Building permits in Norfolk are issued by the city’s Department of City Planning, through its online E-Permit Portal and the Development Services Center on the 1st floor of City Hall, 810 Union Street.
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 the city of Norfolk.
Norfolk is an independent city and sits in no county. It adjoins Virginia Beach, Chesapeake and Portsmouth, all independent cities with their own building departments and fee schedules. No county sits above these cities, so confirm from the parcel record which city holds the work.
What requires a permit in Norfolk?
The City of Norfolk Department of City Planning issues building permits for work inside the city of Norfolk. Building, fire, sign, elevator and trade permits are applied for and issued online through the E-Permit Portal.
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
- Commercial re-roofing, siding and exterior wall covering; on one- and two-family homes, roof-pitch changes and any roof work involving new or exposed framing
- 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
- Ordinary re-roofing of one- and two-family residential buildings, which the city lists as not requiring a building permit
- Same-size replacement windows and vinyl or shake siding, on the city's published not-required list
- Other work the building official deems minor and ordinary that does not affect public health or safety
Norfolk’s local conditions that survive state preemption under § 36-98 include its historic districts and floodplain regulations, together with zoning and conditions attached to special exceptions and variances.
Short on time to read all of this?
Get a free quote →Norfolk 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 Norfolk?
Norfolk is an independent city in no county, adjoining Virginia Beach, Chesapeake and Portsmouth — each of which is also an independent city with its own building department. No county sits above these cities.
Three local matters are covered here. The first is asbestos. For a building first permitted before 1985, § 36-99.7 is a statutory bar on issuance: the department cannot issue a renovation or demolition permit until certification is in hand. Single-family homes and residential buildings of four or fewer units are exempt unless the work is for commercial or public development.
The second is water. The city’s own resilience planning notes that Norfolk has one of the highest rates of sea level rise on the East Coast, and local floodplain regulations adopted for National Flood Insurance Program participation are expressly preserved from state preemption under § 36-98.
The third is Norfolk’s several locally zoned historic districts, which § 36-98 also preserves. In a district, exterior alterations, new construction and often demolition need a Certificate of Appropriateness through the Architectural Review Board, separately from building review.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Authority | City of Norfolk Department of City Planning |
| Permits phone | 757-664-6565 |
| City Planning | 757-664-4752 |
| Offices | Development Services Center, 1st floor, City Hall, 810 Union Street, Norfolk, Virginia 23510 |
| Online filing | E-Permit Portal |
| Jurisdiction type | Independent city — not part of any county |
| Governing code | 2021 Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code |
| Historic districts | Preserved from preemption under § 36-98 |
| Floodplain | Local NFIP regulations, preserved under § 36-98 |
| Appeals | Local Board of Building Code Appeals, then the state Review Board |
In 2025, building permits issued in Norfolk authorized 156 new privately owned housing units, 143 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 Norfolk (§ 36-98.1). State-owned projects in Virginia
Not sure this scope needs a permit?
Get a free quote →Permit types
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 (one- and two-family) | No building permit for an ordinary reroof, per the city; changing the roof pitch, new framing or exposed existing framing needs 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, Norfolk’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 |
| Re-roofing, siding or exterior wall covering | Building permit |
| 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 Norfolk 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
Norfolk permit costs and fees
Permit fees in Norfolk 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 Norfolk. 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 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 Norfolk building permit
Virginia Beach, Chesapeake and Portsmouth all adjoin and are each independent cities with their own departments.
For a building first permitted before 1985, certification is a bar on issuance under § 36-99.7 unless an exemption applies.
Architectural Review Board approval is separate from building review, and it survives state preemption under § 36-98.
Local floodplain regulations are preserved from state preemption.
Have the classification correct and the lien agent decision made on one- and two-family work.
Keep the permit posted and an approved set of plans available on site.
If Norfolk 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 Norfolk
The city schedules building and trade inspections inside the city limits. Inspections are scheduled in the ePermitting portal, and next-day inspections must be requested before midnight.
Norfolk enforces the Statewide Fire Prevention Code itself; the state’s directory of local fire officials lists its fire official’s number as 757-664-6606.
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
Want this handled start to finish?
Get a free quote →Norfolk 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.
- City of Norfolk permits 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
What county is Norfolk in?
None. Norfolk is an independent city, and Virginia cities are independent of counties entirely. The city is the building authority inside its limits, and adjoining Virginia Beach, Chesapeake and Portsmouth are themselves independent cities.
Will my renovation need an asbestos inspection?
If the building was first permitted before 1985, it may. Section 36-99.7 bars issuance of a renovation or demolition permit for any building whose initial permit was issued before 1 January 1985 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.
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →Is there a faster route for roofing or siding work?
Yes. For work limited to repair or replacement of roofing, floorcovering or siding, the asbestos requirement can be satisfied by a statement assuming the materials contain friable asbestos together with a commitment that a licensed asbestos contractor will do the work. The permit question comes first, though: Norfolk lists ordinary reroofing of one- and two-family residential buildings as exempt from a building permit, while commercial reroofing and work involving roof-pitch changes, new framing or exposed existing framing may require permits. Separate zoning, historic district or floodplain approvals may still apply.
How does historic district review affect the timeline?
It runs separately from building review. In Norfolk’s locally zoned historic districts, exterior alterations, new construction and often demolition need a Certificate of Appropriateness from the Architectural Review Board. Historic districts created under § 15.2-2306 are expressly preserved from state preemption by § 36-98.
Which building code applies in Norfolk?
The 2021 Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code, effective since 18 January 2024 and required for every application submitted from 18 January 2025. Under § 36-98 the statewide code supersedes local building codes, so the city does not adopt its own edition.
Can I be refused a permit over unpaid obligations to the city?
If you are the property owner, potentially yes — § 36-105 allows a locality to require full payment of owner obligations constituting a lien before issuing. A tenant applicant or the owner of an easement cannot be denied on that basis.
Simplify Norfolk permitting with Alliance Permitting
In Norfolk the local questions are asbestos certification on older buildings, floodplain rules and historic district review. Alliance Permitting prepares, files and tracks Norfolk 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 Norfolk because the work is done by people who have stood at the counter:
- We check the pre-1985 asbestos trigger before anything else on renovation work.
- We check historic district status before filing.
- We check floodplain rules before the building submission.
- We confirm the parcel is in Norfolk rather than an adjoining independent city.
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.
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More Virginia permitting guides
This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Norfolk permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.