Herndon, Virginia Building Permit Guide

Inside the Town of Herndon, building and trade permits are issued by the Town’s own Building Inspections section in the Department of Public Works, not by Fairfax County. Applications are filed in the Town’s Cityworks portal. The minimum permit fee is $128, a home alteration is charged 3.6% of its estimated cost, and review takes about 14 business days for most permits and 4 to 6 weeks for a new house.

What requires a building permit in Herndon?

The Town’s rule of thumb is that a building permit is needed for all additions, all alterations, all decks and all garages, for retaining walls over 3 ft, and for detached sheds that are over 256 sq ft or more than one story. Additions or alterations to electrical, plumbing or mechanical systems need their own separate permits. Building Inspections publishes an application guide for each of these permit types:

Solar energy equipment needs a permit, but the Town Code charges no fee for it. After storm, fire or other emergency damage, repairs can start at once and the permit is applied for on the next regular working day.

Who issues building permits in Herndon?

Herndon is an incorporated town inside Fairfax County, and it runs its own building department. Building Inspections, a section of the Town’s Department of Public Works, reviews plans, issues building, mechanical, electrical and plumbing or gas permits and inspects the work. Zoning approval comes from the Town’s Department of Community Development. Two Fairfax County agencies still take part: the County Fire Marshal and the County Health Department pre-approve commercial plans where their rules apply, and fire protection test fees are paid to the County Fire Marshal.

Herndon permit applications in Cityworks

Create a Cityworks account and pick the application that matches the work: residential new, residential addition, residential repair and alteration, tenant alteration and layout, commercial or residential repair (used for re-roofs), or the mechanical, electrical, and plumbing or gas applications. Documents are attached in section 5 of each application. The issued permit and the approved plans are then delivered inside Cityworks.

Before the Town will take an application, two Finance Department conditions have to be met:

• A contractor whose work in Herndon adds up to more than $25,000 in a calendar year needs a Town of Herndon business licence, and must have it before applying.
• All outstanding property taxes, levies and fees on the property must be paid.

Emergency permits for water service, electrical service or heat can be applied for before those conditions are cleared.

Forms on the Building Inspections page include the Owners Affidavit, ADA Certification, Asbestos Statement, Special Inspections form, Code Modification Request, Critical Structure Manual, Deck Detail Handout, Vent/Chimney Certification, Geothermal Certification, Solar Tax Exempt Form and the Backflow Test Report Form.

Permit fees in Herndon

Herndon’s permit fees are set in Chapter 10, Article III of the Town Code, last amended by Ordinance 24-O-16 on May 14, 2024. They are the Town’s own fees, not Fairfax County’s.

Area is measured from the exterior dimensions of every floor, basements and cellars included, together with horizontally projected roof areas. For example, a $20,000 kitchen and bathroom remodel in a house is charged 3.6%, which is $720.

A plan examination and processing fee is paid at application and credited toward the permit: $203 for a single-family residence and $450 for commercial work and apartment buildings. Revisions to approved plans cost $60 per sheet. If the Building Official sends plans to an outside reviewer, the applicant pays that cost less the fee already paid.

Other charges in the code are $108 for a violation reinspection, $108 to inspect work done without a permit, and $150 an hour with a 4-hour minimum for an inspection outside regular hours. Fees are forfeited if work does not start within the life of the permit or is abandoned for 6 months. Water and sewer availability charges are separate and are set in Chapter 74 of the Town Code.

Electrical, plumbing, mechanical and gas permits in Herndon

Each trade has its own Cityworks application and its own fee division in the Town Code. The minimum for any trade permit is $128.

When the listed fees add up to less than $128, the minimum applies. A reinspection after a defect notice costs $72 on a mechanical permit and $108 on a plumbing or gas permit. Tests and retests of fire protection equipment are paid to the Fairfax County Fire Marshal at the County’s rates.

Herndon submittal documents and review times

Plans for interior alterations to a home must show a dimensioned floor plan with the purpose of each room, all plumbing and electrical fixtures, smoke detector locations, mechanical changes, a gas riser diagram for new gas appliances or lines, and a compliant emergency escape window or door for any basement sleeping room.

