Logan County applies the State Building Code, adopted by the County Commission on April 24, 2017, together with its floodplain ordinance, and the Logan County Commission Code Enforcement Division (325 Stratton Street, Logan, 304-792-6265) issues those permits outside the five towns. The county has no zoning ordinance. The City of Logan and the Town of Chapmanville run their own code enforcement and charge permit fees based on project cost, and Man requires a town permit for building in its Floodplain District.
What requires a permit in Logan County?
The county’s 2017 building code ordinance applies the West Virginia State Building Code to all structures erected or renovated throughout Logan County, and its floodplain ordinance requires a permit from the Floodplain Administrator for any development in the county. The Code Enforcement Division’s own FAQ describes the building permit trigger as any work that disturbs the soil or any construction in the regulatory special flood hazard area.
Permit from the county
- New buildings, additions and renovations under the county building code
- Electrical, plumbing, mechanical and fuel gas work, which are parts of the adopted code
- Placement or relocation of a manufactured home
- Any development, fill or grading in the regulatory flood hazard area
- Substantial improvement or repair of substantial damage to a building
- Subdivisions or manufactured home parks in the flood hazard area: a detailed site plan
Not inspected under the code
- Storage sheds and utility structures of no more than 200 sq ft, used only for residential storage, with no plumbing or electrical connections
The ordinance text and the FAQ differ on whether a site outside the flood hazard area needs a building permit, so describe the project and its location to the Code Enforcement Division before work starts.
Who handles permitting in Logan County?
The Code Enforcement Division of the Logan County Commission is the county permit office. The county’s phone directory lists it as Flood Zoning. Its Floodplain Administrator issues floodplain development permits and certificates of compliance, and the County Clerk keeps the adopted codes on record.
Short on time to read all of this?
Get a free quote →| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Permit office | Logan County Commission Code Enforcement Division |
| Address | 325 Stratton Street, Logan, WV 25601 |
| Phone / fax | 304-792-6265 / 304-792-8511 |
| 911 addressing | 304-752-2486 |
| Septic systems | Logan County Health Department, 300 Stratton Street, Room 203, Logan; 304-792-8630 |
| County Commission | 300 Stratton Street, 304-792-8626 |
Towns with their own permits:
- Logan: the City’s Division of Code Enforcement reviews building, fire and sign permits, filed at the City Clerk’s office, 219 Dingess Street (304-752-4044). Every contractor working in the city must also register with the City.
- Chapmanville: the Town’s Code Enforcement Department, headed by a certified code official, enforces the State Building Code adopted by the town; Town Hall is at 68 Boise Street (304-855-4582), open weekdays 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Man: the town adopts only the property maintenance part of the State Building Code, but its floodplain chapter requires a permit from the town’s Building Permit Officer before anyone builds, substantially improves or moves a structure, mobile homes included, in the town’s Floodplain District, and a site plan approved by that officer before land is subdivided, used for a mobile home park or otherwise developed. The fee, payable to the Town Council, is based on the estimated cost: nothing up to $200, $5 from $201 to $1,000, then $1 for each further $1,000 or part of it. Appeals go to the Town Council in writing within 30 days. The code also sets two residence and two business zoning districts. Town hall: 304-583-9631.
Mitchell Heights and West Logan: the published sources do not say who issues building permits inside these towns; ask town hall (Mitchell Heights 304-752-9292, West Logan 304-688-5571). Each of the five towns has its own floodplain manager on the state’s list rather than the county’s.
Logan County permit types
The county ordinance adopted eleven parts of the State Building Code by number, so one county permit process covers the building and the trades:
- Building and residential codes (Ordinances 17-001.3 and 17-001.4), with IBC Appendix G on flood-resistant construction made part of the county code
- Electrical, plumbing, mechanical and fuel gas codes (17-001.5 to 17-001.7 and 17-001.9)
- Existing building and property maintenance codes (17-001.2 and 17-001.1)
- Life safety and energy conservation, including ASHRAE 90.1 for commercial buildings (17-001.8, 17-001.10 and 17-001.11)
Not sure this scope needs a permit?
Get a free quote →The floodplain development permit is a separate approval under the 2017 floodplain ordinance. The Floodplain Administrator will not issue it to anyone who lacks a required West Virginia contractor licence; an owner or other unlicensed applicant signs an affidavit that the work is not subject to licensing.
Permit costs and fees in Logan County
The Code Enforcement Division (304-792-6265) quotes the county building permit fee. The floodplain ordinance sets how its fees are built up:
| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| Floodplain determination, every proposed development | Flat fee approved by the county |
| Development in the special flood hazard area | Additional fee on a county schedule based on the estimated value of construction |
| Engineering or surveying review | Reimbursed by the applicant; a deposit may be required |
| Work started before the permit | Fees doubled; tripled for each later offense by the same person |
Inside the City of Logan, the City’s permit packet charges 0.5% of the job cost for a building or sign permit, plus a $25 review fee, a $50 issuance fee, $25 for a floodplain permit and $25 for a certificate of occupancy and, where it applies, a fire fee from the City’s chart, with $25 or $50 for a second or third plan modification; work begun without a permit pays an extra fee of double the normal fee or $100, whichever is greater. Contractors also pay for a City business licence ($15 plus a $25 issuance fee). In Man, the town’s floodplain-district permit costs $5 for work of $201 to $1,000 and $1 for each further $1,000. Chapmanville charges 0.25% of the estimated project cost, so a $100,000 project pays $250.
