Customer Bill of Rights

Right to Courtesy and Empathy

You have the right to be treated in a respectful manner by all staff and your project should be handled in a timely manner by someone who is professional and knowledgeable. Regardless of the method of communication, you should expect staff to respond appropriately and seek to understand issues and provide clear and relevant solutions. We encourage all customers to work with their reviewer to resolve any issue prior to escalating; however, if you feel you are not being treated with courtesy, you have a right to speak with a manager. At any time, you may contact our main number and request to speak with a manager. Staff will connect you with the appropriate manager based on your inquiry.  

Right to Choose the Communication Channel

You have the right to choose how you meet with us for customer support. We offer virtual and in-person options for all our customers. Learn more about these options below: 

Telephone (919-996-2500) inquiries are accepted Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. until 4:45 p.m., excluding holidays. Please note staff is in training every Wednesday from 8-9 a.m. If you are transferred to a staff member and leave a voicemail, a return call will be made within one business day. 

Appointments (Virtual or In-Person) are recommended for complex and/or project-specific inquiries. You can request an appointment via the City of Raleigh website (Development Appointments) at any time. Staff will coordinate and create a meeting invitation for the agreed-upon time within two business days.  

Customer Request Form inquiries will be responded to within one business day. 

Self-Service verification of project status can be completed by accessing the Raleigh Permit Portal at any time. You must be registered in the portal to manage project activity. 

Right to Resolution

You have the right to expect that issues will be resolved on first contact, however, there are times when a request or inquiry is complex and requires additional research. Staff will provide an expected response timeframe for resolution on each inquiry. If you have attempted to resolve an issue with staff and were unsuccessful, please contact the Permitting Advocate assigned to your project. The Permitting Advocate will work to identify a solution and respond to you within two business days. 

Right to Accountability and Transparency

You have the right to access information on accountability and transparency for all policies and procedures. Some examples of accountability and transparency are: 

Fees: On an annual basis, development fees will be reviewed and adjusted as necessary to support the business needs. Fees will be approved by the City of Raleigh City Council during the annual budget review process. Fees will be published on or before July 1 each year in the Development Fee Guide.

Fee Calculator: If you would like an estimate of charges related to a project, you may utilize the online fee calculator. This calculator is made available for information and planning purposes and may not reflect the final cost to obtain plan review, building, or trade permits. Final fees are provided by the Customer Service Center. 

Dispute of Charges: If you believe you have been incorrectly charged for any fees related to development, you may call 919-996-2500 and speak with a payment representative who will review all invoices and determine whether an adjustment is warranted. Staff will work with our Finance Team for additional assistance if needed.  

Project Submittal: Customers may submit projects 24 hours a day via email or the permit portal, however, work is processed during normal business hours and your project will be processed in the order that it is received. 

Project Tracking: All information regarding project status, assignments, comments, deliverable dates, etc. are available via the client portal at Raleigh Permit Portal.

Expectation of Customers

For the City of Raleigh to fulfill the expectations set forth in the Bill of Rights, there are certain responsibilities placed upon a customer to ensure timely application processing and review.  

Customer Responsibilities:

• Use best practices to ensure quality submissions.
• Information related to submittals can be found online at raleighnc.gov.
• Respond diligently to information requests to facilitate the review process.
• Provide thorough and complete responses.
• Changes to plans may generate additional review comments.
• Be considerate of others to create a partnership based on mutual respect.