One office handles building permits across Alleghany County: the Building Inspections Department at the Governmental Complex in Low Moor, which also serves the towns of Clifton Forge and Iron Gate. You file a paper Building and Zoning Application, staff answer within about three working days, and the fee is worked out from your estimated cost of construction: $690 for a $250,000 project, before the 2% state levy.
What requires a permit in Alleghany County?
The County asks for a permit application for all new construction, enlargements, alterations and demolitions, for mobile and manufactured homes, and for a change of occupancy that needs more structural strength, extra exits, new equipment or sanitary provisions. Its “Requesting a Building Permit” page groups the work like this:
Permit needed
- New homes and manufactured homes
- Additions, including attached porches, decks, garages and rooms
- Swimming pools, detached garages and carports, and storage sheds over 256 sq ft
- Electrical, plumbing and mechanical work
- Repairs and remodeling, including replacing a roof structure
- Demolition and removal of underground storage tanks
- New commercial buildings, commercial remodeling and additions
Listed as exempt
- Detached accessory structures of 256 sq ft or less (County zoning rules still apply)
- Replacing roof shingles and siding on a house
- Wiring and equipment under 50 volts
- Tents of 900 sq ft or less for 50 or fewer people
- Cabinets, floor coverings, painting and plaster repair
- Replacing windows, doors, switches, outlets, light fixtures and ceiling fans in a dwelling
- Replacing mechanical or plumbing appliances in a dwelling, unless gas or oil fired
The County’s exemption page adds that ordinary repairs never include cutting into a wall or partition, altering a load-bearing member or a required exit, or any work on water, sewer, drain, vent or gas piping or electrical wiring.
Who issues building permits in Alleghany County?
The Building Inspections Department issues permits and inspects construction. Its 2026 application form carries the Community Development Department name, and the same counter handles zoning, erosion control and floodplain questions.
Short on time to read all of this?
Get a free quote →| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Office | Governmental Complex in Low Moor, 9212 Winterberry Avenue, Suite A, Covington, VA 24426 |
| Building permits | 540-863-6654 |
| Inspections, zoning, erosion control and flood maps | 540-863-6650 |
| Hours | Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; the County suggests calling ahead for an appointment |
| Business licence (Commissioner of the Revenue) | 540-863-6640 |
| Septic and well permits | Alleghany County/Covington Health Department, 321 Beech Street, Covington, 540-962-8353 |
Towns. Both incorporated towns use the County for building permits, and both keep their own zoning:
- Clifton Forge: the Town states that permitting and inspections for new construction and upgrades to existing structures are provided by Alleghany County. Its Planning & Community Development Department at 547 Main Street administers town zoning and supports the Architectural Review Board.
- Iron Gate: the County names Iron Gate alongside the county as its permitting area.
For a site in either town, the County application must come with a letter from the Town’s Zoning Administrator confirming that the project meets town zoning.
The office’s Covington mailing address can mislead: the City of Covington is a separate independent city with its own Development Services Office at 340 E. Walnut Street.
Alleghany County permit types and forms
There is no online portal. A single Building and Zoning Application (revised April 24, 2026) covers every permit type, and you fill in only the sections that apply: residential construction, commercial construction, accessory structures, electrical, plumbing and mechanical, demolition or other work, flood information, zoning with a site sketch, the mechanic’s lien agent, and the contractor or owner signature.
Other forms and handouts the County publishes:
- Residential Handbook and Structural Drawing Checklist for new single-family homes, with five sample drawings.
- Agreement in Lieu of an Erosion and Sediment Control Plan, used for a single-family home or other small project.
- Land Disturbance Permit application for industrial, commercial and large residential projects.
- Special Use, Special Exception, Variance and Rezoning applications, with a Traffic Impact Analysis Compliance Form.
A contractor named on a permit needs a Virginia Class A, B or C licence for the type of work and a local business licence. A homeowner can be listed as their own contractor by signing the Owner Affidavit on the application, although the County strongly suggests that a hired contractor pulls the permit.
Alleghany County permit costs and fees
The County’s Permit Fee Schedule, effective August 1, 2021, bases every building fee on the estimated cost of the work. The Building Official can ask you to justify the estimate.
