The Department of Building Development at 12007 Courthouse Circle (804-966-9680) issues building and trade permits for all of New Kent County, which has no incorporated towns. Residential applications are filed in person or by mail with original signatures, and the County asks for 10 to 15 business days to process a new house. A residential permit costs $2.25 per $1,000 of the County’s estimated market value, with a $65 minimum.
What requires a permit in New Kent County?
The Department states that permits are required for all structures, the one exception being non-residential farm buildings as the building code defines them. Its FAQ puts it this way: whenever you construct, reconstruct, enlarge, alter or demolish a structure, a permit is needed before work starts.
Permit types
- Building permit
- Electrical permit
- Plumbing permit
- Mechanical permit
- Gas permit
- Demolition permit
Covered by the building application
- Single-family dwellings: stick-built, panelized and modular
- Manufactured homes, single- to triple-wide
- Garages, sheds, carports and pole barns
- Pools and pavilions
- Docks, boathouses and bulkheads
- Decks, porches, additions and renovations
- Retaining walls
A contractor installing a fireplace insert must pull a separate mechanical permit. Burn permits for brush and land-clearing fires are a separate online application handled by the Fire Marshal’s Office (804-966-9618).
Who issues permits in New Kent County?
Building Development is the County’s building code office, and Phil Prisco is the Building Official. With no incorporated towns in New Kent County, it is the permit office for every address. The Planning Division, which issues the zoning approval, and the Environmental Department, which issues land disturbance permits, are in the same building.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Office | Department of Building Development, 12007 Courthouse Circle, New Kent, VA 23124 |
| P.O. Box 150, New Kent, VA 23124 | |
| Phone | 804-966-9680 (fax 804-966-8510) |
| Inspection line | 804-966-8572 |
| Hours | Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m.; applications accepted until 3:45 p.m. |
| Planning (zoning and setbacks) | 804-966-9690 |
| Environmental (land disturbance) | 804-966-8580 |
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Get a free quote →New Kent County applications and how to file
New Kent County does not take residential applications online, by fax or by email. They are handed in or mailed so that the office has original signatures, can check licences and can take payment, and it cannot take payments online or over the phone.
- Single Family Dwelling application — for stick-built, panelized and modular houses, with its own submittal list and plans review checklist.
- Manufactured Home application and Manufactured Home Supplement.
- Building Permit application — used for every other structure: garages, sheds, pools, docks, decks, porches, additions and renovations. It includes a notarized owner’s affidavit and a septic certification.
- Electrical, Plumbing and Mechanical permit applications — for all trade work.
- Demolition Permit, Change of Use, Amendment to Existing Permit, Change of Contractor and Change Mechanics Lien Agent forms.
- Commercial building, electrical, mechanical and plumbing applications and the Fire Protection Plan Application.
The County’s Deck Detail sheet can be submitted as the plan for a deck.
New Kent County permit costs and fees
Fees are set in Appendix A of the County Code, last amended by ordinance on May 26, 2026. Building permits are priced on the County’s own estimate of market value: under the Code, the official does not accept the owner’s or contractor’s cost figure. The fee is worked out when the application is processed and is due when the permit is issued.
| Project | Fee |
|---|---|
| Residential building permit | $2.25 per $1,000 of estimated market value, or fraction |
| Miscellaneous structures (garage, deck, porch, shed, addition, basement) | $2.00 per $1,000 of fair market value |
| Minimum building permit fee | $65 |
| Zoning verification, collected with the building application | $40 |
| Manufactured home installation | $100 per unit |
| Demolition | $70 |
| Moving a building | $0.25 per sq ft of foundation |
| Illuminated sign | $70 |
| Permit renewal | $40 |
| Plan amendment | $50; $100 with a new plan review |
| Temporary certificate of occupancy | $60 residential; $120 commercial |
| Missed inspection or re-inspection | $75; $125 for a second offense |
| Land disturbance permit, single family | $250 plus $20 per acre |
| Erosion and sediment plan review and inspection, single family up to 1 acre | $85 plus $10 per acre |
Not sure this scope needs a permit?
