City Building Permits

Midlothian, VIRGINIA Building Permit Guide

How to apply for a building permit in Midlothian, Virginia. Permit authority, application steps, fees, and inspection requirements.

Virginia Chesterfield County Updated March 2026

Permit Authority

Midlothian is a CDP in Chesterfield County, not an incorporated town or independent city. Permit issuance and inspections for Midlothian projects are handled by Chesterfield County. Midlothian-specific permit material is thin because there is no separate Midlothian local government permit office.

Department
Chesterfield County Department of Building Inspection
Address
9800 Government Center Parkway, Chesterfield, VA 23832; Mailing: P.O. Box 40, Chesterfield, VA 23832
Phone
804-751-4990
Website
https://www.chesterfield.gov/223/Building-Inspection

Online Permit Portal

Open Enterprise Land Management (ELM)

Platform: Enterprise Land Management (ELM) citizen access portal • Account required: Yes • Submission: In-person only

Application Process

  1. Treat Midlothian jobs as Chesterfield County permits because Midlothian has no separate permitting department.
  2. Confirm county zoning, setback, easement, floodplain, Chesapeake Bay, historic, and utility constraints before submittal.
  3. Assemble the county application, plans, plot plan, and any required sealed design documents or supporting forms.
  4. Submit through ELM or at the county Building Inspection office.
  5. Pay county fees and respond to plan-review comments from the relevant county departments.
  6. Receive the county-issued permit, keep the permit posted, and maintain approved plans on site.
  7. Schedule county inspections and complete final approvals before occupancy or closeout.

Typical processing time: No Midlothian-specific or countywide public building permit review timeline was posted on the pages reviewed.

Source: Chesterfield County Department of Building Inspection

General Requirements

Same Chesterfield County permit triggers apply in Midlothian for structural work, additions, new construction, finish-offs, larger accessory structures, demolition, pools over the threshold, structural retaining walls, and trade work.

Required Documents

  • County permit applications
  • Plans and plats or plot plans
  • Department-specific support documents
Permit validity
Six months from last activity under the county rule.
Building code
2021 Virginia Construction Code for applications dated on or after January 18, 2025.
Owner-builder
County guidance allows the homeowner or contractor doing the work to apply for qualifying projects.
Contractor requirements
Virginia licensure rules apply, and county forms require licensure or exemption certification and applicable business-license compliance.

Fees

Minimum permit fee
No separate Midlothian schedule exists; county fees apply.
Plan check fee
No separate Midlothian plan-check fee was published.
Permit fee formula
County mixed schedule of flat residential fees and valuation-based commercial fees, both with state levy.
Reinspection fee
County reinspection, not-ready, reinstatement, and code-investigation charges apply
Penalty (no permit)
County penalty fees for unpermitted work
Payment note
Pay through county channels, including ELM online payments and county cashier methods.

Fees change. Verify current amounts at the official fee schedule.

Work That Does NOT Require a Permit

  • County-listed exempt work for qualifying projects, including many ordinary repairs, small sheds, many fences, qualifying low-voltage work, like-for-like fixture replacements, and small pools

Inspections

How to Schedule

Scheduling deadline
Inspections may be requested up to five business days out.
Inspection hours
County inspection hours Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Typical inspection sequence: County sequence tied to permit type, commonly foundation or slab, rough framing and trades, insulation, and finals.

Additional Resources

Information on this page was last verified: March 2026. Permit rules and fees change — confirm current requirements directly with the Chesterfield County Department of Building Inspection before applying.

Need help with your project?

Navigating permits in Midlothian can be complicated.

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Important: This page is an educational resource provided by jaspector.com. It is not legal advice, and it does not substitute for official guidance from the permit authority listed above. Permit requirements, fees, and processes change frequently. Always verify current requirements directly with the issuing department before beginning any construction project. Use of this page does not create an attorney-client relationship. Jaspector assumes no liability for any outcomes arising from reliance on this information.

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