Virginia Construction Code guide
A plain-language reference to the codes in force across Virginia, common project triggers, exemptions, and how an address maps to the building department that issues your permit.
Which codes are in force
Virginia enforces one statewide code — the Uniform Statewide Building Code (USBC) — under 13VAC5-63. The current edition is the 2021 Virginia USBC, based on the 2021 International Code Council (I-Codes) with Virginia amendments. It has been mandatory for all permits issued since 18 January 2025. Permits pulled before that date under the 2018 USBC remain governed by that edition for the life of the permit.
| Code | Scope | Citation |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 Virginia Construction Code | General building construction, including the permit trigger in Section 108. | 13VAC5-63, Part I |
| 2021 Virginia Mechanical Code | HVAC equipment, ductwork, ventilation, fuel-gas piping. | IMC as amended by Virginia |
| 2021 Virginia Fuel Gas Code | Gas appliance installation and gas piping. | IFGC as amended by Virginia |
| 2021 Virginia Plumbing Code | Water supply, drainage, fixtures, water heaters. | IPC as amended by Virginia |
| NFPA 70 (NEC) | Electrical wiring, services, devices. | Adopted & amended by the USBC, Chapter 27 |
| 2021 Virginia Residential Code | One- and two-family dwellings and townhouses (Parts IV–VIII). | IRC as amended by Virginia |
The Virginia Maintenance Code (Part II) and the Virginia Industrial Readiness Code (Part III) round out the USBC but apply to existing buildings and industrialized buildings rather than typical trade-permit work.
Common project triggers
Under USBC Section 108 (13VAC5-63-80), a permit is required before you install, alter, replace, or relocate regulated work. The most common HVAC, plumbing, and electrical triggers we evaluate at PermitCue:
HVAC
- Installing or replacing a condenser, air handler, or furnace
- Altering or extending ductwork
- Relocating fuel-gas piping or appliances
- Adding or replacing a mini-split system
Plumbing
- Replacing or relocating fixtures with new piping
- Installing or replacing a water heater
- Adding a bathroom or relocating drain, waste, vent lines
- New or replacement gas piping (trade-dependent)
Electrical
- New branch circuits or service upgrades
- Installing or altering wiring, panels, or services
- EV charger or generator installation
- Wiring in plenums or fire-resistance-rated assemblies
Virginia also requires a DPOR-licensed contractor with the matching trade classification to pull the permit; the license number goes on the application.
Exemptions under Section 108.2
Some work is classified as “ordinary repair” and does not require a permit. The exemptions below are the ones PermitCue evaluates most often; local building officials have final say and interpretation can vary by jurisdiction.
- HVAC: routine filter changes, belt replacement, and minor adjustments that do not alter the system or add piping.
- Plumbing: replacing an existing fixture in the same location with no new or relocated piping, and clearing stoppages or repairing leaks that do not involve replacing or rearranging valves, pipes, or fixtures.
- Electrical: installation of wiring and equipment operating at less than 50 volts (unless in a plenum or fire-resistance-rated assembly), and replacement of a device such as a switch, receptacle, or fixture on an existing outlet where no new wiring is installed.
Finding the right jurisdiction
Virginia is unique: every county and independent city administers the USBC through its own building department. A Norfolk address is handled by the City of Norfolk — never by surrounding counties — so knowing the locality is essential to filing the right application and paying the right fee.
PermitCue resolves the locality from a street address using a deterministic geocoding workflow: the address is parsed into locality segments, independent cities are checked before counties (because a Virginia city address is never administered by its surrounding county), and an explicit “County” suffix in the address wins unambiguously. When a locality cannot be matched to a covered jurisdiction, the statewide USBC rules are returned as a fallback so you still get the code-level answer.
Covered localities
PermitCue currently covers the statewide USBC plus 14 Virginia localities — including the independent cities of Norfolk, Richmond, Virginia Beach, Alexandria, and Charlottesville, and the counties of Fairfax, Arlington, Chesterfield, Henrico, and Loudoun — with verified office contacts, portal links, fee schedules, and submission instructions for each.
Turn the code into a permit package
The code tells you whether a permit is required; it does not tell you which form to file, what documents to attach, what the fee will be, or which inspections to schedule. PermitCue takes your project address, trade, and scope and assembles that package from the jurisdiction’s own rules and forms — so you move from “a permit is required” to a ready-to-file application.