Gaston County Building Inspections handles permits for unincorporated areas and several smaller municipalities that contract with the county. Larger cities like Gastonia maintain their own independent building and planning departments. Applicants must verify jurisdiction based on the specific property address before submitting plans.
The county enforces a specific Watershed Protection Ordinance that requires additional review for development projects located within designated water supply watershed areas.
How this fits with the state
The state authority here is NC Licensing Board for General Contractors. The county file does not replace that — it adds the permit office, local overlays, and the actual filing path.
Source · Gaston County Building InspectionsLast verified · 05 / 2026