Raleigh permits go through the city's Permit and Development Portal. Permit Helpline: 919-996-2500. Planning Commission meets the second and fourth Tuesday.
Last checked Oct. 11, 2026. Updated when the city changes its fees or process. Facts on this page come from the City of Raleigh’s permits pages and Planning and Development pages.
The City of Raleigh’s Planning and Development department issues building permits, reviews plans, inspects work and handles zoning inside the city limits. Almost everything now runs through the city’s online Permit and Development Portal, where you register, apply, pay fees and book inspections.
Who to call
- Permit questions: Permit Helpline, 919-996-2500
- In person: Planning and Development Customer Service Center, 1 Exchange Plaza, Suite 400, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Friday
- Residential plan submittals: DowntownDS@raleighnc.gov
- Zoning map questions: Planning and Development, 919-996-2622
- Planning Commission: 919-996-2178, Planning.Commission@raleighnc.gov
- Code enforcement (overgrown lots, unsafe buildings): 919-996-2444
Do I need a permit?
If you are building in Raleigh, the city says you “will likely need a permit.” Some jobs need a permit but no plans, according to its residential permit guide:
- Kitchen and bathroom remodels, siding, windows, doors and roofing
- New circuits, service upgrades and indoor electric vehicle chargers
- Replacing a water heater, HVAC unit, generator or driveway
- Switching fuel between gas and electric
- Turning power back on at a house vacant six months or longer
Jobs that need plans include additions, decks and porches, fences, pools, accessory buildings, accessory dwelling units, demolition, new houses and duplexes, solar panels, tiny homes and water, sewer or irrigation connections. The list is not complete; ask the Helpline if your job is not on it.
How to apply for a home permit
- Register in the Permit and Development Portal.
- List every contractor and subcontractor. Homeowners doing their own work file the Owner Exemption Affidavit.
- Clear any prerequisites first: a Certificate of Appropriateness in a historic district, Wake County approval for a septic system or well, or a Board of Adjustment variance.
- Email the residential permit application and plans to DowntownDS@raleighnc.gov.
- Pay the plan review fee before review starts and the rest when the permit is ready.
- Track comments and schedule inspections in the portal.
Plans with missing contractor details are held for up to six months, then voided. The city publishes review turnaround times.
Fees
Fees are in the city’s Development Fee Guide, and a fee calculator gives an estimate. Rates in the fiscal 2027 guide apply to applications submitted from July 1, 2026, to June 30, 2027, the city said.
How much is being built
The city’s open permit data shows 594 applications for new homes from January through September 2026, up from 526 in the same months of 2025. Every permit application is public on Open Data Raleigh. Large projects in review are on the city’s current development activity page.
Zoning: what your land allows
Every parcel in Raleigh’s jurisdiction has one base district (residential, mixed-use or special), and one or more overlay districts can add rules on top, according to the city’s zoning map page. The rules themselves are in the Unified Development Ordinance, which took effect Sept. 1, 2013.
- Look up a property on Find My Zoning.
- The legal official zoning map is kept by Planning and Development.
- A zoning verification letter, covering up to five neighboring parcels, is requested through the portal.
Rezoning and the boards that decide
A rezoning starts with a neighborhood meeting: the applicant mails notice to owners and tenants within 500 feet, 10 to 25 days before. Larger cases, such as sites of 5 acres or more, need a second meeting with notice to everyone within 1,000 feet, according to the city’s rezoning process page. Open cases are listed on the rezoning cases page.
| Body | What it does | When it meets |
|---|---|---|
| Planning Commission | Recommends rezonings to the City Council within 60 days | Typically 9 a.m., second and fourth Tuesday, City Council Chamber, 222 W. Hargett St. |
| City Council | Holds the public hearing within 60 days of the recommendation and decides | Council meetings; see agendas and minutes |
| Board of Adjustment | Hears variances, special use permits and appeals of staff decisions | Usually the second Monday of the month; file 60 days ahead |
Send comments to the Planning Commission at Planning.Commission@raleighnc.gov, or speak at the meeting. Presentation files are due by 5 p.m. the Friday before. Meetings stream on RTN 11 and the city’s video site.
What this means for you
- Start every project in the Permit and Development Portal, or call 919-996-2500 first.
- Living in a historic district? Get the Certificate of Appropriateness before the permit.
- Got a rezoning notice in the mail? The neighborhood meeting is the first chance to ask questions.
Outside the city limits, Wake County handles permits; see Wake County Permits and Inspections. More: property taxes and who to call at City Hall.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a permit to build a deck or fence in Raleigh?
Yes. Decks, porches, fences, pools, additions and accessory buildings need a city permit with plans. Apply through the Permit and Development Portal or call the Permit Helpline at 919-996-2500.
Can a homeowner pull their own permit in Raleigh?
Yes. A homeowner acting as their own contractor files the city’s Owner Exemption Affidavit with the residential permit application.
How do I find the zoning of my property in Raleigh?
Use the city’s Find My Zoning page or the official zoning map on Open Data Raleigh. A formal zoning verification letter is requested through the Permit and Development Portal.
When does the Raleigh Planning Commission meet?
It typically meets at 9 a.m. on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month in the City Council Chamber, 222 W. Hargett St.
Where is the Raleigh permit office?
The Planning and Development Customer Service Center is at 1 Exchange Plaza, Suite 400, open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
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