Roanoke County Building Permit Guide (Unincorporated Area)

Permit Authority

Roanoke County administers building permits and code inspections in unincorporated Roanoke County and also provides building-permit administration for the Town of Vinton. Salem is an independent city and is not under county permit administration.

Department

Office of Building Safety, Roanoke County Development Services

Address

5204 Bernard Drive, Roanoke, VA 24018

Phone

540-772-2065 ext. 1

Email

permit@roanokecountyva.gov

Website

https://www.roanokecountyva.gov/301/Building-Safety

Online Permit Portal

Application Process

1. Confirm scope and permit path. The County states anyone, including owners and contractors, may use the Public Access Portal for permit types that do not require detailed reviews or plan submissions. More complex work uses county forms and checklists available on the Building Safety and Documents and Online Forms pages.
2. Prepare the application and required supporting materials. Typical county materials include the applicable residential, commercial, or trade permit application; plan checklists; plot plan or setback compliance form where applicable; asbestos form when triggered; and trade, accessibility, floodplain, or energy forms depending on scope.
3. Submit online through the Public Access Portal for eligible permit types, or submit in person to Building Safety for projects requiring formal plan review. The Building Safety page states the office has an online permitting system, Cityworks, that allows online as well as in-person submittals and requests.
4. County staff review the application for completeness, zoning and code compliance, and any technical review requirements. The County publishes separate residential and commercial checklists and notes commercial plan sets must be submitted as one PDF digital copy.
5. Pay the assessed permit fees. Roanoke County's building permit fee schedule is adopted by ordinance and the county also uses a fee processing form. Permit issuance follows completion of review and fee payment.
6. Receive the issued permit and permit documents, then post and proceed with work. Schedule required inspections through the portal, by phone, or through the County's SelecTxt inspection system.

Typical processing time: No general countywide turnaround was located for all permit classes. The County distinguishes over-the-counter or limited online permits from permits requiring detailed review and plan submission, but does not post one universal issuance timeline on the main permit pages reviewed.

Source: Office of Building Safety, Roanoke County Development Services

General Requirements

Roanoke County enforces the Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code. Permits are generally required before construction, enlargement, alteration, repair, removal, demolition, or change of occupancy involving structural work, egress, fire-resistance-rated assemblies, building systems, or regulated equipment, and before electrical, mechanical, plumbing, gas, fire-protection, and similar trade work subject to the Virginia Construction Code.

Required Documents

• Residential building permit application
• Commercial permit application
• Trade permit application
• Owner affidavit
• Subcontractors list
• Plot plan templates
• Setback compliance certification
• Residential and commercial plans checklists
• Asbestos certification or affidavit
• Accessibility and energy forms
• Floodplain permit materials
• Trade-specific or fire-protection checklists

Permit validity

Under the Virginia Construction Code, an application is considered abandoned six months after filing unless pursued in good faith or issued. After issuance, a permit may be revoked if work does not begin within six months or if work is suspended or abandoned for six months; extensions may be granted on written request.

Building code

Roanoke County states it uses the Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code and that the current edition is the 2021 USBC, effective January 18, 2024, with referenced model codes including the 2021 IBC, IRC, IECC, IMC, IPC, ISPSC, IFC, IPMC, and the 2020 NEC.

Owner-builder

Roanoke County publishes an Owner Affidavit and states that owners performing or supervising the work and applying for their own permits must acknowledge contractor licensing laws and are responsible for verifying proper licensing of subcontractors. Virginia law also allows permit issuance on proof of licensure or a written exemption statement.

Contractor requirements

The County states contractors must provide their Virginia contractor license number and Roanoke County business license number unless exempted from local business license requirements by the Commissioner of the Revenue. Virginia Code section 54.1-1111 also requires proof of Virginia contractor licensure or a written exemption statement before permit issuance.

Fees

Minimum permit fee

The county ordinance fee schedule should be consulted by permit type. A universal minimum fee was not clearly posted on the main fee page excerpt reviewed.

Plan check fee

The county fee schedule and fee processing form should be reviewed for current project-specific review charges. A single standalone plan check percentage was not clearly stated on the main county fee page excerpt reviewed.

Permit fee formula

Mixed. Roanoke County uses ordinance-based building permit fees and a fee processing form covering building, trade, and related permits. The posted materials indicate a mix of valuation-based and permit-type-specific charges rather than a single flat formula for all permits.

Reinspection fee

County fee materials should be checked for current reinspection and penalty charges. The main Building Safety page reviewed did not summarize those amounts in one place.

Payment note

Roanoke County accepts both online and in-person submittals and requests through Cityworks. Online portal users can manage permit actions electronically; fee collection follows the county's adopted fee schedule and fee processing form.

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

Work That Does NOT Require a Permit

• Work exempted by the Virginia Construction Code, including ordinary repairs and the listed permit exemptions in 13VAC5-63, such as certain small detached accessory structures up to 256 square feet, qualifying fences, qualifying retaining walls, certain small or shallow swimming pools, certain signs, flagpoles 30 feet or less, qualifying utility buildings, certain temporary ramps, and qualifying low-voltage electrical work.
• Minor work that the building official determines does not adversely affect public health or safety.
• Specific ordinary repair categories allowed by the Virginia code, such as some finish work, like-for-like fixture replacements, and some roofing, door, window, flooring, cabinetry, mechanical, plumbing, and electrical replacements where the code exemption criteria are met.

Inspections

How to Schedule

• Public Access Portal (online)
• 540-772-2065 ext. 1 (phone)
• SelecTxt inspection process (sms)

Time windows

The Building Safety page says SelecTxt works with the Cityworks permitting system and can be used from a cell phone that can send text messages. The main page reviewed did not post fixed public inspection windows.

Typical inspection sequence: Varies by project, but the County's permit guides and checklists indicate standard stages such as footing, foundation, slab, rough-in trade inspections, framing, insulation, and finals, plus any zoning, floodplain, entrance, fire-protection, or special inspections required by scope.

Additional Resources

• Building code: Roanoke County states it uses the Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code and that the current edition is the 2021 USBC, effective January 18, 2024, with referenced model codes including the 2021 IBC, IRC, IECC, IMC, IPC, ISPSC, IFC, IPMC, and the 2020 NEC.
• Verify contractor license: Virginia contractor permit prerequisite statute
• Zoning information: View zoning info
• Residential Building Permit Guides
• Commercial Building Permit Guides
• Floodplain Development Permit Application
• Finished Floor Elevation Requirement
• Virginia Construction Code permit and exemption provisions
• License lookup guide: Virginia Contractor License Requirements
• Contract template: Virginia Homeowner-Contractor Agreement
• Virginia hub: Virginia Contractor License & Permit Hub