Residential Additions and Alterations

Environmentally Sensitive Areas on Lot

Lots with environmentally sensitive areas may take longer to review and may require additional information from the applicant.

Easements

If county easements are present on the lot, no construction shall encroach into the ground or air space of the easement.

If there is a stormwater easement on your property, please email the Stormwater Team before applying for permits.

Health Department Approval

If your lot is served by well and septic, contact the Health Department to obtain approval before applying for permits.

Conservation Easements

Some parcels have conservation easements that may limit what is permitted on a property. To search properties with permanent conservation easements, view this map (please note date of data currency).  If you have questions about your Board of Supervisors (BOS) held easement, please email or call Office of Mapping & Geographic Information at 703-771-5778. Questions about easements held by other organizations should be directed to the holder of the easement.

To request copies of conservation easements and other legally recorded property documents, please email or call the Clerk of the Circuit Court at 703-737-8775 with the PIN and tax map #.  Copies are $0.50/page, payment may be made over the phone by credit card and copies emailed. We recommend that landowners and prospective buyers review the terms of an easement with a land use and zoning attorney.

Requirements for Public Utilities

Call "Miss Utility" at 800-552-7001 before excavating to ensure that the construction does not interfere with underground utility lines."Miss Utility" is a free service to anyone who is planning to excavate. Utility companies support "Miss Utility" to prevent damage to their buried lines. Call at least 48 hours prior to excavating. The various companies will mark the path of underground utilities on your property.

Residential additions 

• 1,000 square feet or less: $395.00 (Includes county building permit, plan review fee, and county zoning permit)
• Greater than 1,000 square feet: Building permit fee based on 1% of construction costs, with an additional $335 for plan review fee, and county zoning permit

Residential alterations

• Building permit fee based on 1% of construction costs, with an additional $130 plan review fee.

Inspection Requirements

Inspections are required by law to establish that the construction has been built in accordance with the structural and safety provisions of the Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code (VUSBC) standard construction practices and the approved drawings. 

The number of inspections required varies depending on whether electrical, mechanical, plumbing or gas installations are made.

An electronic or paper copy of the approved plans or must be on the job site and available to the inspector or no inspection will be performed.

The following inspections are required: 

• Building: 
  • Additions: Footing, Foundation, Framing, Insulation and Final
  • Alterations: Framing and Final
• Trade Permits at both the rough-in and final stages: 
  • Electrical
  • Plumbing
  • Mechanical
  • Gas

Schedule Inspections

The permit holder or their representative must schedule an inspection when the stages of construction that require an inspection are reached. Inspections must be scheduled one work day in advance.