Bolthole Index

Macon County, North Carolina

Building permits, zoning and septic rules in the Town of Highlands, NC

The Town of Highlands, North Carolina requires a town zoning certificate before construction or remodeling, followed by a county building permit when applicable.1 In Macon County, Highlands decides zoning and watershed requirements; Macon County issues building permits and Environmental Health handles septic approvals.234 For Highlands parcels in Jackson County, use Jackson County building inspections and Environmental Health instead.45

At a glance

Building permits
County building permit when applicable, after Town of Highlands zoning approval3
Zoning
Town of Highlands Unified Development Ordinance applies2
Septic approvals
Applicable county Environmental Health; sewer service changes the requirement46
Watershed setbacks
Mapped stream and lake buffers of 30 or 50 feet, depending on overlay district7
Zoning certificate fee
Based on construction cost; county building fees are separate8
Private wells
Local health department construction permit required under North Carolina law9
Owner-builder
State contractor-license exemption is conditional; building approvals still apply103

Who to call

Planning & zoning

Town of Highlands Planning & Development

Town zoning certificates, watershed protection, land disturbance, subdivisions and floodplain questions

(828) 526-2118

210 N 4th St

Building permits

Macon County Planning, Permitting & Development

County building permits and inspections for Highlands parcels in Macon County

828-349-2072

1834 Lakeside Dr. Franklin, NC 28734

Septic permits

Macon County Environmental Health

Septic and private-well approvals for Highlands parcels in Macon County

(828) 349-2490

[email protected]

1830 Lakeside Drive, Franklin, NC 28734

Building permits

Jackson County Building Inspection Department — Cashiers

County building permits for Highlands parcels in Jackson County

828-745-6850

357 Frank Allen Road, Cashiers, NC 28717

Septic permits

Jackson County Environmental Health Department — Cashiers

Septic approvals for Highlands parcels in Jackson County

828-745-6852

357 Frank Allen Road, Cashiers, NC 28717

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 Town of Highlands means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

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Do you need a building permit in the Town of Highlands, NC?

Highlands requires a zoning certificate before construction or remodeling, even when the work may not require a county building permit.13 The Town reviews land-use compliance; the applicable county reviews compliance with the North Carolina Building Code.211 For a Highlands parcel in Macon County, obtain Town zoning and any required watershed approval before applying for the county building permit.1 The Town zoning-certificate fee depends on construction cost, and county building-permit fees are separate; ask each office for the charges for your proposed work.8

Who handles building permits and zoning in the Town of Highlands?

Start with Town of Highlands Planning & Development for zoning certificates, watershed review and questions about the buildable part of a lot.12 Macon County Code Enforcement handles county building permits and inspections for Highlands parcels in Macon County; the county lists its building contact separately from its planning contact.13 Septic and private-well approvals remain with Macon County Environmental Health.14 A small portion of eastern Highlands lies in Jackson County, where the Jackson County Building Inspection Department and Environmental Health Department have Cashiers offices.12515 Confirm the parcel’s county before choosing the county counter.45

Does the Town of Highlands have zoning, lot-size rules and setbacks?

Highlands has its own Unified Development Ordinance covering dimensional standards, subdivisions, erosion, stormwater and floodplains.2 A Highlands site plan must show lot size, building location, adjoining-lot and road-right-of-way setbacks, parking where required, and driveways.12 Ask Town Planning & Development to identify the parcel’s zoning district, minimum lot size and applicable setbacks before choosing a house plan.1612

Highlands watershed overlays add buffers of 30 or 50 feet along specified mapped streams and lakes, depending on the overlay district.7 Most land inside town limits is in watershed overlay districts requiring watershed approval alongside the zoning certificate.12 On affected nonconforming lots, built-upon-area calculations include gravel driveways and patios as well as the building footprint.12

How do septic permits and private wells work in the Town of Highlands?

For Highlands buildings without sewer service, qualifying new structures and bedroom-increasing additions require an Improvement Permit from the applicable county health department.6 On Macon County parcels, Environmental Health reviews septic tank and drainage-field locations and handles private wells.417 Macon County’s septic application is incomplete until payment and a site plan are received; the plan must show proposed buildings, driveway access, and well and septic areas.18 Fees vary with system design flow.19

North Carolina requires a local health department construction permit before constructing a private drinking-water well and a Certificate of Completion before putting the well into service.9 Town zoning approval does not replace these sanitation approvals.16

Can you live in an RV or tiny home in the Town of Highlands?

