Wilkes County

Wilkes County, NC Permits for Metal Carports and Garages

In Wilkes County, a metal carport or garage is handled by Wilkes County Building Inspections, and the county's own fee schedule has a line for pre-engineered metal carports, so plan on applying for a Wilkes County carport permit unless your project clearly falls under the state's small-building exemption. The county lays permitting out in order: first a watershed and zoning permit from Planning, then any septic or well permit from Environmental Health, then the building permit. If the lot sits inside the Town of Wilkesboro, the Town of North Wilkesboro, or one of their one-mile ETJ areas, the county tells you to contact the town for the zoning step instead. Building permits are handed out in a short morning window at the county office on North Street in Wilkesboro, so it pays to have your parcel ID and drawings ready before you go.

Permit office: Wilkes County Building Inspections
Address: 110 North Street, Room 311, Wilkesboro, NC 28697
Phone: 336-651-7303
Official county page

When a permit is required

Pre-engineered metal carports: The Building Inspection Fee Schedule lists a pre-engineered metal carport at $65 without a foundation and $130 with a foundation, plus $65 if it has electrical work.
Detached garages and storage buildings: The same fee schedule charges detached garages and storage buildings $0.20 per square foot at 1,000 square feet and over, with a $130 minimum below 1,000 square feet.
Watershed and zoning permit first: The county's Permit Information page says most permits start with a Watershed/Zoning permit and a Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance application from the Planning Department.
Small buildings: N.C. G.S. 160D-1110 can exempt an accessory building with no dimension over 12 feet from a building permit. Wilkes County does not post its own size cutoff, so confirm with Building Inspections and remember the zoning and watershed step can still apply.
Electrical work: If you run power to a carport or garage, the fee schedule shows a separate electrical charge, so expect that work to be permitted and inspected.

Zoning and setbacks

Wilkes County's Zoning Ordinance applies in areas the Board of Commissioners has designated as official zone areas (Section 30), not automatically everywhere in the county. Where it applies, the ordinance uses a Certificate of Zoning Compliance (defined in Section 41), and the residential district rules, such as Section 81.3(g) for the R-20 district, keep accessory buildings out of required front and side yards and set minimum distances from street and lot lines. The Planning Department charges $30 for a zoning and watershed permit and $20 for a flood permit, per its fee schedule. Because the setback numbers change by district, ask Planning at 336-651-7563 for the figures that fit your parcel before you pick a spot for the building.

What to bring

Your parcel ID number or the landowner's last name, which the county says speeds things up
A site plan showing where the building goes and its distance from property lines, wells and any septic system
Building size and dimensions, plus the manufacturer's drawings for a metal carport or garage
The watershed and zoning permit from Planning, and any septic or well approval from Environmental Health
Contractor information, or the county's Work Done by Owner form if you are doing the work yourself

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. Wilkes County's zoning ordinance also states in Section 31 that it does not apply to bona fide farms, including barns on the farm, though nonfarm uses on the same land remain covered. The county does not post a farm exemption form online, so call Building Inspections at 336-651-7303 to ask what proof of farm use they want. Electrical work on a farm building still needs an electrical permit and inspection.

Good to know

Building permits in Wilkes County are issued between 8:30 and 9:30 a.m. on weekdays, and the office keeps 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. hours, per the Building Inspections page. The county's Wilkes County Portal Home (iWorQ) lets you search permits and apply for planning and zoning, environmental health and inspection permits, but the county notes that building and blanket permits are not being accepted through it. Inspections must be called in to 336-651-7303 by the business day before, and the county says there are no same-day inspections. If the property is inside the Town of North Wilkesboro, the county directs you to the town's building inspector instead. The residential permit packet also asks you to keep a building at least 25 feet from any well and its foundation at least 5 feet from any part of a septic system or repair area.

Common questions

Do I need a permit for a carport in Wilkes County?
Most likely yes. The county's fee schedule lists pre-engineered metal carports at $65 without a foundation and $130 with one. A very small carport with no side over 12 feet can be exempt under state law, but confirm with Building Inspections at 336-651-7303 and check the zoning and watershed step with Planning.

Do I need a permit for a metal garage or shed in Wilkes County?
A detached garage or storage building is priced at $0.20 per square foot at 1,000 square feet and over, with a $130 minimum below that. Start with the $30 zoning and watershed permit from Planning, then get the building permit during the 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. window.

Can I apply for a building permit online in Wilkes County?
Not for the building permit itself right now. The Wilkes County Portal Home handles planning and zoning, environmental health and inspection permits, but the county says building and blanket permits are not being accepted through it.

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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