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Permitting Authorities / Cabarrus County - Construction Standards Division

Do you need a permit to replace a roof in Cabarrus County, NC?

Adopted code

Cabarrus County - Construction Standards Division

The building permit and inspection office for Cabarrus County, North Carolina. The County states that its Construction Standards Division "provides building inspections and permitting services for all areas within Cabarrus County" and "executes uniform enforcement of the NC State Building Code and local ordinances." Besides the unincorporated county, the County Code names Concord, Harrisburg, Kannapolis, Midland and Mt. Pleasant as subject to the County's permits, fees and inspection. The City of Concord states that construction applications are reviewed by the City for zoning and by Cabarrus County for building. The City of Kannapolis's residential zoning permit packet (revised February 2020) states that all development within the Kannapolis city limits, including the part of the city in Rowan County, is reviewed by Cabarrus County, while the Kannapolis extraterritorial jurisdiction in Rowan County is reviewed by Rowan County.

Roof code checklist: Cabarrus County, NC

ItemAnswerCode citeSourceVerified
Permit to replace a roofNot published
Repair permit thresholdPublishedcabarrus-county-nc-code-of-ordina...2026-09-26
Layer limit / roof-overPublishedR908.3ncosfm.gov2026-09-26
Deck & sheathingPublishedncosfm.gov2026-09-26
Drip edgeNot published
Ice & water shieldNot published
Mid-roof inspectionNot published
Impact-resistant (Class 4) roofingNoncosfm.gov2026-09-26
Wind design criteriaNot published
Adopted codePublishedncosfm.gov2026-09-26
Contractor license / registrationNot published
Sales & use taxPublishedncdor.gov2026-09-26

Each row comes from the sourced record on this page; full wording is in the table below. "Not published" means no official source for that item was found when the record was last verified.

