Building permits in Fairfax County are issued by the county’s Department of Land Development Services, through the PLUS online system and the walk-in counter in Room 324 of the Herrity Building, 12055 Government Center Parkway. The county publishes a permit library listing every PLUS record type with its process requirements.
This guide covers the department and how to reach it, the local conditions that survive state preemption, what permits cost and who may pull them, and how inspections are booked. Rules that apply everywhere in Virginia are summarized in each section, with a link to the full statewide explanation.
This guide covers work where Fairfax County issues building permits: the unincorporated county and the towns of Vienna and Clifton.
Fairfax County and the City of Fairfax are different jurisdictions. The city is an independent city entirely surrounded by the county, with its own building department, its own portal and its own fee schedule — and the county’s government centre carries a Fairfax mailing address. The towns of Vienna, Herndon and Clifton also sit inside the county: Herndon runs its own building department, while the county issues building permits in Vienna and Clifton after the town gives its own approval. A Fairfax postal address does not settle which desk holds jurisdiction.
What requires a permit in Fairfax County?
The Fairfax County Department of Land Development Services issues building permits for work in unincorporated Fairfax County and in the towns of Vienna and Clifton. Projects in Vienna or Clifton need a separate approval from the town, uploaded to the PLUS record.
Permit required
- New residential and commercial construction, additions and remodels
- Structural alterations, relocation and demolition
- Electrical service changes, panel work and new circuits
- Plumbing, gas piping, water heaters and fixture work
- Mechanical installations and equipment replacements
- Solar photovoltaic systems and battery storage
- Re-roofing and re-siding, except on houses and townhouses where the design wind speed is 100 mph or less
- Renovation or demolition of a pre-1985 building, with asbestos certification first
Typically exempt
- Purely cosmetic finish work that alters no regulated system
- Ordinary repairs the USBC lists: same-size window and door replacement, replacing plumbing fixtures without altering the piping, and replacing switches, receptacles, light fixtures and ceiling fans in homes
- One-story sheds and playhouses of 256 square feet or less, fences other than pool barriers, and retaining walls holding back less than 3 feet of fill
- Farm buildings and structures, which § 36-99 exempts from the code
- Other work the building official deems minor and ordinary that does not affect public health or safety
Short on time to read all of this?
Get a free quote →Fairfax County’s local conditions that survive state preemption under § 36-98 include its Airport Noise Impact Overlay District, tied to Washington Dulles, its Highway Corridor Overlay District, and its fifteen Historic Overlay Districts. Reagan National’s 65 DNL noise contour lies outside the county.
Fairfax County enforces Virginia’s 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
Who handles permitting in Fairfax County?
Fairfax County is the most populous locality in Virginia, with 1,167,873 residents in the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate, more than twice the next largest. Land Development Services publishes a permit library listing every record type available in PLUS alongside the process requirements attached to it, which shows what to apply for before an application is started.
Applications begin in PLUS, the Planning and Land Use System, which is the county’s central platform for permits, licences and other land development records. Two practical notes. First, the county states that Microsoft Edge is the supported browser for PLUS. Second, inspections are also scheduled and cancelled in PLUS; the older FIDO inspection database has been retired, so guidance that points to FIDO is out of date.
PLUS support is split between application questions (703-222-0801 or ldsbuildingpermits@fairfaxcounty.gov) and technical or account questions (703-324-2222 or plussupport@fairfaxcounty.gov). Fire protection and equipment system permits, such as alarms, sprinklers and fire lanes, run through the Office of the Fire Marshal rather than Land Development Services.
Staff take walk-ins in Room 324 of the Herrity Building Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Friday from 9:15 a.m. to 4 p.m., and visitors may not be added to the in-person queue after 3:45 p.m. The county also offers scheduled meetings to discuss a permit application or a forthcoming project in detail.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Authority | Fairfax County Department of Land Development Services |
| Main line | 703-222-0801, TTY 711 |
| Building permit email | ldsbuildingpermits@fairfaxcounty.gov |
| PLUS technical support | 703-324-2222, plussupport@fairfaxcounty.gov |
| Offices | Herrity Building, Room 324, 12055 Government Center Parkway, Fairfax |
| Counter hours | Monday–Thursday 8 a.m.–4 p.m.; Friday 9:15 a.m.–4 p.m. |
| Portal | PLUS, the Planning and Land Use System |
| Inspections | Scheduled in PLUS; next-day requests by 11:59 p.m. |
| Zoning permits | 703-222-1082, TTY 711 |
| Fire protection permits | Office of the Fire Marshal, 703-246-4803 |
| Governing code | 2021 Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code |
In 2025, building permits issued in unincorporated Fairfax County authorized 2,463 new privately owned housing units, 740 of them single-family homes, according to the U.S. Census Bureau Building Permits Survey.
