How to find new construction leads in Durham from building permits — free
Durham filed 3,063 new-home, addition, remodel and commercial permits in the last 12 months — about 59 a week, 336 in the last 30 days. Every one is a public record naming the address, the work and, usually, who's doing it. Here's how subcontractors and suppliers find them for free, which ones are worth a call, and when it's worth paying not to.
The busiest ZIP code was 27703, with 45% of them, and the most active name on them was Lennar, with 360.
- Last 12 months
- 3,063
- A week, on average
- 59
- Last 30 days
- 336
- Busiest month
- 370
- October 2026
Step 1: Search the Durham City-County Land Development Office site (free)
The permit office's own records, straight from the source. Search for: new residential dwelling, addition, alteration and commercial.
- Search permits by address or permit number, or browse by date where the search allows.
- Each permit lists its type, status and inspections.
- Durham also posts monthly construction activity reports on durhamnc.gov.
Who's on a permit: Permits name the contractor; phone numbers aren't shown.
Step 2: Keep the permits worth a call
Does the work need a permit in North Carolina? Yes, mostly. Structural work needs a permit; a general contractor's license is needed from $40,000. So these are the new-home, addition, remodel and commercial permits on file, and what each is worth.
New homes
A new-home permit is the start of a job that needs framing, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, drywall, flooring and more. The builder named on it is the call.
Additions and remodels
Smaller jobs, often with a general contractor who doesn't have a regular crew for every trade.
Commercial and upfits
Higher value and longer schedules. The general contractor on the permit hires every trade.
Step 3: Start where the work is
The ZIP codes in Durham with the most new-home, addition, remodel and commercial permits in the last 12 months.
Step 4: Know who's pulling them
These are the builders and general contractors pulling the permits — the people who hire subs and buy materials. Ranked by permits in the last 12 months.
| Contractor | Last 12 months | Last 90 days |
|---|---|---|
| Lennar | 360 | 81 |
| Pulte Home Company, LLC | 345 | 81 |
| Clayton Properties Group, Inc., T/A Mungo Homes | 302 | 53 |
| Meritage Homes | 132 | 30 |
| Harold K Jordan And Co Inc | 115 | 56 |
| D.R. Horton, Inc. T/A Emerald Homes | 112 | 101 |
| Groundworks North Carolina (Tar Heel Basement Systems) | 111 | 39 |
| Mcrt Sfr Carolinas Construction LLC | 107 | 0 |
| Starlight Homes North Carolina | 83 | 10 |
| Ryan Homes | 70 | 13 |
| Beazer Homes Corp. | 64 | 7 |
| Foundation Pro NC (Ram Jack) | 53 | 13 |
Step 5: Reach out at the right time
Each trade comes in at its own point: site and foundation right after the permit is issued, framing next, then mechanical, electrical and plumbing rough-in, then drywall and finishes. Call a few weeks ahead of your stage.
The free way, and the fast way
The permits are free either way. What costs time is finding them, one office and one search at a time.
| The office's portal | TarSignal Free | TarSignal Pro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Where | One permit office's site at a time | 23 North Carolina offices, one search | 23 offices, one search |
| How recent | Same day, if you search every day | Permits over 30 days old | Up to today |
| Who's doing the work | Depends on the office; phone numbers rarely | Contractor and contact, on permits over 30 days old | Contractor and contact on every permit |
| New permits sent to you | No | Weekly, one ZIP code | Daily, every area |
| Export | Rarely | No | CSV |
| Cost | Free | Free | $199/month |
New Construction Leads in Durham: common questions
- How do I find new construction leads in Durham for free?
- From the building permits. The Durham City-County Land Development Office site is free to search: Search permits by address or permit number, or browse by date where the search allows. TarSignal's free search has the same permits from 23 North Carolina offices in one place, with the contractor where the record names one, for permits more than 30 days old.
- How many new-home, addition, remodel and commercial permits are filed in Durham?
- 3,063 in the last 12 months, about 59 a week, and 336 in the last 30 days. The busiest ZIP codes were 27703, 27704 and 27713.
- Are building permits public record in North Carolina?
- Yes. Permits are public records under the North Carolina Public Records Act (G.S. Chapter 132), so anyone can look them up, and the contractor named on a permit is part of the record.
- Does building work need a permit in Durham?
- Yes, mostly. Structural work needs a permit; a general contractor's license is needed from $40,000. That's state law (G.S. 160D-1110), so it's the same at any permit office in the state.
Related
The numbers behind this guide, with recent permits: New home and remodel permits in Durham. Every permit in the area: building permits in Durham.
New Construction Leads in other places
See this week's new construction leads
Permit Search has every new-home, addition, remodel and commercial permit filed in Durham, with the contractor where the record names one. Free for permits over 30 days old; Pro has them the day they're filed.
Source: TarSignal, from North Carolina public building permit records, data through October 29, 2026. Refreshed nightly. Counts include every permit type a jurisdiction files — trade permits (electrical, plumbing, mechanical) as well as building permits — so one project can appear more than once. Values are what the applicant declared, where the jurisdiction records one. We keep improving how we collect each office's permits, so a count that steps up suddenly usually means more complete records, not more construction.