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Permits and zoning · Buncombe County, NC

Do I need a permit to put a mobile home on my land in Buncombe County?

Yes. In North Carolina a manufactured home is set under a setup permit from the local inspections office, and the lot needs zoning sign-off before that. Buncombe County publishes "Manufactured Home Permit Application" on the county's own website — read it before you call, and bring it when you apply.

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Short answer: In Buncombe County the permits, in order, are: Zoning, Well/Septic & Building - Storm water if over an acre of cumulative ground disturbance (MMHG field research, 2026-09-03). One thing the county cannot do: refuse manufactured homes everywhere in its jurisdiction, or refuse them because of the home's age. State law forbids both. It can limit them to certain districts and set conditions — and that distinction is the whole question.

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Manufactured Home Land Check

Buying land in Buncombe County for a mobile home? The Land Check reads Buncombe County's own permit rules for the one parcel you give us, and says where each answer came from and when.

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What is true in North Carolina

G.S. 160D-910(c): "A local government may not adopt or enforce zoning regulations or other provisions that have the effect of excluding manufactured homes from the entire zoning jurisdiction or that exclude manufactured homes based on the age of the home."
NC General Statutes, G.S. 160D-910(c) · checked 2026-09-04
G.S. 160D-910(d): "A local government may adopt and enforce appearance and dimensional criteria for manufactured homes." — so a county can say where and how, not whether.
NC General Statutes, G.S. 160D-910(d) · checked 2026-09-04
Manufactured home setup and installation in North Carolina is regulated by the Office of State Fire Marshal, Manufactured Building Division; the permit and inspections come from the local inspections office.
NC Office of State Fire Marshal, Manufactured Building · checked 2026-08-28
Buncombe County publishes its own manufactured home requirements: "Manufactured Home Permit Application".
Buncombe County: Manufactured Home Permit Application · checked 2026-09-03

What to check first

Start with the exact property, quote, record, or job detail behind your question. Mark what is confirmed, what still needs a current source, and who must answer it. Use the checklist to keep the next call, document, or decision clear.

Zoning sign-off comes first: the Buncombe County planning office confirms the district allows a manufactured home on that lot and what conditions apply.

The setup permit is for the home itself — piers, anchoring, connections and the inspections that follow — and it is issued by the local inspections office.

If the lot is not on public sewer, the septic permit from environmental health comes before the home is set.

Step 1

Read Buncombe County's own page (linked below) and note which office issues each permit.

Step 2

Call the planning office with the parcel number and ask two things: is a manufactured home allowed in this district, and what conditions apply.

Step 3

Line up septic or sewer, then the setup permit, then the inspections — and keep every approval in writing.

Details to Sort

The checks that usually matter before you commit money.

Can Buncombe County say no to mobile homes altogether?

No. Under G.S. 160D-910(c) no North Carolina local government may adopt or enforce rules that exclude manufactured homes from its entire zoning jurisdiction, or exclude them because of the home's age. What Buncombe County can do is decide where they go — by zoning district — and set appearance and dimensional conditions under 160D-910(d). So the answer to "can I put a mobile home here" is never "the county bans them"; it is "which districts, and on what conditions." Checked against the statute on 2026-09-04.

Which Buncombe County office do I call?

Start with planning and zoning for the district and the setbacks, environmental health for well and septic, and the inspections department for the setup permit and the inspection list. Buncombe County publishes "Manufactured Home Permit Application" on the county's own website — read it before you call, and bring it when you apply. County requirements can vary, and homeowners should confirm current requirements with the local planning, zoning, building, and environmental health offices.

Manufactured Home Land Check

This page answers the question for Buncombe County in general. A Land Check answers it for your parcel: zoning district, wastewater, access and the permits in order.

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Common questions

Can Buncombe County ban mobile homes?

No. State law (G.S. 160D-910(c), checked 2026-09-04) forbids any North Carolina local government from excluding manufactured homes from its whole jurisdiction or by the home's age. The county can restrict them to certain zoning districts and set appearance and size conditions.

