Fairfax County Remodeling Permits: A Homeowner Planning Guide

Confirm the jurisdiction and building type first

Permits are issued by the jurisdiction where the house sits, which is not always the one in its mailing address. Springfield, Burke, Lorton and Annandale are unincorporated areas of Fairfax County, so Fairfax County Land Development Services handles their residential permits. The City of Fairfax and the City of Falls Church are independent cities with their own permit offices. Inside the county, projects in the towns of Vienna and Clifton need separate town approval in addition to the county permit.

Building type matters too. Fairfax County notes that some residential properties, such as apartment buildings and condominiums, are treated as commercial under the building code and need commercial permits. If you own a condominium or a townhouse governed by an association, also check the association's own approval rules, which are separate from county permits.

Virginia applies a single statewide building code that localities enforce. According to the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development, the 2021 edition of the Uniform Statewide Building Code took effect on January 18, 2024, along with the 2020 National Electrical Code.

Source: Fairfax County: Residential addition and alteration permits

Source: Fairfax County: Residential electrical permits

Source: Virginia DHCD: Codes (2021 Virginia Codes effective January 18, 2024)

Cosmetic work has a limited exemption list

Fairfax County publishes a list of residential projects that do not need a permit. Among those relevant to remodeling are painting and wallpaper, replacement of flooring material, replacement of tiles, kitchen cabinets and countertops, bathroom countertops and vanities, direct replacement of existing windows and doors, and like-for-like replacement of electrical, plumbing and mechanical items with no change in location.

The list is narrower than it sounds. Cabinets alone are exempt, but moving a sink, adding a circuit for new appliances or changing a wall is not. Replacing a vanity is exempt, but relocating the toilet or converting a tub to a shower with new plumbing is not. Treat the exemption as applying to the exact work listed, and have the rest of the scope reviewed.

Source: Fairfax County: Does my project require a permit?

Wall and layout changes need scope review

Fairfax's guidance lists interior alterations that need a permit, including kitchen renovations, finished basements, bathroom remodels, removing an existing wall, building new walls, creating a bedroom and installing new window or door openings. It specifically includes installing and removing non-load-bearing walls, so a wall that carries no structure is still not automatically exempt.

Structural changes bring drawings into the picture. Fairfax requires unique structural designs to carry the seal of a registered design professional, defined as a Virginia-licensed architect or professional engineer, and the building official may require sealed drawings for any project. If an opening or beam is involved, ask early who will prepare and seal the design.

Source: Fairfax County: Does my project require a permit?

Source: Fairfax County: Signed and sealed drawings

For structural openings: Planning a load-bearing wall removal in Northern Virginia

Check electrical, plumbing, mechanical and gas work

Trade work has its own permits. Fairfax requires a residential electrical permit for new electrical equipment and fixtures, replacement of electrical equipment or fixtures and EV charging circuits. A residential plumbing permit covers installing and replacing plumbing equipment and fixtures, and some plumbing permits need wastewater or health department approval before they are issued. Trade permits do not require plans and are issued online after the associated building permit.

Gas appliances are a common surprise. The county's household appliance guidance explains that, under the Virginia Residential Code, only non-gas and non-oil mechanical appliances are exempt when replaced, so any gas appliance installation or replacement, such as a water heater, furnace or range, requires a permit even if it is like for like. If new gas piping is installed, the work moves to a residential plumbing permit instead.

Source: Fairfax County: Residential electrical permits

Source: Fairfax County: Residential plumbing permits

Source: Fairfax County: Household appliance permits

Identify the applicant, drawings and approvals

Homeowners may obtain permits in their own name, but Fairfax County strongly recommends that a properly licensed contractor pull the permits as the responsible party, so the county can better help gain compliance if work is defective. Whoever applies takes on responsibility for the work meeting code and for scheduling inspections, so your contract should say plainly who that is.

Virginia's contractor regulations require residential contracts to include a statement that the contractor will comply with local requirements for building permits, inspections and zoning, and they list failing to obtain a required permit or inspection as a prohibited act. You can verify a contractor's Virginia license and disciplinary history with DPOR's License Lookup before you sign.

Depending on the project, the application may also involve zoning review, site conditions, a floodplain or Resource Protection Area check, or the health department for homes on well or septic. Your contractor or designer should identify these before submission so they do not surface as review comments later.

Source: Fairfax County: Residential addition and alteration permits

Source: Virginia Administrative Code 18VAC50-22-260: contract requirements and prohibited acts

Source: Virginia DPOR: Hiring a contractor

Follow the application through to closeout

Fairfax uses an online system called PLUS for applications, documents, fees, reviewer comments and inspection requests. Staff from several groups may review a residential alteration, including the permit application center, building plan review, site, zoning and the fire marshal, and the county notifies the applicant of any deficiencies. If corrections are required, the applicant responds to each comment, pays any resubmission fees and uploads revised documents. Once reviews are approved and fees paid, the permit and approved plans become available to download.

Construction then moves through inspections. The permit holder must schedule required building and trade inspections, the county conducts combination inspections in which related inspections are scheduled for the same day, and scheduling an inspection before the work is ready can bring a reinspection fee. A requested inspection is assigned a two-hour arrival window, and results are sent to the applicant. The project closes when the final inspections pass.

Source: Fairfax County: Residential addition and alteration permits

Source: Fairfax County: Building and trade inspections

• Scope confirmed and drawings prepared, if needed
• Application submitted in PLUS with required documents
• Reviews completed; comments answered and resubmitted if required
• Fees paid and permit issued
• Trade permits obtained after the building permit
• Rough and concealment inspections passed before walls are closed
• Final inspections passed and permit closed

Getting help from Land Development Services

Fairfax County Land Development Services is at 12055 Government Center Parkway, Suite 324, in Fairfax, and can be reached at 703-222-0801. At the time of writing, the county lists its hours as Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Friday from 9:15 a.m. to 4 p.m., with limited walk-in service late in the day. The county also offers meetings with staff and a permit library describing each record type. Check the county site for current hours before visiting.

Source: Fairfax County: Residential addition and alteration permits

Use a permit responsibility checklist

Before work starts, put the permit responsibilities in writing alongside the rest of the scope. It prevents the most common permit problems: work that started before issuance, inspections that were never scheduled and a project that is finished but never closed.

• Which jurisdiction issues the permit for this address?
• Which parts of the work are exempt and which need permits?
• Who is the applicant and responsible party?
• Who prepares drawings, and do they need a seal?
• Which trade permits are required, and who obtains them?
• Who schedules each inspection and shares the results?
• Are permit and resubmission fees included in the contract?
• Who confirms the permit is closed at the end?

Next step: Talk with Graves about your remodeling scope and permits