Administrative overview · FIPS 37115
Madison 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
Madison County Inspections Department
For a project in or near Madison 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
828-649-3766
Call before mobilizing if the project has a boundary, occupancy, fire, septic, or utility question.
Permit counter
5707 US 25-70 Highway, Suite 5, Room 19, Marshall, NC 28753
Operating hours
Monday-Friday, 7:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.; closed weekends.
Review expectation
N/A; no standard permit-review timeline was published.
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 Madison County
Who handles permitting for this jurisdiction?
Madison County Inspections Department 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 828-649-3766.
How long might review take?
N/A; no standard permit-review timeline was published.
How are inspections scheduled?
Inspections must be called in by 3:00 p.m. the day before. Spring Creek, Hot Springs, Big Laurel, and Shelton Laurel inspections are performed Tuesdays and Thursdays. Completed forms are emailed to the address listed on the County's Planning Forms page; call 828-649-3766 for questions.
Which codes and exemptions should I review?
North Carolina Building Code adopted by the North Carolina Building Code Council, with Madison County planning, zoning, floodplain, watershed, environmental-health, and town-ordinance requirements as applicable. Specific 2026 code edition: N/A. N/A; Madison County provides residential, commercial, mobile-home, accessory, trade, and miscellaneous permit forms but the reviewed pages do not publish a full minor/cosmetic exemption list. The project checklist requires planning, environmental-health, mapping, and building-inspection review as applicable.