Bolthole Index

Forsyth County, North Carolina

Building permits, zoning and septic in Winston-Salem, North Carolina

Winston-Salem, North Carolina requires building permits for new construction and applicable alterations, additions and repairs.1 The joint Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Inspections Division issues building permits and enforces Winston-Salem zoning; the city has its own adopted land-use regulations.23 Septic approval for applicable lots inside the city stays with Forsyth County Environmental Health.4

At a glance

Building permits
Required for new construction and applicable alterations, additions and repairs1
Zoning
Winston-Salem UDO land-use regulations apply inside city limits3
Septic
Forsyth County Environmental Health; soil/site evaluation and construction authorization4
Tiny homes
State pathway for permanent dwellings requires building-code compliance and local zoning approval5
Minimum dwelling size
Housing-code room and occupancy standards; no single total-house minimum established here6
Owner-builder
Conditional state general-contractor licensure exemption; permit and affidavit requirements remain7
Private wells
Well construction permit from the local health department required8

Who to call

Building permits

Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Inspections Division

Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Inspections Division

336-727-2624

Bryce A. Stuart Municipal Building 100 E First Street Winston-Salem, NC 27101

Building permits

Inspections Division — construction applications

Inspections Division — construction applications

336-727-2624

Online permits →

Zoning

Planning Division — Land Use Administration

Planning Division — Land Use Administration

336-747-7040

Bryce A. Stuart Municipal Building 100 E First Street Winston-Salem, NC 27102

Zoning

Land Use Administration — UDO assistance

Land Use Administration — UDO assistance

336-747-7064

Septic permits

Forsyth County Environmental Health — septic and existing-system releases

Forsyth County Environmental Health — septic and existing-system releases

336 703 3225

799 North Highland Avenue Winston-Salem, NC 27101

Floodplain permits

Erosion Control Division — floodplain development review

Erosion Control Division — floodplain development review

336-747-7453

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 11, 2026.

Off-grid gear

Going off-grid in Winston-Salem means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

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Do you need a building permit in Winston-Salem, NC?

Winston-Salem requires building permits for new construction and applicable alterations, additions and repairs, with Inspections enforcing North Carolina building codes and local development regulations.19 Winston-Salem publishes building and trade permit fees that vary with project type, valuation, size and inspection activity; ask Inspections for the fee applicable to your project.10 Winston-Salem’s cited ordinance requires a certificate of occupancy when construction costing $1,000 or more is completed and withholds permanent electrical connection approval until the requirement is satisfied.11

Who issues building permits in Winston-Salem, and where do you apply?

The Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Inspections Division is the joint agency that reviews plans and issues building, electrical, mechanical and plumbing permits for Winston-Salem.2 Call 336-727-2624 or use the office at Bryce A. Stuart Municipal Building, 100 E First Street, Winston-Salem, NC 27101.2 Single-family building applications go through GeoCivix, and paper permit applications are no longer accepted.1213 Licensed contractors can obtain mechanical, electrical and plumbing permits through BuildIT; property owners should contact the Permit Office for assistance.13

Does Winston-Salem have zoning, lot-size rules and setbacks?

Winston-Salem has zoning through the Unified Development Ordinances, which also include environmental and subdivision regulations.3 Winston-Salem district-specific uses and dimensional controls must be read together with the parcel’s zoning map; we could not confirm a single applicable lot-size, setback, height or lot-coverage figure for your parcel.14 Ask Land Use Administration to identify the district and applicable standards before choosing a house footprint or dividing land.1516 Recent UDO amendments may not appear in the online code, so ask Land Use Administration about amendments affecting your proposal.17

How do septic permits work inside Winston-Salem?

For a Winston-Salem lot not served by public or community sewer, Forsyth County Environmental Health evaluates soil and site conditions for an improvement permit and authorization for septic construction.4 Construction on a property with an existing septic system—including an outbuilding, pool or deck—requires a Health Department Release before a building permit; home additions and mobile-home replacement also require a release.18 Adding bedrooms may require another soil/site evaluation.18 Resolve wastewater approval before finalizing the building layout because the septic evaluation determines whether the lot is suitable for the proposed system.19

Can you live in an RV or tiny home in Winston-Salem?

We could not confirm Winston-Salem’s rules for residential RV occupancy or temporary camping on private land; ask Inspections about the proposed use and parcel before relying on an RV during construction.2 North Carolina accepts tiny homes as permanent single-family dwellings when the local building official permits them and building-code, foundation, sanitation and local zoning requirements are met.5 Winston-Salem’s housing code separately requires a principal room of at least 120 square feet and habitable-room floor space based on occupancy; those are room and occupancy standards, not a blanket total-house minimum.6 Ask Land Use Administration about accessory dwellings and manufactured-home placement on the specific lot.15

Building a home in Winston-Salem: what are the steps?

