Building Safety in Newport News, VA (2026)
7 verified building safety rules for Newport News, Virginia, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Lead Paint
Newport News bans using or applying paint or any substance testing at 1.0 mg/cm² or more of lead, or over 0.5% lead by weight, on dwellings, child care facilities, and their outbuildings, fences and yard soil, per City Code § 20-41.
Newport News Lead-Based Paint Hazard Rules
Heavy RestrictionsNewport News City Code § 20-41
It shall be unlawful for any person to use or apply, or cause to be used or applied, paint or any other substance when it contains 1.0 mg/cm 2 or more of lead as measured by the X-ray fluorescence analyzer, or when it contains more than 0.5 percent lead by weight in the total nonvolatile content of liquid paint or in the dried film of paint already applied as determined by wet chemical analysis...
Childcare Center Rules
Newport News lets a home care fewer than five children with no permit, but five to twelve children requires a conditional use permit under Zoning Code § 45-522, plus a fenced play area and set outdoor hours.
Newport News Family Day Home Child Care Rules
Some RestrictionsNewport News City Code § 45-522(a)-(b)(3)-(4)
(a)A child day program offered in the residence of the provider for compensation that regularly provides direct care during part of a twenty-four-hour day to fewer than five (5) children under the age of thirteen (13) years old...shall be permitted...(b)...to at least five (5) and not more than twelve (12) children...shall be allowed with the approval of a conditional use permit...(3)The play a...
Carbon Monoxide Detectors
Every short-term rental in Newport News must have working carbon monoxide detectors, smoke detectors, and fire extinguishers, plus a posted exit plan accessible to guests at all times.
Newport News Short-Term Rental CO Detector Rule
Some RestrictionsNewport News City Code § 45-517.1(b)(4)
A short-term rental shall have working fire extinguishers, smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors, and an exit plan. All of such equipment and the exit plan shall be accessible to overnight lodgers at all times.
Building Permits
Newport News bills decks and porches under its building permit fee schedule; an unenclosed deck, porch, or stoop built at the same time as a new R3-R5 dwelling is excluded from the floor-area fee computation.
Newport News Deck & Porch Permit Fees
Some RestrictionsNewport News City Code § 13-26(a)(2)
In the case of buildings of use group R3, R4 or R5, any unenclosed carport, deck, porch or stoop, when built in conjunction with and at the same time as the dwelling, shall be excluded from the square footage computation.
Electrical Permits
Newport News charges a $55 minimum fee for every electrical permit, scaled up by service-panel amperage under section 13-26(c), and requires rough, service and final inspections by a city electrical inspector before section 13-43's certificate of inspection can issue. No power company may energize a connection until that certificate is on file, per section 13-46.
Newport News Electrical Permit Fees & Inspections
Some RestrictionsNewport News City Code § 13-26(c)
(c)Electrical permits:(1)The minimum permit fee for any electrical permit shall be fifty-five dollars ($55.00).(2)For the installation of each electrical system in new construction, the fee shall be determined from the rated size of service panel(s) in amperes as follows: 0-125 amps $55.00/$85.00; 126-150 amps $85.00/$110.00; 151-200 amps $110.00/$165.00; Over 200 amps $165.00/$195.00. Plus thi...
Plumbing Permits
Newport News requires a plumbing permit for covered work, charging a $55 minimum fee plus itemized per-fixture, water-distribution, and sewer-connection charges.
Newport News Plumbing Permit Fees Required
Some RestrictionsNewport News City Code § 13-26(b)
(b)Plumbing permits:(1)The minimum permit fee for any plumbing permit shall be fifty-five dollars ($55.00).(2)For the installation of each plumbing fixture, the fee shall be ten dollars ($10.00).(3)For the installation of the water distribution system in each unit of a multiple-occupancy building, or the installation of the water distribution system in other buildings, the fee shall be fifteen ...
Building Inspections
Newport News requires a building inspector to sign off at each of eight construction stages, from footing excavation through final inspection, before work may be concealed or the building occupied.
Newport News Required Building Inspection Stages
Some RestrictionsNewport News City Code § 13-40
A building inspector shall, upon notification from the permit holder or such holder's agent, make the following inspections of buildings and such other inspections as may be necessary, and shall either approve that portion of the con-struction as completed or shall notify the permit holder or such holder's agent wherein the same fails to comply with the building regulations:(1)Inspection of foo...