The Greenbrier County Planning and Permits Office (304-647-6687) issues building permits for construction, improvement or demolition outside the towns that run their own permit offices, under the State Building Code, which the County Commission re-adopted in its 2022 edition. Applications, permit payments and inspection requests go through Cloudpermit, and every application gets a floodplain and zoning determination; the county’s June 2023 floodplain ordinance charges a flat floodplain determination fee on all proposed development.
What requires a permit in Greenbrier County?
Outside the towns with their own permit offices, the county requires a permit for all construction, improvements to or demolition of any structure. Filing the application is also how the office decides whether a project is in the floodplain or exempt from permitting.
Building permit
- New homes, additions and accessory buildings
- Commercial construction and renovation
- Demolition, with asbestos test results attached
- Construction in a floodplain, with elevation documents
Exemption route
- Agricultural structures and agritourism buildings: the county posts the West Virginia Department of Agriculture exemption applications
- Subdivisions that qualify: Application for Exemption from the Subdivision Ordinance
Other approvals the county lists alongside the building permit: septic and well permits from the Greenbrier County Health Department where there is no public water and sewer, a WVDOH driveway permit for any new access to a public road, a DEP construction stormwater permit for disturbing one acre or more, and a 911 address from the county Emergency Management Office for every new structure.
Who handles permitting in Greenbrier County?
The Planning and Permits Office reviews applications, issues building permits and checks projects against the floodplain, zoning and subdivision ordinances and the building code. It does not enforce private deed covenants.
Short on time to read all of this?
Get a free quote →| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Office | Greenbrier County Planning and Permits Office, 912 Court Street North, Lewisburg, WV 24901 |
| Phone | 304-647-6687 or 304-667-0132 |
| Floodplain Manager | 304-647-6689 ext. 0 |
| Online filing | Cloudpermit (us.cloudpermit.com) |
| Septic and wells | Greenbrier County Health Department, 9109 Seneca Trail South, Ronceverte; 304-645-1787 |
Towns. Several towns run their own permits and floodplain programs:
- Lewisburg: City building and sign permits; exterior work in the Historic District needs a Certificate of Appropriateness first. City Hall 304-645-2080.
- Ronceverte: the City’s Building Permits and Inspections Department issues permits, reviews plans, inspects and issues certificates of occupancy.
- White Sulphur Springs: the city code adopts the State Building Code and requires building permits; City Hall 304-536-1454.
- Alderson (partly in Monroe County): all building, renovation, fence, HVAC, propane tank, landscaping, demolition and accessory building projects need a town permit from the Floodplain and Zoning Officer, 311 Monroe Street South (304-445-2916).
- Rainelle, Rupert, Quinwood and Falling Spring (Renick): the published sources do not say who issues building permits; ask town hall (Rainelle 304-438-7191, Rupert 304-392-5682, Quinwood 304-438-6658, Falling Spring 304-497-3018). Each runs its own floodplain management.
Filing through Cloudpermit
Create an account at us.cloudpermit.com to apply at any time, follow the permit status by email, message the office, pay, schedule or cancel inspections and request changes to an issued permit. Paper applications are still available.
Contractor registration. Contractors register with the office through Cloudpermit by uploading a current West Virginia contractor licence and certificates of general liability and workers’ compensation insurance, and must keep them current. The county building code order sets the minimum liability cover at $250,000 per person, $500,000 per accident and $250,000 for property damage.
Other forms on the county site: subcontractor list, floodplain non-conversion agreement, minor and major subdivision applications, Board of Zoning Appeals petition for a variance or special exception.
Permit costs and fees in Greenbrier County
Building permits are paid for in Cloudpermit by credit card or electronic check, and the paper application has a “Permit Cost” line; the Planning and Permits Office (304-647-6687) quotes the amount. Floodplain fees come from section 7.10 of the floodplain ordinance passed on June 13, 2023, which replaced all earlier county floodplain ordinances.
Not sure this scope needs a permit?
Get a free quote →| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| Building permit | Charged on the application and paid in Cloudpermit; amount quoted by the Planning and Permits Office |
| Floodplain determination, all proposed development | Flat fee approved by the County Commission |
| Development in a special flood hazard area | Additional fee on a Commission-approved schedule, based on the estimated value of the construction |
| Engineering, surveying or other outside review of floodplain work | Reimbursed by the applicant; a deposit may be required |
| Work started before the floodplain permit | Floodplain fees doubled; tripled for each later occurrence by the same person |
| Board of Zoning Appeals application (Lewisburg and Fort Spring zoning districts) | $50 |
| Planning Commission action needing a public hearing (same districts) | $50 |
The older Lewisburg and Fort Spring District Zoning Ordinance says no fee is charged for the permits and floodplain determinations issued under that zoning ordinance; it covers only those two tax districts, and the 2023 floodplain ordinance now sets the floodplain fees. Septic, well and driveway permits are charged by the agencies that issue them.
