The Brunswick County Building Inspection Department issues every building, electrical, mechanical and plumbing permit in the county from 228 N. Main Street in Lawrenceville. Applications are handed in at the counter with payment. Under the fee schedule effective July 1, 2025, a home is charged a $35 base fee plus $0.14 per finished square foot, and the County aims to review residential plans in five to ten working days.
What requires a permit in Brunswick County?
The department’s own answer is that a building permit is needed whenever you construct, reconstruct, enlarge, alter or demolish a structure. Its FAQ lists both sides:
Building permit needed
- A new house, or an addition to a house or attached garage
- An attached or detached garage or carport
- A porch, screened porch, deck, steps or ramp
- Converting a deck or screened porch to a sunroom, or a garage to living space
- Finishing an attic, basement or room over the garage
- A tool shed over 256 sq ft
- Moving or removing a load-bearing wall, or repairing any structural element
- Enlarging or adding a door or window opening
- Changing the use of a structure
- A pool, hot tub or spa over 150 sq ft, over 5,000 gallons or deeper than 24 inches
No building permit
- Painting, drywall and plaster repair, floor coverings and cabinetry
- Doors and windows, where no structural change is made
- Exterior siding, gutters and downspouts
- Re-roofing a house
- Driveways and sidewalks
- A tool shed, storage shed or playhouse of 256 sq ft or less
- Fences, unless a pool barrier or required for pedestrian safety
- Swings and other recreational equipment
- Replacing an electric water heater, switches, receptacles or plumbing fixtures
- Replacing existing mechanical appliances, including a gas dryer or range
To count as a shed, a structure has to be one story, detached, not habitable, no more than 12 ft high, no more than 18 inches from floor to grade and of light-frame construction. Anything else is treated as a detached structure. Landings, stoops and ground-level decks of 25 sq ft or less are exempt from fees.
Who issues building permits in Brunswick County?
The Building Inspection Department controls the issuing of all building, electrical, mechanical and plumbing permits, carries out the inspections and does annual fire inspections. Harrison Jamison is the Building Official. Planning & Zoning shares the basement office and issues zoning permits.
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Get a free quote →| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Office | County Government Building, 228 N. Main Street, basement, Lawrenceville, VA 23868 (mail: P.O. Box 399) |
| Building Official’s office | 434-848-2962 |
| Planning and Building Department | 434-848-0882 |
| Hours | Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. |
| Septic and well permits | Brunswick County Health Department, 1632 Lawrenceville Plank Road, 434-848-2525 |
Towns. Brunswick has three incorporated towns, and the County Building Inspection Department is the building permit office for all of them. The department describes itself as issuing all building, electrical, mechanical and plumbing permits, no town reaches 3,500 residents or has a building department, and Code of Virginia Sec. 36-105 makes the county the enforcing office for a town of that size that has not taken the job on. Brodnax crosses into Mecklenburg County; the Brunswick office covers the Brunswick side. What the towns publish about zoning differs:
- Lawrenceville: the Town has its own Zoning Permit Application, which needs a site plan and a $25 fee and is decided by the Town’s Zoning Administrator. Town offices are at 400 N. Main Street.
- Alberta and Brodnax (the part in Brunswick County): the published sources do not say how zoning is handled in town. Ask town hall: Alberta, 136 West First Avenue, 434-949-7443; Brodnax, 28 Main Street, 434-729-3191 (closed Wednesdays).
Brunswick County permit types and applications
There is no online filing. Five applications can be downloaded and filled in beforehand, but each has to be submitted in person with its supporting documents, and payment is due when you submit:
- Building Permit Application
- Electrical Permit Application
- Plumbing/Gas Permit Application
- Mechanical Permit Application
- Manufactured Home Permit Application
The building application has a space for the zoning permit number, so the zoning permit comes first for dwellings, additions and accessory structures. A swimming pool takes three permits: pool, barrier and electrical. The County also publishes a “How to Build a Deck” guide with structural tables and handrail, stair and ramp details for simple decks.