  1. Ask Land Use Administration to identify Winston-Salem zoning and any subdivision review needed for the parcel.1416
  2. For a septic-served lot, obtain the applicable county soil/site evaluation or existing-system Health Department Release before building-permit approval.19
  3. Submit the residential building application through GeoCivix with building plans, site plans and related documents in the electronic application.1213
  4. Arrange building and trade inspections through Inspections; contractor accounts can schedule inspections through BuildIT.12
  5. Obtain the required certificate of occupancy before the permanent electrical connection is approved for work covered by Winston-Salem’s completion requirement.11

What stays with Forsyth County, and what should Winston-Salem buyers check?

Forsyth County Environmental Health retains septic services for applicable Winston-Salem properties and requires a well construction permit for private water-supply wells.420 North Carolina requires local floodplain development approval for development in Special Flood Hazard Areas; Winston-Salem’s Erosion Control Division accepts floodplain review submittals electronically.2122 Ask Inspections to identify the driveway-access approval needed for your proposed entrance; we could not confirm the city’s complete driveway rule.2 For land outside Winston-Salem city limits, use the Forsyth County guide for the county’s zoning jurisdiction.23

Watch-outs

  • The North Carolina owner-builder provision exempts qualifying owners from general-contractor licensure subject to ownership, intended occupancy, affidavit and supervision requirements; building-permit requirements still apply.7
  • A chemical or portable toilet cannot substitute for a permanent wastewater connection where the North Carolina Building Code requires that connection; ask Environmental Health about the proposed sanitation system.24
  • Recent Winston-Salem UDO amendments may not be reflected in the online code; ask Land Use Administration which adopted text applies.17

Sources

  1. Construction & Permits (Winston-Salem), quoted and re-checked
  2. Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Inspections Division (cityofws.org)
  3. Zoning & Subdivision (Winston-Salem), quoted and re-checked
  4. New Construction (Winston-Salem), quoted and re-checked
  5. Guidelines for Tiny Homes in North Carolina (North Carolina statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  6. Sec. 10-197. Standards (Winston-Salem), quoted and re-checked
  7. G.S. 87-1. "General contractor" defined; exceptions. (North Carolina statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  8. Rules Governing the Permitting and Inspection of Private Drinking Water Wells, 15A NCAC 02C .0300 (North Carolina statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  9. Construction & Permits (Winston-Salem), quoted and re-checked
  10. Sec. 10-31. Fee schedule; determination of cost of work; connection to public sewer (Winston-Salem), quoted and re-checked
  11. Sec. 10-31. Fee schedule; determination of cost of work; connection to public sewer (Winston-Salem), quoted and re-checked
  12. cityofws.org (Winston-Salem), quoted and re-checked
  13. Inspections Division — construction applications (cityofws.org)
  14. Zoning & Subdivision (Winston-Salem), quoted and re-checked
  15. Planning Division — Land Use Administration (cityofws.org)
  16. Zoning & Subdivision (Winston-Salem), quoted and re-checked
  17. Land Use Administration — UDO assistance (cityofws.org)
  18. Forsyth County Environmental Health — septic and existing-system releases (co.forsyth.nc.us)
  19. General Information - Wastewater / Septic, quoted and re-checked
  20. Permitting & Inspecting, quoted and re-checked
  21. North Carolina Quick Guide: Applying for a Floodplain Development Permit (North Carolina statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  22. Erosion Control Division — floodplain development review (cityofws.org)
  23. Inspections Division, quoted and re-checked
  24. G.S. 130A-335 PDF, subsection (h) (North Carolina statewide rule), quoted and re-checked

Written October 11, 2026 from the rules quoted below, each taken from an official source and re-checked by an independent reviewer. This is research, not legal advice: rules change, so confirm with the office before you buy or build.

Answers from the rulebook for Winston-Salem

Winston-Salem’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    New construction, alterations, additions, repairs, and related building work inside Winston-Salem city limits.

    • Residential single-family applications are submitted through GeoCivix.
    • Trade permits are available through BuildIT to licensed contractors.
    • Specific statutory exemptions were not located in the opened sources.
    “The Inspections Division works to ensure that all new construction and alternations and/or repairs to existing buildings are properly permitted and constructed in compliance with the State of North Carolina adopted building codes and locally adopted development regulations.”
  • Building code adoptedAdopted

    Building activity inside Winston-Salem city limits; city inspections enforce North Carolina-adopted building codes.

    • The source describes State of North Carolina adopted building codes and locally adopted development regulations.
    “The Inspections Division works to ensure that all new construction and alternations and/or repairs to existing buildings are properly permitted and constructed in compliance with the State of North Carolina adopted building codes and locally adopted development regulations.”
  • Certificate of occupancyRequired

    Construction inside Winston-Salem city limits costing $1,000 or more.

