Taylor County, West Virginia Building Permit Guide

Any development, new construction or placement of a structure in Taylor County needs a permit from the county Floodplain Administrator under the 2018 Floodplain Ordinance, and the Office of Emergency Management takes the application through an online form or a PDF. The County Commission’s posted ordinances adopt no building code; inside Grafton, the City runs its own building permit and inspection office.

What requires a permit in Taylor County?

The ordinance applies throughout Taylor County. A permit from the Floodplain Administrator is needed before:

Who issues permits in Taylor County?

Permits are granted or denied by the county Floodplain Administrator. The program sits with the Taylor County Office of Emergency Management, whose website carries the ordinance and the permit application. The County Commission adopts the county’s ordinances and meets on the first Tuesday of each month at 6 p.m. and the third Tuesday at 10 a.m. in the Tony J. Veltri Annex.

Taylor County forms

• Floodplain Development Permit Application: available as a web form on the Office of Emergency Management site or as a printable PDF updated in April 2018. It records the applicant, the contractor’s WV licence number and any city licence number, the property address or directions, the tax map district, map and parcel, the cost of the improvement, the type of project and a description of the work.
• Plans and specifications: one copy of the plans and specifications for the project goes in with the application.
• Contractor affidavit: an applicant without a contractor’s licence files an affidavit with the County Clerk explaining why none is needed.
• Certificate of Compliance: issued by the Floodplain Administrator when work in the flood hazard area is finished and checked.

What the ordinance asks for

• A written application in duplicate on the county’s form
• Names and addresses of the applicant and landowner, and every contractor’s WV licence number or an exemption affidavit
• Tax map and parcel numbers to locate the site
• A standard site plan showing the size and location of the work, existing buildings, roads and streams, and, in flood areas, the Base Flood Elevation and lowest adjacent grade
• Copies of any other federal, state or local approvals the site needs, filed with the County Clerk before the permit is issued
• A signed agreement to pay the permitting fees and to let the Floodplain Administrator inspect the site

How to apply: 5-step Taylor County process

Review, inspections and compliance

The Floodplain Administrator has 90 days from the application date to decide whether the project is reasonably safe from flooding, and must consider any written objections before granting or denying it. During construction the administrator and other authorized officials may inspect the site; unpermitted or non-compliant work gets a stop work order. In the special flood hazard area, nobody may occupy the building, and no permanent utility connection may be made, until the Certificate of Compliance is issued.

Every permit is copied to the County Assessor, and permits for new structures go to the E-911 Addressing Coordinator for a street address.

Grafton and Flemington

Grafton: the City’s Building and Development division reviews and issues building permits, checks new construction and renovations against safety and structural standards, and enforces local building codes and property standards. Its Building Permit form (City Hall, ext. 32) covers residential and commercial new construction, remodeling and demolition, asks for the cost of parts and labor and the contractor’s WV licence, and must be posted where it can be seen from the street. The permit gives no right to use the street, alley or sidewalk.

Flemington: the published sources do not say whether the town issues building permits. Town hall is open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 304-739-4402, and the state’s floodplain manager list (October 2025) names the mayor as the town’s floodplain manager at that number.

Septic systems: on-site sewage permits come from the Grafton-Taylor County Health Department, 718 W Main Street in Grafton. A certified installer tests and evaluates the site, the owner or installer files the on-site sewage system application, and a sanitarian visits before the department issues a construction permit; the installer calls for a final inspection before the system is covered.

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 Taylor County permitting resources

• West Virginia Flood Tool
• WV State Building Code statute
• Floodplain Development Permit web form
• Taylor County floodplain management (OEM)
• State Fire Marshal code and rules
• Floodplain Development Permit application (PDF, April 2018)
• Taylor County Floodplain Ordinance (2018)
• Taylor County Commission and county ordinances
• Grafton-Taylor County Health Department (state listing)
• Grafton-Taylor County Health Department
• Grafton-Taylor County Health Department: sewage and grease trap systems
• City of Grafton Building and Development
• City of Grafton forms, including the building permit
• WV Flood Tool floodplain managers list (October 2025)

Taylor County permit FAQs

Who issues building permits in Taylor County?

Outside the towns, the county issues floodplain development permits through its Floodplain Administrator and the Office of Emergency Management. Grafton issues its own building permits.

Does Taylor County have a building code?

No building code is among the County Commission’s posted ordinances; the county permit comes from the 2018 Floodplain Ordinance.

Do I need a county permit if I am not in a flood zone?

Yes. The ordinance requires a permit for development, new construction and the placement of any structure anywhere in Taylor County.

How do I apply?

Fill in the Floodplain Development Permit web form on the Office of Emergency Management website, or the PDF version, and include one copy of your plans and specifications.

How long does review take?

The Floodplain Administrator has up to 90 days from the application date. Once issued, work must start within 180 days.

Who do I call about a permit in Grafton?

The City’s building inspector at 304-265-1881, or City Hall at 304-265-1412.

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