11,287 permits from 1,329 contractors across 16 kinds of work in the City of Wilmington, October 2023 through September 2026: about 3,762 a year. HVAC is the biggest trade with 2,576 permits. The busiest month for filings is October.
Firms are distinct business names on the file. A linked usual filed value opens what that work costs. Finished is the share of permits a year or more old that the city closed out. Days to finish run from issue to the city's completion date, not from application.
| Trade | Permits | Firms | Active last 12 mo | Usual filed value | Finished | Days to finish | Busiest month |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HVAC | 2,576 | 293 | 143 | — | 89.4% | 27 | April |
| New Home | 1,717 | 222 | 118 | $258,519 | 96.2% | 244 | October |
| Electrical | 1,662 | 414 | 191 | $10,000 | 82.6% | 54 | January |
| Plumbing | 967 | 246 | 116 | $20,458 | 82.2% | 78 | October |
| Gas Line | 827 | 149 | 70 | — | 84.3% | 30 | March |
| Generator | 644 | 94 | 17 | — | 84.3% | 35 | July |
| Remodel & Repair | 591 | 259 | 130 | — | 54.2% | 231 | July |
| Pool & Hot Tub | 416 | 66 | 41 | — | 75.1% | 238 | April |
| Addition | 358 | 186 | 99 | — | 74.1% | 235 | April |
| Deck, Porch & Sunroom | 315 | 123 | 53 | — | 20.0% | — | December |
| Foundation & Crawl Space | 301 | 47 | 22 | — | 67.9% | 153 | June |
| Solar | 287 | 20 | 12 | $34,741 | 81.2% | 71 | October |
| EV Charger | 165 | 60 | 14 | $1,200 | 95.3% | 10 | January |
| Demolition | 162 | 72 | 27 | — | 95.4% | 28 | May |
| Windows, Doors & Siding | 155 | 68 | 32 | — | 9.8% | 445 | May |
| Garage, Shed & Outbuilding | 144 | 68 | 26 | — | 96.2% | 167 | November |
The file we publish splits exactly into the last 12 months on file and the 24 months before them, so these are 12-month periods ending September 2026, not calendar years. Per year scales each period to 12 months. Counts cover the 16 kinds of home work we track, not every permit Wilmington, NC issues.
| Period | Months | Permits | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2023–Sep 2025 | 24 | 8,152 | 4,076 |
| Oct 2025–Sep 2026 (last 12 months) | 12 | 3,135 | 3,135 |
Share of filings by month, 100 = an average month (the thin line). The 7 biggest trades (every trade with 500 or more permits), October 2023 through September 2026. A tall bar is a busy month at the permit counter, which usually means a longer wait for a contractor.
2,576 permits · busiest April, quietest November
1,717 permits · busiest October, quietest June
1,662 permits · busiest January, quietest September
967 permits · busiest October, quietest September
827 permits · busiest March, quietest August
644 permits · busiest July, quietest April
591 permits · busiest July, quietest November
| Trade | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HVAC | 93 | 76 | 93 | 140 | 110 | 128 | 130 | 116 | 87 | 79 | 63 | 86 |
| New Home | 73 | 106 | 101 | 72 | 79 | 71 | 92 | 87 | 87 | 175 | 134 | 124 |
| Electrical | 114 | 108 | 103 | 103 | 100 | 87 | 96 | 90 | 83 | 110 | 108 | 98 |
| Plumbing | 118 | 84 | 114 | 109 | 110 | 106 | 87 | 84 | 73 | 120 | 100 | 93 |
| Gas Line | 113 | 103 | 126 | 122 | 106 | 93 | 81 | 71 | 80 | 107 | 91 | 106 |
| Generator | 89 | 76 | 76 | 58 | 138 | 91 | 181 | 116 | 82 | 121 | 114 | 58 |
| Remodel & Repair | 87 | 93 | 110 | 112 | 95 | 89 | 126 | 114 | 106 | 102 | 75 | 91 |
For each trade, the month with the most permit filings and the month with the fewest, October 2023 through September 2026. Trades do not all peak together, so the busy season depends on the job. Busiest is not the same as best: these are counts of filings, not prices or weather, though a quiet month at the permit counter can mean contractors have more room in the schedule.
