Skip to main content

Fairfax County, VA Building Permit Fees (2026)

Actual fee formulas from Appendix Q, Land Development Services Fee Schedule (FY2025). Not generic ranges.

Jurisdiction
Fairfax County, VA
Permit Type Covered
Building permit (residential)
Coverage Scope
Building permit fee only - trade permits separate
Fee Schedule Effective
July 1, 2024 (FY2025)
Last Verified
March 15, 2026
Fee Status
Official formula-based fee
Key Takeaways
  • Base permit fee: 3% of stated construction value, $72 minimum (effective FY2025, Appendix Q).
  • Plan review is mandatory - it adds 50% of the base fee to every building permit application.
  • Virginia's USBC state levy adds 2% on top of the combined permit and plan review fee.
  • A $15,000 project totals $688.50: $450 permit + $225 plan review + $13.50 levy.
  • Trade permits (electrical, plumbing, HVAC) are separate and have their own fee tiers.
Calculate My Permit Fee All Virginia Jurisdictions
What This Page Covers
Covered on this page
  • Residential building permit fee (Appendix Q, Chapter 61)
  • Plan review fee (50% of building permit fee)
  • Virginia USBC state levy (2%, Code of VA §36-139)
  • Per-square-foot rates for new residential construction
  • Flat rate for in-ground pools ($270)
Not covered on this page
  • Electrical, plumbing, and HVAC trade permits (separate fee tiers)
  • Zoning review, site plan, or special exception fees
  • Grading and site development permits
  • Impact fees or utility connection fees
  • Reinspection, revision, or expedited review fees
  • Commercial construction permits

Fairfax County Permit Fee Formula

Three fee components stack on every residential building permit. All figures are from Appendix Q, FY2025, effective July 1, 2024.

Fee Component Formula $15,000 Deck Example Authority
Building Permit Fee max(cost × 3%, $72 minimum) $450.00 Appendix Q, Chapter 61
Plan Review Fee Permit fee × 50% $225.00 Appendix Q, Chapter 61
Virginia USBC State Levy (Permit + Plan Review) × 2% $13.50 Code of VA §36-139
Total Sum of all three components $688.50 -
Pool In-ground pools use a flat $270 permit fee (not 3%). Add 50% plan review ($135) and 2% state levy ($8.10) = $413.10 all-in.
Solar Solar panel building permit fee is waived ($0) per Virginia state policy. A permit is still required. Separate electrical permit (~$378) is not waived.
New Construction New residential construction and new garages use a per-square-foot rate: $0.143/sqft for VA/VB (wood frame), $0.211/sqft for IIA/IIIA/IV, $0.270/sqft for IA/IB. Minimum $72.
Source

Fairfax County permit fee inline estimator

How Fairfax County Calculates Your Permit Fee
Calculate the base building permit fee - Fairfax County uses 3% of the stated construction value (applicant-stated or ICC Building Valuation Data table, whichever is greater). Minimum fee: $72 for residential alterations. New construction and garages use per-square-foot rates instead. Base Fee = max(Construction Value × 0.03, $72.00)
Add plan review fee - Plan review is mandatory and billed separately. It is exactly 50% of the base building permit fee. It is not included in the base fee quote. Plan Review = Base Fee × 0.50
Add Virginia USBC state levy - The Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code levy is 2% applied to the sum of base fee plus plan review. Collected by Fairfax County, remitted to the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development under Code of VA §36-139. State Levy = (Base Fee + Plan Review) × 0.02
Sum all three components - Total building permit cost is base fee + plan review + state levy. Trade permits (electrical, plumbing, HVAC) are calculated separately using their own tiered fee schedules and are not included in this total. Total = Base Fee + Plan Review + State Levy
Fairfax County Permit Fee Calculator
Jurisdiction locked to Fairfax County, VA · Data from Appendix Q FY2025
Estimated Permit Cost
-

    This calculator uses the Appendix Q FY2025 fee schedule (effective July 1, 2024). For trade permits, the 2% VA USBC levy also applies. Compare across jurisdictions →

    Fairfax County Permit Fees by Project Type

    Select a project for jurisdiction-specific fee formulas, permit requirements, and worked examples.

    Deck 3% of cost · min $72 Swimming Pool Flat $270 Roof Replacement 3% of cost · min $72 Room Addition 3% of cost · min $72 Basement Finish 3% of cost · min $72 Kitchen Remodel 3% of cost · min $72 Bathroom Remodel 3% of cost · min $72 Solar Panels Fee waived ($0) Fence 3% of cost · conditional Shed 3% of cost · conditional New Garage $0.143/sqft (wood) Retaining Wall 3% of cost · over 4 ft Covered Patio 3% of cost · min $72 Window / Door 3% of cost · conditional ADU $0.143/sqft (wood) Driveway 3% of cost · conditional Demolition 3% of cost · min $72 Electrical $341–$633 by amperage Plumbing $340–$780 by fixture HVAC $135–$660 by zone

    Fairfax County Permit Office

    Land Development Services

    12055 Government Center Pkwy
    Fairfax, VA 22035

    Phone: (703) 222-0801
    TTY: 711

    Hours: Mon–Thu 8am–4pm, Fri 9:15am–4pm

    Online Services
    PLUS Portal - Apply Online LDS Building Permits page →

    The PLUS portal (Planning and Land Use System) accepts permit applications for many residential project types. Complex projects may require a pre-application meeting.

