Building Permits

Building Contractor Required

A general contractor licensed in North Carolina must perform all work where the construction cost is in excess of $30,000. Any person who is paid to manage a project where the construction cost is in excess of $30,000 must be a licensed General Contractor. An unlicensed contractor may perform work where the cost is $30,000 or less. Any person may act as their own general contractor for construction of a home, addition or accessory structure if they own the land and will personally occupy the structure for 12 months after completion.
 
Plumbing, Heating, Air Conditioning, Sprinkler License Contractor Required

A licensed plumbing, heating and air conditioning contractor is required to alter, replace or relocate plumbing or heating and air conditioning. Homeowners may perform their own plumbing or heating work if they own the land and will personally occupy the structure.
 
Electrical Contractor’s License Required

A licensed electrical contractor is required for all installation, construction, maintenance or repair of electrical wiring, devices, appliances or equipment. Homeowners may perform their own electrical work if they own the land and will personally occupy the structure.

Building Permit Form: This form can be acquired at the office of the Planning Department or can be printed from the town’s website. There are two parts. The first part is the listing and information of one's sub-contractors and the second part is a workman's compensation form.

Building Plans: Two copies of plans are needed for single family dwelling or other non-commercial structures. For commercial structures three copies of building plans, along with a CD containing digital copies of the plans, are needed.  Any specification on the building plans must meet the North Carolina State Building Code.

Site Plan:  Two copies are needed for a single family dwelling or other non-commercial structure. Three copies of the site plan are needed for commercial structures. The site plan does not have to be professionally drawn for residential structures.

Residential site plans, at a minimum, must represent the primary dwelling on the lot with distances to lot lines and the right-of-way, any detached structures located on the property and their distances to property lines, easements, and the address and ownership information for the parcel. Residential site plans are most easily drawn by making a copy of the recorded survey that homeowners often receive with their closing documents. Other options include the use of imaps or drawing the site on a form provided by the town as part of the building permit submittal package.

More information may be required as needed.

Commercial site plan requirements vary by building site and type. Please consult with Planning Staff for requirements on a particular project.

Wake County Building and Inspections charges all inspection fees. No building inspection fees are charged by the Town of Wendell; however, the town does charge a zoning inspection fee and building permit processing fee. 

Wake County's fees must be paid in full before any inspections will take place. Click here or see below for the fee schedule as presented by Wake County. For questions about these fees, please contact Wake County Building and Inspections at (919) 856-6222. Wake County Permit and Inspection Fee Schedule 

Wake County handles all scheduling and processing of inspections.

Here are some useful ways to reach the Wake County Building and Inspections Department.

Wake County Community Development Services
Building and Inspections Department
PO Box 550
Raleigh, NC 27602-0550

Main Line: (919) 856-6222

InspectTalk Line: (919) 856-6060   (this number can be called to schedule inspections through the phone)

Fax Line for Permits: (919) 856-6222

New Residential Structures: Building Permits are necessary when the structure costs more than $5,000, AND/OR the structure is larger than 144 square feet, AND/OR the structure is self-supporting (i.e. deck), AND/OR any one side of the structure is longer than 12 feet in length then a building permit is required. Building permits are required for accessory buildings (detached storage buildings) that meet these size requirements, whether they are built on site or are of a pre-fabricated nature.

Residential Additions: Any addition onto an existing house, such as decks, screened porch enclosures, awnings, attached garages, etc. require a permit, regardless of their dimensions.

Commercial Additions/Alterations: Typically, any commercial alteration or addition requires a building permit.  Check with planning department staff (919-365-4448) to find out what your project may require.

If one has further questions about construction in accordance to the North Carolina State Building Code, please call Wake County Building and Inspections at (919) 856-6222 or visit their website located here.

• Submittal of Building Permit Application in Wake County Permit Portal at wakegov.com/permitportal
• Submittal should include building plans and a site plan for residential work and commercial work in PDF form to be uploaded to the attachment section of the permit application in the Permit Portal. Additional documents may be required depending on the project.
• The submitted permit application will be reviewed by Wendell Permit staff.
• Wake County plan review.
• Wake County Fire Marshal plan review (commercial only).
• Wake County permit fee and Town of Wendell permit fee payment, payable in the portal with a redit or debit card or at Wendell Town Hall with a check or cash.
• Town of Wendell zoning set-back inspection (prior to any Wake County inspection).
• Wake County Fire Marshal inspection (commercial only).
• Final Wake County site inspection.
• Town of Wendell Final inspection for issuing certificate of occupancy.

Mechanical Permits are required when installing, altering, repairing, replacing, or relocating any electrical material, an electrical permit is required. For more information about electrical construction in accordance to the North Carolina State Building Code, please call Wake County Building and Inspections at (919) 856-6222 or visit their website located here. 

Mechanical Permits are also required when installing, altering, repairing, replacing, or relocating any plumbing, heating/air-conditioning material, appliances or equipment then a permit is required. Plumbing permits are not required for minor repairs or replacements on the house side of a trap to an installed system of plumbing provided such repairs or replacements do not disrupt the original water supply or the waste or ventilation system.

If a fixture is replaced, a permit is required and the new fixture shall be inspected. Heating and air-conditioning permits shall not be required for minor burner services, or filter replacements of warm-air furnaces or cooling systems. For more information concerning plumbing, heating, a/c, or sprinkler system construction in accordance to the North Carolina State Building Code, please call Wake County Building and Inspections at (919) 856-6222 or visit their internet website located here.

• Submittal of Mechanical Permit Application in the Wake County Permit Portal.
• Wake County permit fee payment via the Wake County Permit Portal.
• Permit will be issued and available to print off from the Wake County Permit Portal.

If one is installing, altering, repairing, replacing, or relocating any electrical material then an electrical permit is required. If one has additional questions about electrical construction in accordance to the North Carolina State Building Code, please call Wake County Building and Inspections at (919) 856-6222 or visit their website located here.

If one is installing, altering, repairing, replacing, or relocating any plumbing, heating, air-conditioning material, appliances or equipment then a permit is required. Plumbing permits will not be required for minor repairs or replacements on the house side of a trap to an installed system of plumbing provided such repairs or replacements do not disrupt the original water supply or the waste or ventilation system. If a fixture is replaced, a permit shall be secured and the new fixture shall be inspected. Heating and air-conditioning permits shall not be required for minor burner services, or filter replacements of warm-air furnaces or cooling systems. If one has further questions concerning plumbing, heating, a/c, or sprinkler system construction in accordance to the North Carolina State Building Code, please call Wake County Building and Inspections at (919) 856-6222 or visit their website located here. 

The Planning Department offers zoning compliance letters upon request. Zoning compliance letters can be requested to include information such as the zoning of the property, what is permitted or discretionary in use in a particular zone, use of building is legal non-conforming, civic address, and legal description.

If you plan on serving alcoholic beverages in your establishment, you must apply for an Alcohol Beverage Control (ABC) Permit. You will need to submit an ABC permit application to the Wendell Planning Department. A Commercial Non-Building permit under the category "Fences, Walls, Signs, Awnings" must also be submitted on the Wake County Permit Portal in order to trigger inspections by the Wake County Building Inspector and Fire Marshall. Your permit will need to be signed off by the Building Inspector, Fire Marshall and the Wendell Planning Department. The completed ABC Permit must then be submitted to the North Carolina Alcoholic Beverage Commission for review, final approval and to pay associated fees. 

NOTE: The Planning Department does not issue ABC Permits. The North Carolina Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission issues ABC Permits.