Fairfax County, VA Building Safety: Building Inspections (2026)

Building inspections in Fairfax County are conducted by LDS Building Inspections Division inspectors licensed under the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD). Inspections verify code compliance with the Virginia USBC at each construction phase. Required residential inspection sequence (new construction/additions): (1) Footing inspection — before concrete placement, verifying depth, width, rebar, and dimensions; (2) Foundation inspection — after foundation walls/slab before backfill, verifying waterproofing, drainage, and anchor bolts; (3) Under-slab plumbing — before slab pour for plumbing below grade; (4) Framing inspection — after rough framing, roof sheathing, and window/door installation, before insulation; includes structural framing, sheathing, and window/door rough openings; (5) Rough mechanical (HVAC) — ductwork installed before drywall; (6) Rough electrical — wiring, boxes, panel rough-in before drywall; (7) Rough plumbing — waste/vent piping, water lines before drywall; (8) Insulation inspection — after insulation and vapor barrier, before drywall (energy code compliance); (9) Drywall/gypsum inspection — some jurisdictions inspect before taping; (10) Final mechanical — HVAC operational, ductwork sealed; (11) Final electrical — all fixtures installed, panel labeled, GFCI/AFCI protection verified; (12) Final plumbing — all fixtures operational, pressure tested; (13) Final building — overall completion, smoke/CO alarms, handrails, stairs, egress, CO-issuance inspection. Scheduling: Via Fairfax County's ePlans/eInspect portal or phone line, generally with next-business-day availability if requested by 3 PM. Inspectors are assigned by geographic area. Inspection results: Pass (proceed to next phase), Conditional Pass (minor items to correct, may proceed), Fail (correction required, re-inspection fee may apply after first failure). Re-inspection fees typically $75-$150. Certificate of Occupancy (CO): Required before legal occupancy of new construction or major additions changing use/occupancy. Temporary CO may be issued for partial occupancy during final punchlist work. Existing Use Permits/Certificate of Non-Use required for changes in use (residential to home occupation, etc.). Special inspections: Required for certain structural elements per IBC Chapter 17 — high-load structures, seismic elements, shotcrete pools, post-tensioned slabs. Third-party special inspectors must be approved by LDS. Enforcement: Proceeding without passing inspections can result in stop-work orders, failed Certificate of Occupancy, requirement to expose concealed work, and civil penalties. Real estate disclosures require unpermitted or un-inspected work to be disclosed.