Wythe County, Virginia Building Permit Guide

Wythe County Building Inspection (276-223-4505) reviews plans, issues permits and inspects construction in the county outside Wytheville, which has its own town building department. Applications for building, trade and agricultural permits go through the County’s Online Permitting Portal. Residential construction is charged $0.20 per square foot, basement included, plus $50 for each trade and a 2% state levy, and fees are due when the permit is approved.

What requires a permit in Wythe County?

The Building Official issues permits for new construction after checking the plans, the lot and the site against the building code and County ordinances. The County’s fee schedule shows which jobs are handled as full building permits and which as “miscellaneous” permits:

No permit is required for a storage building under 256 sq ft that has no plumbing or electrical. Agricultural buildings pay no fee but need the County’s farm exemption form, and church and town-owned buildings need a permit at no charge.

Who issues permits in Wythe County?

The Building Inspector’s Office enforces the building code, keeps the permit records and reports monthly to the Board of Supervisors. Kyle Taylor is the Building Official (276-223-4511).

The county’s 2 towns are handled differently:

• Wytheville: the Town of Wytheville runs its own Building Inspections Department, which enforces the building code inside the town limits. Timothy Spraker is the Town’s Building Official (276-223-3339), the municipal offices are at 150 E. Monroe Street, and applications go through the Town’s own OpenGov permitting portal. The County office is physically in Wytheville but does not permit town addresses.
• Rural Retreat: building permits come from the County. The town has about 1,500 residents, and its departments are police, public works, the town manager and the treasurer’s office, with no building official, so Code of Virginia Sec. 36-105 places building code enforcement there with Wythe County. The Town office is at 276-686-4221.

Wythe County permit types and online filing

Building, trade and agricultural permits can all be applied for in the County’s Online Permitting Portal. Questions go to the Building Inspection Department by phone or email.

• Building permits for residential and non-residential construction.
• Trade permits: energy, mechanical, gas, plumbing and electrical.
• Miscellaneous permits for pools, patios, accessory structures, re-roofing, signs, tents and similar work, priced on the value of the job.
• Agricultural permits for exempt farm buildings, filed with the exemption form.
• Manufactured home permits, with the Manufactured Home Certification of Installation form due before the Certificate of Occupancy.
• Land Disturbance Permit Application and the Agreement in Lieu of an Erosion & Sediment Control Plan for a single-family residence, both handled by County Engineering in the same suite.

An owner can be listed as their own contractor, in which case no licence is entered, but the owner is responsible for making sure anyone hired for work of $1,000 or more is properly licensed. A contractor’s licence must be current when the application is made.

Wythe County permit costs and fees

The County’s Building Permit Fee Schedule page bases building permits on square footage. A 2% state levy is added to each permit fee, and all fees are due when the permit is approved.

For example, a house with 2,000 sq ft of floor area is $400. With the energy, mechanical, plumbing and electrical trade fees at $50 each the total is $600, or $612 with the levy. Basement area counts toward the square footage whether or not it is finished.

Starting work without a permit costs the permit fee plus one and a half times the fee again, so a $50 permit becomes $125.

The County’s older Building Permit Requirements page still quotes 16 cents per square foot. The dedicated fee schedule page, at 20 cents, is the one the County presents as its schedule, so budget on that figure.

Electrical, plumbing, mechanical and gas permits

Wythe County lists 5 trade fees, including one for the energy code review:

Electrical service and equipment must be inspected and approved by Building Inspection before the power company, AEP, is told to energize the service.

Septic and wells: a septic permit from Wythe County Environmental Health Services, the Virginia Department of Health office at 290 South 6th Street, Suite 300, Wytheville, is required before the building permit can be issued for a new house or manufactured home, for a bedroom addition beyond what the existing system was designed for, or for a bathroom added to a house that never had a septic system. For an existing system, the Building Inspection file must hold the Health Department’s confirmation that it is adequate for the addition.

