Winston-Salem permits go through the City-County Inspections Division online. Planning Board meets monthly; zoning appeals first Thursdays. Call 336-727-2624.

Last checked Oct. 11, 2026. Facts on this page come from the City of Winston-Salem’s Inspections Division and Planning and Development Services pages.

Building permits and zoning in Winston-Salem are handled by one City-County department, Planning and Development Services. Its Inspections Division reviews plans, issues permits and inspects work across Forsyth County, except inside High Point, Kernersville and King, according to the Inspections Division page. It also enforces the zoning rules of Winston-Salem, Forsyth County, Clemmons, Lewisville and Walkertown.

Who to call

  • Permits and inspections: Inspections Division, 336-727-2624, askinspect@cityofws.org
  • Zoning, rezoning and subdivisions: Planning and Development Services, 336-747-7040, planning@cityofws.org
  • Septic approval for a lot not on city sewer: Forsyth County Department of Public Health, 336-703-3225
  • General city questions: CityLink, 311 or 336-727-8000

Where to go

The Inspections Division is in the Bryce A. Stuart Municipal Building, 100 E. First St. Office hours are 7:45 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. Monday through Friday. Walk-in hours on the first floor are 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday. The permit office is closed from 8 to 10 a.m. on the first Tuesday of every month. Every permit must be applied for online, even if you visit in person.

The city warns of fake invoices sent in the name of the city and Forsyth County. Permit fees are paid inside the city’s online systems; the city does not mail invoices for permits or plan review. If in doubt, call 336-727-2624.

How to apply

What a typical home application needs, from the city’s checklists:

  • A scaled site plan or survey with property lines, every structure and the new work’s footprint, with setbacks marked.
  • Construction plans and the heated and total square footage for a new house or an addition.
  • A workers’ compensation coverage affidavit, signed by whoever is listed as the contractor. A homeowner acting as contractor signs it as the property owner.
  • A lien agent from LiensNC when the property is not owner-occupied and the job is $30,000 or more.
  • Forsyth County health department approval if the lot uses a septic tank.
  • An energy efficiency certificate for a new single-family home.

Zoning and how to look it up

Winston-Salem and Forsyth County share one rulebook, the Unified Development Ordinances, which holds the zoning, environmental and subdivision rules. Look up a parcel’s zoning on the Planning and Development Viewer, updated weekly, or the other maps on the city’s maps page. The long-range plan is Forward 2045, the comprehensive plan for the city and county.

Who decides

Body What it does When it meets
City-County Planning Board Holds public hearings on rezonings and ordinance changes and recommends; decides subdivisions 4:30 p.m., monthly, usually the second Thursday
Winston-Salem City Council Final vote on rezonings inside the city’s zoning jurisdiction See the city’s Agenda Center
Winston-Salem Zoning Board of Adjustment Variances, special use permits and appeals 2 p.m. first Thursday, except July

The City-County Planning Board, created by the General Assembly in 1948, is the oldest consolidated city-county agency in North Carolina, according to the city’s Planning Board page. Its nine members are appointed jointly by the City Council and the Forsyth County Board of Commissioners. In 2026 it met Aug. 13, Sept. 10 and Oct. 8, according to the Agenda Center. Supporters and opponents of a rezoning each get up to 12 minutes in total, and there are no rebuttals. Current cases are on the Planning Board items map, and hearings are televised on WSTV.

The Zoning Board of Adjustment meets at 2 p.m. on the first Thursday of each month, except July, in the Arnold G. King Public Meeting Room, Suite 530, on the fifth floor of the Bryce A. Stuart Municipal Building, according to the board’s page. Its hearings work like court proceedings: do not contact board members about a case; speak at the hearing.

Historic districts

Exterior changes in a local historic district or to a local historic landmark need a certificate of appropriateness from the Historic Resources Commission before work starts. See the city’s certificates of appropriateness page.

What this means for you

  • Apply online for every permit; GeoCivix for plans, BuildIT for inspections.
  • Never pay a mailed “invoice” for a permit.
  • A rezoning gets a Planning Board hearing first, then a City Council vote.
  • In a historic district, get a certificate of appropriateness before you build.

More: property taxes and who to call at City Hall.

Frequently asked questions

How do I get a building permit in Winston-Salem?

Apply online. Single-family permits for new homes, additions, alterations, accessory buildings and pools go through the GeoCivix plan review portal; trade permits and inspections run through BuildIT. Questions: 336-727-2624.

Where is the Winston-Salem permit office?

The City-County Inspections Division is on the first floor of the Bryce A. Stuart Municipal Building, 100 E. First St. Walk-in hours are 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday, but every permit must still be applied for electronically.

When does the Winston-Salem Planning Board meet?

The City-County Planning Board holds a public meeting at 4:30 p.m. once a month, usually the second Thursday. In 2026 it met Aug. 13, Sept. 10 and Oct. 8.

Who decides a rezoning in Winston-Salem?

The City-County Planning Board holds the hearing and makes a recommendation. The Winston-Salem City Council makes the final decision for property inside the city’s zoning jurisdiction.

How do I find the zoning of my property in Winston-Salem?

Look it up on the city and county’s Planning and Development Viewer map, hosted by MapForsyth, or call Planning and Development Services at 336-747-7040.