Structured cabling and low-voltage installation in Charlotte
Cablify installs network cabling, fiber, security cameras, access control and Wi-Fi across the Charlotte region, from Uptown, South End and SouthPark to Concord, Huntersville, Gastonia, Rock Hill and Fort Mill.
- Banking center
- No. 2 in the U.S.
- Wells Fargo in Charlotte
- 27,000 workers
- Bank of America in Charlotte
- 19,590 employees
- CLT passengers, 2025
- 53.6 million
Two states, two rulebooks
The metro crosses the state line, and the same job is licensed differently on each side.
| Work | North Carolina | South Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| Data and communications cabling | Electrical contracting. The SP-FA/LV special restricted license covers wiring systems of 50 volts or less, and the narrow unlicensed exemption does not cover systems the building code requires. | Low-voltage cable wiring and communications for telephones and computers are on the state’s list of work that needs no Contractor’s Licensing Board license. |
| Cameras and access control | A security systems license from the Security Systems Licensing Board covers cameras and monitored access control. | The Alarm System Business Act does not apply to camera, card access or walk-through systems. |
| Fire alarm | An electrical license, SP-FA/LV or higher. Fire alarm work is outside the security systems law. | The electrical subclassification includes fire alarm design and installation. |
| Radio coverage systems | The state electrical board says an electrical license is required and the low-voltage exemption does not apply. | Checked with the local fire marshal for each site. |
Permits in Mecklenburg County
Mecklenburg County Code Enforcement handles low-voltage permitting for Charlotte and the county’s towns, and it requires a permit and inspections for each contractor working on a project. North Carolina’s permit statute lists electrical wiring work without a low-voltage exception.
The state still enforces the 2020 North Carolina Electrical Code, based on the 2020 NEC. The 2023 edition is on indefinite delay, and the 2018 State Building Code remains in effect while the 2024 code waits.
Mecklenburg County
Low-voltage permits and inspections through Code Enforcement.
Charlotte Fire Department
Fire alarm shop drawings for five or more devices, filed through the city’s Electronic Plan Management portal and reviewed within 15 business days.
Cabarrus, Gaston and Union counties
Inspections run through the county or the city, depending on the address.
York County, South Carolina
Building permits through York County or the city or town, depending on the address.
Radio coverage in Charlotte
The Charlotte Fire Department and Mecklenburg County fire marshals require approved emergency responder radio coverage in all new buildings over 12,000 square feet, under Section 510 of the 2018 North Carolina Fire Code. Their guide was last revised in September 2025.
We plan the risers, pathways and equipment rooms the system needs and coordinate with your licensed radio coverage vendor.
- Downlink signals of at least -95 dBm with a delivered audio quality of 3.0
- 99% floor area coverage in critical areas
- Designer and lead installer with an FCC general radio operator license and in-building system training
- A construction permit for every new system or change, submitted through Mecklenburg County Code Enforcement
Banking towers and back offices
CBRE put Charlotte office vacancy at 22.0% in the third quarter of 2026, after 456,000 square feet of positive absorption.
Uptown
Bank headquarters and the towers around them, with Truist also based in Charlotte.
SouthPark
Build-to-suit offices for AmWins and TowneBank began site work in the third quarter of 2026.
Under construction
Office space being built across the metro in the third quarter of 2026.
Banks run trading floors, branches and back offices at once. A refresh in one of them means testing the existing cable plant, rebuilding IDFs without downtime and keeping cameras and badge readers working through the move.
Storms and ice
During Helene in September 2024, Charlotte Douglas recorded a 57 knot gust, about 66 mph, and the storm caused widespread outages across the Carolinas. In December 2002 an ice storm left up to an inch of ice across much of the region and cut power to more than a million people, and restoring it took up to two weeks.
- Surge protection where communications cable enters a building and on outdoor camera runs
- Grounding and bonding for racks, cable trays and rooftop equipment
- Battery backup on access control, recorders and network closets
- Exterior mounts and poles chosen for storm winds
Across the region
From Uptown to the airport and across the state line.
South End and Midtown
Converted mills, new offices and mixed-use buildings along the light rail.
Charlotte Douglas and the west side
American Airlines’ second-largest hub, with 15,500 employees in Charlotte. Digital Realty plans a data center campus of up to 3 million square feet on Moores Chapel Road.
University City
UNC Charlotte, research parks and corporate campuses in the northeast.
Concord and Huntersville
Warehouses, manufacturing and offices along I-85 and I-77.
Gastonia
Industrial parks and distribution west of the city.
Rock Hill and Fort Mill
Corporate offices and warehouses on the South Carolina side of I-77.
Common questions
Do I need a license for network cabling in North Carolina?
Usually, yes. North Carolina treats low-voltage wiring as electrical contracting, covered by the SP-FA/LV license or a higher class. A narrow exemption applies only to systems the building code does not require and that meet other limits.
Does South Carolina license data cabling?
South Carolina’s Contractor’s Licensing Board lists low-voltage cable wiring and telephone and computer communications as work that needs no license from that board. Fire alarm work falls under the electrical classification.
When does a Charlotte building need radio coverage?
The Charlotte Fire Department and Mecklenburg County fire marshals require approved coverage in all new buildings over 12,000 square feet, with a construction permit for each new system.
Which cities do you cover?
Our Charlotte market covers Charlotte, Concord, Huntersville, Cornelius, Matthews, Gastonia, Rock Hill and Fort Mill.
Request a quote in Charlotte
Send the address, building type and what you need installed. Tell us which side of the state line the site is on.