Get a free quote →For example, a house the County values at $300,000 has a building permit fee of $675, before the $40 zoning verification fee, the state surcharge and the land disturbance fees.
For smaller structures the Code fixes the value per square foot that the fee is applied to: $17 for an attached garage, $14 for a detached garage, $30 for an addition, $12 for an enclosed porch, $10 for a porch, shed or unfinished basement, $15 for a finished basement and $6 for a deck. A 400 sq ft deck is therefore valued at $2,400, which puts its calculated fee below the $65 minimum, so the minimum is charged.
Fees are doubled when work starts before the permit is issued. A permit cancelled in writing before construction or any inspection is refunded at 50%, and nothing is refunded once 6 months have passed since issue.
Electrical, plumbing, mechanical and gas permits
Trade permits (the County calls them sub permits) are priced on the cost of the job, labor and materials together. The same scale applies to commercial building permits.
| Job cost | Fee |
|---|---|
| Up to $500 | $65 |
| $501–$1,000 | $69.50 |
| $1,001–$2,000 | $76 |
| $2,001–$3,000 | $81.50 |
| $3,001–$4,000 | $87 |
| $4,001–$5,000 | $92.50 |
| Over $5,000 | $92.50 plus $6 for each $1,000 or fraction over $5,000 |
An $8,000 electrical job, for instance, is $92.50 plus 3 increments of $6, or $110.50; the County’s fee sheet adds a 2% state surcharge of $2.21, for $112.71. Commercial sub applications need two sets of plans and are not issued on the spot.
Rather talk it over?
Call 1-855-478-4290 →Septic and wells: the New Kent Health Department, 7911 Courthouse Way (804-966-9640), part of the Virginia Department of Health’s Chickahominy Health District, issues the health permit that a new-house application must include. For other projects the applicant signs a septic certification that the work will not interfere with the existing tank, drain field or reserve area.
Construction documents and application requirements
Incomplete applications are not accepted, so the County asks applicants to have every form filled in before coming to the counter.
New house
- Single Family Dwelling application with original signatures
- 2 complete sets of plans and specifications
- 1 copy of the site plan showing the proposed improvements
- 1 copy of the Health Department permit, if applicable
- 1 copy of the recorded deed
- Extra copies for the land disturbance application, which goes to the Environmental Department
- Contractor’s Virginia licence number, class and expiry, and the mechanic’s lien agent
Accessory structures and commercial
- Accessory structures, decks, porches, additions and renovations: Building Permit application, 2 sets of plans, and a plat or site plan with approximate setbacks
- In-ground pools: the Environmental Land Disturbance Screening Form and a site plan
- Commercial: complete application, 2 full sets of plans (architectural, structural and MEP), the approved site plan or approval letter, and a copy of the land disturbance permit
- All contractors: a New Kent business licence, shown at submission (Commissioner of the Revenue, 804-966-9610)
The plans review checklist in the house packet covers foundation details, floor plans, garages, stairs, decks, roof sections and elevations, and asks for an engineer’s soil report and engineered truss designs where they apply.
Rather not deal with the New Kent County building department?
Get a free quote →How to apply for a New Kent County permit
The County Code requires a valid zoning permit before a building permit is issued; the $40 zoning verification fee is collected with the building application. Setback questions go to Planning at 804-966-9690.
For a house on a well or septic system, obtain the permit from the New Kent Health Department.
All new home construction needs a land disturbance permit from the Environmental Department, as does any project disturbing more than 2,500 sq ft.
Bring or post the completed application, plans, site plan and deed to 12007 Courthouse Circle between 8:00 a.m. and 3:45 p.m.
Allow 10 to 15 business days for a new house. Commercial applications are taken only after the site plan is approved.
Fees are due when the permit is issued. On residentially zoned lots, the corners must be marked and the boundary lines strung before the first inspection.
