The following simple guide outlines every Fairfax County VA permit you could possibly need if you're planning to start a building, remodeling, or refinishing project this 2022. We've included all of the relevant fees and links to the forms for each permit.

When You'll Need a Permit in Fairfax County

Permits are applied for online.  Building plans and other reviews may be required.  For more information on plans, reviews, fees, land disturbance and current building code, visit Development Process Overview.

For the most part, you'll need to have some sort of permit for a remodeling or refinishing project, but there are some exceptions. Here are some of the most common projects where you will need to have a permit, pulled from the Fairfax County website:

• New buildings, additions, and structures
• Interior alterations (including finished basements) except new floors, carpet, paint, trim work
• New plumbing fixtures
• New exterior stairs or stoop

When You Won't Need a Permit

Though most projects require a permit, there are minor and uncommon circumstances where you won't need a permit:

• Residential window or door replacements
• Residential reroofs
• Kitchen cabinets
• Gutters

The Fairfax County government website has a complete list of situations and projects here.

Fairfax County VA Building Permits

If you're working on a project that requires a permit, your first step will be heading to the Permit Application Center (the application form is online) to get started. There is a base fee of $108 for all permits, and building permit fees vary depending on the type of project you're undertaking. The county website offers an extremely helpful page that will estimate your permit fee. Total fees mainly depend on the total square footage of the project.

For a full (rather convoluted) breakdown of every fee, check the full fee schedule code of ordinances

Electrical Permits

To submit an application for an electrical permit, you'll follow the same steps through the Permit Application Center. Electrical permit fees:

• Electrical service size
  • 0 - 149 amps: $240
  • 140 - 399 amps: $254.40
  • 400 amps: $350.40
  • More than 400 amps (you'll need to view the itemized list under "Electrical Equipment Installation Fees" in the fee schedule)

Plumbing Permits

The plumbing permit application follows the same steps as the others—use Fairfax County's Permit Application Center. Plumbing fees are a bit more straightforward:

• New plumbing systems in new buildings, existing unplumbed buildings, or portions thereof, changes in existing systems: $58
  •   Each fixture, appliance, appurtenance, area-way drain, floor drain, and roof drain is an extra $8.70
• Setting or replacing fixtures without changes in existing system: $58.50
  • Each fixture is an additional $6.78
• Sewer, new, replacement or repair: $58.50
• Sump pump: $8.70
• Water service, new, replacement or repair: $58.50

Future Blog Updates

This list is current based on 2022 figures. Governments often change permit fees each year, so we'll update this blog post next year! Let us know in the comments below if we missed/messed up anything or if there's any other information you'd like to see here!