    What to Know Before You File

    The fee your contractor quoted is probably low. Most homeowners hear the base permit fee and stop there. But the final invoice includes plan review - which adds 50% of the base fee - and Virginia's USBC state levy on the combined total. For a $15,000 deck, the actual all-in cost is $688.50. Generic cost guides that cite $300–$500 are omitting the two line items that account for 34% of the total.

    Real-World Example: $15,000 Deck, Fairfax County

    400 sqft composite deck with 42-inch cable railing, attached to dwelling · Building permit - residential alteration · Stated valuation: $15,000 · Fee schedule: Appendix Q, FY2025 (effective 2024-07-01)

    Building Permit Fee $450.00
    Plan Review Fee (50%) $225.00
    Virginia USBC State Levy (2%) $13.50
    Total Building Permit Fees $688.50

    max($15,000 × 3%, $72 min) = $450.00 + ($450.00 × 50%) = $225.00 plan review + ($675.00 × 2%) = $13.50 state levy = $688.50 total

    Note: If the deck includes electrical for lighting or outlets, a separate electrical trade permit is required. A 200-amp service change adds $378 + $7.56 state levy = $385.56. LED string lighting on a dedicated 15-amp circuit (0–149 amp tier) = $341 + $6.82 levy = $347.82.

    When Standard Calculations Don't Apply

    • Contractor disputes the stated valuation: the building official may substitute the ICC Building Valuation Data (BVD) table if your stated cost is below market rate, potentially increasing the base fee.
    • Project scope changes after permit issuance: permit amendment fees apply, calculated on the cost difference.
    • Work started before permit is pulled: reinspection fee of $135 per visit applies, and the building official may require destructive inspection of completed work.
    • Deck requires grading: if land disturbance exceeds 2,500 sqft, a separate site development permit is required from the Department of Public Works and Environmental Services.
    • Historic overlay district: properties in a historic overlay district require additional review by Historic Preservation Staff before LDS will issue a building permit - additional review fees may apply.
    • Pool barrier permit: an in-ground pool requires a separate pool barrier/fence permit under VUSBC requirements. That permit uses the residential alteration rate, not the flat $270 pool fee.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Building permits in Fairfax County cost 3% of the estimated construction value for residential alterations and repairs, with a $72 minimum. Plan review adds 50% of the base fee and Virginia's state levy adds 2% of the combined total. A $15,000 deck project costs $688.50 all-in. Fees are set annually by the Board of Supervisors and published in Appendix Q of the Land Development Services fee schedule, effective July 1 of each fiscal year.
    Yes. Fairfax County requires a plan review fee equal to 50% of the building permit fee for all residential building permit applications. This is not optional and is collected at the time of application. For a $15,000 project with a $450 permit fee, the plan review fee is $225.
    The Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code (USBC) levy is a 2% surcharge on the combined building permit fee and plan review fee. It is collected by Fairfax County and remitted to the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development under Code of Virginia §36-139. On a $15,000 project, the levy is ($450 + $225) × 2% = $13.50.
    Yes. Fairfax County accepts permit applications through the PLUS portal (Planning and Land Use System) at plus.fairfaxcounty.gov. Some straightforward permit types can be issued over the counter or through the online portal without a separate plan review appointment. Complex projects typically require a pre-application meeting.
    Building without a permit can result in a stop-work order, reinspection fees of $135 per visit, a requirement to expose completed work for inspection (which may mean removing drywall or decking), and complications during resale because the unpermitted work will not appear on the property record. After-the-fact permits are available but may cost more than pulling the permit before construction began.
    Fairfax County building permits are valid for 180 days (6 months) from the date of issuance. If work has not begun within that period, or if construction is suspended for more than 180 days, the permit expires. A renewal can be obtained for 50% of the original permit fee, provided the work is still under the same approved scope.

    Sources

    Official .gov Sources · Verified March 15, 2026

    Fee data for this page was verified by Munib Ur Rehman by downloading the Appendix Q PDF directly from fairfaxcounty.gov/landdevelopment and cross-referencing formulas with the Municode entry for Chapters 61, 64, 65, and 66 of the Code of the County of Fairfax. Confidence: High. Next verification due: July 15, 2026.

    Virginia Permit Cost Guide → Deck Permit Guide → Pool Permit Guide → Fairfax Pool Permit Deep-Dive → Fairfax vs Loudoun Comparison → Fairfax vs Chesterfield Comparison → Fairfax vs Richmond Comparison → DC vs Fairfax Comparison → Norfolk vs Fairfax Comparison → Fairfax vs Henrico Comparison → Washington DC Fees → Loudoun County Fees →

    Permit Fees Are One Part of Your Project Budget

    Once you know your permit cost, two related numbers round out your total budget picture:

    Property tax impact after your project closes

    A finished basement or added deck increases your assessed value in Fairfax County. See how each jurisdiction calculates ongoing property taxes at CountyTaxTools.com.

    Planning new construction or a large addition?

    Development impact fees and zoning costs in Fairfax County can exceed the building permit fee by 10×. Research them at ZoneFee.com.

    Always verify current fees directly with Fairfax County Land Development Services before budgeting or filing. Call (703) 222-0801 or visit fairfaxcounty.gov/landdevelopment. Fee schedules change annually when the Board of Supervisors adopts the new fiscal year budget. Appendix Q is updated July 1 each year.
    Disclaimer: All fee estimates on PermitPrice are for informational purposes only and are not official permit quotations. Actual permit fees are determined by Fairfax County Land Development Services at the time of permit application. Fee schedules, surcharge rates, and permit requirements can change without notice. Verify all fees directly with the building department before filing.

    Written by: Munib Ur Rehman

    Data verified against official fee schedule documents.