Stafford County, VA Building Safety: Building Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Adopted code
- Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code
- Permit needed for
- new construction, alteration, removal, demolition
- Fee-setting authority
- Board of Supervisors, by resolution
- Violation penalty
- misdemeanor, fine up to $1,000
- Governing sections
- County Code §§ 6-16, 6-18
Summary
Stafford County's building code is the Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code, adopted in full for new construction, existing buildings and maintenance. Before the county issues any permit for new construction, installation, alteration, removal or demolition governed by that code, the owner or the person doing the work must pay permit fees the Board of Supervisors sets by resolution after public hearing, under Code Sections 6-16 and 6-18.
The building code of the county shall be the Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code, as provided in chapter 6, title 36 (§ 36-97 et seq.) of the Code of Virginia, which is hereby adopted as follows: ... (a)Before any permit for new construction, installation, alteration, removal, demolition or other related work governed by the Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code is issued, the owner or person doing the work shall pay such permit fees to the county as are prescribed from time to time by the board of supervisors by resolution, after public hearings.
Full Breakdown
, the county's building code. 2, plus the Existing Building Code (USBC Part II) and the Maintenance Code (USBC Part III). That is the code that requires a permit for building work: Section 6-18 says that before any permit for new construction, installation, alteration, removal, demolition or other related work governed by the Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code is issued, the owner or the person doing the work must pay the permit fees the Board of Supervisors sets by resolution, after public hearings. Fee schedules adopted under earlier ordinances stay in force unless the board replaces them.
A companion section, 6-17, backs the permit system with a criminal penalty: violating the adopted code, ignoring an approved plan, or working without the required permit or certificate is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to one thousand dollars. The director of code compliance and the building official administer permitting and plan review day to day, while the Board of Supervisors controls the fee schedule itself.
Violations & Fines
Building or working without the required permit, deviating from an approved plan, or ignoring a directive of the director of code compliance is a misdemeanor under Section 6-17, punishable by a fine of up to one thousand dollars. Unpaid permit fees keep the county from issuing the permit in the first place, since Section 6-18 makes payment a condition of issuance rather than a bill sent afterward.
Frequently Asked Questions
When do I need a building permit in Stafford County?
What happens if I build without a permit?
Who sets the building permit fees?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Stafford County
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