Lenoir County

Lenoir County, NC Permits for Metal Carports and Garages

Plan on a building permit for a metal carport or garage in unincorporated Lenoir County, issued by the Planning & Inspections Department in downtown Kinston. The county site does not spell out a size cutoff for sheds or carports, so call before you order and ask whether your building needs a permit. Kinston and the other towns may run their own permits and zoning, so check which jurisdiction your lot is in.

Permit office: Lenoir County Planning & Inspections Department
Address: 101 North Queen Street, Kinston, NC 28501
Phone: 252-559-2260
Official county page

When a permit is required

The county says permits are required under state law even when the owner does the work. Owner-occupants can do their own work by filing a notarized Owner's Exemption Affidavit.
Starting work without a permit brings a stop-work order and double permit fees.
Building in a mapped floodplain needs a permit from Planning & Inspections first, under the county's 2020 Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance.
Electrical work needs its own trade permit. Trade permits usually take about 24 hours once your paperwork is complete.

Zoning and setbacks

The county's FAQ asks for a site plan showing your lot, the street, existing buildings and driveway, and the new structure with its distances to property lines and other buildings. Showing the septic tank and drain lines is strongly recommended, so leave room around them. The county's floodplain page also advises not to build or grade within 10 feet of a property line so drainage between neighbors isn't changed. The county site does not list general setback numbers for accessory buildings, so confirm them with Planning & Inspections before you set your pad.

What to bring

A site plan with the building's distances to property lines and other buildings
Septic tank and drain line locations on the site plan (the county says this is very helpful)
Contractor information, or a notarized Owner's Exemption Affidavit if you're the owner-occupant doing the work
An application filed through the county's online permit portal

Farm buildings

North Carolina exempts farm buildings on a bona fide farm from the building code under N.C. G.S. 160D-903. The Lenoir County site does not post its own farm exemption form, so ask Planning & Inspections what proof they accept (such as a present-use value listing or Schedule F) before you build. Any wiring in a farm building still needs an electrical permit.

Good to know

Lenoir County takes applications and inspection requests through its OpenGov permit portal. Inspection requests in by 4:30 p.m. are scheduled for the next business day, and residential permits usually take 1 to 3 days once documents are complete. The office is open weekdays 8:30 a.m. to noon and 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. (closed over lunch). If you need a new septic permit, Environmental Health is at 252-526-4248 ext. 2. A permit expires if work doesn't start within six months.

Common questions

Do I need a permit for a carport in Lenoir County?
Plan on it, and call 252-559-2260 first. The county does not post a cutoff for a Lenoir County carport permit, and work started without a permit brings a stop-work order and double fees.

Do I need a permit for a metal garage or shed in Lenoir County?
Ask the same office, since no size cutoff is posted for sheds either. Owner-occupants doing their own work file a notarized Owner's Exemption Affidavit.

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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