In St. Albans, the City’s Building & Zoning Department issues every construction permit and runs the inspections, from City Hall at 1499 MacCorkle Avenue (304-727-2962). Work over $2,000 costs 0.9% of its value plus any inspection fees, and when plans must be reviewed a plan-checking fee of half the permit fee is added.
What requires a permit in St. Albans?
Under Section 1705.04 of the City code, a contractor, handyman, property owner or agent needs a permit before they build, enlarge, alter, repair, move or demolish a building or structure, change its occupancy, or install, alter, replace or remove any electrical, gas, mechanical or plumbing system. Between them, the department’s service list and the City’s fee section cover:
Building permits
- New houses and commercial buildings
- Additions, remodeling and repairs
- Storage sheds, swimming pools and re-roofs
- Fences and driveways (each with its own form)
- Excavation and demolition
- Signs, boilers and fuel tanks
Trade permits
- Electrical work, including service changes and temporary service
- Plumbing, sewer, storm, water and gas service lines
- Heating, air conditioning and refrigeration
No fee is charged for work under $300 unless an inspection is needed. Asbestos removal needs its own permit, separate from the building permit.
Who issues building permits in St. Albans?
The Building & Zoning Department handles permits and inspections for all construction inside the city, reviews site and building plans, makes floodplain determinations, supports the Zoning Board of Adjustment and issues Certificates of Occupancy to new businesses. Marshall Chaney is the Building & Zoning Official. The department says it permits about $5 million of construction a year.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Office | City Hall, 1499 MacCorkle Avenue, St. Albans, WV 25177 |
| Phone | 304-727-2962 (City Hall main line 304-722-3391) |
| Hours | Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. |
| Mail (license payments) | City of St. Albans, Building Dept., P.O. Box 1488, St. Albans, WV 25177 |
| AEP work order hotline | 800-982-4237 |
Short on time to read all of this?
Get a free quote →The City permits only inside its limits. Unincorporated land around St. Albans is handled by Kanawha County Planning and Development at 407 Virginia Street East in Charleston (304-357-0570).
St. Albans permit forms and contractor licensing
The department posts its 2026-2027 forms on its web page: the General Building Permit Application (new construction, remodeling, repairs, excavation and demolition), separate fencing, driveway, electrical and plumbing permit applications, and the Contractor’s Business License application.
Contractor and handyman licenses: everyone who contracts in the city, general contractors and subcontractors alike, must hold a valid West Virginia contractor license, liability insurance, workers’ compensation (or a waiver) and a St. Albans business license, and be current on City business and occupation taxes. The City license costs $90 a year for a contractor and $50 for a handyman, runs from July 1 and expires June 30, and must be renewed before any permit is issued. The license must be posted at every job site or in the work vehicle, and its number must appear in advertising and contracts.
The 2026-2027 license application describes handymen as people doing jobs valued at $5,000 or less, while the older definition in the City code (Section 1705.02) sets a lower limit per job; ask the Building Official’s office which one it applies before choosing the license type.
St. Albans permit fees
Permit fees are set by Section 1703.02 of the City code and repeated on the department’s web page. They are based on the total value of the work and are collected before the permit is issued:
| Project value | Permit fee |
|---|---|
| Under $300 | No fee, unless an inspection is needed ($10) |
| $100 to $1,000 | $10, plus any inspection fees |
| $1,001 to $2,000 | $18, plus any inspection fees |
| $2,001 or more | 0.9% of total value, plus any inspection fees |
| Plan checking (value over $1,000 and plans required) | Half the building permit fee, paid when plans are submitted |
| Work started before the permit | Double the fee or the fee plus $100, whichever is greater |
Not sure this scope needs a permit?
Get a free quote →For example, a $40,000 addition that needs plan review carries a $360 permit fee (0.9% of $40,000) and a $180 plan-checking fee, $540 before any inspection fees.
| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| Electrical service change, 100 to 800 amps | $35 inspection fee, plus the permit fee by value |
| HVAC inspection, existing system / new installation | $10 / $20 per unit; reinspection $15 |
| Window or through-wall air conditioner over 110 volts | $15 |
| Boiler, gasoline or oil tank | $30 per unit up to $5,000, or by value if greater |
| Signs and outdoor displays | $0.75 per sq ft, or by value if greater |
| Demolition | Fee by value, plus a bond or certified check of $500 to $5,000 |
A contractor found working without permits three times in one license year has the City license suspended for up to three months.
Electrical, plumbing and HVAC permits in St. Albans
Each trade has its own 2026-2027 City form. The electrical permit names the master electrician on the job and covers rough-in, fixtures and outlets, temporary service, service upgrades, security systems and fire protection systems; it asks for the AEP reconnect number, and service changes of any size from 100 to 800 amps carry a $35 inspection fee. The plumbing permit lists every fixture to be installed and covers rough-in, sanitary and storm sewer lines, water lines and gas service lines.
