Blacksburg, Virginia Building Permit Guide

Blacksburg is a town in Montgomery County that runs its own building department. The Building Safety Division of the Town’s Planning and Building Department reviews plans, issues building and trade permits and inspects the work, and it accepts applications only online through OpenGov. Residential permits cost $0.20 per square foot and each residential trade permit $30, with a 2% state surcharge on top.

What requires a building permit in Blacksburg?

The Town’s portal sorts building work into nine applications, which show what it permits:

An accessory structure of 256 sq ft or less with no electrical or plumbing needs only a zoning permit. The Town also requires zoning permits for signs, temporary storage containers, hardscaping such as new or widened driveways and patios, and screening for mechanical equipment and dumpsters. A storage container tied to an issued building permit does not need its own.

Who issues building permits in Blacksburg?

The Building Safety Division enforces the Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code inside the town limits. It reviews construction plans, issues building and trade permits, inspects every project and issues certificates of occupancy. The same Planning and Building Department handles zoning permits, site plans and historic district review.

Land outside the town limits is not the Town’s to permit; Montgomery County’s building permits and inspections office is on 540-382-5750. Inside town, wells and private sewage systems are the one thing Building Safety does not review: the Town does not approve, permit or inspect them, and sends applicants to the Health Department.

Blacksburg permit types and the OpenGov portal

All applications and plans are electronic. The Town does not accept hard copies, and every upload has to be a PDF. One OpenGov account covers building permits, zoning permits and development applications.

• Sign up on the portal first. Contractors can use the Contractor Account Setup application so that company details fill in automatically on later permits.
• Name a contractor. The Town does not accept applications with no contractor listed, and an image of the Virginia contractor’s licence is attached where a contractor is doing the work.
• One application per structure. Each commercial building or address needs its own application.
• Related permits. Residential projects that include mechanical, electrical or plumbing work need those permits in addition to the building permit, and new gas piping needs a gas permit as well.
• Projects. A development that needs a site plan, a plat and building permits can be started as one “project” in the portal.

Forms kept on the portal include the Backwater Valve Certification Form, the Residential Load Calculations Sheet, the Agreement in Lieu of an Erosion and Sediment Control Plan, the Agreement in Lieu of a Stormwater Management Plan, the 2021 USBC Special Inspections form and third-party inspection forms.

Permit fees in Blacksburg

The Building Permit Fee Structure posted on the portal (the current file was uploaded in September 2026) is short:

For example, a new 2,000 sq ft house is 2,000 × $0.20 = $400, or $408 with the surcharge, and each of its trade permits is $30.60. A $200,000 commercial renovation is 200 × $3.50 = $700, or $714 with the surcharge. The surcharge is not added to the failed inspection or temporary CO fees.

New construction can also carry water, sewer or stormwater fees set through the site plan or subdivision. Fees are requested by email after you submit, the application is not reviewed until they are paid, and you can pay online, in person or by phone.

Electrical, plumbing, mechanical and gas permits in Blacksburg

Each trade has its own application in the portal and the Building Safety Division issues and inspects all of them. What each one asks for:

• Electrical: a plan of the work, plus a photometric plan if new site lighting is being installed. Solar and fire alarm work use this permit.
• Plumbing: a plan of the work and a Backwater Valve Certification when interior plumbing or sewer lines are added or moved.
• Mechanical (HVAC): a plan of the work, and a parcel plat when outdoor equipment is replaced, relocated or added, to show it stays out of setbacks and public utility easements. Underground storage tanks and elevators are filed here.
• Gas: a plan of the gas system work.
• Fire suppression: a sprinkler or suppression system plan.

Every trade application also needs the owner’s contact details, a description of the work and its estimated value, and the contractor’s licence image unless the homeowner is doing the work. Commercial buildings with a water connection are covered by the Town’s cross-connection program, which requires at least one backflow device, tested annually.

Blacksburg applications and supporting documents

Additions need the same plat and plans as a house, and renovations need a plan set and the backwater valve form. A commercial interior renovation by an unlicensed tenant needs a letter from the property owner. On new homes, the plans must say whether air tightness will be shown by a blower door test or by a visual inspection by a certified third-party inspector the Town has approved.

