Madison County, Virginia Building Permit Guide

In Madison County, the Building Department (540-948-6102) and the Zoning Office share one counter at 410 N. Main Street in Madison. A zoning permit and Health Department review come first, then the building application with two sets of plans. Under the fee schedule updated in July 2026, residential construction costs $0.18 per square foot and each trade permit $0.07 per square foot, both with a $75 minimum.

What requires a permit in Madison County?

The Building Department’s application form lists the project types it permits, and the County adds one rule of its own: every kind of work or development in a FEMA special flood hazard area needs a permit, with no exemptions.

Starting without a permit brings a stop work order and a notice of violation, and the fee schedule doubles the permit fee.

Who issues building permits in Madison County?

Jamie Wilks, Director of Building & Zoning, is the County’s Building Official. The department has a residential inspector and plans examiner, an Erosion and Sediment Program Administrator and two permit technicians, and it works alongside the Planning & Zoning Administrator.

The Town of Madison is the county’s only incorporated town. The Town Administrator, who is also the Town’s Zoning Administrator, issues a Town zoning permit ($60), Town sign permits and a demolition permit affidavit ($75) from the Town Office at 23 Washington Circle (540-948-3202, weekdays 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.). The Town publishes no building permit application of its own: the County’s Building Official administers the building code, and the County’s commercial checklist asks for a “Town or County Zoning Permit” with the building submittal.

Madison County applications and forms

Madison County has no online permit portal. Its forms are fillable PDFs in the Building Department section of the County’s Document Center, and incomplete applications are returned unprocessed.

• Building Permit Application — one form for residential and commercial projects, with the square footage of each floor, basement, garage, porch and deck, and the mechanic’s lien agent.
• Trade Permit Application (2026) — a separate permit is required for each trade, and the square footage of the work area must be given.
• Owner-Contractor Affidavit — required when the homeowner is doing the work.
• Demolition Packet and Asbestos Certification Form.
• Manufactured Home Data Info Sheet and Installation Certification, the second completed by the licensed installer before the final inspection.
• Flood Zone Development Permit.
• Deck Guide and Submittal, Pool Barrier-Safety Cover Affidavit and Vent-Chimney Certification.
• Farm Structure Policy and Affidavit.
• Code Modification Request.

The Zoning Office has its own Zoning Permit Application, along with site plan, special use permit, rezoning, subdivision and Board of Zoning Appeals forms.

Madison County permit costs and fees

The Building & Zoning Fee Schedule was approved by the Board of Supervisors and last updated in July 2026. All building permits carry a 2% state levy.

For example, a 2,000 sq ft house has a $360 building fee, and the electrical, mechanical and plumbing permits are $140 each, so the four permits come to $780 before the state levy, zoning permit and erosion charges.

Working without a permit doubles the permit fee. Half of the permit fee can be refunded on the owner’s or agent’s written request; plan review fees and the state levy are not refundable.

Electrical, plumbing, mechanical and gas permits

Trade permits are issued by the Building Department on the 2026 Trade Permit Application, with one application per trade: electrical, fire safety, fuel gas, mechanical or plumbing.

Temporary electrical service is granted only for a stated use and period under the County’s Temporary Electrical Service Policy, and it is disconnected when the period or the permit expires.

Health Department review: the Virginia Department of Health must review the well and septic system before the County issues a building permit. An addition to an existing building needs a safe, adequate and proper (SAP) review. Decks, covered porches, pools, ground-mounted solar and detached accessory structures get a shorter courtesy review, unless the accessory structure has indoor plumbing. The Madison County Health Department can be reached at 540-948-5481.

Madison County construction documents

The County publishes a checklist for residential applications and a submittal guide for commercial plan review.

Plans are designed to the County’s Local Design Criteria: an 18-inch frost line, a 30 psf ground snow load, a 110 mph wind speed and a 2,000 psf soil bearing capacity unless a site soil test shows otherwise.

How to apply: 6-step Madison County process

Madison County building inspections

An inspection request must reach the Building Department by 3:00 p.m. on the day before the date wanted, through the online Inspection Request form or by calling 540-948-6102. Give the permit number, the location and the owner’s name. Exact times are not given; a morning or afternoon preference is noted but not guaranteed. The road to the site must be built and passable before any inspection is made.