    • The certificate is required upon completion of construction costing $1,000.00 or more.
    • Permanent electrical connection approval is withheld until compliance.

    construction cost threshold: >= 1000 USD

    “Upon completion of construction costing $1,000.00 or more, a certificate of occupancy shall be issued. The inspections director shall not give approval for the permanent connection of electrical power to any structure to which this paragraph is applicable until the foregoing provisions have been complied with.”
  • Local zoningPresent

    Land inside Winston-Salem city limits; zoning is administered through the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County UDO framework.

    “The Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Unified Development Ordinances (UDO) are the compilation of regulations that govern land use, which include the Zoning Ordinance, the Environmental Ordinance, and the Subdivision Ordinance/Regulations.”
  • Zoning districtsPublished

    Zoning districts and zoning maps governing land inside Winston-Salem city limits.

    • District-specific dimensional and use controls must be read from the current UDO text and applicable zoning map.
    “We also maintain an inventory of topographic maps, zoning maps, and aerial photographs (current and historic).”
  • Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

    Dwelling units subject to the Winston-Salem housing code inside city limits.

    • The standards are room and occupancy standards, not a single total-dwelling-square-footage minimum.
    • Additional standards in Sec. 10-197 also apply.

    principal room minimum: >= 120 square feet · first occupant habitable-room floor space: >= 120 square feet · additional occupant habitable-room floor space: >= 100 square feet (children one year of age and under shall not be counted)

    “A principal room shall have not less than 120 square feet. [...] At least 120 square feet of floor space in habitable rooms shall be provided for the first occupant in each housing unit, at least 100 square feet of additional floor space shall be provided for each additional occupant (children one year of age and under shall not be counted).”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Major and minor subdivisions and planned residential developments inside Winston-Salem city limits.

    • Applications are reviewed and processed by Land Use Administration.
    • The UDO includes subdivision regulations.
    “The Land Use Administration (LUA) section of the Planning and Development Services Department reviews and processes applications for: Major and minor subdivisions”
  • Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

    Building, electrical, plumbing, mechanical, manufactured-home, modular-home, certificate, plan-review, and inspection fees for work inside Winston-Salem city limits.

    • Fees vary by project type, valuation, square footage, unit count, and inspection activity.
    • The cited code includes fee schedules for new residential and nonresidential work and additional inspection fees.

    manufactured home permit: 100 USD · modular home permit: 100 USD · temporary certificate of occupancy: 50 USD (plus $35 per unfinished trade) · foundation-only permit: 225 USD (added to cost of permit) · extra second inspection trip: 50 USD · extra third inspection trip: 75 USD · extra fourth and subsequent inspection trips: 100 USD

    “For inspection trips required in excess of the one additional trip, a $50.00 fee for a second trip, $75.00 fee for a third trip, and $100.00 fee for a fourth and all following trips shall be imposed.”
  • Permit processPublished (with conditions)

    Residential and commercial construction permit processing inside Winston-Salem city limits.

    • Residential single-family building applications and plans are submitted electronically through GeoCivix.
    • Licensed trade contractors may apply for plumbing, electrical, and mechanical/HVAC permits through BuildIT.
    • General contractors cannot purchase building permits through BuildIT and must come to the office to purchase them.
    • Inspections may be scheduled through a contractor BuildIT account.
    “Paper permit applications are no longer accepted.”

Rules another office applies inside Winston-Salem

Winston-Salem does not set these itself; the county, a health district or the state does, and they apply to every address inside its limits.

  • Septic permitRequired

    New septic construction in Forsyth County, including applicable property inside Winston-Salem city limits not served by public or community sewer.

    • A soil/site evaluation is used to determine lot suitability.
    • The process includes an improvement permit and authorization for septic tank construction.
    “During the evaluation, information is gathered for issuing an improvement permit and an authorization for septic tank construction.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Winston-Salem or Forsyth County directly.

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder permit exemptions inside Winston-Salem city limits.
  • Minimum lot size — Residential and agricultural zoning districts inside Winston-Salem city limits.
  • Setbacks — Residential and agricultural zoning districts inside Winston-Salem city limits.
  • Lot coverage — Residential and agricultural zoning districts inside Winston-Salem city limits.
  • Building height — Residential and agricultural zoning districts inside Winston-Salem city limits.
10 more unanswered
  • Living in an RV
  • Camping on your land
  • Tiny homes
  • Manufactured homes
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Driveway access
  • Building in a floodplain
  • Short-term rentals

Each answer was extracted from an official source and independently re-checked against that source by a second reviewer. That is an evidence check, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with the authority before you buy or build.

Unanswered questions are usually a sign that Winston-Salem publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Forsyth County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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