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Henrico County, VA Building Safety: Elevator Maintenance (2026)

Some Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Certificate renewal
Annual, due Dec. 31
Elevator/manlift fee
$40 up to 10 stories
Escalator fee
$40 per floor
Dumbwaiter fee
$25 up to 10 stories
First-year proration
Half fee if issued by June 30

Summary

Building owners in Henrico pay the county an annual certificate-of-compliance fee for every elevator, escalator, dumbwaiter and manlift, due by December 31 for the year ahead. Passenger and freight elevators run $40 for buildings up to ten stories, escalators $40 per floor, and dumbwaiters $25 for ten stories or less.

These county ordinances apply to unincorporated areas of Henrico County. Incorporated cities within the county may have their own rules that take precedence over county-level regulations.

(h) Annual certificate of compliance for elevators, escalators, dumbwaiters and manlifts. (1) Fees for annual certificates of compliance must be paid to the county on or before December 31 of each year for the following year. For passenger elevators, freight elevators and manlifts, the fee is $40.00 for elevators of ten stories or less, plus $4.00 for each additional ten stories or fraction thereof. For escalators, the fee is $40.00 per floor. For dumbwaiters, the fee is $25.00 for ten stories or less, plus $4.00 for each additional ten stories or fraction thereof.

Full Breakdown

Henrico County Code § 6-3(h) requires an annual certificate of compliance for elevators, escalators, dumbwaiters and manlifts, with the fee due to the county on or before December 31 of each year for the following year. 00 for each additional ten stories or fraction of ten stories. 00 per floor they connect. 00 for each additional ten stories or fraction thereof. Section 6-3(h)(2) prorates the first certificate: if an initial certificate of compliance is issued between January 1 and June 30 of a year, the owner pays only half the listed fee for that year, and if it's issued after June 30, there is no charge at all for that first partial year.

Because the certificate is annual and tied to the calendar year, a building with a passenger elevator must renew and pay again every December 31 to keep the equipment certified for the coming year, and the certificate program sits alongside the county's broader building-permit fee structure administered by the same office of building construction and inspections under § 6-1.

Violations & Fines

Operating an elevator, escalator, dumbwaiter or manlift without a current annual certificate of compliance exposes the building owner to enforcement by the building official under the Uniform Statewide Building Code enforcement authority in § 6-1, since § 6-3(h) makes the certificate an annual, non-optional requirement tied to the calendar year rather than a one-time approval.

Frequently Asked Questions

How often must a Henrico building recertify its elevator?
Every year. Henrico County Code § 6-3(h) requires an annual certificate of compliance for elevators, escalators, dumbwaiters and manlifts, with the fee for the coming year due to the county on or before December 31 of the current year.
How much does the elevator certificate cost?
For passenger elevators, freight elevators and manlifts, $40.00 for a building of ten stories or less, plus $4.00 for each additional ten stories or fraction of ten stories, under § 6-3(h)(1). Escalators run $40.00 per floor, and dumbwaiters run $25.00 for ten stories or less.
Do I get a discount if my building's elevator is new partway through the year?
Yes. Section 6-3(h)(2) charges only half the listed annual fee if the initial certificate of compliance is issued between January 1 and June 30, and charges nothing for that first certificate if it's issued after June 30 of that year.
Does this fee cover both elevators and escalators?
Yes. Section 6-3(h) covers passenger elevators, freight elevators, manlifts, escalators and dumbwaiters under one annual certificate-of-compliance requirement, each with its own fee schedule based on the number of stories or floors served.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Henrico County

All Henrico County rules

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