In Brooke County, a building permit comes from the town the lot is in: Weirton, Follansbee, Wellsburg, Bethany or Beech Bottom. Asked whether it has a building code or zoning, the County Commission answers no, so unincorporated land has no county building permit, though builders there still check flood maps, get a septic permit from the Brooke County Health Department and follow the 9-1-1 addressing rules. Town fees run from Wellsburg’s $5 for the smallest jobs to 1% of cost on Wellsburg jobs from $100,000 and Beech Bottom jobs over $100,000.
What needs a permit in Brooke County?
The Brooke County Commission’s own answer to whether the county has a building code or zoning is no: it has no zoning, and anyone building inside an incorporated area is sent to that city hall. Outside the towns there is no county building permit, but other approvals still apply.
Unincorporated county
- Flood-map checks and FEMA elevation documents for building in a mapped flood area (county Flood Plain Management page)
- Sewage system permit from the Brooke County Health Department where there is no public sewer
- Address numbers displayed under the county 9-1-1 addressing and mapping ordinance
Inside the towns
- Weirton, Follansbee, Wellsburg, Bethany and Beech Bottom issue their own building permits
- Each town sets its own fee and the size of job that needs a permit
- Town floodplain rules apply inside town limits
Who issues permits in Brooke County?
| Office | Contact |
|---|---|
| Brooke County Commission | 632 Main Street, Wellsburg, WV 26070; 304-737-4024; meets every Tuesday at 10:30 a.m. |
| Flood Plain Management / Emergency Management | County flood page with flood maps and FEMA forms; Emergency Management 304-737-5002 (the county directory also lists 304-737-7094) |
| Assessor | 304-737-3667 |
| Septic permits | Brooke County Health Department, Courthouse 2nd Floor, 204 Courthouse Square, Wellsburg; 304-737-3665; Monday–Friday 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. |
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Get a free quote →Every town in the county:
- Weirton (3,646 residents on the Brooke side): the City’s Building Inspections & Code Enforcement department at 200 Municipal Plaza (304-797-8500 ext. 1005) permits the whole city.
- Follansbee (2,668): building permits from the City; the City Manager signs off on jobs under $15,000 and City Council approves larger ones (304-527-1330).
- Wellsburg (2,255): building permits from the City’s Collector-Treasurer or Building Inspector (304-737-2104).
- Bethany (752): building permits issued by the Town Recorder (Mayor’s office 304-830-3926).
- Beech Bottom (508): a village building permit for work over $10,000, from the village office at 11 Third Street (304-394-5545), which also has a Building Enforcement Agency and building inspector.
- Windsor Heights (337): the village publishes no permit rules online; ask the village office before building.
Permit types in the county and its towns
Brooke County’s Flood Plain Management page points builders to the WV Flood Tool, the FEMA Map Service Center, the FEMA elevation certificate and the Letter of Map Change process, the documents used to show where a building sits in relation to a flood zone. The towns use their own forms:
- Follansbee: one building permit application with a site plan; every contractor needs a city and a state business licence.
- Wellsburg: an application on the City’s form at least three days before work starts; contractors need a valid state contractor licence and a City contractor’s business licence.
- Bethany: a building permit from the Town Recorder, which must be posted where it can be seen from the street.
- Beech Bottom: the village building permit application, filed at least five business days before work; all contractors need a village business licence.
Not sure this scope needs a permit?
Get a free quote →Permit fees in Brooke County towns
The county charges no building permit fee because it issues no building permit. Town fees, from each town’s published schedule or ordinance:
| Town | Fee |
|---|---|
| Follansbee, residential | $25 up to $999; above that, $25 plus $5 per $1,000 over $1,000 |
| Follansbee, commercial and industrial | $50 up to $4,999; above that, $50 plus $5 per $1,000 over $5,000 |
| Wellsburg | Banded fee from $5 (up to $99) to $880 ($90,000–$99,999); 1% of cost from $100,000 |
| Bethany | 0.5% of the first $100,000 of cost plus 0.25% above $100,000; $25 minimum |
| Beech Bottom | $100 ($10,000–$25,000), $250 (to $50,000), $500 (to $75,000), $750 (to $100,000); 1% over $100,000 |
In Bethany, for example, a $40,000 project pays 0.5% of $40,000, or $200. Wellsburg adds a $100 administrative surcharge when work starts without a permit.
