Administrative overview · FIPS 37067
Forsyth County permit authority
The first compliance decision is jurisdictional: identify the office with statutory authority over your parcel, then use its filing and inspection sequence to keep the project moving.
Jurisdictional status
County
This county profile is the primary starting point for unincorporated-area permitting.
Responsible agency
Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Inspections Division, Planning & Development Services
For a project in or near Forsyth County, this office is the identified point of contact for permit intake, statutory code enforcement, plan review coordination, and inspection release conditions. Confirm the parcel’s boundary and project type before relying on the county lane.
Direct contact
336-727-2624
Call before mobilizing if the project has a boundary, occupancy, fire, septic, or utility question.
Permit counter
Bryce A. Stuart Municipal Building, 100 East First Street, Winston-Salem, NC 27101; mailing address P.O. Box 2511, Winston-Salem, NC 27102
Operating hours
Monday-Friday, 7:45 a.m.-4:45 p.m.; phone calls are not received after 4:43 p.m.; walk-in hours Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, 9:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. The permit office is closed the first Wednesday of each month during its published morning closure.
Review expectation
N/A; no standard building-permit review timeline is published. Permit applications and plans are submitted electronically, while the inspection office handles status, fees, and scheduling through the applicable portal and customer-service channels.
Compliance workbench
Choose the next project decision.
Apply online
Open the verified digital gateway, application form, and review timeline.
Open guide →Fees & penalties
Understand fee schedules, enforcement exposure, and stop-work liabilities.
Open guide →Codes & exemptions
Read the code framework, minor-work exemptions, and inspection lane.
Open guide →Agency website
Visit the primary public source for current notices and contact changes.
Open guide →Source trail
Official sources for this profile
Use these direct agency or licensing links to confirm current instructions before you file, pay, or schedule work. External pages control if their information differs from this directory.
Project questions
Frequently asked questions for Forsyth County
Who handles permitting for this jurisdiction?
Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Inspections Division, Planning & Development Services is the identified county-level authority for this profile. Confirm that the property is in its service area before filing.
How should I begin an application?
Begin with the online permit gateway listed in the application guide. If the portal does not recognize the address or project type, contact 336-727-2624.
How long might review take?
N/A; no standard building-permit review timeline is published. Permit applications and plans are submitted electronically, while the inspection office handles status, fees, and scheduling through the applicable portal and customer-service channels.
How are inspections scheduled?
Use BuildIT for trade-permit inspections and inspection status; general contractors may schedule inspections but must purchase building permits through the office. Contact the Inspections Division at 336-727-2624 or askinspect@cityofws.org. The current fee schedule applies extra-trip charges after a failed inspection, and the permit card, approved plans, and visible job-site address must be maintained for inspections.
Which codes and exemptions should I review?
The Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Inspections Division permits and inspects building, electrical, plumbing, and heating construction within the City of Winston-Salem and Forsyth County, excluding the Town of Kernersville. It enforces the North Carolina State Building Code and local Unified Development Ordinances; the Division identifies a local amendment to 2018 International Plumbing Code sections 202, 604.3, 1304, and Appendix E effective January 1, 2024. N/A for a consolidated minor or cosmetic building-permit exemption list. The Division states that roofs or re-roofing, house wrap, sheathing, and temporary construction power poles may not require separate inspections, but those inspection policies are not a blanket exemption from an otherwise-required permit. Farm-use and owner-builder questions should be confirmed with the Permit Office before work begins.