Winston-Salem, NC Building Safety: Building Permits (2026)

Winston-Salem's building code requires a permit from the inspections division before constructing, reconstructing, altering, or repairing any building or structure, which covers decks and patios. Work costing $5,000.00 or less on a single-family residence or farm building is exempt from the permit requirement, but the exemption drops away if the project adds or repairs load-bearing structures, changes the design of plumbing, heating, air conditioning, or electrical systems, uses materials the state residential code doesn't allow, or adds roofing. A raised deck tied into the house's framing almost always trips one of those exceptions and needs a permit; a small, low-cost patio job that stays clear of them can skip it.