Heating and air conditioning permits use the same value-based fee as building permits, plus $10 per unit to inspect work on an existing system or $20 per unit for a new installation, and $1.50 for each opening on new construction or alterations.
Rather talk it over?
Call 1-855-478-4290 →What to submit with a St. Albans application
New construction
- Two sets of construction plans
- Site plan with the structure, distances to every lot line, existing buildings, parking, the sanitary sewer tap and the storm sewer tap for downspouts and driveway drainage
- Kanawha County tax map and parcel number
- Floodplain designation, with an elevation certificate if the site is in the floodplain
- List of all contractors and subcontractors
- Storm water drainage plans
Every application
- Owner and contractor details and a description of the work
- Construction cost, including labor, materials and subcontractors
- A copy of the contract for any project of $10,000 or more
- Proof of a state contractor license, or an affidavit that none is required
- An asbestos inspection by a licensed inspector before renovation or demolition
The owner is responsible for knowing where the property lines are; the City does not survey property or keep survey records.
How to get a St. Albans permit: 6 steps
If it is outside, Kanawha County Planning and Development handles it.
Contractors and handymen need a current St. Albans business license before any permit is issued.
General building, fence, driveway, electrical or plumbing, from the department’s web page.
Plans, site plan, parcel number, floodplain designation and the contract for jobs of $10,000 or more.
The permit fee by value, the plan-checking fee if plans are reviewed, and any inspection fees.
Contact the Building & Zoning Department at 304-727-2962 for inspections and, for a new business, the Certificate of Occupancy.
Rather not deal with the building department?
Get a free quote →Inspections in St. Albans
The Building & Zoning Department inspects all construction it permits, and inspection fees are charged on top of the permit fee: $35 for an electrical service change, and $10 or $20 per unit for heating and air conditioning work, with $15 for a reinspection. Arrange inspections through the department at 304-727-2962, Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
For a demolition, the bond or certified check is returned once the department has inspected the site and certified that the demolition is complete and the debris has been removed. New businesses receive their Certificate of Occupancy from the department.
Local St. Albans details that matter
Fences: fences must stand inside your property lines, with the finished side facing out. Electric, barbed wire and razor wire fences are not allowed, nor are privacy fences in front yards. On residential lots the maximum height is 3.5 feet in the front yard and on a street side yard, and 6 feet in the rear yard and on an interior side yard.
Driveways: a driveway that joins a state road also needs a permit from the West Virginia Division of Highways (304-205-8044) and a state engineer’s inspection.
Floodplain: the City’s flood damage prevention ordinance requires a floodplain permit for any development, new building, substantial improvement or placement of a structure in the regulated floodplain. The department makes floodplain determinations, and the building application asks for an elevation certificate on floodplain sites.
Demolition: the City holds a bond or certified check of $500 to $5,000, set by the Building Official from the location and type of building, until the site has been cleared.
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 St. Albans permitting resources
City of St. Albans pages, forms and code sections:
Want this handled start to finish?
Get a free quote →- Building & Zoning Department: contacts and fee schedule
- 2026-2027 General Building Permit Application
- 2026-2027 Electrical Permit Application
- 2026-2027 Plumbing Permit Application
- 2026-2027 Fencing Permit Application
- 2026-2027 Driveway Permit Application
- 2026-2027 Contractor’s Business License application
- City documents and forms
- City code Article 1703, permits and fees
- City code Article 1705, contractor registration
- City code Article 1711, State Building Code adoption
- City code Article 1779, flood damage prevention
- Kanawha County Planning and Development (outside city limits)
- West Virginia Flood Tool
- West Virginia Code 15A-11-5, State Building Code
- State Building Code rule, 87 CSR 4
- West Virginia State Fire Marshal
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →St. Albans permit FAQs
Who issues building permits in St. Albans, WV?
The City Building & Zoning Department at City Hall, 1499 MacCorkle Avenue (304-727-2962). Marshall Chaney is the Building & Zoning Official.
How much is a building permit in St. Albans?
$10 for work of $100 to $1,000, $18 for $1,001 to $2,000, and 0.9% of the total value above that, plus inspection fees. Where plans are reviewed, a plan-checking fee of half the permit fee is added.
Do I need a permit for a fence in St. Albans?
Yes, on the City’s fencing permit form. Residential fences are limited to 3.5 feet in front and street side yards and 6 feet elsewhere, and privacy fences are not allowed in front yards.
What does a contractor license cost in St. Albans?
$90 a year for a contractor and $50 for a handyman, expiring June 30. The application must include copies of your state contractor license, liability insurance and proof of workers’ compensation.
What if work starts before the permit?
You pay double the permit fee or the fee plus $100, whichever is greater, and contractors caught three times in one license year lose their City license for up to three months.
Does the City permit property outside St. Albans?
No. Unincorporated land is handled by Kanawha County Planning and Development (304-357-0570).
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More West Virginia permitting guides
This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about St. Albans permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.