The 2026 Required Inspections list covers footing, concrete wall, drain tile and waterproofing, backfill and sill plate, crawlspace framing, ground works, water line (24 inches minimum depth), slab, gas lines and underground tanks, electrical service, rough-in and close-in, veneer, fire-rated construction, insulation, fireplace and chimney, and final. Decks get footing, framing and final inspections.

• Before the final on a new building: the VDH Operation Permit, an elevation or floodproofing certificate for a flood-zone site, and site conditions approved by the Erosion and Sediment Program Administrator. Commercial projects also need the final report of special inspections.
• Third-party inspectors: must be approved in advance through the County’s Third-Party Inspection Request form, unless the County has not inspected within two full working days of the request. Reports are due within two working days, and every final inspection for a certificate of occupancy is done by the County.
• Re-inspection: $100 when work is not approved, is not complete when requested, the approved plans are not on site, or an earlier failure has not been corrected.
• Permit lapse: inspections are required at least every 6 months to keep a permit active.

Local Madison County requirements

Flood zones: all development in a FEMA special flood hazard area needs a Flood Zone Development Permit, and that includes filling, grading, paving, excavation and storing equipment or materials. The County’s GIS site has a flood mapping layer; its current flood maps took effect September 18, 2020.

Expansive soils: the Building & Zoning Department checks every site against the shrink-swell soil layer in the County GIS. In the green-shaded areas, and within 500 feet of them, footings must be at least 24 inches below grade; moderate and severe areas call for soil testing by a registered design professional, geotechnical engineer or certified professional geologist. Decks, gazebos and small sheds are exempt from the policy.

Land disturbance: disturbing 10,000 sq ft or more needs a land disturbance permit with a performance guarantee. A single-family home without major grading or severe slopes can use an Agreement in Lieu. The agricultural exemption does not cover the construction of barns and other farm buildings.

Farm buildings: a farm structure exempt from the building code still needs the County’s exemption affidavit, a $50 fee and a zoning permit, and it remains subject to flood proofing rules in a floodplain.

Zoning permits: a County zoning permit runs for one year. If the size or location of the structure changes after it is issued, an amended application and a second fee equal to the first are required.

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 Madison County permit resources

• Virginia statewide permit rules
• Madison County inspections
• Madison County Document Center (permit forms)
• Madison County Building Department
• Madison County Building & Zoning Fee Schedule (updated July 2026)
• Required Inspections 2026 (PDF)
• Online Inspection Request form
• Residential Permit Application and Checklist (PDF)
• Commercial Plan Review Submittal Guide and Check List (PDF)
• Madison County Zoning & Planning
• County Zoning Permit Application (PDF)
• Madison County Erosion & Sediment Control
• Town of Madison Document Center (zoning forms)

Madison County permit FAQs

How much is a building permit in Madison County, Virginia?

Residential new construction and remodels are $0.18 per square foot with a $75 minimum, and electrical, mechanical and plumbing permits are $0.07 per square foot each with a $75 minimum. A 2% state levy applies, and the zoning permit is $100 for a new dwelling or $50 for an accessory structure.

Do I need a permit for a deck or shed?

Decks, porches and detached structures are all on the County’s building application. Any work at all in a FEMA flood zone must be permitted, however small. Call 540-948-6102 if you are unsure about a small project elsewhere.

How long does a zoning permit take?

The County says the zoning review can take up to three weeks, and applications are handled in the order received.

Can a homeowner pull a permit?

Yes. The residential checklist asks for a signed affidavit when the homeowner performs the work, and the County publishes an Owner-Contractor Affidavit for it.

How do I schedule an inspection?

Submit the online Inspection Request form or call 540-948-6102 by 3:00 p.m. the day before, with the permit number, location and owner’s name.

Who issues permits in the Town of Madison?

The Town issues its own zoning permit for $60 through the Town Administrator at 540-948-3202. Building and trade permits are handled by the Madison County Building Department.

How long is a permit valid?

A permit becomes invalid if work does not start within 6 months of issue or is suspended or abandoned for 6 months. Residential renewal costs $50.

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