Ohio County, West Virginia Building Permit Guide

Ohio County’s permit for building outside Wheeling and Triadelphia is the Floodplain Building Permit, required for all construction, repairs and development whether or not the site is in a mapped flood zone. Apply at the Floodplain Program in the City-County Building in Wheeling; every project pays a $25 floodplain determination fee, and work in a flood hazard area adds $12 per $1,000 of estimated cost.

What needs a permit in Ohio County?

The county lists no building department; the permit it issues for building is the Floodplain Building Permit. Its Floodplain Program asks for this application for all construction and development, repairs included, everywhere in the county except Wheeling and Triadelphia, which run their own floodplain permitting, and whether or not the site is in a Special Flood Hazard Area, so that new buildings can be steered away from flood zones.

The ordinance also applies to cities, villages, towns and public agencies unless the law exempts them, and land annexed into a town stays under the county floodplain ordinance until the town adopts one of its own.

Who issues permits in Ohio County?

The Ohio County Floodplain Program, run by the Wheeling-Ohio County Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency, takes the county permit applications; the agency’s staff include the county Planning Officer and GIS Coordinator, who is the floodplain manager. Applications are taken to him with a check made out to the Ohio County Commission.

Every town in the county: the Floodplain Program names only Wheeling and Triadelphia as issuing their own floodplain permits, so the county application also applies to building in Bethlehem, West Liberty, Clearview and Valley Grove.

• Wheeling (25,333 residents on the Ohio County side): building, trade and floodplain permits from the City’s Building and Planning Department in the City-County Building (304-234-3601).
• Bethlehem (2,520): the village requires every contractor to hold a West Virginia contractor licence and a village business licence before construction or renovation starts; village office at 125 Bethlehem Park (304-233-9527), weekdays 8:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. The state floodplain list shows Ohio County supporting the village’s floodplain work.
• West Liberty (1,429): the town publishes no permit rules online; town office at 1006 Van Meter Way (304-336-7410), open Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 10:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m.
• Triadelphia (651): the town has its own Floodplain Administrator and issues floodplain permits itself; it has no website, and the state floodplain list gives the town contact as 304-547-5000.
• Clearview (450): no permit rules published; Mayor’s office at 166 Clearview Avenue (304-277-1177), Monday–Wednesday 8:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m.; council meets on the third Wednesday at 7:30 p.m.
• Valley Grove (269): no permit rules published; Mayor’s office 304-547-1550 (PO Box 103); council meets on the second Wednesday at 7:30 p.m.

The county Floodplain Building Permit

The single county form, the Floodplain Development Permit Application, asks for the applicant, the contractor’s West Virginia and city licence numbers, the property address or directions, the cost of the improvement with documentation, the type of structure and a description of the work. The floodplain manager then records the flood zone (A, AE, floodway or X), whether the work is a substantial improvement or follows substantial damage, whether an elevation certificate is needed, and whether 1 or 2 feet of freeboard is required.

In flood hazard areas, a building cannot be occupied and permanent utilities cannot be connected until the Floodplain Administrator issues a certificate of compliance.

Ohio County permit fees

Fees are set in Section 7.9 of the Floodplain Ordinance the Commission adopted on June 5, 2006, and the posted fee schedule repeats those pages. The Floodplain Program’s page says the ordinance will be updated soon; no new version had reached the Commission’s agendas through October 6, 2026. Pay by check made out to the Ohio County Commission.

For a $200,000 house in a flood hazard area, that is the $25 determination fee plus $12 for each of the 200 thousands, or $2,425 in total. Outside the flood hazard area, the $25 determination fee applies.

Electrical, plumbing and HVAC work

The county publishes no electrical, plumbing or mechanical permit of its own. In flood hazard areas, permanent utility connections wait for the certificate of compliance. Inside Wheeling, electrical, plumbing and mechanical work is permitted by the City.

What to bring

• The completed Floodplain Development Permit Application, signed
• One copy of the plans and specifications for the work
• Documentation of the cost of improvement
• Contractor information and licence numbers, if a contractor is used
• Directions to the site if it has no street address
• An elevation certificate and site plan when the floodplain manager asks for them

How to get a permit in Ohio County

Inspections and compliance

The Floodplain Administrator can stop work that does not match the permit or the ordinance and revoke the permit if the application was false. In flood hazard areas, the certificate of compliance is based on the required inspections and on any finished elevation certificate, floodproofing certificate or encroachment analysis. A decision of the Floodplain Administrator can be appealed to the Ohio County Commission in writing within 30 days. Violations carry fines of $50 to $500.

Local details that matter in Ohio County

Septic fees: under the Wheeling-Ohio County Health Department fee rule effective July 1, 2024, a sewage system permit costs $222 for a conventional single-family system and $450 for other system types, a county holding tank permit (6-month limit) costs $1,000, and a system modification is free.

Four offices, one building: the Floodplain Program, the County Commission, the Health Department and Wheeling’s Building and Planning Department all work from the City-County Building at 1500 Chapline Street.

Flood maps: the WV Flood Tool shows the mapped flood zones and base flood elevations used in the county review.

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 Ohio County permitting resources

Official Ohio County, health department and village pages used for permits.

• Wheeling-Ohio County Emergency Management Agency
• Ohio County Floodplain Program
• West Virginia State Fire Marshal
• West Virginia Code §15A-11-5, State Building Code adoption
• Ohio County Floodplain Development Permit Application
• Ohio County Floodplain Ordinance (2006)
• Ohio County floodplain fee schedule
• Ohio County Commission
• Wheeling-Ohio County Health Department fees for permits (July 2024)
• Village of Bethlehem departments
• Village of Clearview elected officials and office hours
• Village of Valley Grove elected officials
• WV Flood Tool flood maps

Ohio County permit FAQs

Do I need a permit to build outside Wheeling and Triadelphia in Ohio County?

Yes. The county requires a Floodplain Building Permit for all construction and development, repairs included, even outside mapped flood zones.

Where do I apply?

At the Ohio County Floodplain Program, Lower Level of the City-County Building, 1500 Chapline Street, Wheeling (304-234-3756; floodplain manager 304-234-3883).

How much is the county permit?

$25 for the floodplain determination, plus $12 per $1,000 of estimated cost when the work is in a flood hazard area.

Who issues septic permits in Ohio County?

The Wheeling-Ohio County Health Department; a conventional single-family system permit is $222.

Who issues building permits in Wheeling?

The City of Wheeling’s Building and Planning Department (304-234-3601).

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