Gaston County

In Gaston County, a metal garage or accessory building over 12 feet in any direction needs a building permit from Building & Development Services in Gastonia. The county's FAQ is plain about it: a residential storage or accessory building that goes over 12 feet in any direction needs a building permit. You also need a zoning permit from whoever has zoning over your parcel. The county handles zoning permits for unincorporated areas, High Shoals and Cherryville. Other towns do their own.

Permit office: Gaston County Building & Development Services, Building Inspections
Address: 128 W. Main Ave., Gastonia, NC 28052
Phone: 704-866-3185
Official county page

When a permit is required

• A building permit is needed for any residential accessory or storage building over 12 feet in any dimension.
• Buildings over 400 square feet need a permanent foundation.
• Portable, lightweight carports of 400 square feet or less are the one listed exception.
• Metal and pole buildings need engineered plans. Wood-framed buildings need plans at 1,000 square feet or more.

Zoning and setbacks

You need a zoning permit from the right zoning office before you apply for the building permit. Gaston County Planning and Zoning issues them for the county's own zoning area, High Shoals and Cherryville, and the county posts a guide on how to confirm a parcel's zoning jurisdiction. The county's planning page lists the Residential Accessory Structure Zoning Permit fee at $186.00. Limits on how many buildings, how big, and where they sit are set by the zoning office over your property, so ask them for setbacks. If the land has a septic system, bring a Septic Verification from the Gaston County Health Department or an Appendix H affidavit. Any land disturbance in a floodplain has to be approved by the local Floodplain Administrator first.

What to bring

• Zoning permit from the zoning office over your parcel
• Plot plan showing where the building sits on the lot
• Engineered plans for a metal or pole building
• Appendix D, Affidavit of Workers' Compensation Coverage
• Septic Verification from the Gaston County Health Department, or Appendix H, if the property has a septic system
• General Contractor Exemption form if you are building it yourself and the job is $40,000 or more

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. Gaston County's building FAQ says to apply for an agricultural exemption through the zoning office that has jurisdiction over your property. Electrical work still needs a permit and inspection.

Good to know

Applications, fees and inspection requests all go through the county's Citizen Self Service portal. Planning and zoning fees are paid online, half up front and half before the permit is issued. Inspections are requested online. Ask by 3 p.m. and the county tries to get out the next business day. Cancellations also have to be in online by 3 p.m. the business day before. Temporary power during construction adds a $100 inspection charge that has to be paid before it's scheduled. The office at 128 W. Main Ave. is open Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. The county's main line is 704-866-3000.

Common questions

Do I need a permit for a carport in Gaston County?
Usually. The one listed exception is a portable, lightweight carport of 400 square feet or less. Otherwise a Gaston County carport permit follows the 12 foot rule and starts with zoning.

Do I need a permit for a metal garage or shed in Gaston County?
Yes, once it's over 12 feet in any dimension. Metal and pole buildings need engineered plans, and buildings over 400 square feet need a permanent foundation.

What does the zoning permit cost?
The county's planning page lists its Residential Accessory Structure Zoning Permit at $186. Towns outside the county's zoning area handle their own.

Sources

• Gaston County: Building Inspections Permit Applications
• Gaston County: Building Inspection FAQs
• Gaston County: Residential Detached Buildings & Structures (PDF)
• Gaston County: Planning and Zoning
• Gaston County: Residential New Homes, Additions and Decks with Roofs (PDF)

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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