April: Wilmington, NC HVAC permits peak in April (140 against an average month of 100, about 12% of a year's filings); November is the quietest (63). That is from 2,576 permits, October 2023 through September 2026. If you can choose when to schedule HVAC work, November has the fewest filings; the usual permit then takes 27 days from issue to sign-off. Busiest is not the same as best: this counts filings, not prices or weather, and we have no prices by month. See the HVAC chart →
October: Wilmington, NC new home permits peak in October (175 against an average month of 100, about 15% of a year's filings); June is the quietest (71). That is from 1,717 permits, October 2023 through September 2026. If you can choose when to schedule new home construction, June has the fewest filings; the usual permit then takes 244 days from issue to sign-off. Busiest is not the same as best: this counts filings, not prices or weather, and we have no prices by month. See the new home chart →
January: Wilmington, NC electrical permits peak in January (114 against an average month of 100, about 10% of a year's filings); September is the quietest (83). That is from 1,662 permits, October 2023 through September 2026. If you can choose when to schedule electrical work, September has the fewest filings; the usual permit then takes 54 days from issue to sign-off. Busiest is not the same as best: this counts filings, not prices or weather, and we have no prices by month. See the electrical chart →
October: Wilmington, NC plumbing permits peak in October (120 against an average month of 100, about 10% of a year's filings); September is the quietest (73). That is from 967 permits, October 2023 through September 2026. If you can choose when to schedule plumbing work, September has the fewest filings; the usual permit then takes 78 days from issue to sign-off. Busiest is not the same as best: this counts filings, not prices or weather, and we have no prices by month. See the plumbing chart →
March: Wilmington, NC gas line permits peak in March (126 against an average month of 100, about 11% of a year's filings); August is the quietest (71). That is from 827 permits, October 2023 through September 2026. If you can choose when to schedule gas line work, August has the fewest filings; the usual permit then takes 30 days from issue to sign-off. Busiest is not the same as best: this counts filings, not prices or weather, and we have no prices by month. See the gas line chart →
July: Wilmington, NC generator permits peak in July (181 against an average month of 100, about 15% of a year's filings); April is the quietest (58). That is from 644 permits, October 2023 through September 2026. If you can choose when to schedule generator installation, April has the fewest filings; the usual permit then takes 35 days from issue to sign-off. Busiest is not the same as best: this counts filings, not prices or weather, and we have no prices by month. See the generator chart →
July: Wilmington, NC remodel & repair permits peak in July (126 against an average month of 100, about 10% of a year's filings); November is the quietest (75). That is from 591 permits, October 2023 through September 2026. If you can choose when to schedule a home remodel, November has the fewest filings; the usual permit then takes 231 days from issue to sign-off. Busiest is not the same as best: this counts filings, not prices or weather, and we have no prices by month. See the remodel & repair chart →
April: Wilmington, NC pool & hot tub permits peak in April (136 against an average month of 100, about 11% of a year's filings); February is the quietest (75). That is from 416 permits, October 2023 through September 2026. If you can choose when to schedule a pool build, February has the fewest filings; the usual permit then takes 238 days from issue to sign-off. Busiest is not the same as best: this counts filings, not prices or weather, and we have no prices by month.
April: Wilmington, NC addition permits peak in April (158 against an average month of 100, about 13% of a year's filings); July is the quietest (64). That is from 358 permits, October 2023 through September 2026. If you can choose when to schedule a home addition, July has the fewest filings; the usual permit then takes 235 days from issue to sign-off. Busiest is not the same as best: this counts filings, not prices or weather, and we have no prices by month.
December: Wilmington, NC deck, porch & sunroom permits peak in December (122 against an average month of 100, about 10% of a year's filings); January is the quietest (65). That is from 315 permits, October 2023 through September 2026. If you can choose when to schedule porch and deck work, January has the fewest filings. Busiest is not the same as best: this counts filings, not prices or weather, and we have no prices by month.
