Summers County requires a county building permit under County Ordinance IV for building outside Hinton, and a floodplain permit under the floodplain ordinance revised on October 24, 2024; both come from the Building Permits and Floodplain Management Office (120 Ballengee Street, Suite 102, Hinton; 304-647-8131). The county building permit fee starts at $3 and is capped at $25 outside the floodplain. The City of Hinton issues its own permits at $5 per $1,000 of work.
What requires a permit in Summers County?
County Ordinance IV makes it unlawful to start any development, new construction, substantial improvement, replacement or relocation of a structure, manufactured homes included, in the unincorporated area without a permit from the Permit Officer. The county’s application form also requires a floodplain determination for all construction in the county.
Types on the county form
- Primary or secondary residence
- Mobile home (with VIN and year)
- Additions, decks, porches and patios
- Detached accessory structures
- Multi-family dwellings and structure improvements
- Fill and grading, temporary structures, razing
- Raising a building for the floodplain
Needs an extra permit
- Sites in the floodplain: floodplain permit and attachment sheet
- Cell towers: Wireless Telecommunications Facilities permit application
- Septic systems and wells: Summers County Health Department
Who handles permitting in Summers County?
The Building Permits and Floodplain Management Office handles both the county building permit and floodplain administration; the Permits Officer signs the permit and the Floodplain Administrator signs the floodplain determination. Copies go to the Assessor and the applicant.
Short on time to read all of this?
Get a free quote →| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Permit office | Summers County Building Permits and Floodplain Management Office, 120 Ballengee Street, Suite 102, Hinton, WV 25951 |
| Phone | 304-647-8131 |
| County Commission | 120 Ballengee Street, Hinton; 304-466-7100 |
| Septic and wells | Summers County Health Department, 120 Ballengee Street, Hinton; 304-466-3388; weekdays 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., closed noon to 1 p.m. |
| 911 addressing | Summers County Office of Emergency Management and Enhanced 911 mapping office |
Hinton, the county’s only incorporated city, issues its own building permits under the State Building Code and runs its own floodplain management; the city manager is the floodplain contact on the state list (304-466-3255).
The Summers County permit application
The county uses one form for building permits and floodplain management. It asks for:
- Applicant and owner details, and the previous owner if the property changed hands in the last two years
- Tax parcel district, map, parcel, lot and acreage, and the physical 911 address
- Contractor name and licence number
- Type of construction and a site plan with driving directions
- Bedrooms, bathrooms, heat, basement, garage, exterior walls, square footage and dimensions
- Start and completion dates and the estimated cost of labor and materials
The applicant certifies that easements and deed restrictions are shown on the site plan and consents to inspections during normal business hours for the life of the permit. Under Ordinance IV, no change may be made to the application or permit after issue without the Permit Officer’s written consent.
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Get a free quote →Permit costs and fees in Summers County
Ordinance IV sets the building permit fee by estimated cost, paid to the Summers County Commission:
| Project or cost | Fee |
|---|---|
| $0 to $50 | $3 |
| $51 to $500 | $5 |
| $501 to $1,000 | $10 |
| Each additional $1,000 or part | $1 more |
| Any structure outside the floodplain | Maximum $25 |
| Industrial construction projects | 1% of anticipated cost, up to $25,000 |
Under the 2024 floodplain ordinance, every proposed development also pays a flat floodplain determination fee set by the County Commission, and development in the special flood hazard area pays an additional fee to the Sheriff of Summers County based on estimated value, plus any engineering or surveying costs. Starting work before getting a permit doubles the floodplain fees, and they triple for each later occurrence. Inside Hinton, the city charges $5 per $1,000 of work.
Electrical, plumbing and mechanical work
Summers County publishes no electrical, plumbing or mechanical permits. In Hinton, the city’s permit requires all work to follow the State Building Code in effect at the time of construction and to be done by licensed professionals, and every contractor and subcontractor must hold a current city business licence.
Rather talk it over?
Call 1-855-478-4290 →What to have ready
- Completed Building Permits and Floodplain Management Office form
- Site plan showing the exact size and location of the work, with driving directions
- Tax map, parcel and 911 address
- Contractor licence number, or details of who is doing the work
- For a site in flood zone A or AE: the floodplain attachment sheet, elevation information and any engineering the Floodplain Administrator asks for
- For a mobile home: VIN and year
How to apply: 5-step Summers County process
Inside Hinton, use the city’s building permit form; elsewhere, the county office.
The form asks for the physical 911 address, issued by the county emergency management mapping office.
For a lot without public sewer, apply to the Summers County Health Department.
Submit it to the Building Permits and Floodplain Management Office at 120 Ballengee Street, Suite 102, and pay the Ordinance IV fee.
Display the permit placard on site and begin within six months, or the permit lapses unless extended in writing.
Summers County inspections
The Permit Officer may inspect the site during construction to check it against the application, and revokes the permit for non-compliance or a false statement. In the flood hazard area the Floodplain Administrator, or other county, state or federal officials, may inspect the work and issue a stop-work order. Violations of Ordinance IV carry a fine of $25 to $300, with each day a separate offense.
Rather not deal with the Summers County building department?
Get a free quote →Local Summers County details that matter
Hinton permits: a City of Hinton permit lapses if work does not start within three months or stops for six months, and is valid for 24 months of construction. Permits to demolish a condemned building last 60 days, and an asbestos inspection is required before any demolition. Contractors pay the city’s 2% business and occupation tax.
Industrial projects: 2016 amendments to Ordinance IV require a watershed stormwater management plan for industrial construction disturbing more than 3 acres, refuse permits where post-construction peak runoff would exceed set limits, and require site impact studies by a professional engineer for industrial construction in the zone of critical concern on the Greenbrier, New and Bluestone rivers. Industrial permits cost 1% of the anticipated construction cost, up to $25,000, plus the cost of reviewing the stormwater plan.
Planning Commission: an eleven-member Planning Commission meets each quarter and plans for the unincorporated areas; Summers County adopted its comprehensive plan by ordinance in 2017.
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
Want this handled start to finish?
Get a free quote →Official Summers County permitting resources
- Summers County Commission
- Summers County Planning Commission
- Summers County Emergency Management and 911 addressing
- Summers County Health Department
- City of Hinton forms and permits
- City of Hinton building permit form
- West Virginia county and town floodplain managers list
- WV Flood Tool
- WV Code 15A-11-5: State Building Code
- State Fire Marshal laws and rules
Summers County permit FAQs
Do I need a building permit in Summers County?
Yes. County Ordinance IV requires a permit from the Permit Officer for any new construction, substantial improvement or placement of a structure, including manufactured homes, outside Hinton.
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →How much is a Summers County building permit?
$3 to $10 for jobs up to $1,000, then $1 for each additional $1,000, with a $25 maximum for structures outside the floodplain. Floodplain sites pay extra floodplain fees.
Where is the Summers County permit office?
120 Ballengee Street, Suite 102, Hinton; phone 304-647-8131.
How much is a building permit in Hinton?
$5 per $1,000 of work, issued by the City of Hinton; contractors also need a city business licence.
How long is a county permit valid?
Work must begin within six months of issue, or the permit expires unless the Permit Officer extends it in writing.
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More West Virginia permitting guides
This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Summers County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.