Licensing and permit resources
When a water heater job needs a permit in North Carolina, who issues it, and how to check a plumber’s license.
When is a permit required?
Under N.C. General Statute 160D-1110, replacing a water heater in a one- or two-family home doesn’t need a permit when all of the following are true:
- The work is done by a licensed contractor, who checks it at completion (and, for gas, makes sure the gas piping was leak tested)
- The new heater’s energy input or electrical rating is no higher than the old one
- There’s no change in fuel, location, or capacity, or in how venting and piping are sized and routed
- The installation meets the current North Carolina State Building Code
If any of those don’t apply, for example switching from electric to gas, moving the heater, going to a bigger tank, or installing tankless, the job needs a permit and inspection.
Who issues permits
- Wilmington and unincorporated New Hanover County (including Castle Hayne): New Hanover County Department of Permits & Inspections, 230 Government Center Drive, Suite 170, Wilmington, 910-798-7308. The county issues all building permits inside Wilmington city limits.New Hanover County Permits & Inspections
- Carolina Beach: plumbing, gas, and mechanical permits come from New Hanover County.Carolina Beach building inspections
- Kure Beach: Town Department of Development and Compliance.townofkurebeach.org
- Wrightsville Beach: Town Planning & Inspections Department.townofwrightsvillebeach.com
- Leland: Town of Leland Planning & Inspections.townofleland.com
- Southport: City of Southport Permitting & Inspections, 910-457-7925, inside city limits. The former extraterritorial area goes through Brunswick County Code Administration, 910-253-2021.City of Southport permits
- Hampstead and unincorporated Pender County: Pender County Inspections & Permitting, 910-259-1201, with applications at the Hampstead Annex and in Burgaw.Pender County Inspections
- Burgaw: Town of Burgaw Building Inspections, 103 N Walker St, 910-259-9934.burgawnc.gov
Your plumber normally pulls the permit as part of the job.
Checking a plumber’s license
Plumbing contractors in North Carolina are licensed by theState Board of Examiners of Plumbing, Heating & Fire Sprinkler Contractors. You can ask any contractor for their license number and look it up on the board’s website. Electrical work on electric water heaters falls under a licensed electrical contractor.
Water utilities
- Cape Fear Public Utility Authority (CFPUA) for Wilmington, much of New Hanover County, and Wrightsville Beach
- H2GO (Brunswick Regional Water & Sewer) for Leland
- Town of Carolina Beach and the Town of Kure Beach run their own wells
- Brunswick County Public Utilities for Southport
- Pender County Utilities for much of Hampstead, and the Town of Burgaw for Burgaw
Gas safety
If you smell gas, leave the building right away and call your gas utility or 911 from outside. Don’t use switches, phones, or anything that could make a spark inside.