Barbour County, West Virginia Building Permit Guide

In unincorporated Barbour County, any development needs a Development Permit from the County Floodplain Coordinator, issued under Floodplain Ordinance BC-18-1 to settle whether the site is in or near the flood hazard area. The application fee is $75 for residential and $300 for commercial property, with extra fees only when the project is in the floodplain. Philippi, Belington and Junior handle permits inside their own limits.

What requires a permit in Barbour County?

The county’s permit page lists development that needs a Development Permit before work starts:

If the review finds the development is not in or near the Special Flood Hazard Area, the project continues under the county’s other rules. If it is, the floodplain ordinance’s extra requirements apply and an additional fee is due.

Who issues permits in Barbour County?

Development Permits come from the County Floodplain Coordinator in the Barbour County Office of Emergency Management, which also runs the county’s 911 center. The county’s posted ordinances cover floodplain, addressing, E-911, fire fees and similar subjects; none adopts a building code.

The Barbour County Development Permit application

The four-page Development Permit Application (Floodplain Management, revised 2019) asks for:

• Owner details, with the signature of every owner when there is more than one
• Contractor or developer details and contractor licence number
• Project address, latitude and longitude, acreage and estimated cost
• For work on an existing building, its valuation, the source of that value and the year it was built
• Parcel, map and district numbers, with the legal description attached
• The type of structure (residential for 1 to 4 families or for more than 4, non-residential, mixed use, manufactured home in or outside a park) and the activity (new, addition, alteration, relocation, demolition or replacement)
• Any other development, from excavation and fill to bridges, fences and individual water or sewer systems
• A written description of the project

Completed applications are mailed to the Emergency Management office at 111 Overlook Drive with the fee.

Barbour County permit costs and fees

The application fee is due with the application, by check to the Barbour County Commission with “Floodplain application” in the memo line. The additional fees are charged only when the project is found to be in the floodplain.

Before the permit is issued

• Every other local, state and federal permit the project needs
• The legal description of the property
• For floodplain projects, the elevation or floodproofing information the ordinance requires
• Signed consent for the floodplain administrator or a representative to make reasonable inspections before the Certificate of Compliance

False statements on the application can lead to revocation, and all work must stop until a permit is re-issued.

How to apply: 5-step Barbour County process

Inspections and the Certificate of Compliance

No work of any kind may begin in a floodplain area mapped as zone A, A1-30, AE, AH or B until the Development Permit is issued. By applying, the owner lets the floodplain administrator make reasonable inspections, and a development may not be used or occupied until a Certificate of Compliance is issued.

Philippi, Belington and Junior

Philippi: the City code (Article 1713) creates the office of Building Inspector, who receives applications, issues permits and inspects the work. Permits to demolish, build, repair, remodel or structurally alter a building cost $5 up to $50, $10 up to $500, $20 up to $1,000, and $0.005 for each dollar over $1,000 under the schedule in the City code (1981), which Council may change from time to time. The fee is paid in full before City Council approves the permit. At those rates a $20,000 remodel costs $20 plus $95, or $115. The City’s permit request form adds a $50 penalty, never waived, for any project that starts before the permit is issued, and every contractor and subcontractor needs a City contractor’s licence.

Belington: applications are listed with each address and estimated cost at City Council meetings, and Council approves them and issues permits on the recommendation of the City’s building inspector. City Hall is at 45 South Crim Avenue.

Junior: the published sources do not say how the town handles building permits. Town hall is at 304-823-1829, and Council meets on the first and third Mondays at 6 p.m. The state’s floodplain manager list (October 2025) gives Junior its own floodplain manager at that number, while Belington’s floodplain management is supported by the county and Philippi’s is handled at City Hall (304-457-3700, ext. 231).

West Virginia building code

West Virginia lets each county and city adopt the State Building Code or no building code at all; no other building code may be adopted, and floodplain, sewage and fire rules can apply either way. West Virginia rules

Official Barbour County permitting resources

• West Virginia Flood Tool
• WV State Building Code statute
• Barbour County document center
• Barbour County building permits and fees
• State Fire Marshal code and rules
• Development Permit application (floodplain management, 2019)
• Barbour County Floodplain Ordinance BC-18-1
• Barbour County Office of Emergency Management
• Barbour County Health Department
• City of Philippi Codified Ordinances, Article 1713
• City of Philippi Building Permit Request form (rev. 4/2019)
• City of Belington contacts
• WV Flood Tool floodplain managers list (October 2025)

Barbour County permit FAQs

Who issues building permits in Barbour County?

Outside the towns, the County Floodplain Coordinator at the Emergency Management office, 111 Overlook Drive in Philippi, issues Development Permits. Philippi, Belington and Junior handle their own.

How much is a Development Permit?

$75 for residential and $300 for commercial property. Projects found to be in the floodplain pay extra, starting at $25 for residential and $100 for commercial work.

Do I need a permit for a garage, deck or driveway?

Yes. The county lists attached and detached garages, outbuildings, carports, decks and driveways among the development that needs a permit.

How long is the permit valid?

It expires if no work has begun within 6 months of the date of issue.

How much is a building permit in Philippi?

Under the City code schedule, $20 for work up to $1,000 plus $0.005 for each dollar above $1,000, paid before City Council approves the permit; Council may set another amount. Starting work before the permit is issued brings a $50 penalty.

Who issues septic permits?

The Barbour County Health Department, 109 Wabash Avenue, Philippi (304-457-1670). The county permit is not issued until other required permits are in place.

Simplify Barbour County permitting with Alliance Permitting

Alliance Permitting is a permit documentation and submission company in West 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 Barbour County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.