Application information and plans

The County’s Building Permit Requirements page lists what an application has to contain:

The Building Official uses the property description to check the lot against the subdivision ordinance, and no permit can be issued on a lot or tract divided in conflict with it. If the size or classification of the building changes, tell the office before the permit is issued; otherwise the permit is voided and a new application and fee are needed.

How to apply: 6 steps in Wythe County

Wythe County inspections

Inspections are scheduled by calling the Building Inspection Department at 276-223-4505 or by email, and every inspection is documented in writing in the County’s permit file. A re-inspection costs $35.

A permit is valid for 6 months from issue and is extended by each inspection. If work stops for 6 months or more the permit may be suspended, and you may have to reapply or pay additional fees.

For a manufactured home, porches and decks declared on the set-up application are covered by that permit as long as they are built before you request the final inspection. The installer’s Certification of Installation must be on file before the Certificate of Occupancy is issued.

Building permit fees can be refunded if no inspection has been made and it is within 6 months of issue. The state levy is not refunded.

Local Wythe County requirements

Land disturbance: County Engineering, in the same suite as Building Inspection, runs erosion and sediment control. The application fee is $100 for plan review plus $100 per acre disturbed, and inspections are charged at $100 per week until the site is permanently stabilized. A bond, letter of credit or cash deposit is required: at least $5,000 for 2 acres or less, plus $2,000 for each further acre or part of one. Call the County office 24 hours before breaking ground. Sites of 1 acre or more also need the state general permit for construction stormwater.

Single-family homes: the owner can sign an Agreement in Lieu of an Erosion & Sediment Control Plan, which requires all bare ground to be stabilized within 7 days of final grading.

Farm land and buildings: agricultural land disturbance needs no permit, inspection or fee, although the County will look at a disturbance over 10,000 sq ft to confirm it is agricultural. A farm structure needs an exemption from the Building Official.

Subdivision and right-of-way: County Planning administers the subdivision ordinances and development review. A right-of-way that does not meet the ordinance can hold up the permit until more information or a copy of the deed is supplied.

Manufactured homes: the application asks how many homes are on the tract and who occupies each, to apply the County’s Mobile Home Park Ordinance.

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 Wythe County permit resources

These are the primary sources behind this guide. Codes, fee schedules and procedures change — confirm the position for your filing date.

• Wythe County Building Inspection
• Wythe County Online Permitting Portal
• Wythe County Building Permit Fee Schedule
• Building Permit Requirements
• Building Code Standards
• Land Disturbance Permit Application
• Agreement in Lieu of an Erosion & Sediment Control Plan
• Town of Wytheville Building Inspections Department
• Town of Wytheville Online Permitting
• Virginia DHCD Building Code Officials Directory

Wythe County permit FAQs

Does Wythe County issue building permits in Wytheville?

No. The Town of Wytheville has its own Building Inspections Department and Building Official (276-223-3339) and its own online permitting portal. The County permits the rest of Wythe County, including Rural Retreat.

How much is a building permit in Wythe County?

$0.20 per square foot for residential construction and manufactured homes, plus $50 for each trade and a 2% state levy. A 2,000 sq ft house with 4 trade fees comes to $612. Basement area is included in the square footage.

Do I need a permit for a shed?

Not for a storage building under 256 sq ft with no plumbing or electrical. Larger accessory structures need a miscellaneous permit, which is $50 for the first $1,000 of value plus $5 for each additional $1,000.

Do I need a permit to replace a roof or siding?

The County lists roof and siding replacement among its miscellaneous permits, priced on the value of the work.

Can I apply online?

Yes. Building, trade and agricultural permits can be applied for in the County’s Online Permitting Portal.

How do I schedule an inspection?

Call the Building Inspection Department at 276-223-4505 or email the office. A re-inspection is $35.

How long is a Wythe County permit valid?

6 months from the date of issue, extended with each inspection. A permit can be suspended if work stops for 6 months or more.

What happens if I start work without a permit?

You pay the permit cost plus 1.5 times the permit fee. The County’s own example is a $50 permit costing $125.

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