Commercial plans are reviewed within 60 days of the submittal date, and that date is not assigned until everything requested has been submitted. For houses the Town gives no fixed period; the contact person on the application is told as soon as the permit is ready.

How to apply: 6-step Blacksburg permit process

Blacksburg inspections and certificates of occupancy

Inspections are requested in OpenGov by opening the permit record and clicking the inspection step in its workflow. Town staff then contact you with a confirmed date and time. Guests you add to the record, such as a subcontractor, can request inspections too.

The Town’s “Typical New Single Family Inspection Work Flow” chart shows these inspections; some must be taken in order and others can be done out of sequence:

• Footings, then foundation wall, foundation drainage and sill plate
• Underslab trades and slab preparation, including any required insulation
• House wrap and window flashing, which must pass before exterior wall coverings start
• Combination rough-in, with the gas line test where there is gas
• Interior water piping tested at 80 psi, and the drain, waste and vent test
• Shower pan and insulation
• Duct test and blower door test, each done by a certified individual who sends the report to the Building Official
• Permanent power
• Finals for the building, the construction site and stormwater

A failed inspection costs $50, which has to be paid before the re-inspection. A temporary certificate of occupancy is $100. On new homes the Town bills utilities in the contractor’s name until the certificate of occupancy is issued or the service is transferred to the owner.

Local Blacksburg details that matter

Expansive soils: the Town says most of Blacksburg has soils with moderate to high shrink-swell potential, so a soil test is required before any new residential building permit is issued. Where expansive soil is found, the footing, foundation and backfill must be designed and sealed by a Virginia-licensed engineer or architect. Accessory buildings not meant for occupancy are exempt, as are additions and decks where the existing house shows no settling.

Historic District and design review: changes to a property in the Historic District need Town review, by staff or by the Historic or Design Review Board. The board meets on the second and fourth Monday of the month as needed, and a complete application is due at least 10 business days before the meeting.

Floodplain: a Floodplain Development Permit is needed for any construction, grading or addition in the FEMA floodplain or in the Town’s locally regulated 100-acre stream buffer areas.

Erosion and stormwater: new homes file agreements in lieu of erosion control and stormwater plans and name a responsible land disturber. A single-family demolition that disturbs more than 5,000 sq ft needs the erosion control agreement, and removing a slab or foundation counts as disturbed area.

Demolition: the application needs letters from the water, sewer and electric utilities, and the gas utility where there is service, confirming disconnection. Applying to demolish a whole structure creates a linked Water/Sewer Disconnection request.

Driveway entrances: an Entrance Permit from Engineering requires a meeting with the inspector and an application at least five business days before the work.

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 Blacksburg 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
• Town of Blacksburg Planning and Building
• OpenGov portal: Building Permits and Inspection Services (applications, fee structure, forms)
• OpenGov portal: Planning and Zoning applications
• Town of Blacksburg zoning permits
• Town of Blacksburg department contacts

Blacksburg building permit FAQs

How much is a building permit in Blacksburg?

Residential work is $0.20 per square foot and commercial work $3.50 per $1,000 of value, plus a 2% state surcharge. A 2,000 sq ft house is $408 including the surcharge, and each residential trade permit is $30.60.

Can I submit paper plans?

No. Applications and plans are accepted only through the OpenGov portal, in PDF format.

Do I need a permit for a shed in Blacksburg?

A shed over 256 sq ft, or any size with electrical or plumbing, needs a residential building permit. A smaller one with no trades needs a zoning permit only.

Does a new house need a soil test?

Yes. The Town requires soil testing for expansive soils before it issues a new residential building permit, with at least two borings inside the footprint.

How long does commercial plan review take?

Within 60 days of the submittal date, which is set once all the requested information is in.

Does the Town permit wells and septic systems?

No. Most of Blacksburg has public water and sewer. Where a private system is approved, the permits come from the Virginia Department of Health through the Montgomery County Health Department.

How do I schedule an inspection?

Open the permit record in OpenGov and request it from the inspection step. Staff confirm the date and time.

Is Blacksburg covered by Montgomery County’s building office?

No. Inside the town limits the Town’s Building Safety Division issues permits and inspects. Montgomery County handles property outside the towns.

Simplify Blacksburg 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 Blacksburg permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.