Accomack County, Virginia Building Permit Guide

In Accomack County, on Virginia’s Eastern Shore, building permits come from the Accomack County Building and Zoning Office in Accomac, which also covers every incorporated town except Chincoteague. Applications, payments and inspection requests go through the County’s ACCESS portal. Under the Tax and Fee Compendium effective August 20, 2026, a new home costs $0.41 per square foot with a $187 minimum, and inspections need at least 24 hours’ notice.

What needs a permit in Accomack County?

The County’s Permitting page lists the work that needs a building permit, and its Permit Requirements page lists the small jobs that do not.

Two local catches apply to the exempt list. A shed under 256 sq ft does need a building permit when it stands in a Special Flood Hazard Area, and the building official may require a permit for any otherwise exempt item in a flood zone. Farm buildings that skip the building permit are still subject to the County’s floodplain ordinance.

Who issues building permits in Accomack County?

The Building and Zoning Office, part of the Department of Building, Planning & Economic Development, enforces the building code across the unincorporated county and inside every incorporated town but one. It shares each application with Environmental Programs, Zoning, the Health Department and the Treasurer before the building official signs off.

Towns. Accomack has 14 incorporated towns, and they fall into two groups:

• Chincoteague has its own Building and Zoning Department at 6150 Community Drive (757-336-6519), with its own online permit portal. Town inspections run from 8:00 a.m. to noon on weekdays and need 24 hours’ notice by phone.
• Accomac, Belle Haven (the part in Accomack County), Bloxom, Hallwood, Keller, Melfa, Onancock, Onley, Painter, Parksley, Saxis, Tangier and Wachapreague are served by the County office for building permits and inspections. The County asks town residents to get the town’s approval to build first. Onancock, for example, requires a zoning application to its Zoning Administrator at Town Hall, 15 North Street, before the County permit.

The same “approval first” rule applies in the private communities of Captain’s Cove and Trails End, and the County will not issue a roofing permit in either until the community has approved it.

Accomack County permit types and the ACCESS portal

ACCESS stands for Accomack County Construction and Environmental Self-Service. After registering with an email address you can apply, pay fees, follow the review, answer staff comments, download the issued permit and job card, book inspections and receive inspection reports by email. Portal support is available during office hours at 757-787-5721.

The County sorts building applications into these types:

• Residential: new home, modular home, mobile home, addition, accessory structure, renovation, dock or pier, carport and swimming pool, plus minor permits for re-roofs, demolition and replacing an existing mobile home.
• Commercial: new construction, addition, accessory structure, renovation, carport, swimming pool and elevator, plus minor permits for re-roofs and demolition.

Forms posted on the Permit Applications & Documents page include the Owner Consent Form, the Owner-Agent Exemption Worksheet (for applicants who are not Virginia-licensed contractors), the New Home & Modular Home Specification Form, the Deck Specifications Application, the Demolition Application, the Pool & Fence Affidavit, the Farm Structure Affidavit, the Accessory Structure in a Flood Zone form and the V Zone Design Certificate.

Permit costs and fees in Accomack County

Building fees are set in the County’s Tax and Fee Compendium; the current edition took effect on August 20, 2026. Most building permits are priced by floor area, with a minimum.

For example, a new 2,000 sq ft house is 2,000 × $0.41 = $820, and the 2% state surcharge adds $16.40, before the electrical permit. Starting construction before the permit is issued costs $116 for a first offense and $462 for each one after that. Real estate taxes on the parcel have to be current before the County will process the application.

Electrical, plumbing, mechanical and gas permits

Plumbing, heating and cooling, electrical and gas equipment all need a permit from the Building and Zoning Office. The compendium prices electrical permits separately; it has no separate plumbing or mechanical fee table.

The rough-in wiring inspection has to be approved by the electrical inspector before the framing inspection can pass, and the County’s inspection list shows the final electrical inspection as done by a third party. Electrical permit applications are taken on 757-787-5720 during office hours. Fire code inspections of commercial and institutional buildings are also carried out by the County.

Application documents for Accomack County

The County’s “Items Required for Each Building Application Type” sheet sets out what goes with the online application.

The Residential Site Plan Checklist asks for a legible, scaled plan with property lines, setbacks, building dimensions and height, the driveway and access point, known easements, the septic tank and drain field, and the estimated land disturbance. For demolitions, re-roofs, roof-mounted solar and renovations the plan only has to give the owner, street and address or tax map number. Dock and bulkhead applications reuse the site plan from the Joint Permit Application. Commercial applications are also sent to VDOT when the project needs it.

How to apply: 7 steps in Accomack County

Inspections and completion in Accomack County

The permit holder has to tell the office when each stage is ready, through ACCESS or by calling 757-787-5721. The County needs at least 24 hours’ notice and carries out inspections within two working days. Cancel by 8:30 a.m. on the day or a re-inspection fee may be charged, and the inspector will not inspect unless the permit card is posted on site.

