: usually needs a permit, or check with the county
The first column is your project. The second is what the county sources we checked say about it. Where those sources are silent, the answer is to check with Mecklenburg County Code Enforcement, not to assume.
| Project | What the county source says | Permit |
|---|---|---|
| Adding, replacing or upgrading a deck | On the county's list of projects that typically require a permit | Usually needs a permit |
| Room addition or new sunroom | Adding a room is on the county's list | Usually needs a permit |
| Garage conversion to living space | The county gives converting a garage to extra living space as an example | Usually needs a permit |
| Enclosing a porch as a sunroom | The county gives converting a porch to a sunroom as an example | Usually needs a permit |
| Significant kitchen or bathroom remodel | Significant kitchen and bathroom upgrades are on the county's list | Usually needs a permit |
| Crawlspace pier or floor joist repairs | On the county's list | Usually needs a permit |
| New light fixtures or a ceiling fan | Both are on the county's list | Usually needs a permit |
| Replacing a water heater or HVAC unit | Switching out or upgrading major appliances like these is on the county's list | Usually needs a permit |
| Pool | On the county's list | Usually needs a permit |
| Roof replacement or repair | Not covered by the county pages we checked | Check with Mecklenburg County Code Enforcement |
| Fence | Not covered by the county pages we checked. Town zoning rules may also apply | Check with the county and your town's zoning office |
| Shed, carport or detached garage | Not covered by the county pages we checked. Size and placement rules may apply | Check with the county and your town's zoning office |
| Paint, flooring, or new cabinets in the same layout | Not covered by the county pages we checked | Check with Mecklenburg County Code Enforcement |
Source for the "on the county's list" rows: "(Some) Home Improvement Projects that Typically Require a Permit," Mecklenburg County Code Enforcement. The list is not complete. The county titles it "(Some)" for a reason.
Can a homeowner pull their own permit?
Yes, in some cases. Mecklenburg County lets an owner act as their own contractor on their own home. To qualify, the applicant must own the home, be named on the deed and live there as a primary residence. Condominiums are excluded, and people acting through a trust or a power of attorney do not qualify. Homeowner permitting, Mecklenburg County Code Enforcement
Mecklenburg County Code Enforcement, homeowner permitting:
This is known as homeowner-serving-as-contractor.
For residential projects costing less than $40,000, homeowners may apply for a building permit in person or on-line through their homeowner accounts.
For residential projects costing $40,000 or more, the homeowner may apply for a building permit, but is not eligible for a homeowner account.
Source: Homeowner permitting, Mecklenburg County Code Enforcement
For an owner's project of $40,000 or more, the county sends the application through its contractor process instead, and the owner signs an Owner Exemption Affidavit, which includes living, or planning to live, in the home for at least 12 months after the project is finished. The county also requires a bond account for these projects. details on the county's homeowner permitting page
Homeowner permits are for owners doing the work themselves. The county says homeowners who hire contractors should not use homeowner permits. In that case, the contractor should apply for the permit. The county's homeowner guide puts it plainly:
Permits will be issued to the person actually doing the work.
Source: "Permit, Please!", Mecklenburg County Code Enforcement
Doing your own trade work. If you plan to do your own electrical, mechanical or plumbing work under a homeowner permit, the county requires a Homeowner Trade Work Certificate of Ownership, and you must install that work yourself. homeowner permitting
If you hire someone for that work instead, the rule is different:
Plumbing, electrical and HVAC work need a separately licensed trade contractor at any size.
Who is responsible? The county's guide says the homeowner is responsible for making sure every needed permit is in place before work begins, whether you do the work or hire a contractor. So put it in the contract. Ask in writing who will apply for each permit and who will book each inspection. county guide
The $40,000 line for general contractors
The permit tells the county the work will be inspected. A separate rule, in state law, decides when the person you hire must hold a North Carolina general contractor license.
North Carolina General Statute 87-1(a):
For the purpose of this Article any person or firm or corporation who for a fixed price, commission, fee, or wage, undertakes to bid upon or to construct or who undertakes to superintend or manage, on his own behalf or for any person, firm, or corporation that is not licensed as a general contractor pursuant to this Article, the construction of any building, highway, public utilities, grading or any improvement or structure where the cost of the undertaking is forty thousand dollars ($40,000) or more, or undertakes to erect a North Carolina labeled manufactured modular building meeting the North Carolina State Building Code, shall be deemed to be a "general contractor" engaged in the business of general contracting in the State of North Carolina.
In plain terms, a contractor paid to bid on, build or manage a project of $40,000 or more needs a North Carolina general contractor license, with some exceptions. This is a license rule, not a permit rule. A smaller project can still need a permit. read G.S. 87-1
How to check a contractor's license
The NC Licensing Board for General Contractors runs a public license search. Before you sign or pay a deposit:
- Search the business or person named on your contract. If the job needs a general contractor license, or they say they hold one, confirm it is active. Look up a contractor license
- Make sure the name on the license matches the name on the contract and on the permit.
- Ask each plumbing, electrical and HVAC contractor for their own license number too.
- Ask for a current certificate of insurance and keep a copy.
What happens if work is done without a permit
Mecklenburg County is direct about the risks:
Doing work without a permit is dangerous and bringing it into code compliance can be expensive.
Working without a permit can also cause big problems down the road if you sell your home or want to do more work.
Source: "Permit, Please!", Mecklenburg County Code Enforcement
Buying or selling? You can look up the permits on a property on the county's WebPermit site. Look up permits on a property If work on a house you are buying or selling was never permitted, ask Mecklenburg County Code Enforcement what it takes to bring it into compliance before you close.
Permits also expire. A permit that is issued and then left alone does not stay open forever:
Permits expire in six months if no inspections are requested.
Once inspections begin, the expiration clock is reset to one year.
An expired permit can have negative impacts if the homeowner tries to sell the property in the future.
Source: "Permit, Please!", Mecklenburg County Code Enforcement
The county also says homeowners should keep an eye on permits that may be expiring, even when the permit was issued to a contractor. If you find expired permits on your property, it asks you to call its Customer Service Center at 980-314-CODE (2633). county guide
What can a homeowner do without a permit?
We do not publish a list of permit-free projects. The county pages we checked list what typically requires a permit, not what is exempt, and the rules change. If your project is not in the table above, or you are not sure it fits a row, call Mecklenburg County Code Enforcement at 980-314-CODE (2633) before you start. The county's Code Information and Resource Center answers residential questions, and the office is at 2145 Suttle Avenue in Charlotte. Homeowner tools, Mecklenburg County Code Enforcement
Where and how to apply
- Check zoning first. The county's guide says to check with the zoning department for your project's location before you apply to Mecklenburg County Code Enforcement, because each town or city may have its own planning and zoning rules. Charlotte, Huntersville, Cornelius, Davidson, Matthews, Mint Hill and Pineville each have their own zoning office. county guide
- Apply through AccelaMeck. The county issues homeowner permits through AccelaMeck, its online customer portal. AccelaMeck Read the requirements first on the county's homeowner permitting page.
- Estimate the fee. Fees depend on the project. The county runs a building permit fee estimator on its WebPermit site. WebPermit
- Book inspections as the work moves. Inspections keep the permit alive (see the expiration rules above), and each passed inspection is a good point to release a payment.
- Ask when unsure. Call 980-314-CODE (2633) and follow the prompts for residential technical assistance.