We could not confirm Highlands rules for residential RV occupancy, temporary camping, tiny-home occupancy, accessory dwellings or minimum dwelling size; ask Town Planning & Development about the specific unit and proposed use before buying.12 Highlands zoning and county building-permit requirements still need separate attention for a proposed home.23

The Town’s 2022 use-table amendment lists manufactured homes as prohibited in R-1 and limited in R-2 and R-3; ask Town Planning & Development for the complete current standards before relying on that option.20 A portable or chemical toilet cannot substitute for a permanent wastewater connection where the North Carolina Building Code requires one, so an off-grid proposal still needs a sanitation plan.21

What are the steps to build a home in the Town of Highlands?

  1. Ask Town Planning & Development to identify zoning, watershed and floodplain requirements, and prepare a site plan and residential floor plans.12
  2. For a site without sewer, coordinate septic approval with the applicable county health department; obtain the Town zoning certificate and any required watershed protection permit.61
  3. Apply to the applicable county building inspection office for the building permit when required; arrange culvert approval with Town Public Works or NCDOT for a new driveway.322
  4. Schedule Town and county inspections with at least 24 hours’ notice, including the required footer and final inspections.23
  5. Obtain final Town and county inspections and the county Certificate of Occupancy before occupancy or final power connection.24

What should you check before buying land in the Town of Highlands?

Before buying a Highlands lot, have Town Planning & Development review the proposed building footprint, driveways, watershed buffers and floodplain constraints together.127 No grading, excavation, under-brushing or tree removal may begin before the zoning certificate is issued.22 Macon County’s soil ratings show only 5.1% of soils rated not limited for conventional septic drain fields; that county-wide figure supports getting a site evaluation, not assuming a particular Highlands lot cannot support septic.2514

If rental income matters, the Town’s 2022 amendment prohibits new short-term rentals in R-1 and R-2 while recognizing existing qualifying rentals as nonconforming uses; ask Town Planning & Development about the parcel’s current eligibility.26 For land outside Highlands municipal jurisdiction, use the Macon County guide to follow the county’s separate development process.2728

Watch-outs

  • Highlands zoning approval is separate from county building and septic approvals; choose the county offices by parcel location.34
  • Highlands bars grading, excavation, under-brushing and tree removal before issuance of the zoning certificate.22
  • We could not confirm Highlands RV, camping, tiny-home or accessory-dwelling permissions; ask Town Planning & Development before committing to those uses.12
  • North Carolina’s owner-builder contractor-license exemption does not waive Highlands zoning approval or applicable county building permits.103

Sources

  1. Zoning Certificates & Building Permits in the Town of Highlands (Town of Highlands), quoted and re-checked
  2. Planning & Development (Town of Highlands), quoted and re-checked
  3. Zoning Certificates & Building Permits in the Town of Highlands (Town of Highlands), quoted and re-checked
  4. Zoning Certificates & Building Permits in the Town of Highlands (Town of Highlands), quoted and re-checked
  5. Jackson County Building Inspection Department — Cashiers (highlandsnc.org)
  6. Zoning Certificates & Building Permits in the Town of Highlands (Town of Highlands), quoted and re-checked
  7. Zoning Certificates & Building Permits in the Town of Highlands (Town of Highlands), quoted and re-checked
  8. Zoning Certificates & Building Permits in the Town of Highlands (Town of Highlands), quoted and re-checked
  9. Rules Governing the Permitting and Inspection of Private Drinking Water Wells, 15A NCAC 02C .0300 (North Carolina statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  10. G.S. 87-1. "General contractor" defined; exceptions. (North Carolina statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  11. Macon County Land Usage Ordinance, quoted and re-checked
  12. Town of Highlands Planning & Development (highlandsnc.org)
  13. Macon County Planning, Permitting & Development (gis.maconnc.org)
  14. Macon County Environmental Health (gis.maconnc.org)
  15. Jackson County Environmental Health Department — Cashiers (highlandsnc.org)
  16. Planning & Development (Town of Highlands), quoted and re-checked
  17. Environmental Health Services, quoted and re-checked
  18. Onsite Wastewater Septic Systems, quoted and re-checked
  19. Environmental Health Services FAQs, quoted and re-checked
  20. Town of Highlands UDO Text Changes (Town of Highlands), quoted and re-checked
  21. G.S. 130A-335 PDF, subsection (h) (North Carolina statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  22. Zoning Certificates & Building Permits in the Town of Highlands (Town of Highlands), quoted and re-checked
  23. Zoning Certificates & Building Permits in the Town of Highlands (Town of Highlands), quoted and re-checked
  24. Zoning Certificates & Building Permits in the Town of Highlands (Town of Highlands), quoted and re-checked
  25. Share of soils USDA rates "not limited" for a conventional septic drain field (SSURGO). A strict rating: the median county is about 6% and a tenth of counties are 0%, so a low figure means most lots need a site evaluation or an engineered system, not that septic is impossible. Cite it only with that caveat: Bolthole Index county data
  26. Town of Highlands UDO Text Changes (Town of Highlands), quoted and re-checked
  27. Checklist for Development in Macon County, quoted and re-checked
  28. Checklist for Development in Macon County, 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 Town of Highlands

