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Building Inspections

The Dare County Planning Department also includes the building inspectors and inspections support staff. The building inspection jurisdictions are divided into three geographical areas – Colington, martin's Point, Roanoke Island and the mainland, and Hatteras Island. All jurisdictions enforce the North Carolina State Building Codes.

Office Locations

Manteo, NC -- Office located in the Dare County Administration Office, 954 Marshall C. Collins Drive in Manteo. This office serves the unincorporated portions of Roanoke Island and the mainland areas of Dare County. You may reach this office by calling 252-475-5870.

Kill Devil Hills, NC -- Office located in the Dare County Satellite Office, 2601 N. Croatan Highway in Kill Devil Hills. This office serves the Colington and the Martin's Point area of unincorporated Dare County. Phone number for this office is 252-475-5871.

Buxton, NC – This office serves all of Hatteras Island located in the Dare County satellite office 49815 NC HWY12 Buxton. You can reach this office at 252-475-5878.

Building permits for construction must be obtained from the appropriate inspection office. Sub-permits for mechanical, plumbing, or electrical work may be obtained from any of the satellite offices regardless of the construction location.

All building inspection offices are open from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday- Friday. Generally the morning hours are reserved for permit issuance and plan review. Fieldwork and inspections are performed in the afternoon hours. It is recommended that persons wishing to obtain a building permit contact the inspector beforehand to ensure that they will be available at the office location and not in the field.

When is a building permit needed?

• All new construction requires a building permit. Any remodeling job over $5,000 in costs, affects load-bearing walls or increases the dimensional footprint also requires a permit.

• Replacement of shingles on a roof does not require a building permit unless the plywood underneath the shingles also is being replaced.

• Window replacement does not require permits unless the windows are a larger size or cost exceeds $5,000.

• Any plumbing, electrical or mechanical work requires a building permit regardless of the cost of the job.

• Fences do not require a building permit.

• Pre-constructed storage buildings do not require a building permit, however if the size is over 12 x 12 you do and permits are required for storage buildings that are constructed on-site.

 Information needed to obtain a building permit

• A blue-line survey of the subject property prepared by a registered North Carolina land surveyor. This survey must depict the natural ground elevation, flood zone, and parcel identification number (PIN).

• Water tap authorization and receipt for hook-up fees if site is served by central water. Water taps may be obtained by contacting the Dare County Water Department. Lots not served by central water must install a private well. A septic permit issued by the Dare County Health Department. For construction in Duck, Colington, or Hatteras Island, septic permits are issued at the Dare County Satellite Office located at 2601 N. Croatan Highway in Kill Devil Hills. Septic permits for construction on Roanoke Island and the Manteo may be obtained at the Health Department office located at 109 Exeter Street in Manteo.

• Three complete sets of the building plans of the proposed structure. One plan will be kept by the Inspector, one set will remain at job site, and one set will be retained by the Contractor.

• Floor plans must be reviewed and approved by the Dare County Health Department.

• If the project is located on the oceanfront, sound or a canal, it may require a Coastal Area Management Act (CAMA) permit. CAMA permit applications may be obtained from the Dare County Satellite Office in Kill Devil Hills or by calling 252-475-5871. For additional information on CAMA permits please see the section of this site entitled "Coastal Area Management Act".

• Each respective contractor and subcontractor must possess a valid license issued by the State of North Carolina to perform his or her particular task (s).

Off –street parking and portable chemical toilets for workers must be provided at all construction sites.

 Inspections Required for New Construction

1. Piling inspection to be done after pilings are installed.
   Footing inspection to be done after all re-bar is in place before concrete is poured.
   Portable chemical toilets must be on site at this time.

2. Foundation inspection to be done after block has been laid, but before floor system is installed.

3. Sheathing inspection - all sheathing properly nailed, all bolting and fasteners installed, and before any house wrapping applied.

4. Framing Inspection to include rough-in electrical, plumbing, and mechanical.

1. All subcontractors must have obtained necessary permits for their area of responsibility.

2. Inspection check-off card must be posted inside structure and remain posted until project is complete.

3. Insulation baffles and fine caulk installed at this time.

5. Insulation inspection -- All insulation must be completely installed

6. Pre-final inspection

1. Septic tank completion certificate issued by Dare County Environmental Health Department must be submitted prior to this inspection.

2. Elevation certificate must be submitted, if necessary.

3. All electrical, plumbing, and mechanical work must be complete except for final test.

4. All steps, porches and railings must be complete.

7. As-built inspection - As-built survey depicting the improvements including parking areas and lot coverage. (Done by Zoning official)

8. Final Inspection

1. Structure must be complete and ready to occupy.

2. Driveway and parking must be installed according to survey.

3. Rollout refuse container or other means of collection as specified by Dare County Public Works must be removed from site and grounds must be completely clean of all debris.