Jurisdiction
Cabarrus County, North Carolina
Jurisdiction type
county
Address
65 Church Street South, Concord, NC 28025
Contact
  • url: https://www.cabarruscounty.us/Government/Departments/Construction-Standards
  • phone: 704-920-2128
  • email: [email protected]
Permit portal
Permit portal
Registration details
  • state_level: North Carolina's general contractor licence reaches a job "where the cost of the undertaking is forty thousand dollars ($40,000) or more" (G.S. 87-1(a)). G.S. 87-1(b)(2) states that the section does not apply to a person who "constructs or alters a building on land owned by that person" where "the building is intended solely for occupancy by that person and his family" and the person complies with G.S. 87-14. Whether a given reroof reaches the $40,000 line depends on its price.
  • county_level: Cabarrus County issues no contractor licence or registration of its own for roofing. Its permit applications ask for the contractor's state licence number. For building work by a contractor not licensed by the North Carolina Licensing Board for General Contractors, the County uses an Application for Non-Licensed NC General Contractors, notarized by both the property owner and the contractor, on which the owner states that "the total cost for all materials, labor, and services for all building, electrical, mechanical, and plumbing work to complete the proposed project will not exceed $39,999.99", with "The signed contract between the homeowner or commercial property owner with itemized cost" attached.
Permit process note
Two published texts answer differently for a single-family reroof costing more than $5,000 and no more than $40,000, and Cabarrus County publishes no statement of which one it applies; ask the department before starting work. Cabarrus County Code Sec. 14-26(c), as published by the County, exempts single-family work "costing $5,000.00 or less" unless it involves "the addition, repair, or replacement of load-bearing structures" or "the addition, excluding replacement of like grade of fire resistance, of roofing"; above that figure Sec. 14-26(a) makes it unlawful to "repair, remodel ... any structure or building within the county without first having secured a permit for the proposed work." North Carolina law sets the line at $40,000: G.S. 160D-1110(c) exempts work "costing forty thousand dollars ($40,000) or less and performed in accordance with the current edition of the North Carolina State Building Code in any single-family residence" unless it involves "The addition, repair, or replacement of load-bearing structures", "The use of materials not permitted by the North Carolina State Building Code" or "The addition of roofing, excluding replacement", and the state's residential code adds (R908.3): "Replacement of up to 15% of the total roof deck shall not be considered structural work." G.S. 143-138(b5) provides: "No permit shall be required under the Code or any local variance thereof approved under subsection (e) for any construction, installation, repair, replacement, or alteration performed in accordance with the current edition of the North Carolina State Building Code and costing forty thousand dollars ($40,000) or less in any single family residence". This record does not decide between the two texts. What is at stake if a permit was required and not obtained: Sec. 14-26(b) states "A fee equal to two times the permit fee will be assessed for a violation of this section." The County publishes no residential reroofing permit type: its online services list residential building permits for an accessory, addition, demolition, and upfit or remodel, and none of its forms or pages states whether a reroof needs a permit. Residential work is applied for on its Residential Building Permit Application or Single Trade Application, submitted through Accela Citizen Access or to [email protected] (704-920-2128). Every roof must still be built to the 2018 North Carolina Residential Code whether or not a permit is pulled.
Inspection requirements
Cabarrus County Code Sec. 14-32(b): "As the work pursuant to a permit progresses, local codes enforcement officers shall make as many inspections of the work as may be necessary to satisfy them that it is being done according to the provision of the applicable state and local laws and local ordinances and regulations and the terms of the permit." Sec. 14-32(d): "At the conclusion of all work done under a permit, the appropriate codes enforcement officer shall make a final inspection." Inspections are requested through Accela Citizen Access or by text message (SelecTXT); the County states that "disapproved inspections may incur penalty fees as determined by Cabarrus County Building Inspectors."
Adopted code
The 2018 North Carolina Residential Code (based on the 2015 International Residential Code) is the edition in force, with the state's approved amendments; the 2024 edition has been adopted but has no effective date. North Carolina's building code applies statewide. The County states that its Construction Standards Division "executes uniform enforcement of the NC State Building Code and local ordinances", and its Residential Permit Application Requirements for new homes (updated November 2025) refer applicants to the "2018 NORTH CAROLINA STATE BUILDING CODE: ADMINISTRATIVE CODE AND POLICIES". The County's own building ordinance, Chapter 14, Article II of the Cabarrus County Code (Secs. 14-26 to 14-34), is administrative: it sets permit, plan, fee and inspection rules, adopts the North Carolina Rehabilitation Code and Appendix G of the 2002 International Residential Code by reference, and contains no roofing provision of its own. On drip edge the state code reads (R905.2.8.5): "Drip Edge. Deleted. Not required unless required by the roof covering manufacturer installation instructions."
