How to Apply for Buncombe County Building Permits Quickly Online

When the time comes to build or renovate in Buncombe County, NC, one of the very first steps you will have to take is to apply for . While for most of us this is a bit less exciting than rolling up our sleeves and literally doing the work, it's nevertheless a vital part of the process.

When researching how to get a building permit, your internet searches are likely to churn up pages and pages of content. Rather than spending your time combing through all of them, allow us here at DoNotPay to guide you through the process quickly and easily.

The next thing you know, you'll have your permits in hand, and it will be time to commence with your project.

When Is a Building Permit Necessary in Buncombe County?

When it comes to whether you need a building permit for your next project, Buncombe County actually gives residents a bit of leeway.

When Permits Are Not Needed

Buncombe County residents will not need to acquire building permits in the following situations:

Non-structural work that costs less than $15,000 in any single-family residence.
Work on farm buildings outside the jurisdiction of any municipality.
Construction of or alteration to any residential accessory structures where no dimension exceeds 12 feet.
Replacing windows, doors, and exterior siding in residential structures.
Replacing pickets, railings, stair treads, and decking of residential porches and exterior decks.

If your project falls within these parameters, there will be no need for you to seek a building permit before getting started.

When Permits Are Required

Except for the projects listed above, all other new construction, alterations, demolitions, or change-of-use plans would require you to seek a building permit from the county.

That would include work on any or all of the following structures:

Residential Accessory Buildings
Commercial Buildings
Single-Family Homes
Manufactured Homes
Modular Homes
Moved Houses
Day Cares
Log Homes
Duplexes

Adding a deck to any of the above would also require a permit.

How to Get a Building Permit in Buncombe County

When it comes to the building permit application process in Buncombe County, the county makes it sound as if you only have one option: you or a certified agent representing you may apply in person at the Permits and Inspections Department on Valley Street in Asheville. Though the office hours are stated as 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, Monday through Friday, in reality, no permit applications can be processed after 4:00 pm.

Due to the narrow window of time available, this leaves some people in a lurch.

What if you work a full-time job? What if you take care of small children at home? What if you do not have consistent transportation or face mobility and accessibility challenges? How then will you submit your application?

We're happy to say that thanks to DoNotPay, there's another way.

How to Apply for Buncombe County Building Permits With DoNotPay

If showing up in person at the Buncombe County offices isn't your first choice of how to spend your time, we have good news. There's a much easier way.

If you want to apply for but don't know where to start, DoNotPay has you covered in 6 easy steps:

Go to the Planning Permissions product on DoNotPay.
Choose one of the following options:

Check whether your project needs a building permit or if it's exempt
Generate a permission request letter to send to your HOA
Generate a guide on how to complete the building permit application

Choose the focus of your project (new ADU, pool, shed, fence, etc.) and answer a few questions about your plans, including the size of the structure and estimated cost.
Indicate whether you're hiring a contractor and include the estimated start date and timeline for the project.
Indicate whether any public sidewalk/street space will be used during construction.
And that's it! DoNotPay will help guide you through the building permit process by checking if your project needs a building permit, contacting any HOAs you're a part of to request building permission, or generating detailed instructions on how to start and complete your building permit application process.

As fast and easy as that, you can submit your application for building permits in Buncombe County.

All that's left to do is sit back and wait for your approval to come through.

DoNotPay Has What You Need

DoNotPay does more than just help Buncombe County residents apply for building permits. They also help people all over the country with similar tasks. People just like you.

In addition, DoNotPay has a wide range of services to help you with many daily tasks, large and small. From notarizing documents to reducing your property taxes, DoNotPay can help streamline the process. Come check out all we have to offer.