Alexandria, VA Building Safety: Building Inspections (2026)
Key Facts
- Inspection notice
- 24 hours before requested inspection
- Suspended/abandoned work notice
- Written notice within 14 days
- Foundation survey plat
- Required at first joist bearing height
- Misdemeanor fine (Art. B)
- Up to $500 per day, Sec. 8-1-24
- Civil penalty cap (Art. A)
- $4,000 per related violation series
- Enforcing official
- Director, Dept. of Code Administration
Summary
Alexandria's building code requires every permit holder to notify the building official at least 24 hours before any inspection, and to give written notice within 14 days if a contractor is discharged or the work is suspended or abandoned, under City Code Sec. 8-1-11.
(a)In addition to the inspector requirements of the VUSBC, it shall be the duty of the permit holder to notify the building official at least 24 hours in advance of any inspection requested.(b)The holder of a permit shall give written notice to the building official within 14 days from the date a contractor, working pursuant to the permit, has been discharged from employment or from the date work under a permit has been suspended or abandoned.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 156 | Zoning: Supplement 103).
Full Breakdown
Under Title 8 of the City Code, the director of the Department of Code Administration serves as the building official who administers the Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code (VUSBC) for every permitted project in the city. Article B, "Miscellaneous Conditions of Permits," adds the notice rules that structure each inspection stage on top of the VUSBC's own inspection sequence. Section 8-1-11 requires the permit holder to notify the building official at least 24 hours before any requested inspection, and to send written notice within 14 days if a contractor working under the permit is discharged, or if work under the permit is suspended or abandoned, so the city can flag inactive projects.
A related stage sits in Section 8-1-12: once the footing is placed and the walls are raised to the first joist bearing or story height above grade, a licensed surveyor or engineer must prepare a foundation and wall survey plat showing the exact wall locations, and file it with both the building official and the zoning administrator for approval before construction proceeds further. Permit, inspection and certificate fees are set by city council resolution under Section 8-1-23; WMATA, Alexandria City Public Schools, the Alexandria Sanitation Authority and the city itself are exempt from those fees, and the Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority is exempt for qualifying low- and moderate-income housing projects.
Violations & Fines
A violation of Article B's permit and inspection conditions, including the 24-hour and 14-day notice duties in Section 8-1-11, is a misdemeanor under Section 8-1-24 punishable by a fine of up to $500, with each day the violation continues charged as a separate offense. Where the same conduct also violates Article A of Chapter 8, the civil-penalty track in Section 8-1-6 applies instead: up to $100 for an initial summons and $350 for each additional summons, capped at $4,000 for a related series of violations.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much advance notice must I give before a building inspection in Alexandria?
What happens if my contractor is fired mid-project?
When is the foundation and wall survey plat required?
Who enforces Alexandria's building inspection rules?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Alexandria
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