Rockingham County, VA Building Safety: Building Permits (2026)

Rockingham County Code § 6-9 requires any owner or other person to obtain a building permit from the building inspection office before commencing construction, alteration, addition, repair, removal, demolition, use, location, occupancy or maintenance of any existing or proposed building or structure and its service equipment, whether the work is within the county or within a town that has joined the county's joint inspection agreement under § 6-4. The permit application must be accompanied by a written statement from the zoning administrator (or the town's equivalent authority) confirming the proposed work conforms to chapter 17, the Zoning Ordinance, or the town's zoning ordinance.

Once a permit issues, § 6-10 requires the permit holder to report any modifications in specifications, including cost changes, to the building inspection office within thirty days of substantial completion or occupancy, whichever comes first, and additional fees may apply for cost changes. Permit fees are set by the Fee Compendium posted on the county website per § 6-11; public bodies, incorporated towns or cities, and other political subdivisions of the Commonwealth are exempt from paying those fees. The Uniform Statewide Building Code, adopted by § 6-1, controls construction, alteration, occupancy and maintenance standards, and the county's building official, appointed under § 6-3, enforces both the building code and this chapter.