Not sure this scope needs a permit?
Get a free quote →State-owned buildings, and buildings on state-owned property, are permitted by the Virginia Department of General Services rather than Fairfax County (§ 36-98.1). State-owned projects in Virginia
Permit types
Residential permits
| Work | Permit |
|---|---|
| New single-family dwelling | Building permit, plus trade permits for each system |
| Addition or structural alteration | Building permit; existing building code provisions apply |
| Interior remodel touching a system | Building permit plus the relevant trade permits |
| Deck, porch or accessory structure | Building permit, except one-story sheds and playhouses of 256 square feet or less; zoning setbacks checked separately |
| Re-roofing and re-siding | No permit on houses and townhouses where the design wind speed is 100 mph or less; otherwise a building permit (in a historic district the building official may require one) |
| Solar photovoltaic and battery storage | Building and electrical permits |
| Demolition | Demolition permit; asbestos certification first on pre-1985 buildings |
The permit is a lien document in Virginia
On a one- or two-family dwelling, Fairfax County’s building department prints the mechanics’ lien agent on the permit itself. Virginia Code § 36-98.01 requires that a building permit issued for any one- or two-family residential dwelling unit contain, at the time of issuance and at the applicant’s request, the name, mailing address and telephone number of the mechanics’ lien agent as defined in § 43-1. If the applicant does not request a designation, the permit must state, in those words, “None Designated.”
Commercial permits
| Work | Permit |
|---|---|
| New commercial construction | Building permit with full plan review |
| Tenant fit-out or change of use | Building permit; occupancy classification drives scope |
| Structural or facade alteration | Building permit under the existing building code |
| Fire protection and sprinkler systems | Permit required |
| Mechanical, electrical and plumbing | Trade permits by classification-licensed firms |
| Elevators and conveyances | Inspected and enforced by the locality (§ 36-105) |
| Signage | Building permit unless exempt under Appendix H of the construction code; zoning approval is separate |
Rather talk it over?
Call 1-855-478-4290 →Pre-1985 buildings: a hard permit prerequisite
Statewide rules also shape every Fairfax County filing: the permit records the mechanics’ lien agent designation on one- and two-family dwellings, buildings first permitted before 1985 need asbestos certification before renovation or demolition, annual permits and code modifications are available, and single-family construction drawings are exempt from FOIA disclosure. Virginia rules that shape a submittal
Fairfax County permit costs and fees
Permit fees in Fairfax County are set locally and may fund only the building department (§ 36-105). A 2.0 percent state levy is collected on local permit fees (USBC Section 107.2), and inspection may be waived on work costing under $2,500. Take plan review charges from the current adopted fee schedule for Fairfax County. How Virginia permit fees work
Trade permits and who may pull them
Trade permit required
- Electrical work, by a firm holding the electrical classification
- Plumbing and gas piping, by a firm holding the plumbing classification
- Mechanical and HVAC work, including equipment changeouts
- Fire protection and sprinkler work
Usually no trade permit
- Replacing plumbing fixtures without altering the supply, drainage or vent piping
- Replacing a mechanical appliance that does not burn gas or oil, in a home
- Wiring under 50 volts, such as thermostats, unless it is part of a fire alarm or other life-safety system
- Replacing switches, receptacles, light fixtures and ceiling fans in homes
Rather not deal with the Fairfax County building department?
Get a free quote →Virginia’s contractor licence is held by the business: the Board for Contractors issues Class A, B or C licences with trade classifications, individual tradesmen hold separate tradesman licences, and a permit cannot issue without the required state licence or a written statement of exemption (§ 54.1-1111), plus proof that the locality’s license taxes are paid. Virginia contractor licensing
How to apply for a Fairfax County building permit
The City of Fairfax and the Town of Herndon permit their own work; in Vienna and Clifton the county issues the permit after the town approves.
The county publishes every PLUS record type with its process requirements attached.
The Dulles airport noise overlay, the Highway Corridor overlay and the Historic Overlay Districts survive state preemption under § 36-98 and are handled locally.
