Preston County, West Virginia Building Permit Guide

Preston County regulates construction through the Floodplain Ordinance its County Commission passed on May 29, 2012: new construction, substantial improvements and the placement of any structure need a permit or certificate of compliance from the Floodplain Administrator, who is the Director of the county Office of Emergency Management. In flood hazard areas the county’s building permit fee is $3 for the first $1,000 of estimated cost and $2 for each additional $1,000.

What requires a permit in Preston County?

Section 1.3 of the ordinance covers all of Preston County. Before any of the following, the owner needs a completed permit application and a permit or certificate of compliance from the Floodplain Administrator:

Inside the incorporated towns, the town’s own rules apply as well; Kingwood and Reedsville both require a town building permit.

Who issues permits in Preston County?

The ordinance names the Director of the Preston County Office of Emergency Management as Floodplain Administrator, and the OEM’s notice sheet calls the office the Preston County Building Permit Office. The county’s permit is a flood hazard permit: its approval letter says it does not approve water supply or sewage systems, which need separate applications to the Preston County Health Department.

Town hall phones listed on the towns’ official pages: Albright 304-329-1895, Masontown 304-864-5555, Newburg 304-892-3341, Rowlesburg 304-454-2441, Terra Alta 304-789-6664 and Tunnelton 304-568-2992. Brandonville’s page gives only a mailing address (37 Poplar Street).

Preston County permit forms

• Building Permit Application for Flood Hazard Areas of Preston County: name, address, location and land district, plus answers to 12 questions about the lowest floor elevation above the 100-year flood boundary, fill and its erosion protection, storage of materials, anchoring against flotation, flood-resistant materials and methods, utilities, drainage, water and sewer design and the estimated cost. It is sworn before a notary.
• Elevation Certificate and instructions: posted on the county’s Floodplain Information page.
• Approval letter: when approved, the Building Permit Officer’s letter itself is the building permit and carries the permit number; a refusal letter lists the ordinance provisions the plans violate.
• Permit placard: displayed on the property while work is in progress.

Preston County permit fees

The fee schedule printed with the flood hazard application is payable to the County of Preston and based on the estimated construction cost as set by the Permit Officer:

For example, a $100,000 project pays $3 for the first $1,000 plus $2 for each of the other 99 thousands, a total of $201. Under Section 7.9 the applicant also reimburses the county for any engineering, surveying or other contracted review its project needs, and the Floodplain Administrator may ask for a deposit toward those costs.

Application documents

• The completed and notarized application form
• Plans in duplicate, drawn to scale, showing the lot’s dimensions and elevation, existing and proposed structures, fill and stored materials, and their position relative to the nearest watercourse
• A profile drawing when fill is used
• The permit fee
• For floodplain sites, the elevation or floodproofing certification by a registered professional engineer or architect that the ordinance requires
• For a new home on its own system, the separate sewage and water approvals from the Preston County Health Department

How to apply: 5-step Preston County process

Inspections and certificates of compliance

The Floodplain Administrator and other authorized officials may inspect development while it is under way, and work without a permit or out of line with it gets a stop work order. In flood hazard areas a building may not be occupied, and no permanent utility connection may be inspected or installed, until the Floodplain Administrator issues a certificate of compliance. That certificate is based on the inspections and on the finished-construction elevation certificate, floodproofing certificate or other data the permit required.

Kingwood, Reedsville and the other towns

Kingwood: pick up the building permit application at City Hall (open weekdays 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.). It goes to City Council, which meets on the second and fourth Tuesdays, and must be in by the Friday before. After approval the permit is paid in full and displayed on site. The fee is $10 for work costing up to $1,000, another $20 for work from $1,001 to $2,500, and 0.5% of the cost above $2,500; a $20,000 job therefore pays $10 + $20 + $87.50 = $117.50. Emergency permits for roof leaks, heating or cooling failures and plumbing failures can be approved after a site visit, but a request that turns out not to be an emergency can be fined $100. Above-ground pools must be 5 ft from side and rear property lines and accessory buildings 10 ft, and a company delivering a portable building needs a City business licence.

Reedsville: download the Long Form for new construction or home additions, or the Short Form for renovations, roofing and other home improvements, and submit it to Town Hall for review and approval. Town Hall is open weekdays 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Other towns: Albright, Brandonville, Bruceton Mills, Masontown, Newburg, Rowlesburg, Terra Alta and Tunnelton: the published sources do not say whether these towns issue building permits; ask town hall before starting work. For floodplain permits, the state’s floodplain manager list (October 2025) shows the county’s floodplain manager at the Office of Emergency Management (304-329-1855) serving every one of these towns except Terra Alta, which has its own (304-789-6664); the same list gives the county office for Kingwood and Reedsville.

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 Preston County permitting resources

• West Virginia State Building Code, 87 CSR 4
• West Virginia Code §15A-11-5
• Preston County floodplain information
• Preston County Floodplain Ordinance (2012)
• Building Permit Application for Flood Hazard Areas
• Preston County Office of Emergency Management
• Preston County Health Department (state listing)
• City of Kingwood FAQ, building permits
• Town of Reedsville building permits
• WV Flood Tool floodplain managers list (October 2025)

Preston County permit FAQs

Who issues building permits in Preston County?

Outside the towns, the Preston County Office of Emergency Management, whose Director is the Floodplain Administrator. Kingwood and Reedsville issue their own building permits.

How much is a Preston County building permit?

On the flood hazard application, $1 up to $50, $2 up to $500, $3 up to $1,000, then $2 for each additional $1,000. A $100,000 project pays $201.

Do I need a permit outside the floodplain?

The ordinance requires a permit or certificate of compliance for new construction and for placing any structure anywhere in Preston County; the extra floodplain standards apply only in flood hazard areas.

How long is the permit good for?

Work must begin within 180 days and be completed within 18 months unless the Floodplain Administrator grants a written extension.

How much is a building permit in Kingwood?

$10 for the first $1,000, $20 more for work up to $2,500, and 0.5% of the cost above $2,500. City Council approves permits at its second and fourth Tuesday meetings.

Who approves septic systems?

The Preston County Health Department in Kingwood (304-329-0096); the county permit does not approve water or sewage systems.

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