Stokes County

Stokes County, NC Permits for Metal Carports and Garages

In Stokes County, a metal garage, barn or carport with any side over 12 feet needs a building permit, and the county also asks for a zoning permit and a signed Accessory Building Certification. Planning & Inspections in the Administration Building in Danbury handles all of it. Since September 2025, applications go through the county's online Planning and Inspection Forms Portal or by email. A Stokes County carport permit starts with knowing your zoning district, because the certification form asks for it.

Permit office: Stokes County Planning & Inspections
Address: 1014 Main Street, Danbury, NC 27016
Phone: 336-593-2444
Official county page

When a permit is required

Garages and enclosed metal buildings: Need a building permit from Planning & Inspections and a zoning permit. The county lists the zoning permit at $60.
Carports: N.C. G.S. 160D-1110 can exempt an accessory structure with no dimension over 12 feet from the building permit. Most carports are larger, so plan on a permit, and zoning rules still apply to small ones.
Accessory Building Certification: A free, notarized form where the owner certifies the building is for personal storage or personal use only, not a business or a home. Using it otherwise violates the zoning ordinance.
Watershed areas: The zoning ordinance has a watershed overlay district (Article XV). If your land drains to a water supply, ask Planning & Inspections whether extra limits apply.

Zoning and setbacks

The Stokes County Zoning Ordinance requires a Certification of Zoning Compliance (Section 102), and the county's zoning permit fee is $60. In the R-A district, accessory structures can't cover more than 30 percent of the rear yard (Section 80.1). Section 62 allows one principal building and its customary accessory buildings on a lot. The county posts its zoning and environmental health setbacks as a chart on the setbacks page, so check that or call before you pick a spot.

What to bring

A site plan showing the building, property lines and distances (the county posts a site plan example)
Your tax parcel number and zoning district
Notarized Accessory Building Certification
Building size and engineered drawings from the manufacturer
Homeowner affidavit or workers' comp affidavit, depending on who builds it

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. Section 31 of the Stokes County Zoning Ordinance says the county does not intend to regulate farming activities, and its rules apply only once farmland is developed for non-farm use. No farm exemption form is posted online, so call Planning & Inspections to ask what proof they need and whether an electrical permit is still required.

Good to know

Since 09/05/2025, Stokes County takes permit applications through its Planning and Inspection Forms Portal, or by email to permits@co.stokes.nc.us. Applications must be in by 4:30 p.m. to be processed that business day. The office is open 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. The ordinance includes a watershed overlay district (Article XV), so lots draining to water supplies may have extra limits. Residential building fees are posted on the county's fee schedule page.

Common questions

Do I need a permit for a carport in Stokes County?
Yes if any side is over 12 feet. You'll also need the $60 zoning permit and the Accessory Building Certification, all handled by Planning & Inspections in Danbury.

Do I need a permit for a metal garage or shed in Stokes County?
A garage needs a building permit and zoning permit. A shed needs one if any side is over 12 feet. Either way, sign the Accessory Building Certification saying it's for personal use.

Can I use my accessory building for a business in Stokes County?
Not without approval. The Accessory Building Certification says the building is for personal storage or personal use only, and commercial or residential use without prior approval violates the zoning ordinance.

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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