The Town gives its review time as approximately 4 to 6 weeks for new residential construction and approximately 14 business days for additions, interior alterations, re-roofs, commercial tenant alterations and electrical permits. Applicants are emailed when the application is approved and ready for payment.

How to apply: 6-step Herndon permit process

Herndon building inspections

Inspections must be requested one business day in advance. Requests are taken from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. by email to buildinginspections@herndon-va.gov, or by phone on 703-435-6850 if you have no email, and inspectors work from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. An inspection can be done on site or remotely by FaceTime or Google video.

The Town denies a request that leaves out any of the following:

• Permit number and contractor name
• Type of inspection (close-in, final and so on) and type of permit
• Job address
• Morning (9 a.m. to 12 p.m.) or afternoon (1 to 4 p.m.)
• Name, email and phone number of the person who will be on site
• Preferred platform: FaceTime, Google or in person

The person on site must have the video platform working and the tools the inspector needs. If not, the inspection is canceled or postponed and a $108 re-inspection fee is charged.

Local Herndon permitting details

Municipal Center closure: walk-up counters at 777 Lynn Street are closed from October 2, 2026 to January 2, 2027 for mechanical and entrance upgrades. Counter services for community development, public works engineering and finance are at 397 Herndon Parkway, Suite 100. The Town’s information line is 703-435-6800.

Historic Preservation District: a re-roof in the district needs zoning approval from Community Development before the building permit application, and any addition in the district needs an approved Building Location Survey.

Accessory dwelling units: zoning approval is required before applying for the building permit. An ADU may house up to 3 occupants, and Community Development publishes an ADU process guide in English and Spanish.

Driveways: a driveway or parking area must be paved, sit at least 2 ft from the property line, cover no more than 35% of the front yard and count toward the 50% impervious limit for the lot. Widening one needs no permit unless the apron in the Town right-of-way changes, which takes a right-of-way permit.

Fences, sheds and decks: zoning sets height, size and setback limits, and the Town publishes a Residential Fence Guide and a Deck Detail Handout.

Rental inspection districts: rental units in Branch Drive, Courts of Chandon, Dulles Park Townhomes, Park Avenue Square, Tralee and Waterford Park are inspected by Town staff for building code compliance.

Backflow devices: every backflow device in town, irrigation systems included, must be tested each year by a certified tester, who returns the Town’s test report form to Building Inspections.

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 Herndon permitting resources

These are the primary sources behind this guide. Codes, fee schedules and procedures change — confirm the position for your filing date.

• Virginia DHCD statewide building codes
• Herndon applications, inspections or fees
• Herndon official building-permit information
• Town of Herndon Cityworks permit portal
• Herndon: how to schedule an inspection
• Herndon Building Inspections applications and forms
• Herndon Town Code, Chapter 10: building, mechanical, plumbing and electrical fees
• Herndon residential zoning information
• Herndon Municipal Center renovation and temporary counter location

Herndon building permit FAQs

Does Herndon issue its own building permits or does Fairfax County?

Herndon does. The Town’s Building Inspections section issues building and trade permits for property inside the town limits, with Fairfax County’s Fire Marshal and Health Department reviewing commercial plans where required.

How much is a building permit in Herndon?

The minimum is $128, or $187.50 for a deck or small addition. Home repairs and alterations are 3.6% of the estimated cost, and new buildings and additions are charged per square foot by construction type, from $0.178 for Type V(B).

How long does plan review take in Herndon?

About 14 business days for additions, alterations, re-roofs and trade permits, and about 4 to 6 weeks for a new house.

Do I need a permit for a deck or shed in Herndon?

All decks need a building permit. A detached shed needs one if it is over 256 sq ft or more than one story, and zoning setbacks apply to every shed.

Can a homeowner apply without a contractor?

Yes. Each application accepts either a state contractor’s licence or the Town’s Owners Affidavit.

How do I schedule an inspection in Herndon?

Email buildinginspections@herndon-va.gov one business day ahead, between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., with the permit number, contractor, inspection type, address, morning or afternoon, and on-site contact.

Where is the permit counter while the Municipal Center is closed?

At 397 Herndon Parkway, Suite 100, from October 5, 2026 to January 2, 2027. Applications themselves are filed online in Cityworks.

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