Where Cary permits live
Building Permits Online is also where inspection results are posted. The open data file is one row per application and follows the BLDS permit standard, so it can be filtered by street.
The Town does not describe a contractor search. In the open data each permit names the contractor (cut at 30 characters), and our compare pages group the file by firm. Questions go to 311 or (919) 469-4000.
How to look up the permits on a Cary address
- Open Building Permits Online from the Town's site.
- Search by street address, or by the permit number from your paperwork.
- Open each permit for its application details, payments and inspections.
- Check that the contractor on a trade permit is the one you hired. Many Cary permits carry the qualifier's state licence number beside the company name.
- For a list of every permit on a street since 2009, filter the open data file.
How to read Cary permit statuses
These are the status labels in the Town's permit data, and how we count them:
| Status in the record | What it means | Finished in our data? |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate of Compliance (CC) | Final inspection passed, certificate issued | Yes |
| Certificate Issued (CO) | Certificate of occupancy issued | Yes |
| Closed (CL) | Permit finaled and closed | Yes |
| Permit Issued (PI) | Work allowed, not yet finaled | Not yet |
| Expired Permit (XP) / Administratively Closed (AC) | Lapsed or closed without a final | No |
Completion rates compare each firm with permits of the same trade issued in the same quarter (Cary about page, methodology).
When the permit you want is not online
The Town's Permits FAQ says building permit records are typically kept for about six years after a project is completed, in line with North Carolina's records schedule. For anything not online, the Reports & Records page points to the Town's Sunshine and Public Records pages; Inspections & Permits is at 316 N. Academy St. (read 23 October 2026).
What our Cary file adds
Building Permits Online answers "what was permitted at this address". We answer "what does this firm's Cary record look like".
| Trade | Permits | Firms | Finished | Usual days to final |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HVAC | 9,909 | 372 | 77.9% | 29 |
| EV chargers | 2,922 | 244 | 95.0% | 17 |
| Remodel | 1,857 | 626 | 88.9% | 84 |
| Water heaters | 1,519 | 117 | 92.9% | 16 |
| Electrical | 1,455 | 279 | 72.7% | 41 |
| New home | 1,087 | 79 | 99.0% | 176 |
2,901 firms pulled the 23,394 permits. "Finished" is the share of permits a year or more old that passed final.
The Cary permit statistics page has the same file by trade, year and month; the firm lists are on the HVAC, remodel and EV charger compare pages. To check the licence behind a name on a permit, use the Cary contractor license lookup; to check whether your job needs a permit at all, see Do I need a permit?.
See every Cary HVAC contractor by finished permits →
What this does not tell you
About 1 in 7 permits, mostly in the Chatham County part of Cary, has no Wake County home value. North Carolina's boards publish no bulk licence list, so licence status is not on our Cary pages. Our file covers October 2023 to September 2026.
How we know this
Portal and records details are quoted from the Town of Cary's Reports & Records and Residential Permits FAQ pages, read 23 October 2026. Statuses are from the Town's Building Permit Applications open data, October 2023 to September 2026.
Numbers come from Town of Cary building permit applications (issued permits only), data through October 16, 2026. Nobody paid to be on this page and nobody can.
Questions
- How do I find out if a permit was pulled on my house in Cary?
Search your street address in the Town's Building Permits Online. The Town says it holds permit applications, payments and inspection information and can be searched by address or permit number.
- Are Cary building permits public record?
Yes. The Town posts them in Building Permits Online and publishes permit data since 2009 on its open data portal. For older files it points to its Sunshine and Public Records pages.
- How far back do Cary permit records go online?
The open data portal holds building permit data since 2009. The Town's FAQ says permit records are typically kept for about six years after a project is completed.
- Can I search Cary permits by contractor?
The Town does not describe a contractor search, but its open data names the contractor on each permit. Our Cary compare pages group the permits by firm.
- How long does a Cary permit take to final?
In our file the usual HVAC permit passed final in 29 days, a water heater in 16 and a remodel in 84.
Build your own list
Every firm with that kind of permit on record. Pick what you value. The list moves.
Related guides
- Cary contractor license lookup: which NC board, where to search, and what the permits show
- Elk Grove contractor license lookup: CSLB classifications, the City's permits and what they show
- Ames building permit search: how to look up permits on an address
- Bellevue building permit search: how to look up permits on an address
- Do I need a permit for an EV charger in Cary, NC? The rule, the inspections and 2,900 charger permits
- Do I need an HVAC permit in Cary, NC? The Town's rule, the inspections and how often permits get finaled
For one city
- Home improvement costs in Cary, NC (2026): what 16 kinds of jobs were filed at
- Do I need a remodel permit in Cary, NC? Kitchens, baths and walls: what the Town exempts, plan review and finish rates
- Hiring an HVAC contractor in Cary, NC: the state heating license, the permit, and what 9,900 HVAC permits show
- Reports & Records — Town of Cary Inspections & Permits (2026-10-23)
- Building Permits Online — Town of Cary (2026-10-23)
- Residential Permits & Inspections FAQ — Town of Cary (2026-10-23)
- Building Permit Applications — Cary, NC Open Data (2026-10-23)