An owner doing or subcontracting the work on a residential job signs the Owner Affidavit on the application in front of a witness. A lessee counts as an owner for this purpose.
Brunswick County permit costs and fees
The Building Department Permit Fee Schedule was adopted by the Board of Supervisors and took effect on July 1, 2025. A 2% state levy is added to every permit.
Not sure this scope needs a permit?
Get a free quote →| Project | Fee |
|---|---|
| Residential, finished space | $35 base plus $0.14 per sq ft |
| Residential accessory structure (garage, carport, shed) | $35 base plus $0.10 per sq ft |
| Unfinished interior space (basement, bonus room) | $0.10 per sq ft |
| Exterior space (porch, screened porch, deck) | $0.10 per sq ft |
| Commercial, projected cost $10,000 to $1,000,000 | $75 base plus $4 per thousand |
| Commercial, $1,000,001 to $3,000,000 | $75 base plus $3 per thousand |
| Commercial, over $3,000,000 | $75 base plus $2 per thousand |
| Demolition | $35 residential, $100 commercial |
| Relocating a building | $0.10 per sq ft or $35, whichever is greater |
| Re-roofing, where a permit is needed | $50 |
| Retaining wall over 3 ft | $50; engineered design if over 4 ft |
| Residential pool | $85 ($50 pool plus $35 barrier) |
| Sign | $35 residential, $100 commercial |
| Boathouse | $60 |
| Tent over 900 sq ft | $50 residential, $100 commercial |
| Re-inspection | $35 residential, $50 commercial |
| Starting work, or occupying, before the permit or certificate | $50 on top of the normal fees |
The schedule gives its own example: a 2,000 sq ft dwelling with a 400 sq ft deck is $35 + 2,000 × $0.14 = $315, plus 400 × $0.10 = $40, which makes $355, and the 2% levy of $7.10 brings the permit to $362.10. Trade permits and the zoning permit ($30 residential, $50 commercial) are separate.
Farm buildings pay no fee, but the farm exemption is applied for through the Planning Department with proof that the property is a farm. If a permit is never used and nothing has been inspected, the County refunds the fee less 25% or $35, whichever is greater.
Electrical, plumbing, mechanical and gas permits
Each trade has its own application, with plumbing and gas on one form. On new homes, additions and other work priced by floor area, each trade is charged by the square foot; smaller jobs and commercial work have flat or cost-based fees.
Rather talk it over?
Call 1-855-478-4290 →| Permit | Fee |
|---|---|
| Residential electrical, plumbing or mechanical with new construction | $0.05 per finished sq ft, and per sq ft of accessory structures, for each trade |
| Residential electrical: pools, service upgrades, photovoltaic | $50 |
| Residential plumbing: pipe extensions, added fixtures | $50 |
| Residential mechanical: HVAC replacements, extensions | $50 |
| Manufactured home | $50 flat for each trade permit |
| Reconnecting a residential service | $35 |
| Commercial electrical, plumbing or mechanical | $75 base plus $5 per $1,000 of projected cost |
| Reconnecting a commercial service | $100 |
The County’s example for a commercial trade permit with $100,000 of projected cost is $75 + 100 × $5 = $575, plus the $11.50 levy, for $586.50. Fire suppression, fire alarm and kitchen hood work is priced under the same trade headings. A temporary construction trailer is $100 and needs no trade permits.
Brunswick County construction documents
Bring to the counter
- Completed application for each permit
- Construction documents
- Health Department permits, where the site has a well or septic system
- Plat of the property
- Zoning permit, which may also need the deed
- Payment
Asked for on the Building Permit Application
- Contractor’s name, Virginia licence number and expiry date
- Architect and developer, for commercial work
- Mechanic’s lien agent, for single-family homes
- Tax map section and lot
- Water supply (public or well) and sewage disposal (public or septic)
- Estimated cost of the structural work only, leaving out plumbing, mechanical and electrical
- Square footage by floor, basement, garage, deck and porch
- Building height, stories, kitchens and new bedrooms
Rather not deal with the Brunswick County building department?
