Fairfax County Building Department | Permits, Inspections & Contact

Fairfax County Land Development Services (LDS) is the county office for building construction review, permitting, and inspections for property in Fairfax County. LDS enforces the Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code together with Fairfax County ordinances, including zoning, subdivision, stormwater, Chesapeake Bay, and Public Facilities Manual requirements. A property in an incorporated town may require coordination with that town; Fairfax specifically explains that county building permit review and inspections can coexist with town-level site-related approvals, such as in Vienna.

Applying for a Fairfax County building permit

The county’s PLUS system is the central online platform for zoning, building, permitting, and other land-development applications. It lets applicants create records, submit documents, pay fees, track status, and receive electronic notifications. Fairfax’s residential permit guidance identifies new homes, townhouses, detached structures over the stated size threshold, and other construction work as permit categories, while plan review may involve building, zoning, site, wastewater, health, or Fire Marshal review depending on the project.

Before submitting, confirm the parcel’s zoning and site conditions and determine whether a grading, site, stormwater, floodplain, or other county approval is also required. Fairfax states that clearing more than 2,500 square feet, cut-and-fill of 18 inches or more, and even small clearing inside a floodplain can trigger additional land-development review. Commercial projects may also require an approved site plan before construction or establishment of covered uses.

Inspections and occupancy in Fairfax County

The permit holder is responsible for requesting building and trade inspections through PLUS. Fairfax uses combination inspections for related work such as concealment and final inspections, so applicants should schedule the required related inspections together. A request for the next business day must be submitted before 11:59 p.m.; approved building plans, site-related plans, and shop drawings must be available at the job site. Virtual inspections may be available at the inspector’s discretion.

For residential occupancy, Fairfax commonly refers to a Residential Use Permit (RUP), often called a certificate of occupancy. The county says RUP requests should be emailed by noon on the day before inspection and include the requester, phone number, address, and permit number. Confirm the final inspection sequence and any nonresidential occupancy requirements with LDS before opening or occupying the space.

Official Fairfax County contact

Land Development Services lists (703) 222-0801, TTY 711, and 12055 Government Center Parkway, Fairfax, VA 22035. The county’s PLUS portal is used for applications, public record searches, status tracking, and inspection scheduling. Use the official LDS pages above for current hours, permit-library instructions, and project-specific review contacts.