Wilmington, NC Building Safety: Building Permits (2026)

City Code Sec. 18-50(a) lists six activities that trigger the permit requirement: construction, reconstruction, alteration, repair, moving or demolition of any building or structure; installation, extension or general repair of plumbing; installation, extension, alteration or general repair of heating, air conditioning or ventilation systems; installation, extension, alteration or general repair of electrical wiring, devices, appliances or equipment; installation, alteration or repair of any sign; and a change in the use of an existing building or structure. Subsection (b) bars the city manager from approving a permit unless it conforms to chapter 18, absent a written order from the board of adjustment granting an administrative review or variance.

Subsection (c) lets the city manager demand plans, specifications and a statement of intended use before acting on an application. Subsection (d) adds a coastal layer: every application must show the location of any applicable area of environmental concern, and the permit officer, the county engineer or designee under the Coastal Area Management Act Implementation and Enforcement Plan for New Hanover County and the City of Wilmington, must certify compliance with state guidelines before the permit issues. Once work is finished, Sec. 18-51 requires a certificate of occupancy before anyone may change or commence the use of a building or land (agricultural land use is exempt), issued only after the city manager confirms the use complies with chapter 18.