4. House numbers must be posted.

9. Release of Certificate of Occupancy Upon completion of the final inspection and compliance with all aspects of the steps outlined above, the Building Inspector will issue the Certificate of Occupancy.

The applicant must give the Building Inspector 24-hour notice of the required inspection.

Fee schedule

The following is a listing of some of the permit fees for building permits. A more detailed permit price list may be obtained by contacting one of the inspection offices.

Residential

Code information

All Dare County building inspectors enforce the North Carolina State building codes. Due to our location in a hurricane zone, construction in Dare County must also comply with the hurricane zone supplement to the State codes.

All inspectors must complete training and pass certification classes. Certifications are issued in the four categories – building, plumbing, mechanical, and electrical with each category having three levels of expertise. Continuing education classes must also be completed to remain certified as a North Carolina building inspector.

Mobile Homes

Mobile homes are allowed in certain zoning districts in Dare County and in the unzoned portions of Dare County. However, these types of structures must be properly set-up to ensure compliance with the wind zone standards of the NC State building codes and the floodplain regulations, if applicable. Chapter 156 of the Dare County Code of Ordinances contains a set of restrictions for manufactured and mobile home construction. These restrictions are State regulations that must be enforced in Dare County due to our designation as a hurricane prone area.

Chapter 156: Wind Zone Restrictions for Manufactured/Mobile Homes

Definitions: -- For the purpose of this chapter, the following definitions shall apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning.

Manufactured Home/Mobile Home: -- A structure, transportable in one or more sections, which in the traveling mode is 8 feet or more in width or 40 body feet or more in length, or, when erected on site, is 320 or more square feet, and which is built on a permanent chassis and designed to be used as a dwelling with or without a permanent foundation when connected to the required utilities, and includes the plumbing, heating, air-conditioning and electrical systems contained therein, except that such term shall include any structure which meets all the requirements of this paragraph except the size requirements and with respect to which the manufacturer voluntarily files a certification required by the secretary (HUD) and complies with the standards established under this title. For mobile homes built prior to June 15, 1976, a label certifying compliance to the Standard for Mobile Homes, NFIPA 501, ANSI 119.1, in effect at the time of manufacture is required. For the purpose of these provisions, a mobile home shall be considered a manufactured home. (Definition from the North Carolina State Building Codes, Vol. VII.)

Wind Zone I: -- Resists horizontal forces of 15 psf (pounds per square foot) and uplift forces of 9 psf. (Definition from American Society of Civil Engineers, ASCE)

Wind Zone II. (Prior to 7-13-94): -- Resists horizontal forces of 25 psf and uplift forces of 15 psf. (Definition from American Society of Civil Engineers, ASCE)

Wind Zone II. (After 7-13-94): -- Resists horizontal forces of 39 psf and uplift forces of 27 psf. (Definition from American Society of Civil Engineers, ASCE)

Wind Zone III: -- Resists horizontal forces of 47 psf and uplift forces of 32 psf as listed in ASCE 7-88 for 110 mph wind zones. (Definition from American Society of Civil Engineers, ASCE)

Application Of Chapter: -- This chapter shall not apply within the corporate limits of any municipality or within any area of the county over which any municipality has enacted extra-territorial jurisdiction zoning regulations.

Wind Zone Restrictions: -- Existing manufactured/mobile homes in unincorporated Dare County that do not meet the wind zone II or wind zone III requirements may be allowed to exist in their current location.

Existing manufactured/mobile homes in Dare County that do not meet the wind zone II or wind zone III requirements may be moved from location to location within the unincorporated limits.

However, if such a manufactured/mobile home is moved outside of the unincorporated jurisdiction or outside of Dare County's boundaries, then the manufactured/mobile home will not be allowed to re-enter Dare County's jurisdiction.

Information Needed to Obtain A Mobile Home Permit

1. A blue-line survey of the subject property prepared by a registered North Carolina land surveyor. This survey must depict the natural ground elevation, flood zone, and parcel identification number (PIN) including all pertinent zoning requirements.

2. Water tap authorization and receipt for hook-up fees if site is served by central water. Water taps may be obtained by contacting the Dare County Water Department. Lots not served by central water must have Environmental Health approval for a private well.

3. A septic permit issued by the Dare County Health Department.

4. The make, model number, wind zone classification, serial number, and HUD number of the mobile home.

5. The size of the mobile home and the cost of the mobile home.

6. The license number of the person/company moving the mobile home to the site and the license number of the person/company installing the mobile home on the site.

Any mobile home with a chassis more than 3 feet above the natural ground elevation requires a special foundation set-up. Details of the set-up requirements may be obtained by contacting the Dare County Building Inspectors office.