Building permits in Salem are issued by the city’s Building Inspections office at 21 South Bruffey Street. Salem is an independent city of about 25,800 residents, so it is in no county and Roanoke County has no building jurisdiction inside it. Since July 1, 2025 every application is filed through the city’s online Permit Portal; paper and email applications are no longer accepted.
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 Salem.
Salem is a city, not a town. In Virginia a town remains part of its county, but an independent city is in no county at all. Salem is independent, so Roanoke County has no building jurisdiction inside it. The Town of Vinton, by contrast, is part of Roanoke County, and Roanoke County inspectors perform all building inspections there.
What requires a permit in Salem?
The City of Salem building official issues building permits for work inside the city of Salem.
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
Salem’s own list is more specific. A zoning permit is required whatever the size of the structure, so a shed or playhouse under 256 square feet needs zoning approval even though it needs no building permit. Building permits are required for new and replacement gas appliances and HVAC equipment, sump pumps, electric car charging equipment, new exterior stairs or stoops and roof sheathing replacement over 256 square feet. Residential re-roofs, re-siding, window and door replacements, gutters, kitchen cabinets and on-grade patios are on the city’s no-permit list, as are driveways up to 5,000 square feet.
Salem’s local conditions that survive state preemption under § 36-98 include conditions attached to special exceptions and its Floodplain Overlay District along the Roanoke River.
Salem 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
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Get a free quote →Who handles permitting in Salem?
Salem is an independent city, so it sits in no county. Roanoke County does not permit work inside Salem, has no building jurisdiction there, and cannot inspect a Salem project; Salem’s own building official permits and inspects work in the city.
Salem borders two other building authorities: Roanoke County and the City of Roanoke, a second independent city. The Town of Vinton is part of Roanoke County, and Roanoke County inspectors perform all building inspections there.
Once jurisdiction is right, the technical code is not in question. Section 36-98 makes the statewide code supersede local building codes, so the code applied in Salem is identical to the code applied in Roanoke County and the City of Roanoke. What differs is zoning, proffers, historic districts, floodplain rules, fee schedules and process — and a permit issued by the wrong authority is not a permit for your project.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Authority | City of Salem Building Inspections, Community Development |
| Phone | 540-375-3036 |
| Building Official | Troy Loving |
| Offices | 21 South Bruffey Street, Salem, Virginia 24153 |
| Inspection requests | Through the Permit Portal (the city also lists 540-375-3037); requests placed before 4 p.m. are scheduled for the next business day |
| communitydev@salemva.gov | |
| Zoning Administrator | 540-375-3032 |
| Online filing | City of Salem Permit Portal, required for all applications |
| Hours | Monday–Friday 8 a.m.–5 p.m.; permits are issued 8 a.m.–4 p.m. |
| Jurisdiction type | Independent city — not part of Roanoke County |
| Neighbouring authorities | Roanoke County, City of Roanoke |
| Governing code | 2021 Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code |
| Building officials directory | Published statewide by Virginia DHCD |
| Appeals | Local Board of Building Code Appeals, then the state Review Board |
In 2025, building permits issued in Salem authorized 17 new privately owned housing units, all 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 Salem (§ 36-98.1). State-owned projects in Virginia
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 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, Salem’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.”
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Get a free quote →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 |
Pre-1985 buildings: a hard permit prerequisite
Statewide rules also shape every Salem 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
Salem permit costs and fees
Permit fees in Salem 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 Salem. How Virginia permit fees work
The City of Salem Permit Fees sheet, effective July 1, 2022, sets building fees by valuation and trade fees by contract cost. A 2 percent state levy and a 2 percent technology fee are added to every permit fee, and fees double when a permit is obtained after work has started.
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|---|---|
| Building permit: valuation up to $4,000 | $35 |
| Building permit: $5,000 to $20,000 | $40 at $5,000, then $6 more per $1,000, reaching $130 at $20,000 |
| Building permit: over $20,000 | $130 plus $4.50 per $1,000 or fraction ($265 at $50,000; $490 at $100,000) |
| Building permit: over $100,000 | $490 plus $3.50 per $1,000 or fraction |
| Building permit: over $500,000 | $1,890 plus $2.50 per $1,000 or fraction |
| Building permit: over $1,000,000 | $3,140 plus $1.75 per $1,000 or fraction |
| Electrical, plumbing, mechanical, sign, LP gas or cross connection permit: cost up to $500 | $35 |
| The same permits: $500.01 to $5,000 | $40 to $1,000; $50 to $2,000; $60 to $3,000; $70 to $4,000; $85 to $5,000 |
| The same permits: over $5,000 | $85 plus $4.50 for each additional $1,000 or fraction |
| Plan review | $30 new residential; all commercial 10% of the permit fee or $30, whichever is greater |
| Zoning permit | $25 |
| Certificate of occupancy and service inspection permit; elevator permit; temporary electric inspection | $30 each |
| Re-inspection on the third visit | $30 |
| Refund of a permit | The city keeps the higher of 25% or $30 |
A $60,000 addition is $310 on the building table. The state levy and the technology fee add $6.20 each, giving $322.40 before the $25 zoning permit and the trade permits.
Trade permits and who may pull them
Salem issues building permits and trade permits (electrical, mechanical and plumbing) separately, so one project can need several linked applications in the portal. A contractor must hold a City of Salem business licence before a permit is issued; the Commissioner of the Revenue handles it at 540-375-3019. The city publishes electrical, mechanical, plumbing and gas, and solar photovoltaic checklists on its Guidelines page.
