Mercer County has no county building department, and its published ordinances include no building code, so outside Bluefield, Princeton, Athens, Bramwell and Oakvale the county permit for construction is a floodplain development permit from the County Floodplain Manager in Princeton. Every proposed development pays a $20 floodplain determination fee, and work in a flood hazard area adds a value-based fee, $10 per $1,000 for a house.
The floodplain ordinance, passed by the County Commission on June 12, 2007, makes it unlawful to build, substantially improve, repair substantial damage, or place or move any structure, manufactured homes included, without a completed permit application, a standard site plan and a permit from the Floodplain Administrator; in a flood hazard area the building also needs a certificate of compliance before it is occupied. The ordinance names the Deputy Director of the Office of Emergency Management as Floodplain Administrator. Septic systems and wells are permitted separately by the Mercer County Health Department.
The county floodplain permit covers the unincorporated area only. Bluefield and Princeton run building inspection offices, Athens issues its own building permit, and Bramwell and Oakvale each have a town floodplain manager; the municipality table is under Who handles permitting.
Power hookups wait for the paperwork. In a flood hazard area the ordinance bars a temporary electric connection until the permit placard is issued, and a permanent utility connection until the certificate of compliance is issued.
What requires a building permit in Mercer County?
The county permit follows the ordinance’s definition of development: any man-made change to improved or unimproved real estate, including buildings and other structures, mining, dredging, filling, grading, paving, excavation, drilling, and the storage of equipment or materials.
County floodplain permit
- New construction of any building or structure
- Substantial improvement of a structure, or repair of substantial damage
- Placing or moving any structure, including a manufactured home
- Filling, grading, paving, excavation and other development
- Subdivisions and manufactured home parks, which need an approved site plan before any development
Permitted by other offices
- Septic systems and private wells: Mercer County Health Department
- Building work inside Bluefield or Princeton: the city building inspection office
- Building work inside Athens: Town of Athens building permit
- Floodplain permits inside each municipality: that town’s floodplain manager
Short on time to read all of this?
Get a free quote →Building standards in a flood hazard area
A new or substantially improved house in a flood hazard area must have its lowest floor, including the basement, ductwork and utilities, at least two feet above the base flood elevation. In an approximated floodplain with no base flood elevation data, the lowest floor must sit at least three feet above the highest adjacent grade. The ordinance also keeps a flood protection setback from the top of the banks of every watercourse, equal to twice the channel width or 50 feet, whichever is less.
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
Mercer County building department: who handles permitting
For land outside the municipalities, floodplain permits and certificates of compliance come from the County Floodplain Manager. The County Commission at the courthouse in Princeton is the governing body, and appeals of the Floodplain Administrator’s decisions go to the Mercer County Flood Board. Each municipality names its own floodplain manager, and Bluefield and Princeton also issue building permits.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Floodplain permits | County Floodplain Manager, 1500 West Main Street, Princeton, WV 24740, (304) 431-8520 |
| County Commission | 1501 West Main Street, Princeton, WV 24740, (304) 487-8306; Monday to Friday, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm |
| Septic and wells | Mercer County Health Department, 978 Blue Prince Road, Bluefield, (304) 324-8367 |
| Appeals | Mercer County Flood Board, in writing within 30 days of the decision |
Who issues permits in each municipality
| Municipality | Who issues permits | Phone |
|---|---|---|
| Bluefield | City Code Enforcement/Inspection Department issues all building permits; required for all jobs except painting, wallpapering, trim work, floor sanding, carpeting and landscaping; 200 Rogers Street | (304) 327-2401 ext. 2462; floodplain manager (304) 327-2458 |
| Princeton | City Building Inspections and Code Enforcement, Municipal Complex, 800 Bee Street; permit fees based on the value of the work | (304) 487-5020; floodplain manager (304) 887-7894 |
| Athens | Town building permit under the town’s rental housing code and planning and zoning chapter, with a plat attached; Town Hall, 202 South State Street | (304) 384-3525 |
| Bramwell | The town’s published pages do not describe a building permit; the town floodplain manager handles floodplain permits; Town Hall, 100 Simmons Avenue | Town Hall 681-284-2061; floodplain manager (304) 248-7114 |
| Oakvale | The town’s published pages do not describe a building permit; the town floodplain manager handles floodplain permits | (304) 898-2287 |
Not sure this scope needs a permit?
