Martinsburg, West Virginia Building Permit Guide

The City of Martinsburg’s Planning, Zoning and Building Department issues one general building permit that covers structural, electrical, plumbing and mechanical work, plus separate fence, shed, sign and sidewalk permits. Applications are filed and paid in MGO Connect, and the City’s codified fee for new construction is a $10 application fee plus $9 per $1,000.

What requires a permit in Martinsburg?

The City names the projects that need a building permit before work starts, and its Homeowner’s Guide adds common household jobs.

Fences under 7 ft need a fence permit; fences over 7 ft need a building permit. In residential and mixed-use districts a fence may be no taller than 48 inches in a front yard and 7 ft in a rear yard. Most permanent signs need a sign permit, and satellite dishes are registered with the Planning Department rather than permitted.

Paid work that needs no building permit still has to be logged on a free Work Registration Form at the Building Inspectors’ office, and contractors must register emergency repairs within 72 hours. Owners working on their own occupied home are exempt from registration.

The two City sources differ on roofs, siding and windows: the 2016 Homeowner’s Guide lists re-roofing, siding and replacement windows as permit work, while the fee code (Art. 1761.02) puts re-roofing, re-siding and replacement windows under the free work registration. Ask the Planning Department which applies to your job.

Who issues building permits in Martinsburg?

The Planning, Zoning and Building Department handles zoning review, plan review, permits and inspections for property inside city limits. Under the City code, the City Planner supervises enforcement of the State Building Code, and certified building inspectors carry out the reviews and site visits.

Land outside city limits is permitted by Berkeley County, which takes building, accessory and trade permits through its One Stop permitting portal. City permits apply only inside the city boundary.

Martinsburg permit types and online filing

The City issues one general Building Permit for residential and commercial work, whether the job is structural, electrical, plumbing or mechanical. Fence, storage shed, sign and sidewalk work has its own application, and a business needs a Use & Occupancy Permit before it opens.

The City’s MGO Connect guide sets out the filing rules:

• Create an MGO Connect account and choose the City of Martinsburg as the jurisdiction; applications filed under another jurisdiction are not processed.
• A contractor applying for a homeowner must upload a signed contract or owner affidavit, plus a City of Martinsburg business licence and WV contractor’s licence.
• Homeowners doing their own work enter “owner” as the contractor and must declare this before work starts.
• Drawings must be uploaded; fence and deck applications need a plat or an aerial view with dimensions.
• The request becomes a project once accepted, and review starts only after the fees are paid.
• The issued permit is printed straight from the portal.

Building permit fees in Martinsburg

Martinsburg’s permit fees are set in Article 1761 of the Codified Ordinances, last amended for these rates by Ordinance 2004-21.

When the project is finished, the permit holder gives the City Planner a final statement of cost; if it is higher than the estimate on the application, the extra fee is charged on the final figure. Starting work without a permit doubles the fee if the permit is obtained within 48 hours of the City’s notice, and triples it after that.

Each new house or dwelling unit also pays a community development fee of $0.50 per sq ft before its Use & Occupancy Permit is issued. A 2,000 sq ft house therefore pays $1,000 on top of its permit fees.

Electrical, plumbing, mechanical and gas work

Trade work is covered by the same general Building Permit rather than separate trade permits. Under Ordinance 2022-11 the City enforces the 2018 International Building, Residential, Plumbing, Mechanical, Fuel Gas and Existing Building Codes, the 2015 International Energy Conservation Code for homes and the 2020 National Electrical Code.

Mechanical and plumbing systems carry a plan review fee of $3 per 100 sq ft. The submittal checklist asks for a mechanical layout with equipment schedules and a Manual J or equivalent load calculation, a plumbing riser diagram, and electrical load calculations with panel locations. Every contractor must supply a current WV contractor licence and City business licence, plus any trade licence such as a master or journeyman electrician’s card.

Martinsburg application documents

The City’s Permit/Plans Submittal Requirements Checklist applies to residential and commercial jobs. Incomplete plan sets are not accepted.