Impact-resistant roofing
Not required — Neither the state's approved amendments to the 2018 North Carolina Residential Code (adopted December 2017 through December 2024) nor Cabarrus County's building ordinance (County Code Chapter 14, Article II, Permits and Inspections) contains a UL 2218 or Class 4 impact requirement for roof coverings.
Repair permit threshold
Two published texts draw the permit line at different dollar figures, and Cabarrus County publishes no statement of which one it applies to a residential reroof. North Carolina General Statute 160D-1110(c): "No permit issued under Article 9 of Chapter 143 of the General Statutes is required for any construction, installation, repair, replacement, or alteration costing forty thousand dollars ($40,000) or less and performed in accordance with the current edition of the North Carolina State Building Code in any single-family residence, farm building, or commercial building unless the work involves any of the following: (1) The addition, repair, or replacement of load-bearing structures. ... (4) The use of materials not permitted by the North Carolina State Building Code. (5) The addition of roofing, excluding replacement." The 2018 North Carolina Residential Code, Section R908.3 as amended by the state: "Roof replacement shall include the removal of existing layers of roof coverings down to the roof deck and replacement of up to 15% of the total existing roof deck. Replacement of up to 15% of the total roof deck shall not be considered structural work." Cabarrus County Code Sec. 14-26, as the County publishes it (last amended by Ord. No. 2021-32, December 20, 2021), sets the same exemption at a lower figure: "(c) A permit is not required for any construction, installation, repair, replacement, or alteration costing $5,000.00 or less in any single-family residence or farm building unless the work involves: the addition, repair, or replacement of load-bearing structures; ... the use of materials not permitted by the International Building Code (including North Carolina amendments); or the addition, excluding replacement of like grade of fire resistance, of roofing." Its general rule is Sec. 14-26(a): "It shall be unlawful for any person to build, construct, repair, remodel, insulate, add to, move, or demolish any structure or building within the county without first having secured a permit for the proposed work." So a single-family roof replacement costing $5,000 or less that replaces no more than 15% of the deck is outside a permit under both texts; one costing more than $5,000 and up to $40,000 is outside a permit under the statute but inside Sec. 14-26 as published. Any job over $40,000, any job replacing more than 15% of the deck or other load-bearing framing, and any job that adds roofing rather than replacing it needs a permit under both. The statutory exemption is written for single-family residences, so a duplex is not within it. The $40,000 figure applies to permit applications from October 1, 2023. For a single-family reroof costing more than $5,000 and no more than $40,000, ask Cabarrus County Construction Standards (704-920-2128, [email protected]) whether it will require a permit before starting work.
Roof layer limit / recover
Cabarrus County publishes no local layer limit; its building ordinance (Cabarrus County Code Chapter 14, Article II) contains no roofing provision, and the County enforces the 2018 North Carolina Residential Code, which the state has amended at its reroofing section. The state's amended text (R908.3): "Roof replacement shall include the removal of existing layers of roof coverings down to the roof deck and replacement of up to 15% of the total existing roof deck. Replacement of up to 15% of the total roof deck shall not be considered structural work." That sentence defines what a full replacement includes; for whether a new covering may be laid over an existing one, read the recover provisions of Section R908 of the 2018 North Carolina Residential Code itself.
Deck & sheathing requirements
Cabarrus County publishes no local roof deck or sheathing rule; its building ordinance (Cabarrus County Code Chapter 14, Article II) contains none, and the 2018 North Carolina Residential Code applies. The one state rule written for deck work during a reroof is R908.3: "Roof replacement shall include the removal of existing layers of roof coverings down to the roof deck and replacement of up to 15% of the total existing roof deck. Replacement of up to 15% of the total roof deck shall not be considered structural work." Replacing more than 15% of the deck is structural work, which takes the job outside the state's permit exemption. The state's approved residential code amendments adopted from December 2017 through December 2024 make no other change to the roof sheathing provisions.
Sales & use tax
7% in Cabarrus County (the 4.75% state rate plus 2.25% local tax), per the North Carolina Department of Revenue's current sales and use tax rates table, read September 26, 2026. How it applies to roofing depends on the job. NCDOR's taxability chart lists "Complete replacement of roofing systems" as a capital improvement: the roofer is the consumer of the materials, pays sales or use tax on them when bought, and does not charge sales tax to the homeowner (NCDOR: "The real property contractor is the consumer of the item that the real property contractor purchases, installs, or applies for others to fulfill a real property contract"). The same chart lists "Repair, maintain, or partially replace all types of roofing systems" as taxable: a repair, maintenance and installation service on which the 7% combined rate is charged to the customer. NCDOR states that the substantiation requirements of G.S. 105-164.4H(a1) must be met for an item listed as a capital improvement to qualify as one.

