Since 2001, North Carolina has offered an official Certified Sites program to provide a statewide inventory of industrial sites that have undergone a rigorous prequalification process to ensure they are “shovel ready” for immediate development and meet a consistent set of standards.
Certified Sites reduce the risks associated with development by providing detailed information about a site, including price and availability, utilities, access, environmental concerns and potential development costs. Sites are periodically re-certified to ensure accurate and reliable data. You can search North Carolina’s current inventory of Certified Sites here.
To obtain the Certified Sites designation, communities must undergo a stringent review process that demonstrates they have addressed 31 prerequisites, including:
All documentation for the Steering Committee to review must be submitted three weeks prior to the meeting of the Steering Committee. The Certified Sites Steering Committee generally meets on the fourth Wednesday of every other month of the year, starting in February. The last meeting of 2022 is on Wednesday, December 7 (documentation due November 30).
Click here for a complete copy of the NC Certified Sites Program guidelines.
For more information about the Certified Sites Program, contact:
Will Best
Certified Sites Program Coordinator
North Carolina Department of Commerce
(984) 365-0298
