Marion County, West Virginia Building Permit Guide

Marion County’s list of departments includes a Floodplain Office but no building department: outside its 11 cities and towns, the permit the County Commission requires before new construction, substantial improvement or placing a manufactured home is a Floodplain Development Permit from the county Floodplain Office at 50 Centerview Drive, Fairmont. Inside Fairmont, the county seat (18,035 people in 2025), the City’s Department of Building Inspection and Rental Registration issues building permits at $20 per $1,000 of job cost, with a $60 minimum.

The Commission’s Floodplain Ordinance, enacted on March 27, 2019, makes that permit a condition for any development, new construction, substantial improvement, repair of substantial damage or placement of a structure in the county, not only for land on the flood maps. It names the county GIS Coordinator as Floodplain Administrator; the Floodplain Office now works as a division of the county’s Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management. The Floodplain Administrator sends each permit to the County Assessor and passes those for new structures to the county’s E-911 addressing coordinator. The Commission itself sits at 200 Jackson Street, Room 403, Fairmont (304-367-5400).

This guide covers unincorporated Marion County and summarizes the 11 incorporated places: the cities of Fairmont, Mannington and Pleasant Valley and the towns of Barrackville, Fairview, Farmington, Grant Town, Monongah, Rivesville, White Hall and Worthington.

What requires a building permit in Marion County?

Unincorporated land has no building permit list; the county’s test is the Floodplain Ordinance, which reaches every structure and also earthwork such as fill and excavation. Each town keeps its own list.

Which places have adopted the State Building Code

Fairmont and Mannington have adopted the State Building Code by ordinance, with the 2018 International Building, Residential, Existing Building, Plumbing, Mechanical and Fuel Gas codes, the 2020 National Electrical Code and the 2015 residential energy code, effective August 1, 2022; Mannington’s adopting ordinance (No. 471) passed on July 18, 2022. Pleasant Valley has adopted the 2015 International Property Maintenance Code, and its development permit is for planning and zoning purposes only.

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

Marion County building department: who handles permitting

On unincorporated land the county Floodplain Office reviews and issues the Floodplain Development Permit, and the Marion County Health Department permits septic systems and water wells. Each city and town handles its own permits; the second table shows whom to call in each.

Permit types

Residential permits

For a house outside the towns, the county Floodplain Development Permit Application asks for the owner, the contractor and its WV licence number, the property address or tax map district, map and parcel numbers, the cost of improvement, the type of structure and a description of the work, with one copy of the plans and specifications. A house on a private system also needs the Health Department’s septic construction permit, and the ordinance expects that department’s approval of wells and septic systems as part of the floodplain review. In Pleasant Valley a new single-family or manufactured home needs the city’s development permit, and the city wants Health Department approval first when the lot uses a well or septic system.

Building or remodeling a home here? Alliance handles home building permits, so the crew isn't waiting on the counter.

Commercial permits

Commercial and industrial projects outside the towns use the same county application, marked commercial/industrial. In a special flood hazard area, a non-residential building must either be elevated or be flood-proofed to 3 feet above the base flood elevation, and the application has to show the elevations, certified by a registered professional engineer or licensed professional surveyor.

For tenant improvements and new commercial builds, Alliance handles commercial permit filing through issuance. More on this: commercial building permits explained.

What else goes in the county permit file

Applications are filed in writing, in duplicate, on the Commission’s forms. Before issuing a permit the Floodplain Administrator needs proof that each contractor holds a state licence, or an affidavit, filed with the County Clerk, that the applicant is not subject to licensing. The signed construction contract and any addendum must be shown to the Floodplain Administrator within 14 business days of signing, or the permit is void; when no licensed contractor is involved, or the work is worth less than $10,000 in materials and labor, a short written description and the estimated value are enough. Land partly or wholly in a special flood hazard area that is to be subdivided or developed needs a detailed site plan with elevation data first.

West Virginia licenses contractors at state level through the Contractor Licensing Board, run by the Division of Labor, valid statewide. West Virginia rules

Marion County permit costs and fees

The county ordinance leaves its floodplain permit fee to the Floodplain Administrator and, for work in a special flood hazard area, to a value-based schedule the Commission approves, so ask the Floodplain Office for the current amount. Engineering, surveying or other services needed to review a project are billed to the applicant, and a deposit may be required. City and health department fees are fixed amounts:

Pleasant Valley’s own example: a $1,500,000 commercial project pays $200 plus $400, or $600. Its fees are non-refundable, due with the application and paid to the City of Pleasant Valley by check.

