Unincorporated Gloucester County

Permits are required for construction or improvements in a flood zone; altered, constructed, converted, demolished, enlarged, improved, or repaired buildings and structures; new houses and other structures; alterations and renovations; decks; ramps and wheelchair lifts; pools and pool barriers; piers, boathouses, boatlifts, retaining walls, bulkheads, and finger piers; foundation repair; sheathing and floor joists; commercial reroofing and structural residential reroofing; new windows or doors when openings are added or enlarged; attic or basement conversions; demolition; solar panels and windmills; signs; tenant and commercial buildouts; change of use; asbestos removal; tents over 900 square feet; construction trailers; amusement devices; electrical, plumbing, and mechanical trade work; and elevators. Land disturbance over 2,500 square feet requires a county land-disturbance permit. Tidal wetlands activities such as bulkheads, riprap, groins, piers, marinas, and boat ramps require wetlands authorization.

• Exempt Farm buildings exempt from permit as outlined in USBC Section 102.3.7
• Exempt Site-plan exemptions for: single-family detached dwellings, two-family dwellings, accessory buildings to single-family and two-family dwellings, subdivisions for dwellings or mobile homes where a county site development plan has already been submitted and approved under the subdivision ordinance, and agricultural, horticultural, or silvicultural activity

Note: Gloucester does not publish a comprehensive exempt-work list; the county's public guidance focuses on what requires a permit. Even where building-code exemptions apply, county floodplain, Chesapeake Bay, wetlands, zoning, and site-development rules can still trigger separate local review. Confirm whether your project requires a permit with Gloucester County Building Inspection before starting work.

Building code

Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code (2021 Virginia Construction Code, effective January 18, 2024; 2020 National Electrical Code)

Permit validity

Permits are valid for 6 months from issuance, or 6 months from the last passed inspection when there is inspection activity. Contact Building Inspection by phone or email to request an extension before expiration. Expired permits may be renewed for $35. Wetlands Board permits are valid for 3 years from board approval and may be extended upon written request and board approval at a public hearing.

Owner-builder

Gloucester publishes a Property Owners Affidavit for owners who affirm they are not subject to contractor licensure under Code of Virginia Section 54.1-1111. The form is available from Building Inspection.

Contractor requirements

Trade permit applications require the Virginia state contractor license number, tradesman license number, and city or county business license number. Contractor licensing is regulated at the state level by Virginia DPOR.

Source: Gloucester County Building Inspection ↗

1. 01
   Confirm the correct review path before filing. Work may require permits from Building Inspection, Planning and Zoning, or Environmental Programs — or parallel approvals from more than one department. Commercial and multifamily development may require county site-plan review; land disturbance over 2,500 square feet requires a land-disturbance permit; floodplain work in a special flood hazard area requires floodplain review; and tidal wetlands work requires Wetlands Board approval.
2. 02
   Download and complete the correct application package. Building Inspection publishes separate forms for building, zoning, demolition, sign, trade, plan-review-only, floodplain, and owner-affidavit filings. Planning and Zoning publishes site-plan, rezoning, conditional use permit, subdivision, and zoning forms. Environmental Programs publishes land-disturbance, Chesapeake Bay, stormwater, and wetlands applications.
3. 03
   Submit the package through the applicable pathway. Building permits may be submitted in person at 6489 Main St., by mail, or by email if plan size permits. Site-plan submittals must be sent electronically via a secure link requested from siteplans@gloucesterva.info. Environmental applications may be submitted by email, mail, or in person.
4. 04
   Include all required supporting materials for the chosen path. Site-plan submissions require the electronic plan set, site-plan application, site-plan checklist, erosion and sediment checklist, stormwater checklist, project narrative, site-plan fee, and stormwater registration statement plus 50% of the VSMP permit fee when applicable. Wetlands applications require project drawings and proceed to a Wetlands Board public hearing.
5. 05
   Pay the applicable fees. Planning and Zoning requires an application number before accepting fee payment. Environmental Programs accepts online card or e-check payment, mailed check, or Treasurer drop-box payment and allows payment after emailed submission once an application number is assigned.
6. 06
   Receive the permit and complete required inspections. Building permits may be picked up in person; trade permits may be emailed; permits may also be mailed depending on plan size. Request each inspection by phone, provide the permit number, and proceed through the required inspection sequence to final approval and certificate of occupancy.

Typical processing time: No countywide public turnaround estimate is published. The Site Plan Committee meets on the second Monday of each month at 3:00 p.m. and the fourth Monday of each month at 8:30 a.m. Inspection requests made before 4:00 p.m. are generally attempted the next business day, pending workload.

Source: Gloucester County Building Inspection ↗

Planning and Zoning requires an application number before accepting fee payment. Environmental Programs accepts online card or e-check (USAePay), mailed check, or Treasurer drop-box payment. E-checks may take 5 to 7 business days to settle. Permit reissuance fee: $10 per six months on the building fee schedule; expired permit renewal: $35 per the renewal handout — confirm current office practice when renewing.

Fees change periodically. Confirm at the official fee schedule ↗ before budgeting.

• Call Building Inspection at 804-693-2744 with the permit number (phone)

Scheduling deadline

Requests made before 4:00 p.m. during office hours are generally attempted the next business day, pending workload. Requests made after 4:00 p.m. are attempted two days after the request, pending workload. Voice mail is available 24 hours per day for after-hours requests.

Inspection hours

Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Typical sequence: Gloucester publishes a 17-step sequence: footing; projection or foundation; slab; basement or foundation; floor joist; fireplace; exterior framing; electrical rough-in; plumbing rough-in; mechanical rough-in; interior framing; insulation; electrical meter; electrical final; plumbing final; mechanical final; and final building. Floodplain projects additionally require an under-construction elevation certificate before foundation inspection and a finished-construction elevation certificate before final inspections. A certificate of occupancy requires a Gloucester County Health Department operation permit, blower-door testing, and an approved erosion and sediment final inspection or posting of surety with the county.

Source: Gloucester County Building Inspection ↗