New Kent County inspections
Call the inspection line at 804-966-8572 and leave the permit number or address and the type of inspection, or call the office at 804-966-9680. A request made before 4:00 p.m. is scheduled for the next business day, and the County asks applicants to allow 2 business days. Arrival times are not given, except a one-hour window for footings and a morning or afternoon slot for floor joist inspections and for finals inside an occupied home.
- On site: the approved plans, the permit card and a posted address visible to the public, and a portable toilet on every construction site.
- Order: inspections are requested in sequence, and each must pass before the next can be requested.
- Before footings: an approved pre-construction erosion and sediment inspection, booked with the Environmental Department at 804-966-8580. Footings are a minimum of 18 inches deep.
- Sequence for a house: footing, projection, foundation, under-slab plumbing, slabs, waterproofing and drain tile, floor system, veneer, fireplace throat, framing with the trade rough-ins, and the finals.
- Fees: $75 for an inspection that is not called in and for a re-inspection, and $125 for a second offense.
A permit is valid for 6 months and is extended by 6 months each time an inspection is made. The Certificate of Occupancy for a new home is issued the business day after the final inspection and can be collected after 3:00 p.m.; it is not faxed or emailed.
Important local requirements in New Kent County
Land disturbance: New Kent sets its threshold at 2,500 sq ft, and counts access and storage areas, the drain field, the driveway and graded areas in the total. Below that, the County may ask for a Screening Form so it can monitor the site. Projects inside a Resource Protection Area are handled separately by the Environmental Department.
Want this handled start to finish?
Get a free quote →Chesapeake Bay areas: the Environmental Department issues Chesapeake Bay exception permits ($250) and RPA modification permits ($95). The County’s GIS portal shows wetlands and RPA as a planning guide; a field delineation by a wetlands consultant is the accurate test.
Stormwater: New Kent County is its own stormwater program authority, so state stormwater permit applications for projects over 1 acre are submitted through the County.
Commercial projects: a building application is accepted only after Planning has approved the site plan and the land disturbance permit has been submitted.
Subdivision covenants: the application reminds applicants that they are responsible for complying with their subdivision’s covenants.
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 New Kent County permit resources
- New Kent County residential permits (forms and inspection sheets)
- New Kent County Building Development
- New Kent County commercial permits
- Building Development fees
- New Kent County Code (Appendix A fees; Chapter 18 building regulations)
- Commercial building and sub permit fee sheet (PDF)
- Single Family Dwelling application and checklist (PDF)
- Single Family Dwelling inspection requirements (PDF)
- Building Development FAQs
- New Kent County Environmental Department (land disturbance)
- Chickahominy Health District locations
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →New Kent County building permit FAQs
Who issues building permits in New Kent County?
The Department of Building Development at 12007 Courthouse Circle, for the whole county. New Kent has no incorporated towns.
How much is a building permit in New Kent County?
A residential building permit is $2.25 per $1,000 of the County’s estimated market value, and garages, decks, sheds and similar structures are $2.00 per $1,000 of a value set by the County Code. The minimum is $65, and a $40 zoning verification fee is collected with the application.
Can I apply online or by email?
No. Residential applications must be made in person or by mail, between 8:00 a.m. and 3:45 p.m., because the office needs original signatures.
How long does a permit take?
The County asks applicants to allow 10 to 15 business days to process a building permit for a new house.
How do I schedule an inspection?
Call the inspection line at 804-966-8572 with the permit number and the inspection type. Requests made before 4:00 p.m. go on the next business day’s schedule.
How long is a permit valid?
6 months from issue, extended by another 6 months every time an inspection is made on the project.
Do I need a land disturbance permit for a new house?
Yes. The Environmental Department requires one for all new home construction, and for any other project that disturbs more than 2,500 sq ft.
When will I get my Certificate of Occupancy?
It is issued the next business day after the final inspection and is ready for pick-up after 3:00 p.m.
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More Virginia permitting guides
This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about New Kent County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.