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

The required stages run in construction order: footing trenches after rebar is set but before concrete is placed; beams, floor joists, vents and anchor bolts before the subfloor goes down; structural framing and fastenings before they are concealed; electrical, mechanical and plumbing systems before concealment; required insulation before it is covered; and a final building inspection before the certificate of occupancy issues, confirming any earlier violations were corrected. The building code official may waive an inspection at his discretion when construction cost is under $2,500, per § 7.1-11(a)(7).

Under § 7.1-11(b) the permit holder or their representative must notify the building safety office when each stage is reached. Separately, § 7.1-11(c) lets the building code official inspect completed buildings on probable cause of a violation, including any building storing hazardous materials, any building occupied by 20 or more people, or the common areas of residential buildings with four or more units, coordinating those inspections with fire and health officials before an occupancy permit issues. Reinspection carries its own cost: § 7.1-9(f) sets a $90 reinspection fee whenever the inspector cannot get safe access, the site is not ready, or the address is not posted, though the first reinspection after a failed inspection is free.