County Building Permits
Fairfax County Building Permit Guide (Unincorporated Area)
How to apply for a building permit in unincorporated Fairfax County, Virginia. Permit authority, application steps, fees, and inspection requirements.
Permit Authority
County permit authority for unincorporated Fairfax County; independent cities such as Fairfax City and Falls Church City are separate permit jurisdictions. Fairfax County also acts as building official for the Town of Vienna and the Town of Clifton for county-issued building and trade permits.
- Department
- Fairfax County Land Development Services
- Address
- 12055 Government Center Pkwy, Fairfax, VA 22035
- Phone
- 703-222-0801
Online Permit Portal
Platform: PLUS • Account required: Yes • Submission: Online only
Additional resources:
Application Process
- Confirm whether the scope needs a permit using the county's "Does My Project Require a Permit?" page and the Permit Library.
- Create or log into a PLUS account and choose the correct record type in the Permit Library.
- Upload plans and supporting documents in PLUS, including site-related documents where required.
- Respond to corrections and resubmit through PLUS until reviews are approved.
- Pay assessed fees in PLUS and download the issued permit and approved plans.
Typical processing time: No single countywide building-permit review time was published on the main permit pages reviewed; timing varies by permit type and completeness.
General Requirements
Required for most new construction, additions, decks, detached structures, interior alterations, new or relocated electrical, plumbing, mechanical, gas work, solar, pools, retaining walls, and demolition.
Required Documents
- Application data in PLUS
- Plans, plats or site-related documents as applicable
- Owner authorization or contractor information when applicable
- Permit validity
- Public county material states a permit remains valid while work continues, but expires after 6 months of no activity; older county expiration notices also cite 6 months if work has not started or has been abandoned.
- Building code
- 2021 Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code and related Virginia codes administered locally by LDS.
- Owner-builder
- Property owners may obtain permits in their own name, but Fairfax County strongly recommends that a properly licensed contractor pull the permit when contractor work is involved.
- Contractor requirements
- DPOR state contractor licensing applies; Fairfax County also requires a Fairfax County Home Improvement Contractor license for DPOR Class C contractors and those below the Class C threshold.
Fees
- Minimum permit fee
- $108.00 base fee
- Plan check fee
- Included within Appendix Q permit-fee framework; varies by record type.
- Permit fee formula
- Mixed schedule under Appendix Q by permit type, equipment, fixture, and other factors; county notices also note a 1% code academy surcharge on building records.
- Reinspection fee
- Incomplete or not-ready inspections can trigger a reinspection fee; after-hours re-energization or time-specific inspection fee is $241.20 per 30 minutes; permit amendments have a $36 minimum.
- Payment note
- Fees are assessed and paid through PLUS; in-person assistance is available through LDS.
Fees change. Verify current amounts at the official fee schedule.
Work That Does NOT Require a Permit
- Fences, except pool-barrier fences
- Direct replacement of existing windows and doors
- Like-for-like replacement of electrical, plumbing, and mechanical work with no change in location
- Re-siding with similar material
- Replacement of roof shingles
- Replacement of less than 256 square feet of roof plywood, unless fire-rated construction requires otherwise
- Detached storage sheds not over 256 square feet and no more than one story
- Gutters
- Kitchen cabinets and countertops
- Bathroom countertops and vanities
- Replacement tile and flooring
- Painting and wallpaper
- Playground equipment installation
- On-grade patios
- Driveways
- Concrete or masonry walls not over 6 feet high
- Retaining walls holding less than 3 feet of earth with no surcharge and not tiered
- Temporary ramps no more than 30 inches high
- Flagpoles 30 feet or less
Inspections
How to Schedule
- PLUS portal (online)
- Scheduling deadline
- Request by 11:59 p.m. for next-business-day inspection; applicants receive a 2-hour arrival window by email the morning of inspection.
- Time windows
- 2-hour arrival window
Typical inspection sequence: Typical sequence depends on scope, but commonly moves through footing, foundation, framing and rough trade inspections, insulation where applicable, then final inspection or use permit inspection.
Additional Resources
- Building code: 2021 Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code and related Virginia codes administered locally by LDS.
- Zoning information: View zoning info
- Building and Trade Inspections
- When Permit is Required
- Hiring a Contractor
- Home Improvement Contractor License
- Floodplain Services
- License lookup guide: Virginia Contractor License Requirements
- Contract template: Virginia Homeowner-Contractor Agreement
- Virginia hub: Virginia Contractor License & Permit Hub
Information on this page was last verified: March 2026. Permit rules and fees change — confirm current requirements directly with the Fairfax County Land Development Services before applying.
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