Get a free quote →For most single-family homes the plans do not have to be drawn by an architect or engineer, though the County may require parts of a complex design to be sealed. The Building Official may make a site inspection before issuing the permit, and can require an outside plan review at the applicant’s cost when a design is complex. Asbestos clearance forms for demolition are available in the permit office.
The department’s goal is to review residential plans within five to ten working days, which it says can vary by season.
How to apply: 6-step Brunswick County process
The Building/Planning Department on 434-848-0882 will tell you what your permit type needs.
Apply to the Brunswick County Health Department if the lot will use a well or septic system.
County Planning & Zoning issues it for $30 (residential) from the same basement office; in Lawrenceville, apply to the Town.
Building, plus a separate form for each trade, with the Owner Affidavit witnessed if you are doing your own work.
Take everything to 228 N. Main Street, basement floor. The fee is due at submittal.
Ring either office number when the work has reached the stage to be inspected.
Brunswick County building inspections
The homeowner or contractor has to request each inspection before work can go on, by calling the Building Official’s office on 434-848-2962 or the Planning and Building Department on 434-848-0882. Make sure the work is complete to the point of the inspection you are asking for.
A re-inspection is charged when work is not finished or not accessible at the time requested, or when corrections were not made before calling back: $35 for residential work and $50 for commercial work.
A building permit is valid for six months from issue, and every inspection extends it by another six months. If it expires, an administrative fee is charged to reinstate it. Occupying a building before the Certificate of Occupancy is issued brings a $50 administrative fee in addition to the normal fees.
Local Brunswick County requirements
Zoning basics: at least one acre is needed to build or place a home, and the Zoning Ordinance allows only one dwelling unit per lot or parcel, with some special situations. Setbacks depend on the zoning district and can be changed by a zoning condition or a variance ($375).
Want this handled start to finish?
Get a free quote →Erosion and land disturbance: the Planning and Zoning Fee Schedule charges $25 for a residential erosion and sediment control agreement in lieu under 10,000 sq ft and $75 over that, $250 for an erosion and sediment control plan review and $250 for a land disturbance permit.
911 addresses: a building permit application is treated as an application for an address assignment.
Business licences: Brunswick County does not issue business licences, but a new business, including one run from home, has to meet the zoning requirements.
Lake and river structures: boathouses have their own $60 building permit fee, and the building application has a line for a boathouse or pier.
Subdivision covenants: the County points owners to their covenants for fences, which need no building permit.
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 Brunswick 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
- Brunswick County Building Inspection
- Building Applications
- How to apply for a building permit
- Building Department Permit Fee Schedule (effective July 1, 2025)
- Brunswick County Planning & Zoning
- How to apply for a zoning permit
- Planning and Zoning Fee Schedule 2025–2026
- Southside Health District locations (Virginia Department of Health)
- Town of Lawrenceville forms and applications
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →Brunswick County permit FAQs
How much is a building permit for a house in Brunswick County?
$35 plus $0.14 per finished square foot, with porches and decks at $0.10 per square foot and a 2% state levy. The County’s own example of a 2,000 sq ft home with a 400 sq ft deck comes to $362.10 before trade and zoning permits.
Can I apply online?
No. You can download the forms, but applications must be submitted in person at 228 N. Main Street in Lawrenceville, with payment.
Do I need a permit for a storage shed in Brunswick County?
Not a building permit if it is 256 sq ft or less and meets the County’s shed definition. Larger sheds need one, priced at $35 plus $0.10 per square foot.
Does re-roofing need a permit in Brunswick County?
No. Replacing the roof covering on a house is on the County’s list of work that does not require a building permit.
How long does plan review take?
The department’s goal for residential plans is five to ten working days.
How long is a permit valid?
Six months from issue, extended by six months each time the project is inspected.
What permits does a swimming pool need?
Three: a pool permit, a barrier permit and an electrical permit. The residential pool and barrier fees total $85.
Can a homeowner do the work?
Yes. The owner signs the witnessed Owner Affidavit on the building application and becomes responsible for the quality of the work and for code compliance.
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More Virginia permitting guides
This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Brunswick County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.