Grant County, West Virginia Building Permit Guide

Before any development, new construction, substantial improvement or placement of a structure in Grant County, manufactured homes included, the owner needs a permit from the Floodplain Administrator, a post the ordinance gives to the Grant County Sanitarian. That countywide permit rests on the Floodplain Ordinance the County Commission enacted on December 27, 2018; none of the ordinances the Commission posts adopts a building code.

What requires a permit in Grant County?

Section 1.3 of the ordinance applies everywhere in Grant County, not only in mapped flood zones. A permit is required before:

A detached accessory building placed below the Base Flood Elevation may be used only for parking or limited storage, must be no larger than 300 sq ft and valued under $7,000, and must be built and oriented to limit flood damage.

Who issues permits in Grant County?

The 2018 ordinance appoints the Grant County Sanitarian as Floodplain Administrator, the official who grants or denies development permits; if the post is vacant, the President of the County Commission fills it temporarily. Application forms are supplied by the Grant County Commission. The commission’s posted ordinances include floodplain, subdivision and E-911 addressing rules but no building code.

Grant County permits and forms

• Floodplain development permit: the countywide permit for construction and placement of structures, filed in duplicate on the County Commission’s forms.
• Site plan approval: for development, subdivisions or manufactured home parks on land in the floodplain.
• Certificate of Compliance: issued by the Floodplain Administrator before a building in the special flood hazard area is occupied.
• E-911 address: the Floodplain Administrator sends permits for new structures to the county’s E-911 Addressing Coordinator, and Mapping and Addressing issues new addresses.
• Septic permit: from the Grant County Health Department, where the sanitarian works.

Every permit is copied to the County Assessor, as state law requires for improvements to real property.

Application documents

Article V of the ordinance lists what an application must contain:

• Names and addresses of the applicant and the landowner
• Names, addresses and WV licence numbers of all contractors, or affidavits that the work is done by people exempt from licensing; if the contractor is not chosen yet, this is due within 14 days of signing the contract and before work starts
• The site location, with tax map and parcel numbers and the latest deed book and page
• A standard site plan showing the size and location of the work, existing buildings, nearby roads and watercourses with their direction of flow, and, where they apply, the lowest adjacent grade, the Base Flood Elevation and the floodway boundary
• A signed acknowledgment to pay the permitting fees and to allow inspection of the site
• The written construction contract required by state rules, presented within 14 business days of signing; redacted copies go into the public permit file

A permit is not issued to anyone who lacks a required contractor’s licence. An unlicensed applicant files an affidavit with the County Clerk stating why no licence is needed.

How to apply: 5-step Grant County process

Inspections, objections and time limits

While work is under way, the Floodplain Administrator or other county, state or federal officials may inspect the site. Work done without a permit, or that departs from the application, gets a stop work order, and false statements lead to revocation and a request for a court injunction.

Anyone may file written objections, comments or protest letters before a permit is decided. The Floodplain Administrator may then hold a public meeting, with a court reporter, held no sooner than 10 days after it is announced on a regular County Commission agenda. An appeal of a permit triggers an automatic stop work order until it is resolved.

The permit expires if work has not started within 180 days, and again at 18 months. Extensions must be requested in writing, and extending the start date requires a showing of justifiable delay.

Petersburg, Bayard and other local details

Petersburg: the City issues its own building permits. In the City Council minutes, the councilman in charge of building permits, planning and zoning presents each month’s applications, such as roof replacements, decks, fences and sidewalk repairs, and Council votes to approve them. The City also has a Zoning Board that holds public hearings. City Hall is at 21 Mountain View Street (304-257-4944 or 304-257-4472).

Bayard: the published sources do not say whether the town issues building permits; ask town hall before starting work. On the state’s floodplain manager list (October 2025), the floodplain manager for Bayard, as for Petersburg and the county, is the Grant County Sanitarian at the Health Department.

Septic systems: sewage system permits come from the Grant County Health Department, the same office as the Floodplain Administrator.

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 Grant County permitting resources

• West Virginia Flood Tool
• WV State Building Code statute
• Grant County Floodplain Ordinance (2018)
• Grant County Commission and ordinances
• State Fire Marshal code and rules
• Grant County Health Department (state listing)
• Grant County Mapping and Addressing
• City of Petersburg
• City of Petersburg council and zoning board documents
• WV Flood Tool floodplain managers list (October 2025)

Grant County permit FAQs

Who issues building permits in Grant County?

Outside Petersburg and Bayard, the Floodplain Administrator does, under the 2018 Floodplain Ordinance. The ordinance appoints the Grant County Sanitarian to that post.

Does Grant County have a building code?

Not one the County Commission has adopted in its posted ordinances. What the county requires instead is a development permit under the 2018 Floodplain Ordinance, for building anywhere in the county.

Do I need a permit if my land is not in a flood zone?

Yes. The ordinance requires a permit for new construction and for placing any structure anywhere in Grant County; extra floodplain rules apply only in flood areas.

How long does a Grant County permit take?

The Floodplain Administrator has up to 90 days from the application date to review it.

How long is the permit valid?

Work must start within 180 days and be completed within 18 months, unless a written extension is granted.

How do I get a building permit in Petersburg?

Apply at City Hall, 21 Mountain View Street. City Council approves building permit applications at its meetings.

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