Electrical, plumbing and HVAC work
The county publishes no trade permit for land outside the towns. Inside the towns, trade work is part of the town building permit: Follansbee’s new-construction permits need stamped plans covering the electrical, plumbing and HVAC work, and Wellsburg treats small plumbing repairs on owner-occupied homes, such as faucet parts, stoppages and leaks with no piping change, as ordinary repairs that need no permit. Follansbee sends multifamily, commercial and industrial projects to the State Fire Marshal for review.
Rather talk it over?
Call 1-855-478-4290 →Documents the towns ask for
- Follansbee: a site plan with dimensions unless replacing in the same size and place; copies of any county, state or federal permits; for new construction, three copies and one digital file of plans stamped by a West Virginia engineer or architect; a WVDOT access permit for a new entrance on a state road; a sediment control plan, or an NPDES construction permit above three acres of disturbance; a traffic study for projects over $1,000,000.
- Wellsburg: the type of construction, the square footage, and plans when a code requires them; for commercial work over $25,000, a certified list of all contractors.
- Beech Bottom: the estimated value of the whole project, counting materials and labor, and the contractor’s village business licence number.
How to get permits in Brooke County
Check whether the lot is in Weirton, Follansbee, Wellsburg, Bethany, Beech Bottom or Windsor Heights, or in the unincorporated county.
Look the lot up on the WV Flood Tool, which the county’s Flood Plain Management page links alongside FEMA’s elevation certificate and map change forms.
Inside a town, file that town’s building permit application with the documents it lists.
On land without sewer, apply to the Brooke County Health Department with a certified installer.
Under the county 9-1-1 addressing ordinance, post the address number where it can be seen from the road.
Display the town permit on the site while work is under way.
Rather not deal with the Brooke County building department?
Get a free quote →Inspections
Inspection is done by the town that issued the permit. Wellsburg’s ordinance lets its Building Inspector inspect at any reasonable time in connection with a building permit or occupancy certificate, and Beech Bottom has its own building inspector. In the unincorporated county, the Commission’s pages describe no building inspection program; septic systems are approved by the Health Department.
Local details that matter in Brooke County
Bethany historic district: most of Bethany is a historic district, and the town’s building code consults the State Historic Preservation Office on renovations of listed buildings.
Follansbee approvals: projects under $15,000 need the City Manager’s signature and projects over $15,000 go to City Council.
Septic installers: the Health Department keeps a list of certified septic system installers.
Addresses and road names: the county’s 9-1-1 addressing ordinance requires address numbers in a contrasting color, visible from the road or on a sign along the driveway, and new subdivision street names must be registered with the Commission before use.
Property compliance: the county takes complaints about abandoned and dilapidated property through its Property Compliance form.
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 Brooke County permitting resources
Official county, town and health department pages for building in Brooke County.
Want this handled start to finish?
Get a free quote →- WV Flood Tool flood map
- West Virginia Code §15A-11-5, State Building Code adoption
- Brooke County on WV.gov local government
- West Virginia State Fire Marshal
- Brooke County Commission frequently asked questions
- Brooke County contact directory
- Brooke County Emergency Management
- Brooke County Flood Plain Management
- Brooke County Health Department on-site septic systems
- City of Follansbee building permits and fees
- City of Wellsburg Building and Housing Code
- Village of Beech Bottom building permit application
- Town of Bethany ordinances
- City of Weirton building permits
Brooke County permit FAQs
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →Do I need a building permit in unincorporated Brooke County?
No county building permit exists. The Commission says the county has no building code or zoning; flood maps, septic permits and the addressing ordinance still apply.
Who issues building permits in Wellsburg?
The City of Wellsburg’s Collector-Treasurer or Building Inspector; the fee is 1% of cost for jobs of $100,000 or more.
How much is a building permit in Follansbee?
For a home, $25 up to $999 of work, plus $5 per $1,000 above $1,000.
Does Beech Bottom require a permit for small jobs?
Only work over $10,000 needs a village building permit.
Who issues septic permits in Brooke County?
The Brooke County Health Department in the Wellsburg courthouse (304-737-3665).
Which towns in Brooke County issue their own permits?
Weirton, Follansbee, Wellsburg, Bethany and Beech Bottom; Windsor Heights publishes no permit rules online.
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More West Virginia permitting guides
This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Brooke County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.