Yancey County

Yancey County, NC Permits for Metal Carports and Garages

In Yancey County, a garage, shop or other new outbuilding needs a building permit, but the county says small storage buildings no more than 12 feet in any dimension do not need a residential new-structure permit. Anything bigger, including most metal carports and garages, goes through the county's Accessory Building Permit, which covers barns, sheds, detached garages and workshops. Yancey County Building Inspections handles it from its office on Medical Campus Drive in Burnsville. In this mountain county, flood rules can still apply even to a small shed, so check the flood map before you decide you can skip a Yancey County carport permit.

Permit office: Yancey County Building Inspections
Address: 202 Medical Campus Drive, Burnsville, NC 28714
Phone: 828-682-7833
Official county page

When a permit is required

Garages, shops and other new structures: The Building Inspections page lists new structures such as houses, garages and shops among the residential work that needs a permit.
Accessory buildings and carports: The county's Accessory Building Permit covers barns, sheds and storage buildings, detached garages and workshops. It asks for the building's width, length and number of stories, and whether it will have electrical or plumbing.
Small storage buildings: The county says residential new-structure permits do not apply to small storage buildings no more than 12 feet in any dimension, in line with N.C. G.S. 160D-1110.
Floodplain development: In the flood plain, new structures including barns and storage sheds need a floodplain permit, even when the building is small.
Lien agent: The accessory building application requires a lien agent when the project is over $40,000.

Zoning and setbacks

Yancey County's Permit Process Checklist starts by asking you to confirm whether the property is in the county or the Town of Burnsville, because property inside the town is subject to town ordinances. For county land, the checklist does not list a separate county zoning permit step. It goes from a Floodplain/Watershed permit, if needed, to septic and well permits, a site address, and then the building permit. The county posts no accessory setback numbers, so ask Building Inspections about spacing from property lines before you set the building. The county also notes it does not enforce deed restrictions or covenants, so check your deed and any subdivision rules yourself.

What to bring

Your E911 jobsite address, parcel ID (PIN) and directions to the site
Building width, length and number of stories, with a sketch or the manufacturer's plans
Any Floodplain/Watershed permit, septic approval and address required by the county's checklist
Contractor names and license numbers, or the Owner Builder Exemption Affidavit if you are doing the work
Lien agent information if the project is over $40,000

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. Yancey County does not post a separate farm exemption form, so ask Building Inspections what it needs to see. Keep in mind that the county's floodplain rules name barns among the new structures that need a floodplain permit in a flood hazard area, and electrical work on a farm building still needs a permit and inspection.

Good to know

Building Inspections is open 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays, and the county asks you to come in before 9:30 a.m. to apply for a building permit. You can also file the Accessory Building Permit online form through the county website. Before any work in a mapped Flood Hazard Area or the Yancey Watershed, the checklist says you need a Floodplain/Watershed permit from Emergency Management at 828-682-1085, and you can look up your lot on the state's Flood Risk Information System. Pre-built storage buildings are not approved as living space, and turning one into habitable space takes a separate residential building permit.

Common questions

Do I need a permit for a carport in Yancey County?
If any side of the carport is over 12 feet, plan on an Accessory Building Permit from Building Inspections. Smaller storage buildings are exempt from the residential permit, but a floodplain permit can still apply if the lot is in a flood hazard area or the Yancey Watershed.

Do I need a permit for a metal garage or shed in Yancey County?
Yes for a garage or shop, which the county lists as new structures needing a permit. A shed no more than 12 feet in any dimension does not need the residential permit, though flood rules still apply. Call 828-682-7833 if you are unsure.

Does Burnsville have different rules?
Property inside the Town of Burnsville is subject to town ordinances, so the county's checklist says to confirm your jurisdiction first. Burnsville Public Works is at 828-682-2420.

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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