Electrical, plumbing and mechanical work
Because the county adopted the electrical, plumbing, mechanical and fuel gas codes along with the building code, trade work in unincorporated Logan County falls under the Code Enforcement Division. In flood hazard areas the floodplain ordinance adds that no permanent utility connection may be inspected, approved or installed until the Floodplain Administrator has issued a certificate of compliance.
Rather talk it over?
Call 1-855-478-4290 →In the City of Logan, HVAC, electrical and master plumbing contractors must register with the City along with general and sub-contractors, renewing by July 1 each year, and a master electrician licence from the State Fire Marshal is part of an electrical contractor’s registration file.
Documents for a Logan County permit
County floodplain permit
- Application on the county’s form with a standard site plan
- Contractor licence numbers, or an affidavit that the work is exempt
- Elevation data for work in the flood hazard area, and a finished-construction elevation certificate at the end
- Copies of any federal or state permits the work needs
City of Logan permit
- Residential or commercial building permit application with proof of the job cost
- Two sets of plans for a home, three for commercial work; stamped by a WV architect or engineer for commercial work of $50,000 or more
- Site plan with lot-line distances and the sewer tap location, plus the county tax map and parcel number
- List of all contractors and sub-contractors, and the owner’s permission for leased property
How to apply: 6-step Logan County process
Check whether the site is inside Logan, Chapmanville, Man, Mitchell Heights or West Logan; if not, the county Code Enforcement Division is the office.
Look the site up on the West Virginia Flood Tool, which the division links from its site.
For a lot without public sewer, contact the Logan County Health Department about a septic permit.
Bring the site plan, contractor licence details and any elevation data; call 304-792-6265 first.
Start within 180 days of issue and finish within 18 months, or ask the Floodplain Administrator in writing for an extension.
In a flood zone, submit the finished elevation certificate to get the certificate of compliance before anyone moves in or the power is connected.
Rather not deal with the Logan County building department?
Get a free quote →Logan County inspections
The Floodplain Administrator or another authorized official may inspect a permitted development during construction, and must issue a stop-work order for development found under way without a permit. A violation notice allows 15 days to correct before the permit can be revoked, and the county can seek an injunction or a misdemeanor conviction. Appeals go in writing to the Logan County Commission within 30 days.
In the City of Logan every required inspection, including the final, must be passed for a contractor to stay in good standing, and sub-contractor details must be filed before the final inspection is scheduled. The City’s building inspector signs off the file before a certificate of occupancy is issued.
Local Logan County details that matter
No county zoning: Logan County has no formal zoning ordinance, though the county has adopted ordinances for certain types of establishments.
Permit records: the Floodplain Administrator sends a copy of every permit to the County Assessor and of permits for new structures to the E-911 addressing coordinator, who in turn passes address requests for new structures back to the floodplain office.
Chapmanville building rules: the town’s buildings chapter sets minimum side and rear setbacks of 7 ft for a one-story building, 10 ft for two stories and 14 ft for three, a 20 ft front setback and two off-street parking spaces for homes, and perimeter sediment controls for soil disturbed within 100 ft of a creek or the Guyandotte River.
City of Logan contractors: contracting work in the city carries a 1.8% business and occupation tax, and a contractor caught working without a permit faces at least a 3-month suspension of the City licence.
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 Logan County permitting resources
- Logan County Code Enforcement Division FAQ and contacts
- Logan County Building Ordinance (2017 Building Code)
- Logan County Floodplain Ordinance
- Logan County Commission phone directory
- City of Logan building permit packet and forms
- Town of Chapmanville ordinances, incl. Chapter 5 Buildings
- Town of Man Code of Ordinances, Title XV Land Use
- Town of Man Code §152.060: floodplain-district building permit
- West Virginia Flood Tool
- West Virginia State Building Code, 87 CSR 4
- West Virginia Code §15A-11-5
Logan County permit FAQs
Does Logan County have a building code?
Yes. The Logan County Commission adopted the West Virginia State Building Code, including the electrical, plumbing and mechanical codes, on April 24, 2017.
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →Who issues building permits in Logan County?
Outside the towns, the Logan County Commission Code Enforcement Division at 325 Stratton Street, Logan (304-792-6265). The City of Logan and Chapmanville issue their own.
Is there zoning in Logan County?
No. The county has no formal zoning ordinance, but floodplain rules apply to any development.
How much is a building permit in the City of Logan?
0.5% of the job cost, plus a $25 review fee and a $50 issuance fee, with $25 more each for a floodplain permit and a certificate of occupancy and, where it applies, a fire review fee from the City’s chart; contractors also pay for a City business licence ($15 plus a $25 issuance fee).
Does the Town of Man require a building permit?
For work in its Floodplain District, yes: building, substantially improving or moving a structure there needs a permit from the town’s Building Permit Officer, with a fee of $5 for work costing $201 to $1,000 plus $1 for each further $1,000.
How much is a building permit in Chapmanville?
0.25% of the estimated project cost: $250 for a $100,000 project.
What happens if I start work before getting a county permit?
Under the floodplain ordinance the permit fees are doubled, and tripled for each later occurrence, and the county can issue a stop-work order.
How long does a Logan County floodplain permit last?
Work must begin within 180 days and be completed within 18 months of issue unless the Floodplain Administrator grants a written extension.
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More West Virginia permitting guides
This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Logan County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.