Not sure this scope needs a permit?
Get a free quote →| Estimated cost | Fee |
|---|---|
| Up to $1,000 | $25 |
| $1,001 to $30,000 | $30 plus $4 per thousand over $1,000 |
| $30,001 to $100,000 | $175 plus $3 per thousand over $30,000 |
| $100,001 to $500,000 | $390 plus $2 per thousand over $100,000 |
| $500,001 to $1,000,000 | $1,200 plus $1 per thousand over $500,000 |
| Over $1,000,000 | $1,800 plus $0.50 per thousand over $1,000,000, capped at $15,000 |
| Manufactured home, new location | $100 |
| Manufactured home, relocation | $50 |
| Zoning approval for a building permit | $50 |
| Erosion control Agreement in Lieu | $20 |
| Re-inspection, from the third trip | $30 per trip |
| State (DHCD) levy | 2% of the building permit fee |
For example, a house with an estimated cost of $250,000 falls in the $100,001 to $500,000 band: $390 plus $2 × 150 = $690, and the 2% levy adds $13.80. Zoning approval and the erosion control agreement are charged on top. Land Disturbance Permit fees are quoted by the erosion control administrator. Fees are paid when you collect the approved permit; checks are made payable to the Alleghany County Treasurer.
Electrical, plumbing, mechanical and gas permits
Trade work is applied for on the same Building and Zoning Application and is priced on its own cost scale:
| Estimated cost | Fee |
|---|---|
| Up to $500 | $25 |
| $501 to $1,000 | $30 |
| $1,001 to $5,000 | $35 plus $5 per thousand over $1,000 |
| Over $5,000 | $45 plus $2 per thousand over $5,000, capped at $500 |
| Electrical reservice | $25 |
Rather talk it over?
Call 1-855-478-4290 →The electrical section of the form asks whether the job is a new service, reservice, upgrade or generator, the service size, and which utility serves the site: Dominion Virginia Power, BARC or Craig-Botetourt Electric. Contact the power company before adding a new service or upgrading one. It supplies the meter base and its location, and you schedule the disconnect and reconnect with it.
Alleghany County construction documents
New home
- Completed Building and Zoning Application with site sketch, survey or approved map
- Two sets of basic structural drawings (not needed for a manufactured home); one set comes back for the job site
- Approved septic and well construction permits from the Health Department, or an application to connect to County water and sewer
- Approved erosion and sedimentation application
- VDOT entrance permit, if a new entrance onto a state road is needed
- Copy of the deed, if the property changed hands in the past year
- Contractor’s current state licence, or the signed Owner Affidavit
- FEMA FIRM panel with the site highlighted, if the lot is in a flood hazard area
Commercial
- Completed Building and Zoning Application
- Two sets of architectural drawings for review by the Building Official
- Water and sewer approval from the Health Department or County Public Works
- Approved zoning application
- Approved erosion and sedimentation application
- Stormwater construction permit, performance bond and fee where the project needs them
- VDOT entrance permit, if applicable
Home drawings do not have to come from a licensed architect. The Structural Drawing Checklist asks for a site plan with distances to property lines, a wall section from footing to ridge showing the 18-inch frost depth, truss or rafter and joist sizes and spans, insulation, a dimensioned floor plan, window sizes, header sizes, stairs, attic and crawl space access, the meter and panel locations, smoke detectors and GFCI and arc-fault receptacles, and kitchen and bath exhaust. An addition that includes a bedroom needs the same water and sewer approval as a new house.
The County recommends an appointment with the Building Official before filing any commercial application.
Rather not deal with the Alleghany County building department?
Get a free quote →How to apply: 6-step Alleghany County process
Download the Building and Zoning Application, pick one up at the Low Moor office, or ask for it by mail.
Health Department septic and well permits or a County utility connection, the VDOT entrance permit, and a town zoning letter for Clifton Forge or Iron Gate sites.
Return the application and attachments in person or by mail. The County’s procedure does not accept electronic applications.
Zoning, flood, erosion control and building staff each sign off. You are told by phone and in writing whether the application is approved and what the fee is; a denial comes with a list of what is missing.
