King William County, Virginia Building Permit Guide

The King William County Building Department at 180 Horse Landing Road reviews plans, issues permits and inspects construction in the county; the Town of West Point runs a separate building department for addresses inside the town. A building permit for a house is a flat $500 plus a $250 plan review and the 2% state levy, and the County takes payment only after the plans are approved. Electrical, plumbing and mechanical work each need their own permit.

What requires a permit in King William County?

The Building Department reviews and approves plans for new construction and inspects residential and commercial work. Its adopted fee schedule sets out the permit categories it issues:

A building permit on its own does not cover electrical, plumbing or mechanical work; the County requires a separate permit for each.

Who issues building permits in King William County?

The County Building Department, staffed by a Building Official, a plans reviewer and building inspector, and a permit technician, issues permits for the county. The Planning & Zoning Department at the same address issues the Land Disturbance/Zoning Permit that has to come first.

Town of West Point: West Point is the county’s only incorporated town and it has its own Building Department at Town Hall, 802 Main Street (804-843-3330), with its own Building Official, Ron Minick, its own permit applications and its own inspection request form. A project inside the town limits is permitted there, not at the County office.

King William County permit types and the portal

Applications, drawings, fee payments and inspection requests can all go through the County’s SmartGov online portal. Plans can also be emailed or handed in at the Building Department.

The County issues these permits separately:

• Land Disturbance/Zoning Permit, from the Planning Department, before the building application.
• Building permit, for the structure.
• Electrical, plumbing, mechanical, gas and fire suppression permits, one for each trade.
• Demolition, relocation and removal permits.

The fee schedule also offers a pre-application plan review, at $250 residential or $500 commercial, with the amount credited toward the final fee.

King William County permit costs and fees

These figures are from the King William County Building Department Fee Schedule adopted by the Board of Supervisors on November 25, 2019, which is the schedule the County’s Building Fees page links today. Add the 2% state levy to each building permit fee.

For example, a new house is $500 for the permit, $10 for the state levy and $250 for plan review, before the three trade permits.

The minimum fee for any permit is $100, and the permit fee doubles when work starts before the permit. The County does not accept payment until the plans have been reviewed and approved; fees can then be paid online.

Electrical, plumbing, mechanical and gas permits

Plumbing, mechanical, electrical, fire suppression and gas permits are priced the same way for homes and commercial buildings: $100 when the work is valued at up to $5,000, and $100 plus $4 per $1,000 above $5,000 for larger jobs. Commercial trade plan review is another 20% of the permit fee.

All rough-in inspections on a job must be ready and inspected at the same visit. Gas lines need a pressure test of at least 15 psi at the rough-in, and water piping needs working water pressure or at least 80 psi. Temporary current is not released to Dominion Energy or Rappahannock Electric until the contractor or homeowner gives the Building Department the utility’s inquiry or work order number.

Construction documents and application requirements

For a house, the County wants the Building Permit Application with 2 sets of building plans and truss specifications. Its Residential Plan Review Requirements list the minimum drawings:

Commercial documents can be submitted through the portal, by email or in person. The County warns that plan review takes time and that a permit is not issued on the day of application.

How to apply: 6-step King William County process

King William County building inspections

Inspection requests are taken until 8 a.m. for same-day inspections, through the online portal, by phone on 804-769-4969 or by email to permits@kwc.gov. Give the permit number, property address, owner name, contractor name, type of inspection and a call-back number; a request missing any of these can be delayed or skipped. The department cannot honor requests for a particular time.

The minimum inspections for a new dwelling are footing, projection, slab and groundwork, foundation and floor joists, basement walls, veneer, the combined rough-ins, insulation, fireplace throat, water line, septic or sewer line, and final. House wrap has to be on at the veneer inspection. The original set of County-approved plans must be on site for the inspector.

The final inspection cannot be booked until the department has:

• the certificate of termite treatment;
• the Health Department operation permit for a private well and septic system, or HRSD approval for public service; and
• duct seal and blower door test results, where they apply.

The Certificate of Occupancy is issued once the final inspection, Health Department and Zoning have all signed off, and the Building Official issues it within 5 working days of a request when the building qualifies. An accessory structure does not need one.

Local requirements in King William County

Zoning comes before building: the Planning Department processes land disturbance and zoning permits, erosion and sediment control and plans of development, and the Building Department takes the building application once the Land Disturbance/Zoning Permit has been issued.

Septic and wells: permits come from the King William County Health Department, part of the Virginia Department of Health’s Three Rivers Health District. Its operation permit is one of the documents needed before the final inspection.

Review boards: Planning staff support the County’s Historic Preservation Board and Architectural Review Board as well as the Planning Commission and Board of Zoning Appeals.

Starting early: the fee schedule doubles the permit fee for work begun before the permit, and a building permit extension after 6 months costs $100.

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 King William 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 DPOR license lookup
• Virginia DHCD — Uniform Statewide Building Code
• King William County inspections: scheduling and required inspections
• King William County building permit process
• King William County Building Department Fee Schedule (adopted November 25, 2019)
• King William County SmartGov permit portal
• King William County Residential Plan Review Requirements
• King William County Requirements for Commercial Building Permit (revised June 11, 2026)
• King William County Certificates of Occupancy
• King William County Planning & Zoning Department
• Town of West Point Building Department

King William County permit FAQs

How much is a building permit for a house in King William County?

$500, plus a $250 plan review fee and the 2% state levy. Electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits are separate, at $100 each for work valued up to $5,000.

Does King William County issue permits in West Point?

No. The Town of West Point has its own Building Department at Town Hall, 802 Main Street, and issues its own building and trade permits.

Can I apply online?

Yes. The County’s SmartGov portal takes applications and drawings, fee payments and inspection requests.

When do I pay the permit fee?

After the plans are approved. The County does not accept payment before that, and the permit is issued once payment is received.

What is the cut-off for a same-day inspection?

8 a.m. The department cannot promise a time of day.

How much is a shed permit?

A pre-fab accessory structure under 600 sq ft is $125 with no plan review fee. Other accessory structures start at $100 for a value up to $15,000, plus a $150 plan review.

What do I need before the final inspection?

The termite treatment certificate, the Health Department operation permit or HRSD approval, and any duct seal and blower door test results that apply.

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