Henrico County, VA Building Safety: Building Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- New home permit fee
- $680 flat
- Addition/garage fee
- $100 + $6/$1,000 over $5,000
- Other permits fee
- $100 + $7/$1,000 over $5,000
- Unpermitted-work penalty
- 10% of fee or $20, greater
- Refund request window
- 6 months of expiration
Summary
Henrico requires a paid-up permit before any new construction, alteration, removal or demolition begins. A new one- or two-family home runs $680, garages and additions run $100 plus $6 per $1,000 over $5,000, and unpermitted work already started adds a 10 percent, $20 minimum, investigation fee.
Sec. 6-3. Permit fees. (a) Payment required prior to issuance of permit. No permit or permit amendment for new construction, alteration, removal, demolition or other building operations will be issued until the required fees have been paid to the office of building construction and inspections. ... (g) Building permit fee schedule. (1) One- and two-family dwellings. The fee for building attached or detached one- or two-family dwellings is $680.00.
Full Breakdown
Henrico County Code § 6-3(a) bars issuance of any permit or permit amendment for new construction, alteration, removal, demolition or other building operations until the required fee is paid to the office of building construction and inspections. Paying that fee doesn't excuse separate charges the law or an ordinance requires, such as water or sewer connection fees or sign-erection fees, per § 6-3(b). 00. 00, whichever is greater, is added to cover investigation costs. If a permit later expires, is abandoned, revoked, or the project is discontinued, § 6-3(d) lets the holder recover the cost of uncompleted work, minus a 25 percent plan-review and administrative charge, by requesting a refund within six months.
Section 6-3(m) waives several of these fees, including the standard permit-fee schedule, for property inside a Virginia Enterprise Zone for the life of the zone designation.
Violations & Fines
Beginning construction, alteration, removal or demolition before a permit is issued and paid for under § 6-3(a) triggers, upon discovery, an added investigation fee under § 6-3(e) equal to 10 percent of the permit fee or $20.00, whichever is greater, on top of the permit fee itself. The building official can also pursue enforcement under the Uniform Statewide Building Code adopted by § 6-1 for unpermitted work.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a Henrico building permit cost for a new house?
What happens if I start work before getting a permit?
Can I get a refund if I cancel my project after getting a permit?
Do Enterprise Zone properties get a fee break?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Henrico County
Compare Henrico County 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.