Duplin County

Duplin County, NC Permits for Metal Carports and Garages

In Duplin County, a metal carport or garage with a side over 12 feet should plan on a building permit through the county's Accessory Building and Trade Permit Application. Duplin County Building Inspections issues building, electrical, mechanical and plumbing permits from the Hardison Building in Kenansville. Unincorporated Duplin County has no countywide zoning, though the county's Unified Development Ordinance and other land use rules still apply. If your land is inside a town or its extraterritorial area, that town handles zoning.

Permit office: Duplin County Building Inspections Department
Address: 117 Beasley Street (Hardison Building), Kenansville, NC 28349
Phone: 910-296-2124
Official county page

When a permit is required

Accessory buildings: The county has its own Accessory Building and Trade Permit Application for sheds, garages and similar buildings.
Small storage buildings: The county fee sheet lists decks, porches and small storage buildings at $50.
No work before approval: The application says work can only start after the permit is approved and issued.
12-foot rule: NC law exempts many accessory buildings with no side over 12 feet from a building permit. Call 910-296-2124 to confirm how Duplin County handles your size.

Zoning and setbacks

Duplin County does not zone the unincorporated parts of the county, so most rural lots will not need a county zoning permit. Towns zone inside their limits and their extraterritorial jurisdictions, so check with town hall if you are near one. You can see the boundaries on the Duplin County GIS site by turning on the ETJ and City Limits layers. Property within one mile of Duplin County Airport or Henderson Field Airport may fall under the county's Land Use and Height Restriction Ordinance. Flood zones matter here. The permit application says that if your property is in the floodplain, an elevation certificate must be submitted before construction. Setbacks and other land use rules are in the county's Unified Development Ordinance, and Planning can answer questions at 910-296-2102.

What to bring

Completed Accessory Building and Trade Permit Application
Property owner name, phone, email and the 911 address of the project
Building width, length and square footage of the work area, plus project value
Contractor name and license number, or note that you are doing the work yourself on your own property
Elevation certificate if the lot is in the floodplain

Farm buildings

A building used only for a bona fide farm may be exempt from a building permit in county jurisdiction under N.C. G.S. 160D-903. Duplin County posts a Farm Building Exemption form on its Building Inspections page, so ask the office what farm proof to attach. Electrical work in a farm building still needs a permit, and the county fee sheet has electrical lines for poultry and swine houses and bulk barns.

Good to know

Building Inspections is open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and the mailing address is P.O. Box 950, Kenansville, NC 28349. The county does not list an online permit portal, but you can pay through its Online Payments page. Reinspection fees are $50 per trip and must be paid before your final inspection. On the fee sheet, permits not listed elsewhere run $75 and a residential electrical permit is $80. If you do the work yourself on your own property, the county says you must do it yourself, and anyone you hire must be licensed and pull their own permit. The Duplin County UDO and planning fee schedule are on the Planning page.

Common questions

Do I need a permit for a carport in Duplin County?
Likely if any side is over 12 feet. NC law exempts many accessory buildings with no side over 12 feet, so call 910-296-2124 to confirm for your size.

Do I need a permit for a metal garage or shed in Duplin County?
Sheds and garages have their own county application, and small storage buildings are listed at $50. Work can only start after the permit is approved and issued.

Do I need a zoning permit in Duplin County?
Usually not on rural lots, since the unincorporated county isn't zoned. Towns zone inside their limits and extraterritorial areas, so check with town hall if you're near one.

Sources

Rules and fees change. Call the office to confirm before you order.

See the full North Carolina permit guide for statewide rules, farm exemptions and wind and snow ratings.

Looking at buildings? See our metal carports, metal garages and metal buildings.

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