More roof permit pages in North Carolina

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Hail reports near the center of Cabarrus County, NC

Reports, last 24 months
2
Largest, last 24 months
0.75 in May 13, 2025
Most recent
May 13, 2025 0.75 in
Reports, last 5 years
9
5 most recent reports, last 5 years
DateHail sizeDistance
May 13, 20250.75 in8 mi NNW
May 8, 20250.75 in10 mi N
Jul 16, 20241.00 in8 mi NNE
Jun 4, 20241.00 in7 mi E
Jun 26, 20231.50 in7 mi W

Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather database and daily storm reports (reports since the start of the current year are preliminary), within 10 miles of the center of Cabarrus County, NC. Data through Sep 30, 2026. A report is an observation, not a damage record.

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Sources

Roofing questions: Cabarrus County, NC

When does a roof repair need a permit in Cabarrus County, NC?

Two published texts draw the permit line at different dollar figures, and Cabarrus County publishes no statement of which one it applies to a residential reroof. North Carolina General Statute 160D-1110(c): "No permit issued under Article 9 of Chapter 143 of the General Statutes is required for any construction, installation, repair, replacement, or alteration costing forty thousand dollars ($40,000) or less and performed in accordance with the current edition of the North Carolina State Building Code in any single-family residence, farm building, or commercial building unless the work involves any of the following: (1) The addition, repair, or replacement of load-bearing structures. ... (4) The use of materials not permitted by the North Carolina State Building Code. (5) The addition of roofing, excluding replacement." The 2018 North Carolina Residential Code, Section R908.3 as amended by the state: "Roof replacement shall include the removal of existing layers of roof coverings down to the roof deck and replacement of up to 15% of the total existing roof deck. Replacement of up to 15% of the total roof deck shall not be considered structural work." Cabarrus County Code Sec. 14-26, as the County publishes it (last amended by Ord. No. 2021-32, December 20, 2021), sets the same exemption at a lower figure: "(c) A permit is not required for any construction, installation, repair, replacement, or alteration costing $5,000.00 or less in any single-family residence or farm building unless the work involves: the addition, repair, or replacement of load-bearing structures; ... the use of materials not permitted by the International Building Code (including North Carolina amendments); or the addition, excluding replacement of like grade of fire resistance, of roofing." Its general rule is Sec. 14-26(a): "It shall be unlawful for any person to build, construct, repair, remodel, insulate, add to, move, or demolish any structure or building within the county without first having secured a permit for the proposed work." So a single-family roof replacement costing $5,000 or less that replaces no more than 15% of the deck is outside a permit under both texts; one costing more than $5,000 and up to $40,000 is outside a permit under the statute but inside Sec. 14-26 as published. Any job over $40,000, any job replacing more than 15% of the deck or other load-bearing framing, and any job that adds roofing rather than replacing it needs a permit under both. The statutory exemption is written for single-family residences, so a duplex is not within it. The $40,000 figure applies to permit applications from October 1, 2023. For a single-family reroof costing more than $5,000 and no more than $40,000, ask Cabarrus County Construction Standards (704-920-2128, [email protected]) whether it will require a permit before starting work.

Can you roof over an existing roof in Cabarrus County, NC?

Cabarrus County publishes no local layer limit; its building ordinance (Cabarrus County Code Chapter 14, Article II) contains no roofing provision, and the County enforces the 2018 North Carolina Residential Code, which the state has amended at its reroofing section. The state's amended text (R908.3): "Roof replacement shall include the removal of existing layers of roof coverings down to the roof deck and replacement of up to 15% of the total existing roof deck. Replacement of up to 15% of the total roof deck shall not be considered structural work." That sentence defines what a full replacement includes; for whether a new covering may be laid over an existing one, read the recover provisions of Section R908 of the 2018 North Carolina Residential Code itself.

What building code does Cabarrus County, NC use?

The 2018 North Carolina Residential Code (based on the 2015 International Residential Code) is the edition in force, with the state's approved amendments; the 2024 edition has been adopted but has no effective date. North Carolina's building code applies statewide. The County states that its Construction Standards Division "executes uniform enforcement of the NC State Building Code and local ordinances", and its Residential Permit Application Requirements for new homes (updated November 2025) refer applicants to the "2018 NORTH CAROLINA STATE BUILDING CODE: ADMINISTRATIVE CODE AND POLICIES". The County's own building ordinance, Chapter 14, Article II of the Cabarrus County Code (Secs. 14-26 to 14-34), is administrative: it sets permit, plan, fee and inspection rules, adopts the North Carolina Rehabilitation Code and Appendix G of the 2002 International Residential Code by reference, and contains no roofing provision of its own. On drip edge the state code reads (R905.2.8.5): "Drip Edge. Deleted. Not required unless required by the roof covering manufacturer installation instructions."