The minimum inspections are:

• Footings, with reinforcing steel set and before any concrete is placed.
• Foundation, after anchor bolts or straps are in and piers are capped. Mechanically driven piles need a third-party blow count or engineer’s report before framing starts above them.
• Exterior sheathing fastening on walls and roof, before it is covered.
• Framing with rough plumbing, mechanical and electrical; rough plumbing is pressure-tested in front of the inspector.
• Energy code, covering wall insulation before it is covered.
• Finals for building, mechanical, plumbing and electrical, before a Certificate of Occupancy or Certificate of Completion.

Work covered up without an inspection has to be opened again. The County may also ask for third-party duct blast and blower door tests. A structure in a flood zone needs three Flood Elevation Certificates: one with the application, one after the foundation or pilings are finished, and a final one before the last building inspection.

Local Accomack County details that matter

Flood zones: new homes in a flood hazard area must have the lowest floor (AE zones) or lowest horizontal member (VE and Coastal A zones) at least two feet above the base flood level under Zoning Ordinance section 106-364. Designs in VE and Coastal A zones must be certified by a Virginia-licensed design professional, and enclosed areas below the design flood elevation have not been allowed there since January 2024. Foundation enclosures in AE zones need at least two flood openings, set no more than 12 inches above grade.

Wind and design criteria: the County publishes a 120 mph three-second-gust wind load, a 20 psf roof snow load and a 12-inch minimum frost depth. Inspectors look for metal rafter-to-top-plate tie-downs at every connection, sheathing nailed with 8d commons at 4 inches on edges and 6 inches in the field, and braced gable ends.

Bay Act, erosion and wetlands: Environmental Programs (757-787-5728) administers the Chesapeake/Atlantic Preservation Area rules, issues erosion and sediment control permits and reviews stormwater plans. A Bay Act site evaluation costs $187 and a Wetlands Board application $352.

Septic and wells: the Virginia Department of Health’s Eastern Shore Health District reviews private wells and septic systems (757-787-5886). The County routes building applications to the Health Department as one of its five reviews.

Zoning in the Agricultural District: a house is allowed by right on a lot of at least 5 acres with 150 feet of road frontage, set back 50 feet from the road, 15 feet from the sides and 35 feet from the rear, and no taller than 35 feet. A recorded subdivision plat’s own setbacks apply instead where one exists. Uses that are not by right go to the Board of Zoning Appeals as a special use permit ($440).

Virginia building code

Every Virginia locality enforces the Uniform Statewide Building Code, 2021 edition, in effect since 18 January 2024. No Virginia locality can adopt its own building code or amendments, so what varies locally is zoning conditions, historic districts and flood plain rules. How Virginia’s statewide code works

Official Accomack County permit resources

These are the primary sources behind this guide. Codes, fee schedules and procedures change — confirm the position for your filing date.

• Virginia DHCD building code
• Accomack County Permitting
• ACCESS Online Permit Portal
• Permit Applications & Documents
• Tax and Fee Compendium (effective August 20, 2026)
• Items Required for Each Building Application Type
• Required Minimum Inspections
• Construction in Flood Hazard Zones
• Things You Need to Know About Building in Accomack County
• Building Permits & Code Inspections (town coverage)
• Accomack County Environmental Programs
• Town of Chincoteague Building & Zoning

Accomack County building permit FAQs

How much is a building permit for a new house in Accomack County?

$0.41 per square foot with a $187 minimum, plus a 2% state surcharge, under the compendium effective August 20, 2026. A 2,000 sq ft house comes to $820 plus $16.40. The electrical permit for a service up to 200 A is a further $165.

Do I need a permit for a shed in Accomack County?

A shed under 256 sq ft needs a zoning permit but no building permit, unless it is in a Special Flood Hazard Area. A larger shed needs a building permit, which includes the zoning permit. Both must meet accessory-structure setbacks.

Do I need a permit for a deck or a fence?

Every deck needs a permit, whatever its size. Fences do not need a building permit unless they are a swimming pool barrier or are required for pedestrian safety.

Who issues permits in Chincoteague?

The Town of Chincoteague’s own Building and Zoning Department, 757-336-6519. It is the only Accomack town the County office does not cover.

I live in Onancock or another town. Where do I apply?

Get the town’s approval first, then apply to the County through ACCESS. Onancock states that it outsources building permits and inspections to Accomack County and requires its own zoning approval beforehand.

How do I schedule an inspection?

Through the ACCESS portal or by calling 757-787-5721, with at least 24 hours’ notice. The County inspects within two working days.

Can a homeowner pull a permit in Accomack County?

Yes. An applicant who is not a Virginia-licensed contractor files the County’s Owner-Agent Exemption Worksheet, ticking the exemption that applies, such as work on a primary residence.

Does a pole barn need a permit?

Yes, unless you have an active farming operation and sign the Farm Structure Affidavit. Exempt farm structures still have to meet the floodplain ordinance.

Simplify Accomack County permitting with Alliance Permitting

Alliance Permitting is a permit documentation and submission company in Virginia. We prepare your paperwork, file it correctly and coordinate with the permitting authority through issuance. We are not a contractor and we do not perform licensed plan review or inspections; that work stays with your licensed team and the jurisdiction.

This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Accomack County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.