Do I need a permit to build a new home in Cary, NC? Review time, the three fee parts, the owner rule and the CO

What the Town requires

From the Town's Residential Permits & Inspections FAQ (read 26 October 2026):

The Town's Residential Inspections Information page adds that "A permit is active for six months without any activity, or one year after the last inspection", and that restarting an expired project means a new permit "with the fees doubled."

Who can build it

A licensed general contractor. North Carolina's general contractor law applies when "the cost of the undertaking is forty thousand dollars ($40,000) or more", and the license limitation caps the job: Limited up to $750,000, Intermediate up to $1,500,000, Unlimited without restriction (G.S. 87-1 and 87-10). At Cary's usual $359,500 a Limited license covers most houses; the upper end of Cary builders' usual jobs, $984,847, needs Intermediate. Check the limitation on the NCLBGC search; the electrician and plumbing and HVAC contractors are checked on their own boards, all in the Cary contractor license lookup.

You, as owner. The Town says "an owner of the property can do their own building, electrical, plumbing, and mechanical work", and "State law requires that the property be the owner's primary residence for at least 12 months after completion of the work." If you may sell or rent within a year, use a licensed builder.

What it costs

The Town's FAQ says "For most new construction permits, there are three main components": building permit fees, which "are figured based on square footage"; utility connection and water and sewer development fees, "based on the anticipated use of water and sewer services"; and transportation fees. The Town's Fees page says the rates are in its Proposed Annual Operating Budget 2026: building permit fees on pages 212 to 213, 216 to 218 and 229, utility connection fees on 225 to 226, development fees on 226 to 229, and transportation and development impact fees on page 231. The FAQ also mentions a Fees Estimation Guide; ask for an estimate on your square footage before closing on a lot.

How to apply and get inspected

1. Apply on the Town's electronic plan review site with the full plan set, plot plan and every contractor's license number.
2. Plan review, usually one to two weeks; pick up the permit when contacted.
3. Inspections through Building Permits Online, which also shows the results.
4. Final and CO. After the approved final building inspection, the certificate of occupancy usually follows within one to two business days.

What 1,087 Cary new home permits show

Cary new homes are two markets. Production builders dominate: M/I Homes of Raleigh, LLC filed 62 in the last 12 months, and five builders hold 67.8% of permits. The rest is a long tail: 36 builders filed one Cary house in three years, and builders' usual houses range from $333,408 to $984,847. Almost everything reaches final (99.0%), so in Cary the useful comparison is speed and price, not completion. Prices by home value: Cary new home cost; national: new home construction cost.

Compare every Cary home builder by permits and usual price →

Related

Rules elsewhere: do I need a permit to build a house. Choosing one: hiring a home builder. Past permits on a lot: Cary building permit search. Counts by year: Cary permit statistics.

What this does not tell you

Filed value is the builder's construction figure and leaves out the lot. The Town publishes fee rates inside its budget document, not as a standalone schedule, so we give the fee structure, not amounts. Our file does not match NC licenses.