Clarke County, Virginia Building Permit Guide

The Clarke County Building Department, on the first floor of the Berryville-Clarke County Government Center at 101 Chalmers Court, issues building and trade permits for the whole county, including Berryville and Boyce. Applications are emailed to permits@clarkecounty.gov, and the County says to allow 20 to 30 business days for plan review and permit processing. Fees follow the User Fee Schedule effective July 1, 2026: new construction is priced by a formula built on square footage and a $4.50 multiplier, plus a 2% state levy.

What requires a permit in Clarke County?

The Building Department’s handout “When to apply for a permit” says a permit is required before work begins on any of the following, and adds that the list is not complete.

In an emergency, repairs may start at once, but the building permit application must be submitted by the end of the first workday after the work began. In the Town of Berryville, the Town’s checklist says an accessory building of 256 sq ft or greater needs a Clarke County building permit.

Who issues building permits in Clarke County?

The Building Department reviews and approves permit work, inspects projects during construction and gives final approval before occupancy or use. Brian Riston is the Building Official. The department shares the Government Center with the County’s Planning & Zoning Department on the second floor and with the Berryville Town Office.

Berryville: the Town keeps its own zoning ordinance, administered by Town planning staff (540-955-4081), and runs its own erosion and sediment control program. The County provides building code inspection and enforcement in the town. So a Berryville project gets the Town zoning permit first and then a Clarke County building permit.

Boyce: Boyce has its own zoning ordinance, but under a memorandum of understanding the Clarke County Department of Planning acts as the Town’s planning staff and zoning administrator. The County also provides building code and erosion and sediment control inspection and enforcement there.

Clarke County applications and forms

The County asks for all permit applications to be submitted to permits@clarkecounty.gov. There is no separate permit portal; the forms are PDFs on the department’s Applications & Permits page.

• Building Permit Application, which includes the Contractor Exemption Affidavit page for an owner acting as general contractor
• Demolition Permit Application
• Electric, Gas, Mechanical and Plumbing Permit Applications, one for each trade
• Asbestos Release Form, required for all renovations and demolitions
• Agreement in Lieu of an Erosion and Sediment Control Plan
• Plan Change Review Form and Plan Extension Request Form
• Shrink Swell Soils Policy and Soils Report Letter of Waiver
• VDOT Private Entrance Worksheet

A second page, General Information: Residential & Commercial, holds a one- or two-page guide for each project type: commercial building, addition, deck, garage, porch, remodel, shed, solar array, swimming pool, a new dwelling in the county and a new dwelling in Berryville.

Clarke County permit costs and fees

Fees are in the Clarke County User Fee Schedule approved by the Board of Supervisors on April 21, 2026 and effective July 1, 2026. New construction is not charged a flat rate per square foot. The County multiplies the square footage on the drawings by a construction cost per square foot, rounds that value up to the next $1,000, and charges $4.50 per $1,000.

For example, a house with 2,000 sq ft of finished living space has a construction value of 2,000 × $140.81 = $281,620, rounded up to $282,000. The permit fee is 282 × $4.50 = $1,269, and the 2% levy of $25.38 makes it $1,294.38.

A re-inspection fee of $75 is charged after 2 site visits, a stop work order costs $250 on a residential job and $500 on a commercial one, and a permit renewal is $50. Applicants also pay the actual cost of any third-party professional review the County requires. Refunds of building permit fees are 75% if no work has started and 50% if it has, with nothing refunded once two years pass without work starting; the state levy and zoning permit fees are not refunded.

Electrical, plumbing, mechanical and gas permits

Each trade has its own application and its own list in the fee schedule, with a $50 minimum for a residential permit and $75 for a commercial one.

For a new house the County wants the trade drawings (electrical, plumbing, mechanical and gas) with the building application. On commercial work, each subcontractor submits two complete sets of plans with its own permit application. Subcontractors on a house supply their Virginia contractor’s licence, their individual tradesman licence and a letter confirming they are the subcontractor for the general contractor.

