Town of Blacksburg, VIRGINIA Building Permit Guide

Permit Authority

Town administers permits within incorporated Blacksburg town limits. It is separate from Montgomery County permitting for unincorporated areas.

Department

Town of Blacksburg Planning and Building Department, Building Safety Division

Address

400 South Main Street, Blacksburg, VA 24060

Phone

540-443-1325 for building permits and inspections; main department line 540-443-1300

Email

buildsafe@blacksburg.gov , planningandbuilding@blacksburg.gov

Website

https://www.blacksburg.gov/departments/departments-l-z/planning-and-building

Online Permit Portal

Application Process

1. Create an OpenGov account and choose the applicable planning, zoning, or building application.
2. Upload required documents and pay fees through OpenGov. Town uses the same account for building permits, zoning permits, and development applications.
3. If the site is in the Blacksburg Historic District, submit the Historic or Design Review Board application through OpenGov before exterior work requiring HDRB review.
4. Building Safety reviews plans for code compliance and issues the permit through the portal.
5. After permit issuance, schedule inspections by calling Building Safety.
6. Complete final inspections and obtain certificate of occupancy where applicable.

Typical processing time: Town does not post a general building-permit turnaround on the main building page. For solar PV only, town makes best efforts to review one- and two-family permits within 3 days and commercial/non-residential permits within 10 days.

Source: Town of Blacksburg Planning and Building Department, Building Safety Division

General Requirements

Town states Building Safety issues permits for construction. Zoning separately requires permits for signage, temporary storage containers, accessory structures such as sheds and detached garages, hardscaping such as driveways and patios, screening for mechanical equipment, and dumpster screening. Historic district projects can also trigger HDRB review.

Required Documents

• Permit application
• Supporting equipment and plan information (varies by application type)
• Licensed contractor information where applicable

Permit validity

Permits expire six months after date of issue if work does not start. Once work begins, noticeable progress must continue until completion.

Building code

Town states it enforces the Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code. Published materials reference the 2021 Virginia code set now in effect statewide.

Owner-builder

Permits may in some instances be completed by the homeowner, though publicly indexed Blacksburg materials do not include a standalone owner-builder policy page.

Contractor requirements

Town-published permit materials flag an unlicensed contractor as a cause for permit delay. Virginia contractor licensing is state regulated through DPOR. Local business licensing may also apply for businesses operating in town.

Fees

Minimum permit fee

Thin public data. Publicly indexed example shows a residential solar permit flat fee of $30 plus 2 percent state surcharge.

Plan check fee

No separate general plan-review fee was found on publicly indexed Blacksburg building sources.

Permit fee formula

Thin public data. Commercial solar permits are $3.50 per $1,000 of value plus 2 percent state surcharge.

Reinspection fee

No publicly indexed general reinspection fee schedule was found in the materials reviewed.

Payment note

Town applicants can pay fees through OpenGov. Some town programs note permit-fee rebates in special overlay areas, which implies standard town fees still apply unless a specific incentive program applies.

Work That Does NOT Require a Permit

Contact the Town of Blacksburg Planning and Building Department, Building Safety Division to confirm whether your project requires a permit before starting work.

Inspections

How to Schedule

• 540-443-1325 (phone)

Scheduling deadline

Solar checklist requires 24 hours notice.

Inspection hours

Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Time windows

Inspections are typically completed within 48 hours.

Typical inspection sequence: Sequence is permit-specific; not posted as a universal checklist on the main building page.

Additional Resources

• Building code: Town states it enforces the Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code. Published materials reference the 2021 Virginia code set now in effect statewide.
• Zoning information: View zoning info
• Community Contact
• Historic or Design Review Board
• Development Application Process
• License lookup guide: Virginia Contractor License Requirements
• Contract template: Virginia Homeowner-Contractor Agreement
• Virginia hub: Virginia Contractor License & Permit Hub

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