Charlottesville, VA Building Safety: Building Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Who issues permits
- the city's building official
- Fee due
- at time of application, per council's fee schedule
- State surcharge
- DHCD surcharge added, remitted quarterly
- Prerequisite
- Chapter 10 stormwater compliance under §10-3
- Penalty for unpermitted work
- Class 1 misdemeanor, up to $2,500
Summary
In the City of Charlottesville, Virginia, City Code § 5-56 requires anyone doing work covered by the Uniform Statewide Building Code to apply for a building permit from the city's building official and pay the fee set by city council's current fee schedule before the permit issues. No permit is issued until fees are paid in full.
(a)Application for any permits required pursuant to the USBC ("building permit") shall be made to the city's building official. The city council will, from time to time, approve a schedule of the fees and charges associated with the costs of such building permits and with building code enforcement and appeals required by this chapter. At the time an application, permit or other approval is submitted to the city, it shall be accompanied by the required fee(s) and charges as designated in the most recent fee schedule adopted by city council. Fees shall be made payable to the city treasurer. No building permit shall be issued until all required fees have been paid.(b)The fee for issuance of a permit issued pursuant to this chapter shall have added to it any surcharge levied by the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development ("DHCD") pursuant to section 36-137 of the Code of Virginia, as set forth within the building code, which surcharge shall be remitted to DHCD on a quarterly basis.
Full Breakdown
Section 5-56(a) channels every USBC-covered building permit application to the city's building official, part of Neighborhood Development Services under § 5-26(b). ' Section 5-56(b) adds a pass-through charge: any surcharge the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) levies under Code of Virginia § 36-137 gets added to the local permit fee and the city remits it to DHCD every quarter. The permit obligation sits within Division 2, Permits and Fees, right after Division 1's general USBC adoption at § 5-26, which assigns enforcement of Part II of the USBC to the city's building department and code official and Part III to the local enforcing agency and building maintenance official.
A cross-reference at § 5-56 ties permit issuance to Chapter 10's erosion and stormwater rules: compliance with Chapter 10 is a prerequisite to getting a building permit under § 10-3. Doing USBC-covered work without a permit is enforced under the general penalty at § 5-1: a Class 1 misdemeanor punishable by up to $2,500, escalating to a minimum $1,000 fine for a second offense within five years and mandatory jail time for a third offense within ten years.
Violations & Fines
Starting USBC-covered construction, alteration, or repair without an issued permit, or without paying the required fees under § 5-56(a), is enforced as a Class 1 misdemeanor under § 5-1, punishable by up to $2,500. A second offense within five years carries a minimum $1,000 fine, and a third offense on the same property within ten years brings up to ten days in jail plus a fine of at least $2,500.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who do I apply to for a building permit in Charlottesville?
Is there an extra state fee added to my Charlottesville building permit?
What happens if I build without a permit in Charlottesville?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Charlottesville
Compare Charlottesville to another location·View the Virginia building safety overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.