Building permits in Portsmouth are issued by the city’s Department of Permits and Inspections at its counter on the fourth floor of City Hall, 801 Crawford Street. Portsmouth has five local historic districts and is home to the Norfolk Naval Shipyard, a federal installation.
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 Portsmouth.
Portsmouth is an independent city and sits in no county. Norfolk lies across the river, Chesapeake and Suffolk adjoin, and all three are independent cities with their own building departments. No county sits above these cities, so take jurisdiction from the parcel record.
What requires a permit in Portsmouth?
The City of Portsmouth Department of Permits and Inspections issues building permits for work inside the city of Portsmouth.
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
- Re-roofing and re-siding, except on houses and townhouses where the design wind speed is 100 mph or less
- 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
- Other work the building official deems minor and ordinary that does not affect public health or safety
Portsmouth’s local conditions that survive state preemption under § 36-98 include its historic districts under § 15.2-2306, its floodplain regulations, and zoning conditions attached to special exceptions.
Portsmouth 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
Short on time to read all of this?
Get a free quote →Who handles permitting in Portsmouth?
Portsmouth is an independent city in no county, across the Elizabeth River from Norfolk. It adjoins Chesapeake and Suffolk, both also independent cities with their own building departments.
Two local matters are covered here.
The first is historic districts. Portsmouth has five: Cradock, Olde Towne, Park View, Port Norfolk and Truxtun. The state’s Department of Historic Resources describes Olde Towne’s grid-plan area as the only large early townscape remaining in Hampton Roads. Historic districts created under § 15.2-2306 are expressly preserved from state preemption by § 36-98, and the city’s Historic Preservation Commission reviews alterations and demolition in them, separately from building review. Section 36-105 also allows a locality to require by ordinance that a building contributing to a designated district not be razed, demolished or moved without review board approval — and in Portsmouth the Historic Preservation Commission does review demolition in the districts, in addition to the demolition permit. Alongside that sits the § 36-99.7 asbestos requirement: for a building first permitted before 1985, certification bars issuance of a renovation or demolition permit rather than generating a review comment, unless an exemption applies.
The second is the federal installation. The Norfolk Naval Shipyard is in Portsmouth. Federally owned buildings are exempt from the building code unless federal law specifically requires a permit from the locality (USBC Section 102.3), and under § 36-98.1 state-owned buildings are permitted by the Department of General Services rather than the locality.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Authority | City of Portsmouth Department of Permits and Inspections |
| Phone | 757-393-8531 |
| permits@portsmouthva.gov | |
| Offices | City Hall, 801 Crawford Street, 4th Floor, Portsmouth, Virginia 23704 |
| Jurisdiction type | Independent city — not part of any county |
| Historic districts | Cradock, Olde Towne, Park View, Port Norfolk and Truxtun |
| Governing code | 2021 Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code |
| Appeals | Local Board of Building Code Appeals, then the state Review Board |
In 2025, building permits issued in Portsmouth authorized 179 new privately owned housing units, 125 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 Portsmouth (§ 36-98.1). State-owned projects in Virginia
Permit types
Not sure this scope needs a permit?
Get a free quote →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 and re-siding | No permit on houses and townhouses where the design wind speed is 100 mph or less; otherwise a building permit (in a historic district the building official may require 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, Portsmouth’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 |
| 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 Portsmouth 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
Portsmouth permit costs and fees
Permit fees in Portsmouth 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 Portsmouth. 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 Portsmouth building permit
Norfolk, Chesapeake and Suffolk are all independent cities with their own departments and no county tier above them.
Federally owned buildings are exempt unless federal law requires a local permit, and state-owned buildings are permitted by the Department of General Services.
Historic Preservation Commission review is separate from building review, and it covers demolition in the districts.
For a building first permitted before 1985 it is a bar on issuance under § 36-99.7, unless an exemption applies.
Local floodplain regulations survive state preemption under § 36-98.
Keep the permit posted and an approved set of plans available on site.
If Portsmouth 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 Portsmouth
Permits and Inspections schedules building and trade inspections inside the city limits. Federally owned buildings sit outside the city’s inspections unless federal law requires a local permit.
Portsmouth enforces the Statewide Fire Prevention Code itself; the state’s directory of local fire officials lists its fire official’s number as 757-393-5161.
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 →Portsmouth 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 Portsmouth 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 Portsmouth in?
None. Portsmouth is an independent city, and Virginia cities are independent of counties entirely. Norfolk lies across the Elizabeth River and Chesapeake and Suffolk adjoin — all independent cities with their own building departments.
Can I demolish a building in Olde Towne?
Not without review. Section 36-105 allows a locality to require by ordinance that a landmark, building or structure contributing to a designated historic district not be razed, demolished or moved until the review board or, on appeal, the governing body approves — unless the maintenance code official determines it is a hazard requiring removal.
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →Will my renovation need asbestos certification?
If the building was first permitted before 1985, yes, unless an exemption applies. Section 36-99.7 bars the department from issuing a renovation or demolition permit for a building whose initial permit was issued before 1 January 1985 until certification is received. Single-family homes and residential buildings of four or fewer units are exempt unless the work is for commercial or public development.
Is there a quicker route for roofing or siding?
Yes. For work limited to repair or replacement of roofing, floorcovering or siding, the asbestos requirement can be met by a statement assuming the materials contain friable asbestos together with a commitment that a licensed asbestos contractor will do the work.
Who permits work at the federal shipyard?
Not the city, for federally owned buildings. The Norfolk Naval Shipyard is federal property, and federally owned buildings are exempt from the building code unless federal law specifically requires a permit from the locality. Separately, under § 36-98.1 state-owned buildings are permitted by the Department of General Services rather than the locality.
Which building code applies in Portsmouth?
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 — historic district requirements sit outside the code and are preserved from preemption.
Simplify Portsmouth permitting with Alliance Permitting
In Portsmouth the local questions are historic district review, asbestos certification on older buildings and ownership near federal and state sites. Alliance Permitting prepares, files and tracks Portsmouth 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 Portsmouth because the work is done by people who have stood at the counter:
- We confirm the parcel is in Portsmouth rather than an adjoining independent city.
- We establish federal and state land ownership before assuming city jurisdiction.
- We check historic district status, including the demolition review rules.
- We resolve asbestos certification before it bars issuance.
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.
Ready to break ground in Portsmouth sooner?
Let Alliance prepare, file, and track your Portsmouth permits while your crew stays on the job.
More Virginia permitting guides
This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Portsmouth permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.