What to submit for a new house in Clarke County

The County’s guide for a new dwelling lists the approvals from other offices first, then the building package.

The well has to be drilled before the building permit application is submitted. A Clarke County business licence is needed by a contractor who expects to make more than $20,000 on all jobs combined in 12 months. For a shed, the plans can be drawn by the owner with a list of materials, and the plat must carry the Zoning Administrator’s original signature.

How to apply: 6-step Clarke County process

Clarke County building inspections

Inspection requests need a minimum of 3 to 5 business days’ notice. Request by phone at 540-955-5112 or by email, and include the permit number, the property owner’s name, the job site address, the type of inspection, the date you want and a daytime phone number.

The County’s inspection list for a new dwelling:

• Footings: after excavation, with forms set and reinforcement in place, before concrete is poured
• Foundation: after masonry, waterproofing and bolts are in place. The department inspects foundation, drain tile and backfill in one site visit.
• Framing: after framing, roof, fire stopping, bracing and the rough mechanical, plumbing and electrical work, before any wallboard
• Insulation: when all insulation is in place and before wall or ceiling covering
• Electric: rough-in before concealment, service after the meter base, panels and ground rods are installed, then final
• Final: when the structure is complete and ready for occupancy

The $75 re-inspection fee is charged after 2 site visits. A Certificate of Use and Occupancy for a dwelling is $50, and in Berryville the Town must first approve an as-built grading plan.

Local Clarke County requirements

Shrink-swell soils: under section 71-6 of the County Code, a site mapped as having moderate or high shrink-swell potential has two options. Option #1 is a soil test with an engineer’s recommendations and site inspections. Option #2 is a standard design with foundations bearing at least 4 feet below final outside grade. The department recommends soil testing in every such case.

Septic testing and karst: the County lists when an existing septic system must be tested, including any construction that needs a Certificate of Use & Occupancy, a change of use, and a system unused for two or more years. For a new onsite system, the County Planning Department charges $275 for each resistivity test review, separate from the Health Department’s own fees.

Berryville historic district: in the Town’s Historic District, the Architectural Review Board must review and approve building elevations for new construction.

Public water and sewer: the Clarke County Sanitary Authority handles water and sewer availability in Boyce, Millwood and White Post (540-955-5185).

Asbestos: the Asbestos Release Form is required for all renovations and demolitions.

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 Clarke 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
• Clarke County Building Department
• Clarke County building applications and permits
• Clarke County general information for residential and commercial projects
• Clarke County user fees (2026-2027 master schedule)
• Clarke County Planning & Zoning
• Clarke County Health Department
• Town of Berryville Community Development

Clarke County permit FAQs

How much is a building permit in Clarke County, VA?

New construction is square footage times a construction cost per square foot, rounded up to the next $1,000, at $4.50 per $1,000, plus a 2% levy. For 2,000 sq ft of finished living space that is $1,269, or $1,294.38 with the levy. The minimum residential permit fee is $50.

How long does a Clarke County permit take?

The County says to allow 20 to 30 business days for all plan review and permit processing once the application is submitted.

Who issues building permits in Berryville and Boyce?

The Clarke County Building Department, for both towns. Berryville issues its own zoning permit first; in Boyce, County planning staff act as the Town’s zoning administrator.

How much notice do inspections need?

A minimum of 3 to 5 business days. Request by phone at 540-955-5112 or by email with the permit number and job site address.

Do I need a permit for a deck?

The County has a deck guide and a set fee: $75 for a deck or porch without a roof. A zoning permit for an unheated addition such as a deck is $100.

Who permits wells and septic systems?

The Virginia Department of Health’s Clarke County office at 100 North Buckmarsh Street, Berryville (540-955-1033). The well must be drilled before the building permit application goes in.

How do I submit an application?

Email it to permits@clarkecounty.gov. The department is on the first floor of the Government Center at 101 Chalmers Court, open 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and closed from noon to 1:00 p.m.

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