Building permits in Chesterfield County, Virginia
Of the 13 common home projects we have verified in Chesterfield County, 6 need a permit outright and 6 depend on size or scope. Click any project for the full rule, fee, and how to apply.
By Mario Bailey Last checked · 1 official source
Verified against official sources- Project types verified
- 13
- in Chesterfield County
One thing Chesterfield County does not make you permit
Worth knowing before you call anyone. Most jurisdictions we cover require all of these.
- Fence Permit
No permit required for this work.
Chesterfield County Department of Building Inspection
- 9800 Government Center Parkway, Chesterfield, VA 23832
- Phone: (804) 751-4990
- Email: BIPermitsAndFees@chesterfield.gov
- Official permit page
- Permit portal
- Official fee schedule
Look up a permit in Chesterfield County
Chesterfield County permit records are public, and you can check a property's permit history online.
What needs a permit in Chesterfield County
Of the 13 common home projects we have verified in Chesterfield County, 6 need a permit outright and 6 depend on size or scope. Click any project for the full rule, fee, and how to apply.
| Project | Permit needed? | Threshold | Typical fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bathroom Remodel Permit | It depends | Not specified | Falls under renovation, alteration or conversion: $114 if square footage does not... |
| Deck Permit | Permit required | Not specified | $114 flat fee for a deck, carport, gazebo, or similar accessory addition per the... |
| Electrical Permit | Permit required | Not specified | $171 for a new single-family dwelling |
| EV Charger Permit | Permit required | Not specified | No EV-specific line |
| Fence Permit | No permit needed | Not specified | No permit or fee for a standard residential fence |
| HVAC Permit | Permit required | Not specified | $114 for a new HVAC system installation or system replacement with new ductwork |
| Patio Permit | It depends | on-grade concrete or paver patios need no building permit; a permit is required for covered patios, patio covers, or slabs designed to support a future structure | Not published |
| Plumbing Permit | Permit required | Not specified | $228 for a new single-family dwelling |
| Pool Permit | It depends | pools, hot tubs, or spas (permanent or storable) greater than 150 sq ft surface area, 5,000 gallons capacity, and more than 24 inches deep require a building permit; smaller or shallower pools are exempt | $57 flat fee for an in-ground or above-ground swimming pool with barrier |
| Roof Replacement Permit | It depends | like-for-like replacement of roof covering on one- and two-family homes is exempt statewide in areas with nominal design wind speed of 100 mph or less; a permit is required when roof sheathing or framing is replaced, and may be required in historic districts or flood hazard areas | No permit or fee for ordinary reroofing or shingle replacement, which the county lists... |
| Shed Permit | It depends | sheds 256 sq ft or less require no permit; sheds 257 sq ft or larger (up to 400 sq ft) require a building permit | No permit fee for sheds 256 sq ft or less |
| Solar Permit | Permit required | Not specified | No solar-specific line |
| Water Heater Permit | It depends | Not specified | Replacing an electric water heater with a new electric unit needs no permit |
Planning a project in Chesterfield County?
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Planning several things at once? Check your whole project
Schedule an inspection in Chesterfield County
Permitted work is not finished until it passes inspection. The Building Inspection page explains how to schedule inspections, by phone, up to five business days in advance.
Schedule or request a Chesterfield County inspection
When the portal will not take the date you need, the office still books by phone: (804) 751-4990.
Checked . If the office has changed its process, report it.
Chesterfield County permit fees compared with nearby Virginia localities
| Virginia locality | Deck Permit | HVAC Permit | Electrical Permit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chesterfield County | $114 flat fee for a deck, carport, gazebo, or similar... | $114 for a new HVAC system installation or system... | $171 for a new single-family dwelling |
| Arlington County | Fees per FY27 ISD fee schedule | Fees per FY27 ISD fee schedule | Fees per FY27 ISD fee schedule |
| Culpeper County | Not published | Not published | Not published |
| Fairfax County | Billed as an addition under Table 1's area-based... | Direct replacement of HVAC equipment is a household... | Residential addition or alteration electrical work starts... |
Each cell is the opening clause of that Virginia jurisdiction's own fee schedule; the full wording and source sit on each permit page.
Chesterfield County permit questions, answered from the data
- Do you need a permit in Chesterfield County?
- For most projects, yes. Of the 13 permit types we have verified for Chesterfield County, 6 always require a permit (for example a deck permit), 6 depend on size or scope (a bathroom remodel permit, for instance), and 1 needs no permit at all in Chesterfield County. Each Chesterfield County permit type's page states the exact rule and its source.
- How much does a permit cost in Chesterfield County?
- Chesterfield County publishes a fee for 12 of the 13 permit types we cover, each quoted on its page from the jurisdiction's own schedule (linked on every page that carries one). Fees are set by Chesterfield County Department of Building Inspection; we do not estimate or mark them up.
- Where do you apply for a permit in Chesterfield County?
- Chesterfield County Department of Building Inspection issues permits in Chesterfield County, with an online portal for applications, plan uploads and status checks, and takes questions at (804) 751-4990. The Chesterfield County official page and portal are linked in the office section above.
How the Chesterfield County pages were verified. 13 permit types, 4 distinct official sources, most recently checked . Every rule is read from Chesterfield County Department of Building Inspection or the applicable code and cited on its page; anything we could not confirm for Chesterfield County is marked rather than estimated. How we verify.