Town of Highlands’s own rules

  • Local zoningPresent

    Land inside the Town of Highlands planning and development jurisdiction.

    • The Town administers its Unified Development Ordinance and zoning regulations.
    “The Town of Highlands enforces a Unified Development Ordinance that regulates Dimensional Standards, Subdivisions, Soil Erosion & Sedimentation, Stormwater, Floodplains, and other related items.”
  • Zoning districtsPublished

    Zoning districts and district-specific use regulation inside Highlands town.

    • The UDO use table identifies R-1, R-2, R-3, B-1, B-2, B-3, B-4, and GI districts.
    • The Town separately publishes zoning, watershed, and floodplain maps.
    “USE CATEGORY SPECIFIC USE R-1 R-2 R-3 B-1 B-2 B-3 B-4 GI NOTES:”
  • SetbacksSpecified

    Development inside Highlands town, including sites near mapped streams and lakes.

    • Site plans must show setbacks from adjoining lots and road rights-of-way.
    • Watershed overlay buffers are 30 or 50 feet depending on overlay district and apply between structures or built-upon areas and certain mapped streams and lakes.

    watershed buffer: 30 or 50 feet (depending on overlay district)

    “either 30 or 50 feet wide (depending on the overlay district), between any structures or "built upon" areas and certain streams and lakes”
  • Manufactured homesLimited

    Manufactured-home occupancy inside Highlands town.

    • The UDO use table lists manufactured homes as not allowed in R-1, limited in R-2 and R-3, and not allowed in B-1, B-2, B-3, B-4, and GI.
    • The amendment excerpt is a 2022 text amendment and the complete district standards should be checked before reliance.
    “Manufactured homes X L L X X X X X Sec. 6.3.1.C”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Subdivision and platting inside Highlands town.

    • The Town UDO regulates subdivisions and dimensional standards.
    • Applicable watershed, septic, access, and infrastructure requirements may also apply.
    “The Town of Highlands enforces a Unified Development Ordinance that regulates Dimensional Standards, Subdivisions, Soil Erosion & Sedimentation, Stormwater, Floodplains, and other related items.”
  • Driveway accessLimited

    New driveways and grading associated with construction inside Highlands town.

    • A Land Disturbance Permit is issued for grading and new driveways in conjunction with the zoning permit.
    • New culverts must be approved by the Town Public Works Director or NCDOT.
    • The minimum culvert size stated by the Town is 15 inches.
    • No grading, excavating, under-brushing, or tree removal may begin before the zoning certificate is issued.

    minimum culvert size: >= 15 inches

    “The size and location of any new culvert(s) must be approved by the Town's Public Works Director or the North Carolina Department of Transportation (minimum size is 15").”
  • Short-term rentalsLimited

    Short-term rentals inside Highlands town.

