Building permits in Henrico County are issued by the county’s Department of Building Construction and Inspections at 4301 East Parham Road. Like Chesterfield, Henrico has no incorporated towns, so the department is the building authority throughout the county.
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 inside Henrico County.
Henrico County borders the City of Richmond, but the city is not part of the county. Richmond is an independent city and sits in no county, and it also borders Chesterfield County. Confirm jurisdiction from the parcel record.
What requires a permit in Henrico County?
The Henrico County Department of Building Construction and Inspections issues building permits for work inside Henrico County.
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
Henrico’s local conditions that survive state preemption under § 36-98 include proffered conditions on rezoned land, floodplain regulations, and the Airport Safety Overlay District, which restricts the height of structures near Richmond International Airport.
Short on time to read all of this?
Get a free quote →Henrico 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 Henrico County?
The City of Richmond borders only two counties: Henrico and Chesterfield.
Richmond is an independent city. It is not part of Henrico and not part of Chesterfield; under Virginia’s local government structure it sits in no county at all. The city, Henrico and Chesterfield each have their own building department, so confirm from the parcel record which one holds the work.
Within the county itself, jurisdiction is simple: there are no incorporated towns inside Henrico, so Building Construction and Inspections is the building authority throughout.
Under the pre-1985 asbestos rule in § 36-99.7, a renovation or demolition permit for a building first permitted before 1 January 1985 cannot issue until asbestos certification is received, so check the building’s permit history before filing.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Authority | Henrico County Department of Building Construction and Inspections |
| Phone | 804-501-4360 |
| Offices | 4301 East Parham Road, Henrico, Virginia 23228 |
| Online filing and inspections | Build Henrico portal |
| Published hours | Monday–Friday 8 a.m.–4:30 p.m. |
| Governing code | 2021 Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code |
| Adjoining independent city | City of Richmond, separate authority |
| Appeals | Local Board of Building Code Appeals, then the state Review Board |
In 2025, building permits issued by Henrico County authorized 2,323 new privately owned housing units, 809 of them single-family homes, according to the U.S. Census Bureau Building Permits Survey.
State-owned buildings, and buildings on state-owned property, are permitted by the Virginia Department of General Services rather than Henrico County (§ 36-98.1). State-owned projects in Virginia
Permit types
Not sure this scope needs a permit?
Get a free quote →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, Henrico 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 Henrico 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
Henrico County permit costs and fees
Permit fees in Henrico 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 Henrico 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 Henrico 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 Henrico County building permit
Henrico borders the city, and each has its own building department.
If the initial permit predates 1 January 1985, asbestos certification must be received before a renovation or demolition permit can issue.
These categories survive state preemption under § 36-98 and are administered locally.
The contractor’s licence class sets the size of job it may take, and its classifications set the type of work.
On one- and two-family work, decide before filing whether a mechanics’ lien agent will be named on the permit.
Keep the permit posted and an approved set of plans available on site.
If Henrico 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 Henrico County
Building Construction and Inspections schedules building and trade inspections across the county. Inspections are scheduled or cancelled through the Build Henrico portal.
Henrico enforces the Statewide Fire Prevention Code itself, through the Fire Marshal’s Office of the county’s Division of Fire.
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
Henrico 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.
- Henrico County Building Construction and Inspections
- 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
Is Richmond part of Henrico County?
No. Richmond is an independent city and is in no county at all. Henrico and Chesterfield County both border it, but the city is a separate jurisdiction with its own building department.
Are there towns inside Henrico County?
No incorporated towns sit inside Henrico, so Building Construction and Inspections is the building authority throughout the county.
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →When does the pre-1985 asbestos rule apply?
When a building whose initial building permit was issued before 1 January 1985 is being renovated or demolished. Section 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 the work is for commercial or public development purposes.
Which building code applies in Henrico County?
The 2021 Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code. Under § 36-98 the statewide code supersedes local building codes, so the county neither adopts its own edition nor publishes its own technical amendments.
Does my contractor licence cover my electricians?
Not automatically. Individual electricians, plumbers, gas fitters and HVAC tradesmen hold separate tradesman licences from DPOR, which are distinct records from the contractor licence.
What is the mechanics’ lien agent line on my permit?
On one- and two-family dwellings, § 36-98.01 requires the permit to carry the mechanics’ lien agent’s name, address and telephone number at the applicant’s request, or to state “None Designated” if none is requested. It governs how subcontractors and suppliers preserve lien rights, so it is worth deciding deliberately.
Simplify Henrico County permitting with Alliance Permitting
In Henrico the first question is whether a parcel is in the county or the City of Richmond. Alliance Permitting prepares, files and tracks Henrico 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 Henrico County because the work is done by people who have stood at the counter:
- We confirm Henrico versus the City of Richmond from the parcel record, not the address.
- We check the pre-1985 line before a renovation permit is filed.
- We keep firm licence class and classification aligned to the actual scope.
- We handle the lien agent designation deliberately on one- and two-family work.
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 Henrico County sooner?
Let Alliance prepare, file, and track your Henrico County permits while your crew stays on the job.
More Virginia permitting guides
This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Henrico County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.