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 Salem building permit
Salem, the City of Roanoke and Roanoke County are separate building authorities.
It is independent and in no county; Roanoke County has no jurisdiction inside it.
It lists every locality and town alongside its building official.
Buildings first permitted before 1985 need asbestos certification before a renovation or demolition permit issues (§ 36-99.7), unless an exemption applies.
Applications, fee payments by card or eCheck and inspection requests all go through the City of Salem Permit Portal, which runs on Cityworks; the city no longer takes payments by phone. New construction or an exterior addition needs a plat showing the work, its dimensions and its distances from the property lines before the application is reviewed. The licence classification and, on one- and two-family work, the lien agent decision should be settled before filing.
A Salem permit does not carry inspection rights across the boundary.
What Salem asks for by permit type.
- New house: one digital (PDF) copy of the plans, the completed application, shrink-swell soil test results, a certified plat showing easements and existing and proposed structures, and the erosion and sediment control permit
- Residential addition, alteration or demolition: the same, without the soil test
- New commercial building: sealed architect or engineer plans with the electrical, mechanical and plumbing drawings, an approved site plan, shrink-swell soil test results and the erosion and sediment control permit from the Engineering Department
- Commercial addition or upfit: sealed plans, an approved site plan if needed, asbestos certification and accessibility compliance
- Any site in the floodplain: a preconstruction Certificate of Elevation, and a post-construction one before the certificate of occupancy
For detached structures, a building up to 256 square feet needs a site plan only and a larger one needs building plans as well. Retaining walls of 2 to 4 feet need a site plan, walls over 4 and up to 6 feet need building plans, walls over 6 feet need plans stamped by a Virginia design professional, and walls over 10 feet also need special inspections.
If Salem 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
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Get a free quote →Inspections in Salem
The city building official schedules building and trade inspections inside the city limits. Work beyond the boundary belongs to Roanoke County or the City of Roanoke and cannot be inspected on a Salem permit. Only the permit holder may request an inspection, through the Permit Portal with the permit number and job address: a request placed before 4 p.m. is scheduled for the following business day, in an all-day, morning or afternoon slot, and a later one goes on the second working day. Inspectors work Monday to Friday, 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. In the city’s sequence the framing inspection follows approval of the electrical, plumbing and mechanical rough-ins, insulation follows framing, and the trade finals come before the building final. A fee may be charged when an inspection fails a second time; the fee sheet lists $30 for a re-inspection on the third visit.
Salem enforces the Statewide Fire Prevention Code itself; the state’s directory of local fire officials lists its fire official’s number as 540-375-9692.
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
Salem 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 Salem Building Inspections
- City of Salem Permit Portal announcement and user guides
- City of Salem: when a permit is required and what to submit
- City of Salem permit application process
- City of Salem inspection types and sequence
- City of Salem Permit Fees, effective July 1, 2022 (PDF)
- 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
- Virginia DHCD building officials directory, every locality and town
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →Frequently asked questions
How much is a building permit in Salem, Virginia?
The minimum is $35, which covers work valued up to $4,000. The fee is $130 at $20,000, $265 at $50,000 and $490 at $100,000, with $3.50 per $1,000 above that. A 2 percent state levy and a 2 percent technology fee are added, and the fee doubles if work starts before the permit.
How do I apply for a building permit in Salem?
Online only. Since July 1, 2025 the city has required every application through its Permit Portal, where fees are paid and inspections are scheduled as well. Permits are issued between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday.
Do I need a permit for a shed or a fence in Salem?
A shed or playhouse needs a building permit only over 256 square feet, but it needs a zoning permit at any size. Fences need no building permit unless they form a swimming pool barrier or are required for pedestrian safety; the Zoning Administrator (540-375-3032) answers setback and easement questions.
Is Salem a town or a city?
An independent city. Because Virginia cities are independent of counties, Salem sits in no county at all and Roanoke County has no building jurisdiction inside it.
Is Salem part of Roanoke County?
No. It is an independent city and therefore in no county. Roanoke County cannot issue permits or conduct inspections inside Salem, and a county permit does not cover work in the city.
How is Vinton different from Salem?
Vinton is a town, and Virginia towns remain part of their county, so Vinton is in Roanoke County and Roanoke County inspectors perform all building inspections there. Salem is an independent city with its own building official.
Which building authorities border Salem?
Two: Roanoke County and the City of Roanoke. Each has its own building official, separate from Salem’s.
Which building code applies in Salem?
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 technical requirements are identical in Salem, the City of Roanoke and Roanoke County.
If the code is the same everywhere, why does jurisdiction matter?
Because much besides the technical code differs from one authority to another. Zoning, proffers, overlay and historic districts, floodplain rules, fee schedules, portals and inspection scheduling all differ by authority — and a permit issued by the wrong one is not a permit for your project.
Simplify Salem permitting with Alliance Permitting
Salem is an independent city next to Roanoke County and the City of Roanoke, so the first step is confirming which of them holds the parcel. Alliance Permitting prepares, files and tracks Salem 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 Salem because the work is done by people who have stood at the counter:
- We treat Salem as the independent city it is.
- We confirm whether the parcel is in Salem, the City of Roanoke or Roanoke County before filing.
- We confirm the building official from the DHCD directory.
- We check whether the pre-1985 asbestos rule applies.
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 Salem permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.