June: Wilmington, NC foundation & crawl space permits peak in June (156 against an average month of 100, about 13% of a year's filings); October is the quietest (60). That is from 301 permits, October 2023 through September 2026. If you can choose when to schedule foundation work, October has the fewest filings; the usual permit then takes 153 days from issue to sign-off. Busiest is not the same as best: this counts filings, not prices or weather, and we have no prices by month.
October: Wilmington, NC solar permits peak in October (121 against an average month of 100, about 10% of a year's filings); January is the quietest (54). That is from 287 permits, October 2023 through September 2026. If you can choose when to schedule solar installation, January has the fewest filings; the usual permit then takes 71 days from issue to sign-off. Busiest is not the same as best: this counts filings, not prices or weather, and we have no prices by month.
January: Wilmington, NC EV charger permits peak in January (153 against an average month of 100, about 13% of a year's filings); August is the quietest (58). That is from 165 permits, October 2023 through September 2026. If you can choose when to schedule EV charger installation, August has the fewest filings; the usual permit then takes 10 days from issue to sign-off. Busiest is not the same as best: this counts filings, not prices or weather, and we have no prices by month.
May: Wilmington, NC demolition permits peak in May (156 against an average month of 100, about 13% of a year's filings); June is the quietest (59). That is from 162 permits, October 2023 through September 2026. If you can choose when to schedule demolition, June has the fewest filings; the usual permit then takes 28 days from issue to sign-off. Busiest is not the same as best: this counts filings, not prices or weather, and we have no prices by month.
May: Wilmington, NC windows, doors & siding permits peak in May (163 against an average month of 100, about 14% of a year's filings); January is the quietest (46). That is from 155 permits, October 2023 through September 2026. If you can choose when to schedule window replacement, January has the fewest filings; the usual permit then takes 445 days from issue to sign-off. Busiest is not the same as best: this counts filings, not prices or weather, and we have no prices by month.
November: Wilmington, NC garage, shed & outbuilding permits peak in November (150 against an average month of 100, about 12% of a year's filings); July is the quietest (33). That is from 144 permits, October 2023 through September 2026. If you can choose when to schedule garage construction, July has the fewest filings; the usual permit then takes 167 days from issue to sign-off. Busiest is not the same as best: this counts filings, not prices or weather, and we have no prices by month.
Top 10 by permits pulled in the last 12 months, all trades. This is volume, not quality: a busy firm is not a careful one. Pick what you value on the compare page to build a ranking.
| Contractor | Trades | Last 12 mo | All permits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Airmax Heating and Air Incorporated | HVAC, Electrical, Gas Line | 141 | 482 |
| Pulte Home Company LLC | New Home, Remodel & Repair | 99 | 294 |
| Blaze Heating Cooling Electrical & Plumbing Cape Fear | HVAC, Electrical, Plumbing, Gas Line, Generator, EV Charger | 66 | 114 |
| Groundworks North Carolina LLC T/A Tarheel Basement Systems | Electrical, Remodel & Repair, Foundation & Crawl Space | 62 | 167 |
| New Leaf Builders of NC LLC | New Home, Remodel & Repair, Addition, Garage, Shed & Outbuilding | 55 | 175 |
| ARS Wilmington | HVAC, Gas Line | 55 | 76 |
| Milam Plumbing Inc | HVAC, New Home, Electrical, Plumbing, Gas Line, Generator, EV Charger | 49 | 248 |
| Southeastern Heating Air & Electrical | HVAC, Electrical, Gas Line | 49 | 126 |
| Cape Fear Solar Systems LLC | Solar, EV Charger | 45 | 175 |
| Fulford Heating and Cooling | HVAC, Electrical, Gas Line, Generator | 45 | 109 |
Each permit counted at its property's ZIP code, October 2023 through September 2026, for the 16 kinds of home work we track. All 5 ZIP codes with 100 or more permits; each opens permits by trade and the most active contractors there.
Source: New Hanover County Building Safety permits on homes inside the City of Wilmington (the County issues the City's building permits). The window is October 2023 through September 2026; a permit filed after that isn't here yet.
A filed value is what the contractor wrote on the permit when they applied. It is not a quote and not the final bill.
Counts are permits, not jobs: one job can need several permits, and one permit can cover several visits.
Nobody paid to be on this page and nobody can. How the records work in Wilmington, NC →
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