Apex permits: 919-249-3418; zoning: 919-249-3426. The town moves all permit applications to its new MyServices portal Nov. 2; no inspections Oct. 29-30.
Last checked Oct. 11, 2026. Facts on this page come from the Town of Apex’s Building Inspections and Permitting and Planning pages. This page is updated when the town changes its process.
Inside the town limits and its extraterritorial jurisdiction, the Town of Apex, not Wake County, issues building permits and decides zoning. Both offices are in the Mason Street Municipal Building, 322 N. Mason St.
Who to call
- Building permits and inspections: 919-249-3418
- Planning and zoning: 919-249-3426, planninginfo@apexnc.org
- Fire code questions: Apex Fire Department, 919-367-4055
- Search permits and inspection results: ePermits public search, no account needed
- Official page: Obtaining a Building Permit
New permit portal: MyServices starts Nov. 2
The town is replacing ePermits, and the first submission step in IDT, with a single portal called MyServices, which goes live Monday, Nov. 2. It moves most development forms online and takes card payments up to $50,000 and e-check up to $200,000. The changeover dates:
| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
| Saturday, Oct. 17 | You can create a MyServices account (nothing else yet) |
| Friday, Oct. 23, 5 p.m. | No new submissions through IDT (GeoCivix) |
| Wednesday, Oct. 28, 5 p.m. | ePermits stops taking permit applications and goes read-only |
| Oct. 29-30 | No building inspections |
| Monday, Nov. 2 | MyServices opens; no late fees for late submittals through Nov. 30 |
IDT stays in use for plan review comments and resubmittals. The steps below describe the current system and will change on Nov. 2.
Do you need a permit?
The town’s inspectors enforce the North Carolina State Building Codes, which cover building, residential, plumbing, mechanical, electrical, fuel gas and energy work. If the job is more than cosmetic, call 919-249-3418 before you start.
How to apply
The town takes most applications online through its IDT Plans portal, according to its permit guide. Fees are paid in the separate ePermits portal.
Through IDT Plans:
- New single-family homes (required)
- Residential additions, alterations and accessory structures, such as decks
- All commercial projects (required)
- Solar installations and commercial EV chargers
Through ePermits:
- Residential single-trade electrical, mechanical and plumbing permits, which a licensed contractor must file
Most residential work uses one form, the one- and two-family permit application, with the checklist for your project type from the town’s forms page. Demolition, driveway and curb cuts, irrigation meters, manufactured homes and retaining walls have their own applications. Projects over $40,000 also need a workers’ compensation affidavit and a certificate of insurance.
To register for IDT, sign up on the IDT site and click the activation link in the email that follows. IDT support is 520-319-0988; the town’s permit desk helps at 919-249-3418.
Solar: when solar panels are the only work, the town waives permit and inspection fees. See the solar page.
Commercial work needs Planning Department approval before a permit is issued. Planning is on the second floor of the Mason Street building.
Fees
The town publishes its charges in the permit fee schedules and the development fee schedule. The Planning Department warns of a scam: fake invoices for development fees, built from public agendas and legal ads. The town does not take fee payments by wire transfer. If an email asks for one, call 919-249-3426 to check.
Inspections
Request inspections and see results in ePermits. Search by address or by the last six digits of the permit number. The town offers remote video inspections for some inspection types under North Carolina Department of Insurance guidance; upload the same documents an in-person inspection would need.
Zoning: find your district
- Interactive Development Map: zoning, active projects and development cases
- Zoning Map (PDF)
- Corporate Limits and Extraterritorial Jurisdiction Map (PDF)
- 2045 Land Use Map (PDF), the town’s long-range plan
The rules are in the town’s Unified Development Ordinance. Outside the town limits and its extraterritorial jurisdiction, the county is in charge: see Wake County Permits and Inspections.
Downtown and the historic district
Downtown Apex and the neighborhoods around it are listed on the National Register of Historic Places; the town calls them one of the best examples of an intact turn-of-the-century railroad town in North Carolina. The Small Town Character Overlay District, created in 2006, surrounds the historic district and sets design standards for new and infill building there (UDO sections 6.3 and 5.1). Residential and nonresidential projects in the overlay use an administrative approval form. Downtown businesses can apply for facade grants. See the town’s historic properties page.
Who decides: the boards and when they meet
| Board | What it does | When it meets |
|---|---|---|
| Planning Board | Volunteer board that reviews land use and development matters; holds some public hearings | Second Monday, 4:30 p.m., Town Hall Council Chamber, 73 Hunter St. Next: Monday, Oct. 12 |
| Board of Adjustment | Decides variances, special use permits and appeals of staff decisions | Third Tuesday, 6 p.m., Town Hall Council Chamber |
| Apex Town Council | The elected board; holds public hearings and votes on development cases | Second and fourth Tuesday at Town Hall; work sessions third Tuesday |
Planning Board agendas are posted by the Wednesday before each meeting. Board of Adjustment hearings are quasi-judicial, and staff cannot give legal advice on them. Meetings stream on the town’s YouTube channel. To get a monthly email listing public hearings, sign up through Stay Notified.
For property values and tax bills, see our Wake County property tax guide.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I get a building permit in Apex?
From the Town of Apex Building Inspections and Permitting division at the Mason Street Municipal Building, 322 N. Mason St., or online through the town’s IDT Plans portal. Call 919-249-3418.
Do I need a permit for a deck in Apex?
Additions, alterations and accessory structures such as decks are permitted through the town’s IDT Plans portal using the one- and two-family permit application and the matching checklist.
How do I find my zoning in Apex?
Use the town’s Interactive Development Map or its zoning map PDF, or call the Planning Department at 919-249-3426.
When does the Apex Planning Board meet?
The second Monday of each month at 4:30 p.m. in the Town Hall Council Chamber, 73 Hunter St. Agendas are posted by the Wednesday before.
What is MyServices in Apex?
MyServices is the Town of Apex’s new portal for all development permits and applications. It goes live Nov. 2, 2026, replacing ePermits; there are no building inspections Oct. 29-30 during the switch.
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