Perquimans County

Perquimans County, NC Permits for Metal Carports and Garages

In Perquimans County, plan on a building permit for a metal carport or garage, and you'll need a zoning letter before the Building Inspector will approve it. The county's own Residential Application for Zoning Permit lists garage/carport and storage shed/accessory building as their own project types, so these structures go through zoning review. The Town of Hertford and the Town of Winfall issue their own zoning letters for property inside those towns.

Permit office: Perquimans County Building Inspector
Address: 104 Dobbs Street, Hertford, NC 27944
Phone: 252-426-8283
Official county page

When a permit is required

Building permits (building, electrical and mechanical) are applied for online through the county's iWorQ portal, then the Inspections office sets an appointment to sign the permit and pay fees.
A zoning letter is required with the permit application. It comes from the County Planning Office, the Town of Hertford or the Town of Winfall, depending on where the property is.
Property in the county area must also submit septic approval before the permit is approved.
Work is inspected to the North Carolina State Building Code (currently the 2018 edition).

Zoning and setbacks

Outside Hertford and Winfall, zoning goes through the Perquimans County Planning & Zoning Office using the Residential Application for Zoning Permit. The form needs a scaled site plan showing the lot's shape and dimensions, every existing and proposed structure, and the setbacks. Setbacks are measured from the property line to the nearest point on the structure, and staff fill in separate front, side and rear setbacks for accessory buildings on the form, so ask for your lot's numbers before you pick a spot. The form also makes the applicant responsible for any CAMA requirement regulated by the NC Division of Coastal Management and for private deed restrictions or covenants. The county keeps a Flood Plain Prevention Ordinance and a Joint CAMA Land Use Plan, which matters on waterfront lots.

What to bring

Online permit application through the county's iWorQ permit portal
Zoning letter from the County Planning Office, Town of Hertford or Town of Winfall
Septic approval for property in the county area
Scaled site plan showing lot dimensions, existing and proposed structures and setbacks (part of the zoning application)
Owner and applicant signatures on the zoning application, including the applicant's relationship to the owner

Farm buildings

Under N.C. G.S. 160D-903, county zoning can't regulate property used for bona fide farm purposes in the county's jurisdiction. The Perquimans County zoning application asks directly whether the structure is for bona fide farm use, so mark that box and be ready to show proof of farm status. Electrical work in a farm building still needs a permit.

Good to know

The Building Inspector's office and the Planning & Zoning Office (252-426-2027) are both at 104 Dobbs Street in Hertford. The FY 2025-2026 Building Inspector fee schedule lists carports and storage buildings among its flat-fee items and charges large metal buildings at $.125 per square foot; download the fee schedule to confirm your amount. Planning has its own FY 2025-2026 fee schedule for zoning permits.

Common questions

Do I need a permit for a carport in Perquimans County?
Plan on it. The county's zoning application lists garage/carport as its own project type, and the Building Inspector needs a zoning letter (and septic approval in the county area) with every permit application. Call 252-426-8283 to confirm for your project.

Do I need a permit for a metal garage or shed in Perquimans County?
Yes, expect zoning review at minimum. Storage shed/accessory building is a listed use on the zoning permit application, and the fee schedule has a rate for large metal buildings. The county doesn't post a size cutoff, so call before you order.

Does CAMA affect my carport in Perquimans County?
It can on waterfront lots. The zoning application makes you responsible for any CAMA requirement from the NC Division of Coastal Management, so check that before you build near the water.

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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