Trade permits and who may pull them

Trade work is permitted separately where the jurisdiction enforces the code and done by state-licensed contractors. West Virginia rules

How to apply for a Marion County building permit

Review, corrections and what actually causes delay

The ordinance gives the Floodplain Administrator up to 90 days from submission to review an application. Written objections from others are weighed before a decision, and the Administrator may hold a public meeting on them, announced on a County Commission agenda at least 10 calendar days ahead. No changes may be made to an issued permit or its plans without the Administrator’s written consent.

Inspections in Marion County

The Floodplain Administrator, or other authorized county, state or federal officials, may inspect a permitted site during construction, and work that departs from the application brings a stop-work order and revocation of the permit. In a special flood hazard area no one may occupy a new or altered building, and no utility may make a permanent connection, until the Floodplain Administrator issues a Certificate of Compliance based on that inspection and any finished-construction elevation certificate. For septic systems, the certified installer must call the Health Department for a final inspection before the system is covered. Inside Fairmont, inspections are booked with Building Inspection on 304-366-6211 ext. 303, and a repeat inspection after a failure costs $30.

Marion County permit search and official resources

• City of Fairmont — code enforcement, permitting and rental registration
• Fairmont Building Inspection & Rental Registration — permit fees, office and hours
• Marion County Floodplain Office — contacts, flood maps, parcel viewer and forms
• Marion County Floodplain Ordinance (enacted March 27, 2019)
• Marion County Floodplain Development Permit Application
• Marion County Health Department: sewage and septic systems
• Marion County Health Department environmental fees
• Mannington Codified Ordinances, Article 1711: State Building Code
• Mannington Codified Ordinances §1741.01: building permit fees
• City of Pleasant Valley forms, incl. the Development (Building) Permit Application
• Town of White Hall Code of Ordinances
• WV Flood Tool list of county and town floodplain managers
• West Virginia State Fire Marshal — the State Building Code, adoption notifications and code official certification
• West Virginia Division of Labor — runs licensing for the Contractor Licensing Board, plus plumber and HVAC licences
• West Virginia Code 15A-11-5 — the statute on the State Building Code, local adoption and enforcement, and the priority of stricter local rules

Frequently asked questions

Does Marion County issue building permits?

Not building code permits. Outside the cities and towns the county issues a Floodplain Development Permit, which is required for any new construction, substantial improvement or placement of a structure, including a manufactured home, wherever the land lies.

Who issues permits in Fairmont?

The city’s Department of Building Inspection and Rental Registration, on the 3rd floor (Room 305) at 200 Jackson Street (304-366-6211 ext. 303), which issues building permits, enforces the codes the city has adopted and administers rental registration.

How long does the county take to review a permit?

The Floodplain Ordinance allows up to 90 days from the date the application is submitted. Once issued, the permit expires if work has not started within 180 days, and the work must be complete within 18 months unless an extension is granted in writing.

Who issues septic permits in Marion County?

The Marion County Health Department, 300 2nd Street, Fairmont (304-366-3360). A certified installer evaluates the site, the owner or installer files the application, a sanitarian approves the site and issues the construction permit, and the installer calls for a final inspection before the system is covered. A septic tank installation permit costs $235.

Do I need a permit for a fence or deck in Pleasant Valley?

Yes. The city’s development (building) permit covers residential additions and accessory projects such as fences, decks, porches, sheds and pools, for a $50 fee. Work inside the footprint of an existing structure, such as new windows or a roof, generally needs no city permit.

How much is a building permit in Mannington?

Section 1741.01 of the city code sets a $20 minimum, $7 per thousand dollars (or any part of $1,000) from $0 to $100,000, and $10 per thousand (or any part of $1,000) over $100,000.

Which Marion County places enforce the State Building Code?

Fairmont and Mannington have adopted it by ordinance, with the 2018 International codes and the 2020 National Electrical Code in force since August 1, 2022.

Simplify Marion County permitting with Alliance Permitting

Marion County's building code enforcement stops at the Fairmont and Mannington city lines, and its risks run underneath. We establish the authority before design and read the mining record before siting.

Ready to break ground in Marion County sooner?

Send us the scope and the parcel. We confirm the review path with Fairmont code enforcement and the Marion County authorities, assemble the submittal, file it, and track it through issuance — corrections included.

More West Virginia permitting guides

This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Marion County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.