Henrico County building department

Henrico County’s Department of Building Construction and Inspections enforces the Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code (USBC) for Henrico County. It issues building, electrical, mechanical, plumbing, elevator, fire-protection, and sign permits, and it handles temporary certificates of occupancy. Applications, amendments, fee payment, and inspection requests all run through Build Henrico, the county’s online land-management portal. Build Henrico also covers planning, land management, and code enforcement. The Virginia 2021 USBC has been in effect statewide since January 18, 2024 (Virginia DHCD).

Who can apply, and where

Henrico accepts permit applications from three groups:

• Homeowners, with a signed Owner’s Statement of Responsibility
• An authorized agent of the homeowner, also with the Owner’s Statement of Responsibility
• Licensed contractors holding a valid Virginia contractor number

You can apply online at any time. For in-person help, the county runs two Permit Centers, open Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.:

• West: Western Government Center, Administration Building, 2nd floor, 4301 E. Parham Road, Henrico, VA 23228
• East: Eastern Government Center, 3820 Nine Mile Road, Henrico, VA 23223

Permit Center staff help with account setup, site navigation, and scanning documents for upload. They also offer same-day review and issuance when all required plans and documents are in by 3 p.m. That walk-through option covers one-story additions, decks, screened or open porches, sunrooms, sheds over 256 sq. ft., pools and pool barriers, interior alterations and finished attics or basements, re-submittals, and electrical, mechanical, and plumbing sub-trade permits. Properties without public water or sewer can’t be walked through, because the Virginia Department of Health must review them first.

Applying in Build Henrico

Log in to your Build Henrico account, choose Permits > Building Permit, select Residential, and complete the online application. Henrico’s residential instructions list the uploads that may apply:

• Site plans
• Construction plans (floor and foundation plans, elevations, building and wall sections, insulation details, fire-rated assemblies)
• Structural and engineered designs (joists, rafters, trusses, beams, braced walls, retaining walls, energy calculations)
• Manufacturer’s specifications and third-party product evaluation reports
• The Owner’s Statement of Responsibility
• Department of Public Works forms where required, such as drainage calculations, lot grading certification, agreements in lieu of sediment control or stormwater management plans, and a single-family stormwater pollution prevention plan

To cancel an application that hasn’t been issued, withdraw it in the portal. For an issued permit, use Amend Permit and give a reason. Refunds are 100% of the permit fee before issuance and 75% after issuance, and you must ask for the refund in your cancellation reason.

What needs a permit and what doesn’t

Henrico’s Permit Center publishes both lists. Typical home projects that need a permit include ADUs, additions, finished attics and basements, carports, garages, dormers, porches, skylights, crawlspace encapsulation, converting windows to doors, and townhome fire separations. Decks need a permit when new, when enclosed, or when rails, structural members, or stairs are repaired. Permits are also required for the first installation of fixtures and appliances connected to electrical, gas, mechanical, or plumbing systems, and for new or replacement furnaces, central air, gas water heaters, and gas or wood stoves.

Project	No permit if…	Permit needed if…
Sheds and playhouses (detached)	256 sq. ft. or less and one story (floor under 18 in., eave under 10 ft.)	Over 256 sq. ft. or more than one story
Fences	7 ft. or less and not a pool barrier	Over 7 ft., or serving as a pool barrier
Concrete or masonry walls	6 ft. or less	Over 6 ft.
Retaining walls	Less than 3 ft. of unbalanced fill	More than 3 ft. of unbalanced backfill
Pools	150 sq. ft. or less, 5,000 gallons or less, and under 24 in. deep	Over 150 sq. ft. and over 24 in. deep
Roof sheathing	256 sq. ft. (8 sheets) or less	More than 256 sq. ft.
Flagpoles	30 ft. or less	Over 30 ft.

Also exempt: replacing roof covering or siding in any amount, replacing windows and doors in existing openings, like-for-like plumbing fixtures, switches, receptacles, light fixtures, and ceiling fans, non-gas or non-oil mechanical appliances, cabinets, trim, flooring, paint, on-grade patios, gutters, and temporary ramps no more than 30 inches above grade. Exempt sheds still have to meet the setbacks in the Henrico Zoning Ordinance. More on this in our guide to shed permits.

Fees

Henrico bases fees on the estimated cost of labor and materials and adds a 2% state levy. The county also posts an online residential fee calculator.

Permit	Fee
New one- or two-family dwelling, building permit	$680
Existing one- or two-family dwelling (decks, porches, sheds, garages, pools, additions, demolitions)	$100 + $6.00 per $1,000 of value over $5,000, capped at $680
Commercial building	$100 + $7.00 per $1,000 of value over $5,000
Electrical, mechanical, or plumbing, new one- or two-family dwelling	$100
Electrical, mechanical, or plumbing, existing dwelling	$100 + $6.00 per $1,000 over $5,000
Temporary certificate of occupancy (issue or renew)	$25
Plan amendment or re-review after two deficient reviews	$25

New homes are charged a $75 inspection surcharge for each inspection beyond the county average. That average is 33 inspections without a fire suppression system and 41 with one, plus one more if there is an elevator.

Inspections

Request inspections through your Build Henrico account or the department’s automated permit system at (804) 501-7770. The department maintains a list of approved footing inspection agencies for residential footing inspections, and publishes monthly building and trade permit data on its public-data page.

Contact

Department of Building Construction and Inspections: 4301 East Parham Road, Henrico, VA 23228 (mail: P.O. Box 90775, Henrico, VA 23273-0775). Phone (804) 501-4360, Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Permit Center: (804) 501-7280.