Are singlewide homes allowed in Buncombe County?

YES - SW are prohibited in R-1, R-2 and BDM districts - SW are permitted by right in R-LD, R-3, EMP, OU. (MMHG field research in Buncombe County, 2026-09-03. Confirm with the county before you rely on it; rules change.)

Is there a minimum width for the home?

HUD standards. (MMHG field research in Buncombe County, 2026-09-03. Confirm with the county before you rely on it; rules change.)

Is a minimum roof pitch required?

3/12. (MMHG field research in Buncombe County, 2026-09-03. Confirm with the county before you rely on it; rules change.)

What are the zoning setbacks in Buncombe County?

If not located in a park, you must follow the required setbacks for the specific zoning district the property is located in. (MMHG field research in Buncombe County, 2026-09-03. Confirm with the county before you rely on it; rules change.)

Are the setbacks different in a mobile home park?

20' from any other home; 15' from park boundary, 10' from interior street for the park. (MMHG field research in Buncombe County, 2026-09-03. Confirm with the county before you rely on it; rules change.)

Are poured footers required in Buncombe County?

No. (MMHG field research in Buncombe County, 2026-09-03. Confirm with the county before you rely on it; rules change.)

Is there a drainage rule beyond the state's?

The grade must drop at least 6 inches within the first 10 feet of the wall. If the property is located within Buncombe County's Steep Slope Overlay District (slopes 35% or greater), additional specialized engineering constraints will apply. (MMHG field research in Buncombe County, 2026-09-03. Confirm with the county before you rely on it; rules change.)

Is masonry or brick skirting required in Buncombe County?

In R-1, R-2 & BDM masonry skirting is required - can be rusticated block, brick, concrete or stone. (MMHG field research in Buncombe County, 2026-09-03. Confirm with the county before you rely on it; rules change.)

Is a gravel driveway acceptable?

Does not mandate a specific rigid surface. (MMHG field research in Buncombe County, 2026-09-03. Confirm with the county before you rely on it; rules change.)

Are there tree-cutting rules in Buncombe County?

Need to check property for steep slope. (MMHG field research in Buncombe County, 2026-09-03. Confirm with the county before you rely on it; rules change.)

Any other environmental rules to know about?

Cumulative ground disturbance over 1 acre requires a stormwater permit and/or meet other requirements. (MMHG field research in Buncombe County, 2026-09-03. Confirm with the county before you rely on it; rules change.)

Which permits does Buncombe County require, and in what order?

Zoning, Well/Septic & Building - Storm water if over an acre of cumulative ground disturbance. (MMHG field research in Buncombe County, 2026-09-03. Confirm with the county before you rely on it; rules change.)

Is there an age limit on a mobile home in Buncombe County?

The line that matters is June 15, 1976, when the federal HUD code took effect; homes built before it are treated differently by lenders and installers. Buncombe County adds no age rule of its own (MMHG field research, 2026-09-03).

Who sets the septic setbacks in Buncombe County?

The state's wastewater rules set the distances from the home, the well, surface water, property lines and the repair area; the county health department applies them when it issues the septic permit. Buncombe County adds nothing beyond the state rule (MMHG field research, 2026-09-03).

Are there special rules for steps and decks in Buncombe County?

Steps, landings, decks and handrails follow the state building code. Buncombe County requires nothing beyond it (MMHG field research, 2026-09-03).

Are gutters required on a mobile home in Buncombe County?

No. Buncombe County does not require gutters (MMHG field research, 2026-09-03).

Is seed and straw or landscaping required in Buncombe County?

No landscaping requirement in Buncombe County (MMHG field research, 2026-09-03). One exception applies everywhere: a site on a steep slope needs soil stabilization, and that can bring an engineer or a stormwater inspector into the job.

What size do the 911 address numbers have to be in Buncombe County?

Standard 911 address numbers, at least 4 inches tall, visible from the road. Buncombe County has no special requirement (MMHG field research, 2026-09-03).