Richmond, VA
Richmond Building Permit Cost
A Richmond building permit is priced from the value of work — the higher of your contractor estimate or the City's RS Means valuation.
One- and two-family residential permits are $63.00 for the first $2,000, then $6.07 per $1,000 or fraction thereof; commercial permits are $131.00 plus $8.50 per $1,000 or fraction. Every permit then carries the schedule's 2% Virginia state surcharge on the final calculated fee.
How this fee is calculated
These are the components the schedule defines for this permit, as they applied on 2026-09-28. A component only applies to your project if its conditions match — read that column before assuming a figure. Want a figure for your own project? Estimate this fee with the permit fee calculator.
| Component | Formula | Applies when | Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Commercial building permit ($131.00 + $8.50 per $1,000, or fraction)Permit fee | $131.00 + $8.50 per $1,000 of project valuation above $2,000, or fraction thereof | Occupancy is commercial | — |
| Residential building permit ($63.00 + $6.07 per $1,000, or fraction)Permit fee | $63.00 + $6.07 per $1,000 of project valuation above $2,000, or fraction thereof | Occupancy is residential | — |
| Virginia 2% state surcharge on the final calculated feeState surcharge | 2% of fees charged | Every permit of this type | — |
A real permit fee is these components added together. The department’s final calculation is the one that applies — this is the schedule it will be based on.
A worked example
Follow the arithmetic by hand. Every line is produced by the engine from the rules above, so the total cannot drift away from the schedule behind it.
Worked example
A single-family home addition in Richmond with a declared value of work of $12,300 (residential).
| Input | Value |
|---|---|
| Project valuation | $12,300 |
| Occupancy class | Residential |
Example total
$132.37
An estimate, not an official fee. It is calculated from the published fee schedule as it applied on 2026-09-28. The permit office’s own calculation is the one that applies, and your project may fall under rules this schedule does not describe.
Fee schedule as of 2026-09-28Rules applied 2Rules considered 3
| Component | How it is calculated | Amount |
|---|---|---|
Residential building permit ($63.00 + $6.07 per $1,000, or fraction)Permit feeFee schedule: 1 & 2 family dwellings pay $63.00 for the first $2,000 of value of work, plus $6.07 per $1,000 or fraction thereof above $2,000.Show the working
| $63.00 + $6.07 per $1,000 of project valuation above $2,000, or fraction thereof, in $1,000 steps | $129.77 |
Virginia 2% state surcharge on the final calculated feeState surchargeFee schedule NOTE: 'For all permits, a 2.0% state surcharge is added to the final calculated fee.'Show the working
| 2% of fees charged | $2.60 |
| Total | $132.37 |
Fees that do not apply here
Listed so you can see what was considered and left out, rather than wondering whether something is missing. A rule can also be left out because it is not published for this permit at all, and that is stated where it matters.
- Commercial building permit ($131.00 + $8.50 per $1,000, or fraction) — This fee does not apply to the inputs provided.
Assumptions
- Calculated from 2 fee rules in effect on 2026-09-28.
- Amounts are rounded to the nearest cent, once, at the end of each component.
Above the first $2,000 there is $10,300 of value, which rounds up to eleven whole $1,000 steps ('or fraction thereof'): 11 × $6.07 = $66.77, plus the $63.00 base = $129.77. The 2% state surcharge adds $2.60. Total: $129.77 + $2.60 = $132.37.
What is different in Richmond
Building permits are issued by the Bureau of Permits and Inspections at 900 East Broad Street and reviewed against the 2021 Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code. A Richmond building permit covers only the building and structural portion of a project; electrical, mechanical and plumbing file separately. Permits route through Zoning, Planning and Preservation, the Commission of Architectural Review and other agencies as applicable, and withdrawn or rejected applications still owe a minimum of 5% of the initial fee (plan review minimums 10%, $25).
What this figure does not include
Impact fees, utility connections and other departments’ permits are the usual omissions, and in some jurisdictions they are larger than the permit fee itself.
Not included in these figures
This estimate covers the permit fee and the 2% state surcharge. It excludes:
- Certificate of Occupancy at $263.00 (temporary and partial included).
- Demolition permits — $184.00 residential / $368.00 commercial, plus $.01 per sq ft above 10,000 sq ft capped at $1,000.
- Re-inspections ($32 residential / $63 commercial) and after-hours inspections ($110/hour).
- Trade permits — electrical, mechanical and plumbing file separately.
What you need before applying
- Construction Documents and Value of WorkRequired
Plans filed under the 2021 VUSBC with the declared value of work; the City prices the permit on the higher of the contractor estimate or the RS Means valuation.
- Multi-Agency ReviewRequired
Building permits are forwarded to Zoning, Planning and Preservation, Land Use Administration, the Commission of Architectural Review, Public Works, Public Utilities, Water Resources and Code Enforcement as applicable.
Common questions
How is a Richmond building permit fee calculated?
Residential 1 & 2 family permits are $63.00 for the first $2,000 of value of work plus $6.07 per $1,000 or fraction thereof above $2,000; commercial permits are $131.00 plus $8.50 per $1,000 or fraction. A 2% state surcharge is added to the final calculated fee.
City of Richmond Fee Schedule, effective 07/01/2024
What value does Richmond use to calculate the fee?
The schedule states that the value of work equals the higher of either the contractor estimate or the RS Means price — the City checks your declaration against its own valuation data.
City of Richmond Fee Schedule NOTE
Does a Richmond building permit cover electrical and plumbing work?
No. The City states that a building permit covers only the building and structural portion of a project; electrical, mechanical and plumbing work is done under separate trade permits reviewed when submitted.
Richmond Permits and Inspections page
What happens if I withdraw or abandon a permit application?
Withdrawn or rejected applications owe a minimum administrative fee of 5% of the initial permit fee (never less than $25), and withdrawn plan reviews owe at least 10% of the initial fee ($25 minimum).
City of Richmond Fee Schedule
How does the 'or fraction thereof' rounding work?
The value above $2,000 rounds up to the next whole $1,000 before the rate applies: $10,300 of residential work above the threshold pays eleven $6.07 steps ($66.77), not ten and a fraction ($62.52).
City of Richmond Fee Schedule
Source and verification
The documents behind every figure on this page, with the dates that make them checkable.
- Fee schedule (PDF)CityPrimary source
City of Richmond Fee Schedule (effective 07/01/2024)
Residential 1 & 2 family: $63.00 for the first $2,000 plus $6.07 per $1,000 or fraction thereof. Commercial: $131.00 plus $8.50 per $1,000 or fraction. A 2.0% state surcharge is added to the final calculated fee of every permit. Value of work equals the higher of the contractor estimate or RS Means price.
- City websiteCityPrimary source
Permits and Inspections — Department of Planning & Development Review
Confirms the trade-permit split: a building permit covers only the building and structural portion; electrical, mechanical and plumbing work files under separate trade permits reviewed when submitted.
Verification
Last verified against the official source in Sep 2026.