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Guilford County

Guilford County, NC Permits for Metal Carports and Garages

North Carolina

In unincorporated Guilford County, a metal carport or garage goes through the Inspections Department, and it takes plans sealed by a NC registered design professional. Under contract it also serves several towns and the Piedmont Triad Airport Authority. If you live inside a city limit, check with that city first. The county says an accessory building with any dimension over 12 feet must meet the NC Residential Code, and pre-engineered metal buildings and carports need plans sealed by a NC registered design professional.


Permit office: Guilford County Inspections Department
Address: Independence Center, 400 W. Market St., Greensboro, NC 27401
Phone: 336-641-3707
Official county page


When a permit is required

  • An accessory building with any dimension greater than 12 feet must comply with the NC Residential Code.
  • Pre-engineered metal buildings and prefab storage buildings are not prescriptive in the code, so they need plans sealed by a NC registered design professional (usually supplied by the manufacturer).
  • Carports, gazebos, pavilions and covered pergolas also need sealed design plans.
  • If you start work before a permit is issued, the trade permit fee doubles.


Zoning and setbacks

Guilford County Planning and Development reviews zoning use, setbacks, watershed and soil erosion, and the county says those approvals may be needed on top of the building permit. If your property is in Jamestown, Oak Ridge, Sedalia, Summerfield or Whitsett, you need a Development Clearance Certificate from the town before the county will issue the permit. Your plot plan has to show distances to property lines, flood zones, watershed boundaries, buffers and built-upon area. If the property is on well or septic, you need a separate Environmental Health approval. The county inspections pages don't list setback numbers, so check with Planning and Development for your zoning district.


What to bring

  • An online application for permit type "Residential Accessory-Accessory" with a full description of the work
  • A plot plan drawn to scale with a north arrow, property lines, building dimensions and distances to property lines
  • Construction plans (sealed plans for a metal building or carport)
  • A Development Clearance Certificate if you are in a town the county serves
  • A lien agent appointment, and a notarized Owner-Contractor Exemption Affidavit if you are your own contractor, on projects of $40,000 or more
  • Workers' compensation certificate or exemption affidavit for contractors


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. Guilford County's inspections pages don't post a farm exemption form, so ask the Inspections Department what proof of farm use they need before you build. Electrical work in a farm building still needs a permit.


Good to know

All Guilford County permits are filed through the Civic Access Public Portal. The county fee for accessory structures is the trade fee, and trade permits are $75 each. Unheated square footage is $0.20 per square foot plus trade fees, and heated space is $0.35 per square foot plus trade fees. Plan review is $75, a re-inspection is $75 and an after-hours inspection is $125. The Inspections office is at the Independence Center, 400 W. Market St. in Greensboro, and mail goes to PO Box 3427, Greensboro, NC 27402. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.


Common questions

Do I need a permit for a carport in Guilford County?
Plan on one. The county says carports need sealed design plans, and a Guilford County carport permit is filed online as Residential Accessory.


Do I need a permit for a metal garage or shed in Guilford County?
An accessory building with any dimension over 12 feet must meet the NC Residential Code. Pre-engineered metal buildings and prefab storage buildings need sealed plans, which usually come from the manufacturer.


I live in Summerfield or Oak Ridge. What changes?
You need a Development Clearance Certificate from your town before the county issues the permit. The same goes for Jamestown, Sedalia and Whitsett.


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.


Ready to design your building?

Design it yourself in 3D with the button below, or call 919-725-8176 and we'll help you figure out what your county needs.

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