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Pender County

Pender County, NC Permits for Metal Carports and Garages

North Carolina

In unincorporated Pender County, a metal carport or garage needs a zoning permit from Planning & Community Development and building permits from Pender County Inspections & Permitting in Burgaw, in the same building. The county says plainly that a zoning permit is always required, even for a small shed that is exempt from a building permit. Towns such as Burgaw, Surf City and Topsail Beach handle zoning inside their own limits.


Permit office: Pender County Inspections & Permitting
Address: 805 S. Walker Street, Burgaw, NC 28425 (mail to P.O. Box 5, Burgaw, NC 28425)
Phone: 910-259-1201
Official county page


When a permit is required

  • A zoning permit is always required in Pender County, for homes, sheds, shops and personal storage buildings alike.
  • Building and trade permits for a garage, carport or barn are handled by Inspections & Permitting through the county's PORT portal.
  • Any building in the floodplain needs a Flood Development Permit, and in a CAMA area the CAMA permit has to come first.
  • An accessory building over 600 square feet needs a foundation survey by a licensed land surveyor unless the setbacks are doubled.


Zoning and setbacks

Pender County sets accessory building setbacks by size. A building of 50 to 599 square feet must sit 10 feet from all property lines, access easements and other structures on the lot. From 600 to 1,199 square feet it follows the zoning district setbacks and still needs 10 feet from other structures and access easements. At 1,200 square feet or more it has the same setbacks and separation as a house in that district. In the RA and RP districts the height limit is 35 feet. Flood zones and AEC buffers can change these numbers, so call Planning & Community Development (910-259-1202) to confirm for your lot.


What to bring

  • A site plan at a scale of at least 1 inch = 60 feet showing the whole tract boundary, setbacks, driveway and existing accessory buildings
  • Locations of well and septic (or proof of public water and sewer), plus any easements and environmental features
  • Environmental Health water and sewer intention paperwork, which the county needs before it processes a permit
  • Building plans for the structure, submitted through the PORT portal


Farm buildings

North Carolina exempts bona fide farm buildings from county zoning under N.C. G.S. 160D-903. Pender County uses a Bona Fide Farm Exemption Application with no fee, sent by email to Planning & Community Development or dropped off at 805 S. Walker Street in Burgaw. Proof can be a farm sales tax exemption certificate, a present-use value tax listing, Schedule F from your latest federal return, or a forest management plan. Electrical, plumbing and HVAC permits are still required, and a house built on the farm later still needs a zoning permit.


Good to know

Pender County takes building and trade permits through the Pender Online Resource Tool (PORT); zoning applications go through Planning instead. Applying in person adds a $25 processing fee, and permits are issued until 4 pm daily. Floodplain questions go to the county's Floodplain Administrator, and the state's CAMA reviewers in Wilmington are at 910-796-7221. Fees are in the FY 26-27 fee schedule.


Common questions

Do I need a permit for a carport in Pender County?
Yes. A zoning permit is always required, and building and trade permits for a garage, carport or barn go through Inspections & Permitting on the county's PORT portal.


Do I need a permit for a metal garage or shed in Pender County?
Even a small shed exempt from a building permit needs the zoning permit. From 50 to 599 square feet, it must sit 10 feet from all property lines, access easements and other structures.


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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