Charleston building department

The City of Charleston Building Department issues construction permits, reviews plans, and inspects work inside Charleston city limits. It is part of the city’s Building Commission and works from the City Service Center at 915 Quarrier Street, Suite 5. The City Collector’s office is in the same building, and the city’s construction handbook lists both offices as open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Kanawha County addresses outside the city, including South Charleston, Dunbar, and unincorporated areas, are handled by other offices.

Charleston’s permit rule

Charleston says all construction work in the city requires a permit before work begins. The Building Department issues permits for residential and commercial work, including:

• new construction, remodeling, additions, repairs, and maintenance
• fences, roofs, replacement windows, siding, and retaining walls
• driveways and accessory structures
• signs, tanks and pumps
• plumbing, electrical, and HVAC
• excavations in the city right-of-way

Homeowners may do their own work if they get the proper permits and pass inspection. The city warns that a homeowner should never take out a permit on someone else’s behalf, because of possible legal problems later. See our owner-builder permits guide for general background.

Permit forms are posted on the Permits page: Residential New (RBP-1), Residential Remodel, Repair/Remodel, New Commercial, Electrical, Plumbing, HVAC, Sign, and Demolition. Supporting forms include a Contract Certification and a Subcontractor List. Every demolition permit requires an asbestos report and information on where the storm and sewer laterals are and how they will be capped.

Fees

Construction permit fees follow the city’s Schedule of Permit Fees, effective April 14, 2008. Fees are waived for total job costs up to $2,500. Sample amounts:

Total job cost	Permit fee
$2,501 to $3,500	$22.50
$9,500.01 to $10,500	$50.50
$24,500.01 to $25,500	$110.50
$49,000.01 to $50,000	$230.50
$100,000	$480.50
$1,000,000	$4,980.50

Some other fee rules:

• Demolition: $30 for any structure up to $5,000; above that, the regular schedule applies.
• Commercial plan review: 0.00075 times construction cost for projects of $50,000 and up. For example, a $100,000 project pays $75.
• Signs: $50 minimum; $0.50 per sq ft non-electric, $1.00 per sq ft internally lit, $0.75 per sq ft externally lit. Temporary banners are $15.
• Trade permits: the schedule does not cover electrical, plumbing, or HVAC permits. Each of those applications lists its own fees.
• Contracts: jobs over $10,000 need a copy of an executed contract. If there is no contract, fill out the Contract Certification form.

Once you have a permit number from the Permit Office at (304) 348-6833, you can pay online by card or e-check. This works only if your B&O account has no problems. The City Collector’s counter does not take cards.

Working without a permit costs at least $100 or twice the normal fee, whichever is greater. The contractor also faces at least a three-month suspension of their City of Charleston license.

Plan submittals and review times

Submit plans to the Permit Review Coordinator at 915 Quarrier Street, Suite 5. Plans must show where the structure will sit relative to other structures, existing and changed grades, and overhead and underground utilities and sewers.

• Residential: 2 sets. Include site, sanitary and storm sewer, stormwater drainage and erosion control, and parking details.
• Commercial: 3 scaled sets. Include floor, room, and window area tabulations; construction type, use, and occupant load; fire ratings and separations; typical wall sections; and accessibility compliance. Commercial projects over $50,000 need the seal of a West Virginia-registered architect or engineer.

The city aims to finish residential reviews within 3 working days, commercial within 10, and industrial within 30. Required revisions restart the review period. Depending on the project, reviews may come from the Building Department, Fire Department, City Engineer, Traffic Engineer, Sanitary Board, and Planning Department. The permit is issued after all reviews are done. Keep one approved set on the job site.

Inspections and Certificate of Occupancy

Inspections cover footer and foundation, rough-in plumbing, electrical, HVAC, framing, ADA accessibility, and a final inspection for the Certificate of Occupancy. Call in requests 24 hours ahead to the permit office at (304) 348-6833. Have ready the owner’s name, the property address, a contact phone, the contractor’s name, the permit number, and the type of inspection. The city asks you not to call inspectors directly. The Inspections page also posts deck and footer specifications.

A C of O is not issued until every permit and required inspection is complete, all fees are paid, and every subcontractor is listed and registered with both the Building Department and the City Collector.

Contractor licensing and B&O tax

The city can deny a contractor registration or a permit if any of these is true:

• the company is not registered with the City Collector, or is behind on returns or taxes
• its certificate of insurance has expired
• its West Virginia contractor license has expired
• it has failed to get permits or inspections in the past

All contracting work in Charleston is subject to a 2% B&O tax, including work by out-of-town contractors and subcontractors. On projects of $50,000 or more, a Tax Compliance Officer tracks the job. General contractors should hold back at least 2% from each subcontractor until the Collector issues a release. The City Collector can be reached at (304) 348-8024.

Related offices

New businesses, and existing businesses with a new owner or location, need occupancy sign-off from Planning/Zoning at (304) 348-8105, Building at (304) 348-6833, and the Fire Department at (304) 348-8058.

Covered commercial occupancies may also need West Virginia State Fire Marshal plan review. The State Fire Marshal’s offices are in Charleston, and plan submissions have been portal-only since March 1, 2025. The State Fire Code does not apply to one- and two-family dwellings.