Get a free quote →Bluefield’s building permit costs $10 for a job of up to $1,000; a job costing more pays 1% of the job cost, capped at a $5,000 fee, and a permit covers a six-month work period. Princeton’s application asks whether the Historic Landmark Commission has approved the work.
Permit types
Residential permits
A house, manufactured home, addition or accessory building in the unincorporated county starts with the floodplain determination. The value-based fee and the elevation rules apply only when the site is in a flood hazard area; there the application adds certified elevations of the base flood, existing ground, finished grade and lowest floor, and a manufactured home must be installed by a contractor holding a WV Manufactured Home Installer’s license, who certifies the installation in writing.
Building or remodeling a home here? Alliance handles home building permits, so the crew isn't waiting on the counter.
Commercial permits
A non-residential building in a flood hazard area can be elevated two feet above the base flood elevation or floodproofed to that height. Floodproofing needs plans by a registered professional engineer or architect and a FEMA floodproofing certificate from the same designer. The value-based fee for these structures is $20 per $1,000, twice the rate for a house.
For tenant improvements and new commercial builds, Alliance handles commercial permit filing through issuance. More on this: commercial building permits explained.
Subdivisions and manufactured home parks
Land to be subdivided or used for a manufactured home park needs a site plan approved by the Floodplain Administrator before any development. Where any part is in the floodplain, the plan shows the location and elevation of proposed roads, utilities and building sites, with contours at 2- or 5-foot intervals.
West Virginia licenses contractors at state level through the Contractor Licensing Board, run by the Division of Labor, valid statewide. West Virginia rules
Mercer County permit costs and fees
Section 7.9 of the floodplain ordinance sets the county fees, payable to the Mercer County Floodplain Development Fund. In a flood hazard area the fee is based on the estimated value of the construction as determined by the Floodplain Administrator.
Rather talk it over?
Call 1-855-478-4290 →| Project | Fee |
|---|---|
| Floodplain determination, all proposed development | $20 |
| Special Flood Hazard Determination Form for real estate, loan or insurance use | $50 |
| One- or two-family dwelling in a flood hazard area | $10 per $1,000 of estimated value |
| Accessory structure in a flood hazard area | $8 per $1,000 |
| Any other structure in a flood hazard area | $20 per $1,000 |
| Site plans, grading and filling (additional) | $25 per acre or part of an acre |
| Floodway development review (additional) | $100 per $1,000 |
| Engineering, surveying and other review services | Reimbursed by the applicant; a deposit may be required |
| Work started before the permit is issued | Fees doubled |
Example: a house the Floodplain Administrator values at $200,000 in a flood hazard area pays the $20 determination fee plus $2,000 (200 × $10), or $2,020 in county fees.
Show the contract within five business days. The contract required by state rule, with every addendum, must be presented to the Floodplain Administrator within five business days of signing, or the permit is void. Where no licensed contractor is involved, or the work totals less than $10,000, a short written description with the estimated value is enough.
Trade permits and who may pull them
Unincorporated county
- The floodplain application lists every contractor with a valid WV licence number, or an affidavit that the work is exempt from contractor licensing
- In a flood hazard area, ductwork, heating, ventilation, air-conditioning and other utilities sit at least two feet above the base flood elevation
- Electrical, plumbing and HVAC equipment is designed or placed to keep floodwater out
Inside Bluefield
- An electrical permit, priced on job cost, is needed before the inspector is called
- The city code and Appalachian Power policy both require an electrical inspection before a meter is installed
Rather not deal with the Mercer County building department?
Get a free quote →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 Mercer County building permit
If the land is inside Bluefield, Princeton, Athens, Bramwell or Oakvale, use that municipality from the table above; otherwise the county floodplain permit applies.
Contact the County Floodplain Manager at (304) 431-8520; the $20 determination tells you whether the site is in a flood hazard area.
List the owner, the applicant, every contractor with a WV licence number, the tax map and parcel, and attach a standard site plan showing the development, existing buildings, adjacent roads and watercourses with the direction of flow.
