Building permits in Virginia Beach, VA

Short answer: In Virginia Beach, permits are issued by City of Virginia Beach Planning Department, Permits & Inspections; of the 6 common projects we checked, 2 always need a permit, 0 do not, and 3 depend on the details (1 unverified).

Permitting authority: City of Virginia Beach Planning Department, Permits & Inspections. Virginia uses a statewide building code (USBC); the City enforces it. Properties in the Chesapeake Bay Preservation Area, flood zones or the Southern Rivers Watershed may need environmental approvals first.

Permit rules in Virginia Beach
Project	Answer	Verified
Deck	Permit required Yes. Decks are listed among residential projects that need a building permit.	2026-10-19
Fence	Depends on your project Virginia's building code exempts fences of any height (except pool barriers), but Virginia Beach lists fences among projects needing a permi…	2026-10-19
Interior / bathroom remodel	Depends on your project Replacing fixtures without changing supply, drain or vent piping, and installing cabinetry, need no permit. Moving walls or plumbing needs p…	2026-10-19
Roof replacement	Permit required Yes. Virginia Beach lists roofing replacements among projects needing a permit. The state exemption for roof covering does not apply where d…	2026-10-19
Shed	Depends on your project No building permit for a one-story shed or playhouse up to 256 sq ft. Larger sheds need one.	2026-10-19
Water heater replacement	Unverified, confirm locally We did not find an official Virginia Beach statement on water heater replacement permits.	2026-10-19

Fee schedule: https://planning.virginiabeach.gov/permits/building/residential-building-permits

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Not legal advice. Always confirm with your local building department. Rules change, and your parcel's zoning, HOA, historic district, floodplain or utility work can change the answer. We show the official source and the date we last checked it so you can verify for yourself.