The paper checklist asks for 2 complete plan sets; online filings upload the same drawings in MGO Connect.

How to apply: 6-step Martinsburg process

Martinsburg inspections and occupancy

Inspections are requested in MGO Connect: search the permit under Search Permits, open View Project and choose Request Inspection. By phone, leave a voicemail at ext. 32138 with the permit number, address and type of inspection, and pick morning or afternoon; the office does not call back. Requests in by 3:30 p.m. are done the next business day, between 8 and 11 a.m. or 1 and 3 p.m.; later requests go to the second business day. There are no same-day, weekend or holiday inspections, and results show in the portal. Work is approved in phases as it progresses.

A business opening in a new or changed space needs a Use & Occupancy Permit. The owner books the final inspections (building and fire code at ext. 271, planning and zoning at ext. 279, plus the county health department for food service), has each inspector sign page 3 of the application, then returns it to the Planning Department so the fee can be calculated. For new construction the City can issue a 90-day temporary Use & Occupancy Permit if a final project cost analysis and an as-built site plan follow within those 90 days.

Local details that matter in Martinsburg

Historic district: exterior work and demolition in the Downtown Historic Overlay District, including roofing, windows, siding, fences and paint colors, needs a Certificate of Appropriateness from the Historic Preservation Review Commission, which meets on the first Monday of each month.

Zoning relief: the Board of Zoning Appeals hears variances and special exceptions on the first Tuesday of each month, and the applicant or a legal representative must attend.

Accessory buildings: sheds and garages in residential districts are typically set at least 5 ft from property lines and other structures, and replacing a non-conforming structure needs a call to the Planning Department before demolition.

Floodplain: a Certified Floodplain Manager in the Planning Department reviews building in mapped flood areas, and a house damaged by more than 50% of its market value must be elevated when it is repaired.

Appeals: the City has a Building Code Appeals Board for disputes over building code decisions.

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 Martinsburg permitting resources

• WV Flood Tool
• West Virginia State Building Code statute
• City of Martinsburg website
• Martinsburg Building Permits page
• West Virginia State Building Code rule
• How to apply for a permit in MGO Connect (City guide)
• Homeowner’s Guide to the Building Permit Process
• Permit/Plans Submittal Requirements Checklist
• Application for Use & Occupancy Permit (May 2026)
• Planning, Zoning & Building Department FAQ
• Martinsburg floodplain management
• Codified Ordinances, Article 1761 Building Fees
• Codified Ordinances, Article 1711 State Building Code
• Berkeley County permits and licenses (outside city limits)

Martinsburg building permit FAQs

Who issues building permits in Martinsburg?

The City of Martinsburg Planning, Zoning and Building Department issues them for property inside city limits. Berkeley County handles land outside the city.

How much is a building permit in Martinsburg?

New construction and additions pay a $10 application fee plus $9 per $1,000. Remodels, repairs, demolition and larger accessory structures pay $7.50 per $1,000, with a $5 application fee when the work is valued over $5,000.

Do I need a separate electrical or plumbing permit?

No. The City’s general Building Permit covers structural, electrical, plumbing and mechanical work, and mechanical or plumbing plan review costs $3 per 100 sq ft.

Do I need a permit for a fence in Martinsburg?

Yes. Fences under 7 ft need a fence permit and taller fences need a building permit. Front-yard fences in residential and mixed-use districts are limited to 48 inches.

Can a homeowner pull a permit?

Yes, for work the owner does on the home they live in, as long as they declare it when applying. In MGO Connect, enter “owner” in the contractor section.

How do I schedule an inspection?

Request it in MGO Connect from the project page, or leave a voicemail at ext. 32138 with the permit number, address and inspection type. Requests made by 3:30 p.m. are done the next business day in a morning (8 to 11 a.m.) or afternoon (1 to 3 p.m.) window; there are no same-day or weekend inspections.

Is there an extra fee for a new house?

Yes. A community development fee of $0.50 per sq ft is charged for each new dwelling unit before the Use & Occupancy Permit is issued.

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