Building permits, zoning and septic rules in Craven County, North Carolina

Yes. Craven County requires a permit before erecting, constructing, enlarging, installing, altering, repairing, moving, removing, converting or demolishing a building, structure or service system in its permitting jurisdiction; starting without a required permit may bring a stop-work order¹. Craven County reviews projects against the applicable North Carolina Building Code⁸. Permitted construction requires inspections scheduled through the Permitting Technicians⁸. Craven County publishes permit and inspection fees, including a $25 certificate-of-occupancy fee, a $70 reinspection fee and a $10 technology fee⁹. A new, enlarged, altered or moved building cannot be occupied until the required final inspection leads to a certificate of compliance or a temporary certificate of occupancy¹⁰.

Craven County's Central Permitting office, inside the Planning and Inspections Department, takes applications and routes them through land-use review, Environmental Health when needed, and Building Inspections⁸. Reach Inspections/Central Permitting at (252) 636-4987, or the Planning Department at (252) 636-6618, both at 2828 Neuse Boulevard in New Bern, North Carolina¹¹. Permitting Technicians are available during business hours to help applicants through the process⁸. For the owner-builder licensing exemption on a qualifying project costing $40,000 or more, the owner must file a verified affidavit, personally manage construction, attend required inspections unless the plans qualify for the architect exception, and occupy the building as required for at least 12 months⁴.

Craven County has no countywide zoning ordinance, but municipal zoning may apply inside a town or city's jurisdiction¹. We could not confirm whether any county rule sets a minimum dwelling size, minimum lot size, setback or lot coverage in unincorporated Craven County, so ask Planning before you design around a site¹¹. The county separately publishes zoning and height-control districts around Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point and Coastal Carolina Regional Airport, so parcel location can still affect use and building height¹. Planning also reviews flood zones, addresses, easements, setbacks and other local ordinances before building-plan review⁸. Inside a municipality with its own zoning ordinance, the town or city sets zoning, while septic permits still come from county Environmental Health^1,3. The absence of countywide zoning does not waive building permits, wastewater approval, floodplain permits, municipal rules or a special district's requirements^1,12.

Craven County Environmental Health evaluates sites and handles permits for new septic systems, repairs and flow increases³. Environmental Health issues an Improvement Permit after finding that a parcel can support the proposed subsurface system, and a Construction Authorization is required before construction begins on a new or malfunctioning septic system or the structure it serves³. After proper installation and inspection, Environmental Health issues an Operation Permit needed before final electrical power and occupancy³. Only about 3.8% of Craven County soils rate free of severe limits for a conventional drain field, so make the site evaluation an early purchase contingency¹³. Reach Environmental Health at 252-636-4936 or envhealth@cravencountync.gov¹⁴.

Craven County's RV-park rule applies to land used by two or more recreational vehicles for temporary living, camping, travel or seasonal use⁵. A new RV park requires county approval, and no RV may be occupied within the park until a Certificate of Compliance has been issued⁵. We could not confirm whether one RV may be occupied on a private lot outside an RV park, so ask Central Permitting before relying on an RV as temporary or full-time housing⁸. North Carolina allows a tiny home as a permanent dwelling when the local building official permits it and applicable zoning and setbacks are met, and we could not confirm a separate Craven County occupancy rule⁶. A tiny home used as a permanent dwelling still needs local permitting and must meet the North Carolina Residential Code, wastewater requirements, floodplain rules and any applicable municipal or special-district controls^1,12.

1. Submit the General Information form and any other required applications to Central Permitting⁸.
2. Complete Planning's land-use review for flood zones, addresses, easements, setbacks and local ordinances⁸.
3. Establish water and wastewater service. Environmental Health reviews septic systems and private drinking-water wells; a sewer-served development needs an intent-to-serve letter from the governmental provider⁸.
4. Obtain the septic Construction Authorization or private drinking-water-well permit before that work begins^3,7.
5. Complete Building Inspections plan review under the applicable North Carolina Building Code⁸.
6. Schedule required construction inspections with the Permitting Technicians⁸.
7. Finish septic inspection and obtain the Operation Permit before final power and occupancy when the home uses on-site wastewater³.
8. Complete final inspection and obtain a certificate of compliance or temporary certificate before occupying the covered building¹⁰.

Ask Planning whether the parcel lies within municipal zoning or the airport or Marine Corps Air Station special districts; Craven County has no countywide zoning ordinance, but location-specific zoning and height limits can apply¹. Check the flood map before planning a house, pad or driveway because development in a designated flood-hazard area requires a flood development permit before work starts¹². Make septic suitability a purchase contingency: only about 3.8% of county soils rate free of severe limits for a conventional drain field¹³. A private drinking-water well needs a county permit before installation, repair, replacement or abandonment, while a sewer-served project needs an intent-to-serve letter from its governmental provider^7,8. If the parcel will be divided, ask Planning about the applicable subdivision process because the complete rules and exemptions could not be confirmed¹¹. Craven County's median property tax bill is about $1,372 a year at an effective rate near 0.7%¹³.