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Mitchell County
Mitchell County, NC Permits for Metal Carports and Garages
Plan on a permit for a metal garage or workshop in Mitchell County, issued by Building & Fire Inspections in Bakersville outside Spruce Pine, which runs its own Building, Planning & Zoning department. The county fee schedule has a set rate for workshops and unattached garages. Its site does not state a 12-foot exemption for small buildings, so call before you skip a permit.
Permit office: Mitchell County Building & Fire Inspections
Address: 130 Forest Service Drive, Suite B, Bakersville, NC 28705
Phone: 828-688-4771
Official county page
When a permit is required
- Workshops and unattached garages are permitted through Building & Fire Inspections and are charged at $0.18 per square foot, with a $70 minimum.
- Plans must be approved before a permit is issued.
- If the site is in a flood plain, you need a separate flood plain permit ($150), and you must apply for it in person at the Ledger office.
- Inside Spruce Pine town limits, the Town of Spruce Pine handles the permit.
Zoning and setbacks
The county's Building & Fire Inspections page does not mention county zoning for unincorporated areas, and the county's posted ordinances list does not include a zoning or steep slope ordinance. Even so, call the office to confirm setbacks or road and property line rules for your lot before you set a building. In Spruce Pine, the town's Building, Planning & Zoning department sets the rules. If your building will have a bathroom, the health department must sign off on septic before the final inspection.
What to bring
- Residential Building Permit Application, filed online through GovPilot, by email, or in person between 8:00 and 9:00 a.m.
- Plans for the building for plan review ($40 plan review fee)
- Lien agent information if the job requires it under N.C. lien law
- Flood plain permit application (in person at Ledger) if the lot is in a flood plain
Farm buildings
N.C. G.S. 160D-903 exempts bona fide farm buildings from county building permits. Mitchell County's site does not post a farm exemption form or procedure, so call Building Inspector Dillon Phillips at 828-688-4771 to ask what proof they need. Any electrical work still needs a permit and inspection.
Good to know
Mitchell County inspectors cover the southern part of the county (south of Ledger, around Spruce Pine) on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, and the northern part (Bakersville area) on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The first inspection must happen within six months of the permit or the permit is void. Apply online through GovPilot. Office hours are 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., closed noon to 1:00 p.m. Working without a permit carries a $250 residential penalty.
Common questions
Do I need a permit for a carport in Mitchell County?
Call 828-688-4771 before you skip one. The site states no 12-foot exemption and its fee line names workshops and unattached garages, so a Mitchell County carport permit question goes to the inspectors.
Do I need a permit for a metal garage or shed in Mitchell County?
Unattached garages and workshops are permitted at $0.18 per square foot, $70 minimum, plus a $40 plan review. The site states no small-building exemption, so ask about a shed.
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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