New Hanover County, NC Building Safety: Electrical Permits (2026)

Article IV of Chapter 11 governs electrical work in the unincorporated county. Sec. 11-122 requires every electrical installation to conform to state wiring law and this article, and Sec. 11-123 adopts the National Electrical Code, NFPA No. 70, as the minimum standard for all electrical wiring, devices, and equipment in the county, incorporated by reference as fully as if copied into the article. Sec. 11-151 requires anyone installing electric wiring, devices, appliances, or equipment, or altering or adding to existing wiring, to first secure a permit from the electrical inspector.

Sec. 11-152 exempts only minor repair work, such as replacing lamps or plugging portable devices into existing receptacles, and installations made by a public service corporation for generating, transmitting, or metering electricity. Sec. 11-153 restricts issuance of any permit, other than an annual permit or a homeowner's permit, to a holder of a license from the state board of examiners of electrical contractors. Under Sec. 11-154, a homeowner may obtain a permit to wire his own property, other than rental, sale, or gift property, if the electrical inspector is satisfied he can do the work safely and competently; that permit is personal to the applicant and expires automatically once the work is done.

Fee schedules are adopted by the board of commissioners and filed with the clerk to the board (Sec. 11-156), and fees are due in advance of permit issuance except for annual-permit inspections, which are paid at the time of inspection (Sec. 11-157). Sec. 11-130 extends the article's reach to the county outside any municipality's corporate limits, plus one mile beyond the limits of any municipality exercising one-mile extraterritorial jurisdiction. Roughing-in work is not considered complete under Sec. 11-132 until every joint is properly made, soldered, and taped and all switches, panels, and grounding connections are finished.