Electrical, plumbing and mechanical work
The county enforces the 2020 National Electrical Code and the 2018 plumbing, mechanical and fuel gas codes as part of the State Building Code, so trade work is reviewed under the county building permit. Commercial plan sets must include electrical, plumbing, mechanical and sprinkler drawings, and commercial projects also need a plan review from the State Fire Marshal’s Office. The county code order sets local plumbing values: building sewers at least 24 inches deep and roof vent extensions of 12 inches.
Rather talk it over?
Call 1-855-478-4290 →Application documents
Residential
- Completed application with tax district, map and parcel numbers
- Construction drawings; plans certified by a WV registered design professional for more than 2,000 sq ft of enclosed space, hand-drawn dimensioned plans possibly accepted below that
- Site plan with property lines, driveway, building footprint, slope or elevations, erosion control and drainage
- Septic or well permit, or a letter from the public service district or municipality confirming service
- Material list where requested
Commercial
- Complete plans certified by a WV registered design professional: site, demolition, structural, electrical, plumbing, mechanical, sprinkler, parking, stormwater and erosion control
- Occupancy type, construction type, square footage, occupant load and ADA accessibility
- State Fire Marshal plan review
- Specification books
In the floodplain the office also asks for an elevation certificate from a WV registered surveyor or engineer, a dry floodproofing certificate for commercial buildings, a construction and site plan showing the elevation method, and a non-conversion agreement signed and notarized by the homeowner. One set of drawings must stay on the job site.
How to apply: 6-step Greenbrier County process
Inside Lewisburg, Ronceverte, White Sulphur Springs or Alderson, start with the town; elsewhere, check whether the parcel lies in the zoned Lewisburg or Fort Spring tax district.
Obtain Health Department septic and well permits or a public service letter, and a 911 address from Emergency Management.
Create an account; contractors upload their licence and insurance certificates.
Submit the application, drawings and site plan; the office runs the floodplain and zoning determinations.
Respond to the office’s time-stamped messages in Cloudpermit until the permit is approved and the placard issued.
Book inspections in Cloudpermit or by phone; the certificate of occupancy needs the 911 address.
Rather not deal with the Greenbrier County building department?
Get a free quote →Greenbrier County inspections
Schedule inspections and re-inspections in Cloudpermit or by calling 304-647-6687 or 304-667-0132; the paper application notes that inspections may need 24 hours’ notice. Applying for a permit gives the county’s inspectors consent to enter the property during business hours for the life of the permit. No certificate of occupancy is issued for a new structure until it has its 911 address.
Local Greenbrier County details that matter
Zoning covers only part of the county: the current zoning ordinance applies only in the zoned areas of the Lewisburg and Fort Spring tax districts, with Residential, Open Space Conservation, Forest Recreation, Commercial, Industrial and Planned Unit Development districts. Each permit application gets a zoning determination.
Design values: the county’s building code order sets a 30 psf ground snow load, seismic category C, a 30-inch frost depth and requires ice shield underlayment. The county’s current floodplain ordinance was adopted in June 2023, replacing the earlier ordinances (first adopted January 15, 1988).
Lewisburg Historic District: the Historic Landmarks Commission usually meets on the second Monday of the month; applications are due about 14 days before the meeting.
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
Want this handled start to finish?
Get a free quote →Official Greenbrier County permitting resources
- Greenbrier County Planning & Building: Cloudpermit filing
- Greenbrier County Building Code and application requirements
- Greenbrier County building permit checklist
- Greenbrier County building forms, ordinances and exemptions
- Greenbrier County order adopting the 2022 State Building Code
- Greenbrier County Floodplain Ordinance (June 2023)
- Lewisburg and Fort Spring District Zoning Ordinance (Greenbrier County)
- Greenbrier County Document Center (2026 zoning update drafts)
- Greenbrier County Health Department: environmental health
- City of Lewisburg Planning and Zoning, Historic District
- West Virginia State Building Code, 87 CSR 4
- West Virginia Code §15A-11-5
Greenbrier County permit FAQs
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →Does Greenbrier County require building permits?
Yes. The county has adopted the State Building Code and, outside the towns that issue their own permits, requires a permit for all construction, improvements or demolition, filed with the Planning and Permits Office.
How much is a building permit in Greenbrier County?
The county charges a building permit fee, paid in Cloudpermit, and the Planning and Permits Office quotes the amount. Every project also pays a flat floodplain determination fee under the 2023 floodplain ordinance, with an added value-based fee in the special flood hazard area. In the Lewisburg and Fort Spring zoning districts, Board of Zoning Appeals applications and Planning Commission hearings cost $50 each.
How do I apply?
Online through Cloudpermit at us.cloudpermit.com, or on the paper application from the Planning and Permits Office at 912 Court Street North, Lewisburg.
Do I need stamped plans for a house?
Only for more than 2,000 sq ft of enclosed space; smaller homes may be approved on hand-drawn dimensioned plans.
How do I schedule an inspection?
In Cloudpermit, or by calling 304-647-6687 or 304-667-0132; allow up to 24 hours’ notice.
Is all of Greenbrier County zoned?
No. The current zoning ordinance covers only the zoned areas of the Lewisburg and Fort Spring tax districts, and the Commission’s October 2026 letter on the draft update says it does not establish countywide zoning.
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More West Virginia permitting guides
This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Greenbrier County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.