Frequently Asked Questions

Engineering and Inspections is located at:
111 E 2nd Street
Clayton NC 27520

We are inside Town Hall/The Clayton Center on the 2nd floor of the Government Services Building.

Our hours of operation for Engineering and Inspections are 8 am to 5 pm, Monday through Friday. Permits are not issued after 4:30 pm.

The purpose of a permit is to enforce minimum consistent requirements of nationally recognized good practices by providing a reasonable level of life safety and protection of hazards to all parties involved.

Building Permit Required

No person or corporation shall locate, erect, construct, enlarge, alter, repair, demolish or relocate any building, or change the type of occupancy without first obtaining the required permits for the specific work from the Inspections Department having jurisdiction.

Building permits are not required for:

• Nonstructural work where costs is less than $15,000 in any single-family residence.
• Farm buildings outside the jurisdiction of any municipality.
• Residential accessory structures where no dimension exceeds 12 feet.
• The replacement of windows, doors and exterior siding in residential structures.
• The replacement of pickets, railings, stair treads, and decking of residential porches and exterior decks.

Electrical Permit Required

An electrical permit is required for the installation, extension, alteration, or general repair of any electrical wiring, devices, appliances, or equipment except that in any one or two-family dwelling units a permit shall not be required for repair or replacement of electrical lighting fixtures or devices, such as receptacles and lighting switches having the same voltage and the same or less amperage.

Plumbing Permit Required

A plumbing permit is required for the installation, extension, relocation, replacement or general repair of any plumbing system. Plumbing permits shall not be required for minor repairs or replacements of plumbing fixtures provided such repairs or replacements do not disrupt the original water supply or the waste and ventilation system.

Replacement of Water Heaters

No permit shall be required for replacement of water heaters in one- or two-family dwellings, provided:

• The energy use rate or thermal input is not greater than that of the water heater which is being replaced.
• There is no change in fuel, energy source, location, routing or sizing of venting and piping.
• The work is performed by a licensed plumbing contractor.
• The replacement is installed in accordance with the current edition of the North Carolina State Building Code.

Mechanical / HVAC Permit Required

Mechanical / HVAC permit is required for the installation, extension, relocation, replacement and general repair of any heating, air-conditioning or venting system.

The following represents typical examples of costs to be included on Building Permit Applications:

• Design and costs associated with construction plans and specifications
• All building construction costs, including soil exploration, excavation, backfill, compaction, shoring deep foundations and shallow foundations
• Fixed or built-in equipment, including mechanical, electrical and plumbing (including kitchen equipment, elevators or lift equipment)
• Special inspections and structural tests
• Interior and exterior finishes
• Fire protections systems
• Graphics/signage

Costs in place: including material, labor and equipment.

Although you may have a Clayton address, we only cover the areas inside the city limits of Clayton and the Town's Extraterritorial Jurisdiction (ETJ). If you are unsure whether you are inside the city limits, contact our office prior to coming in and we'll be glad to let you know which jurisdiction you are in.

• A completed permit application for a single-family home.
• A site plan meeting all of the specification listed in the Site Plan Requirements.
• Two sets of plans detailing the work to be performed. The building plans shall detail the construction in accordance with the Residential Plan Submittal Requirements as it applies to the particular project.

Yes. As long as you own the home and don't rent it out, you can serve as your own contractor. There is one stipulation: you will need to live in the home for one year after the work is completed.

Building Contractor Required

A general contractor licensed in North Carolina must perform all work where the construction cost is in excess of $30,000. Any person who is paid to manage a project where the construction cost is in excess of $30,000 must be a licensed General Contractor. An unlicensed contractor may perform work where the cost is $30,000 or less. Any person may act as their own general contractor for construction of a home, addition or accessory structure if they own the land and will personally occupy the structure for 12 months after completion.

Plumbing, Heating, Air Conditioning & Sprinkler License Contractor Required

A licensed plumbing, heating and air conditioning contractor is required to alter, replace or relocate plumbing or heating and air conditioning. Homeowners may perform their own plumbing or heating work if they own the land and will personally occupy the structure.

Electrical Contractor's License Required

A licensed electrical contractor is required for all installation, construction, maintenance or repair of electrical wiring, devices, appliances or equipment. Homeowners may perform their own electrical work if they own the land and will personally occupy the structure.

The work needs to be ready the day that you call to schedule the inspection.

For New Construction, this will be at the inspector's discretion. If the home is occupied, someone will have to be home. Our inspectors will not enter into an occupied home without a homeowner or contractor.

Yes. Reinspection fees will need to be paid prior to scheduling your reinspection. Our online system is available to assist with this.

Per the Retention Table established by the North Carolina Division of Historical Resources Archives and Records Section, we are obligated to keep records for only six years.

Yes. A permit is needed for any electric work.

The Inspectors are in the office from 7 to 8 am and 3 to 4 pm. They are in the field from 8 am to 3 pm.

Call Our Inspection Department at 919-553-5002 by 4:30 am the day you call in your inspection, and you'll be connected with the inspector voicemail. He will be able to provide an estimated time based on his workload for that day.

Retaining walls require a permit and engineering when:

• They are vertically above 4 feet
• Supporting a structure
• Crosses a property regardless of height

Residential permit application, plot plan showing the retaining wall and 2 copies of engineered plans are required for permitting.

Permits expire six months (180 days) after issue date if no work has commenced. Permits also expire when work has started but discontinued for twelve months (365 days) from the last inspection date.

The Clayton Engineering and Inspections Department handles inspections. All building inspections other than zoning inspections (site development and landscaping), which are done by the Planning Department, are done by the Engineering and Inspections Department. In order to schedule an inspection, you must leave a voicemail requesting the inspection at the Inspection Request Line: 919-359-8717.

Inspection requests need to be made by 4 pm to be scheduled for the next business day. Calling staff directly is not considered an official request, and will not be honored. All inspections that are scheduled must be ready for an inspection by 8 am on the scheduled date. All canceled inspections need to be canceled via the Inspection Request Line no later than 8 am on the scheduled date. Re-inspection fees will be applied.

Are you a contractor or developer who routinely schedules inspections? Sign up to use our Online Town of Clayton Permits System. It isn't just convenient - our inspectors also give priority to requests made online. To set up an account, please call our Permitting Specialist at 919-359-9354.