If the building predates 1 January 1985 and the work is a renovation or demolition, certification must be in hand before a permit can issue.
PLUS is the supported route for applications, and Edge is the browser the county supports. Have the licence and lien agent decision ready at filing.
Requests go through PLUS, and the approved building plans, site-related plan and shop drawings must be on site for inspection.
If Fairfax County denies an application it must explain the reasons in writing (§ 36-105), and a full re-review of the resubmission is lawful. Appeals go to the local Board of Building Code Appeals before the State Building Code Technical Review Board. Denials, corrections and appeals in Virginia
Inspections in Fairfax County
Land Development Services coordinates building and trade inspections, which are scheduled and cancelled in PLUS; a request for the next business day must be in by 11:59 p.m. The county states that it is the permit holder’s responsibility to schedule inspections, and that the approved building plans, site-related plan and shop drawings must be on site. Inspections that are not properly bundled may fail and incur a reinspection fee.
Fairfax County enforces the Statewide Fire Prevention Code itself, and its Office of the Fire Marshal handles fire protection system installation permits, plan review and acceptance testing separately from building inspection.
Want this handled start to finish?
Get a free quote →Statewide rules also apply: the permit must be posted and the approved plans kept on site, a stop work order must state the violations and the conditions for resuming work (§ 36-97), and code violations carry penalties under § 36-106. Inspections and enforcement in Virginia
Fairfax County permit search and official resources
These are the primary sources behind this guide. Codes, fee schedules and portal procedures change, so confirm the position for your filing date.
- Fairfax County Land Development Services
- Fairfax County permit library
- Fairfax County building and trade inspections
- Fairfax County PLUS portal support
- Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code (DHCD)
- Virginia DHCD building codes and regulations
- Code of Virginia § 36-98, statewide code supersedes local codes
- Code of Virginia § 36-98.01, mechanics’ lien agent on the permit
- Code of Virginia § 36-105, enforcement, appeals and permits
- Code of Virginia § 36-99.7, asbestos inspection before renovation or demolition
- Virginia DPOR Board for Contractors
Frequently asked questions
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →Is Fairfax County the same as the City of Fairfax?
No. They are separate jurisdictions with separate building departments, portals and fee schedules. The City of Fairfax is an independent city surrounded by the county, and the county government centre itself carries a Fairfax address, so the postal address does not settle which desk holds jurisdiction.
Which portal do I use?
PLUS, the Planning and Land Use System, for applications and for scheduling and cancelling inspections. The older FIDO inspection database has been retired, so guidance that points to it is out of date.
Which browser does PLUS require?
The county states that Microsoft Edge is the supported browser for PLUS.
Which building code applies in Fairfax County?
The 2021 Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code, which has applied since 18 January 2024 and has been required for every application submitted from 18 January 2025. Under § 36-98 the statewide code supersedes local building codes, so Fairfax County does not adopt its own edition.
Do I need an asbestos inspection before renovating?
If the building’s initial building permit was issued before 1 January 1985 and the work is a renovation or demolition, yes — § 36-99.7 bars the department from issuing the permit until certification is received. Single-family and four-or-fewer-unit residential work is exempt unless it is for commercial or public development purposes.
How late can I walk in at the Herrity Building?
Staff take walk-ins Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. and Friday from 9:15 a.m., but visitors may not be added to the in-person queue after 3:45 p.m. The county also schedules meetings on request to discuss an application or a forthcoming project.
Simplify Fairfax County permitting with Alliance Permitting
In Fairfax County the process runs through PLUS: the permit library of record types, a supported-browser rule, a separate fire marshal track and a counter queue that closes at 3:45 p.m. Alliance Permitting prepares, files and tracks Fairfax County permits through issuance.
Trusted by leading builders, developers, and national contractors — 21+ years of filing in the jurisdictions we write about.
Contractors and builders choose Alliance for Fairfax County because the work is done by people who have stood at the counter:
- We separate county-permitted land from the City of Fairfax and Herndon, and get town approval first in Vienna and Clifton.
- We identify the right PLUS record type against the county’s permit library at the outset.
- We resolve the pre-1985 asbestos certification before it becomes a bar on issuance.
- We keep the fire marshal package moving alongside the building submission rather than behind it.
Alliance Permitting is a permit documentation and expediting service in Virginia. We are not a law firm and do not provide legal advice, and we are not the permitting authority.
Ready to break ground in Fairfax County sooner?
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More Virginia permitting guides
This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Fairfax County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.