Certified elevations, elevation or floodproofing plans, and copies of any state or federal permits the project needs.
From the Mercer County Health Department at 978 Blue Prince Road, Bluefield, (304) 324-8367.
Display the permit placard, start within six months and finish within 12 months unless the administrator extends it in writing; in a flood hazard area, obtain the certificate of compliance before anyone moves in.
Changes after approval
Once a permit or site plan is approved, nothing in the application, plans or specifications may change without the Floodplain Administrator’s written consent.
Inspections in Mercer County
During construction the Floodplain Administrator or another authorized official may inspect the site to confirm the work matches the permit. Work found without a permit, or not following it, gets a stop work order, and a false statement on the application leads to revocation. In a flood hazard area a building may not be occupied until the certificate of compliance is issued, based on those inspections and any required elevation certificate, floodproofing certificate or encroachment analysis, and the E-911 Director tells Floodplain Management when an address is requested for a new building. Inside the cities, Bluefield takes inspection requests on its emailed Application for Inspection, and Princeton’s Code Enforcement Department inspects any building project within city limits on request.
Want this handled start to finish?
Get a free quote →Mercer County permit search and official resources
- Mercer County Floodplain Administration — county and town floodplain manager contacts
- Mercer County Floodplain Ordinance — permit rules, elevation standards and fees
- Mercer County ordinances — the county’s adopted ordinances
- Mercer County Commission — courthouse address, hours and phone
- Mercer County Health Department, Environmental Health — septic system and well permits
- Bluefield Code Enforcement — city building permits, fees and inspections
- Princeton Building Inspections — city building inspection contacts
- Princeton forms — building, zoning and mobile home permit applications and fee sheet
- Town of Athens online forms — town building permit application
- Bramwell local contacts — Town Hall address and phone
- Town of Oakvale (county page) — town contact details
- West Virginia State Fire Marshal — the State Building Code, adoption notifications and code official certification
- West Virginia Code 15A-11-5 — the statute on the State Building Code, local adoption and enforcement, and the priority of stricter local rules
- West Virginia Division of Labor — runs licensing for the Contractor Licensing Board, plus plumber and HVAC licences
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →Frequently asked questions
Does Mercer County issue building permits?
No. The county has no building department, and its ordinances include no building code. Outside the municipalities the county permit is the floodplain development permit from the County Floodplain Manager, (304) 431-8520.
Do I need a county permit if my land is not in a flood zone?
Yes. The ordinance requires a permit for any development in the county, and the $20 floodplain determination fee applies to all proposed development. The value-based fee and the certificate of compliance apply in a flood hazard area.
How much does a Mercer County floodplain permit cost?
$20 for the determination, plus, in a flood hazard area, $10 per $1,000 of value for a one- or two-family dwelling, $8 per $1,000 for an accessory structure and $20 per $1,000 for other structures. Fees double when work starts before the permit.
How high must a new house be built in the floodplain?
The lowest floor, including the basement, ductwork and utilities, must be at least two feet above the base flood elevation, or at least three feet above the highest adjacent grade in an approximated floodplain with no base flood elevation data.
Who issues building permits in Bluefield and Princeton?
Each city does. Bluefield’s Code Enforcement/Inspection Department is at 200 Rogers Street, (304) 327-2401 ext. 2462, and Princeton’s Building Inspections office is at 800 Bee Street, (304) 487-5020.
Who permits a septic system in Mercer County?
The Mercer County Health Department at 978 Blue Prince Road, Bluefield, (304) 324-8367, which issues septic system and well permits.
Simplify Mercer County permitting with Alliance Permitting
In Mercer County the absence of a building department is a finding, not a dead end. We confirm it, then work the requirements that do apply.
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Send us the scope and the parcel. We confirm the review path with the Mercer County Commission and the municipalities within it, assemble the submittal, file it, and track it through issuance — corrections included.
More West Virginia permitting guides
More West Virginia permitting guides
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Read guide →Kanawha County
Read guide →Putnam County
Read guide →Mineral County Building Permit Guide
Read guide →Mingo County Building Permit Guide
Read guide →Monongalia County Building Permit Guide
Read guide →This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Mercer County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.