    • The UDO defines a short-term rental as a residential dwelling rented for compensation for less than 30 consecutive days.
    • The use table lists short-term rentals as not allowed in R-1 and R-2, limited in R-3 and B-1 through B-4, and not allowed in GI.
    • Occupancy may not exceed two persons per bedroom plus two additional persons; properties served by public wastewater are capped at the lesser of that formula or 12 persons.
    • Special events or gatherings exceeding the overnight limit are prohibited.
    • Parking, trash, nuisance, noise, complaint-response, contract-addendum, and signage requirements apply.
    • Short-term rentals operating as of September 15, 2022 are nonconforming uses in R-1 and R-2.

    rental duration: < 30 consecutive days (Hotels, motels, and tourist homes are excluded from the definition.) · occupancy: 2 persons per bedroom plus 2 persons (For public wastewater, lesser of formula or 12 persons)

    “Short-term rentals X X L L L L L X Sec. 6.5.18”
  • Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

    Town zoning certificates inside Highlands town.

    • The Town zoning-certificate fee is outlined in the Fee Schedule.
    • The fee is based on cost of construction.
    • County building-permit fees are separate and were not quantified in the reviewed Town page.

    zoning certificate fee basis: cost of construction

    “The cost of a Town Zoning Certificate is outlined in the Fee Schedule and is based on the cost of construction.”
  • Permit processPublished (with conditions)

    Construction and remodeling inside Highlands town.

    • Obtain a Town zoning certificate before commencing construction or remodeling.
    • Obtain a watershed protection permit in watershed overlay districts when required.
    • Then apply for the applicable county building permit.
    • Site plans, construction plans, septic review, and driveway or grading requirements may apply.
    “Before commencing any construction or remodeling, a Zoning Certificate must be obtained from the Town of Highlands.”

Rules another office applies inside Town of Highlands

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

  • Building permitRequired

    Construction inside Highlands town requiring a building permit.

    • After obtaining the Town zoning certificate and watershed protection permit, the applicant must apply to the applicable county building inspection office.
    • Some work may not require a county building permit but may still require a Town zoning certificate.
    “After you receive a Town of Highlands Zoning Certificate and Watershed Protection Permit, you must apply for a County Building Permit.”
  • InspectionsRequired

    Additions, new builds, and other construction inside Highlands town.

    • The general contractor and subcontractors must call for inspections as work progresses.
    • A minimum of 24 hours notice should be given.
    • A footer inspection is required for all additions and new builds.
    • A final inspection is required before a Certificate of Compliance can be issued.

    inspection notice: >= 24 hours

    “A footer inspection is required for all additions and new builds. After the project is complete, a final inspection is required before a Certificate of Compliance can be issued.”
  • Certificate of occupancyRequired

    Buildings constructed or altered inside Highlands town when a Certificate of Occupancy is required.

    • No Certificate of Occupancy may be issued until final Town and county inspections have been made.
    • The building may not be occupied, and final power will not be connected, until the county has issued a C.O.
    “No Certificate of Occupancy may be issued until final town and county inspections have been made.”
  • Who permits septicMixed (with conditions)

    On-site wastewater systems inside Highlands town; the applicable county is Macon County or Jackson County based on parcel location.

    • The Town page identifies Macon County Environmental Health or Jackson County Environmental Health as the applicable authority.
    • A building served by sewer is treated differently from a building using on-site wastewater.
    “The Macon County Environmental Health Department is charged with reviewing and approving the location of the septic tank and drainage field.”
  • Septic permitRequired

    New structures and additions inside Highlands town that are not served by sewer and increase bedroom count.

    • The applicable county health department issues the Improvements Permit.
    • The requirement does not apply where the building is served by sewer.
    “Unless the building is to be served by sewer, the county will require an Improvements Permit from the Macon County (or Jackson County) Health Department”
  • Off-grid sanitationLimited

    On-site sanitation for buildings inside Highlands town that are not served by sewer.

    • An Improvements Permit is required for qualifying new structures or bedroom additions.
    • County Environmental Health must review and approve the septic tank and drainage-field location.
    “Unless the building is to be served by sewer, the county will require an Improvements Permit from the Macon County (or Jackson County) Health Department”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Town of Highlands or Macon County directly.

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder work inside Highlands town.
  • Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size inside Highlands town.
  • Building height — Building height inside Highlands town.
  • Living in an RV — Residential or long-term occupancy of recreational vehicles inside Highlands town.
  • Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land inside Highlands town.
4 more unanswered
  • Tiny homes
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Well permit
  • Agricultural exemption

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 Town of Highlands publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Macon County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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