Sign the permit at the office, pay the fee and post your copy on the job site. Work cannot start before this.
Phone 540-863-6650 at least 24 hours before each stage, through to the final inspection and Certificate of Occupancy.
Alleghany County building inspections
Inspections run Monday to Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., and are booked by phone on 540-863-6650. Ask at least 24 hours ahead. Same-day inspections are typically not done, and the County warns that the visit may come two working days or more after the request. The permit holder who signed the application is responsible for calling.
The County lists these minimum inspections where they apply:
- Footing excavations and reinforcement, before concrete
- Foundation systems during construction
- Preparatory work before any concrete placement
- Structural members and fasteners, before they are concealed
- Electrical, mechanical and plumbing rough-in, before concealment
- Energy conservation material, before concealment
- Final inspection
A Certificate of Occupancy is issued after the final inspection and before the building is occupied. It is held back until an E-911 street address has been assigned, which the applicant has to request from the County.
Local Alleghany County requirements
Design criteria: the County’s published local criteria are an 18-inch frost depth, a 90 mph wind design load and a 30 psf snow load.
Zoning: every permit for new construction needs zoning approval. The county has seven zoning classifications (AR, R-1, R-2, B-1, B-2, M-1 and PUD), each with its own setbacks. A new lot in the Agricultural/Rural Residential district needs at least 30,000 sq ft; in R-2 the minimum is 8,000 sq ft with public water and sewer. Special use, special exception and variance applications cost $200 each.
Erosion and stormwater: Building Inspections and the County Engineer run the erosion and sediment control program under Chapter 30 of the County Code. A single-family home usually files the Agreement in Lieu; larger projects need a Land Disturbance Permit. Disturbing one acre or more also requires coverage under the state construction stormwater general permit.
Want this handled start to finish?
Get a free quote →Flood hazard areas: no construction or fill is allowed in a designated floodway. In the 100-year floodplain the first floor must be at least one foot above the flood elevation on the FEMA map, and an elevation certificate has to be completed by a Virginia-licensed surveyor or engineer. Flood maps can be viewed with staff at the Low Moor office.
Mechanic’s lien agent: the application has a space to name one, as state law allows.
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 Alleghany 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 statewide permit rules
- Alleghany County Building Inspections
- Requesting a Building Permit
- Building and Zoning Application (April 2026)
- Permit Fee Schedule (effective August 1, 2021)
- Permit Exemptions
- Minimum Inspections Required
- Alleghany County Zoning and Planning
- Zoning and subdivision fees
- Alleghany County Flood Information
- Alleghany County/Covington Health Department
- Town of Clifton Forge Building Permits & Inspections
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →Alleghany County permit FAQs
How much does a building permit cost in Alleghany County?
It depends on the estimated cost of the work. A $20,000 job is $30 plus $4 × 19 = $106; a $250,000 house is $690. A 2% state levy is added to the building permit fee, and zoning approval is $50.
Can I apply online?
No. The Building and Zoning Application is a paper form returned in person or by mail to 9212 Winterberry Avenue, Suite A, in Low Moor.
How long does approval take?
The April 2026 application says to allow one to three working days. Permits are never issued the same day.
Do I need a permit for a shed in Alleghany County?
Not a building permit if the detached structure is 256 sq ft or less, but it still has to meet County zoning. Larger sheds, detached garages, carports and pools need a permit.
Do I need a permit to replace my roof?
Replacing shingles on a house is on the County’s exempt list. Replacing the roof structure itself needs a permit.
Who issues building permits in Clifton Forge and Iron Gate?
Alleghany County does, once the Town’s Zoning Administrator has provided a letter confirming the project complies with town zoning.
Can a homeowner be their own contractor?
Yes. Sign the Owner Affidavit on the application. You then carry responsibility for code compliance and for requesting inspections, even if a contractor does the work.
How do I book an inspection?
Call 540-863-6650 at least 24 hours in advance. Inspections are carried out on weekdays between 7:00 a.m. and 3:30 p.m.
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More Virginia permitting guides
This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Alleghany County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.