Administrative overview · FIPS 51005
Alleghany County permit authority
The first compliance decision is jurisdictional: identify the office with statutory authority over your parcel, then use its filing and inspection sequence to keep the project moving.
Jurisdictional status
County
This county profile is the primary starting point for unincorporated-area permitting.
Responsible agency
Alleghany County Building Inspections Department
For a project in or near Alleghany County, this office is the identified point of contact for permit intake, statutory code enforcement, plan review coordination, and inspection release conditions. Confirm the parcel’s boundary and project type before relying on the county lane.
Direct contact
540-863-6650
Call before mobilizing if the project has a boundary, occupancy, fire, septic, or utility question.
Permit counter
9212 Winterberry Avenue, Suite A, Covington, VA 24426
Operating hours
Operating hours not verified
Review expectation
Allow two working days for a completed building and zoning permit application to be processed, reviewed, and approved.
Compliance workbench
Choose the next project decision.
Apply online
Open the verified digital gateway, application form, and review timeline.
Open guide →Fees & penalties
Understand fee schedules, enforcement exposure, and stop-work liabilities.
Open guide →Codes & exemptions
Read the code framework, minor-work exemptions, and inspection lane.
Open guide →Agency website
Visit the primary public source for current notices and contact changes.
Open guide →Source trail
Official sources for this profile
Use these direct agency or licensing links to confirm current instructions before you file, pay, or schedule work. External pages control if their information differs from this directory.
Project questions
Frequently asked questions for Alleghany County
Who handles permitting for this jurisdiction?
Alleghany County Building Inspections Department is the identified county-level authority for this profile. Confirm that the property is in its service area before filing.
How should I begin an application?
No verified online portal was located in the reviewed public materials. Contact 540-863-6650 and request the current application route before preparing a final submittal.
How long might review take?
Allow two working days for a completed building and zoning permit application to be processed, reviewed, and approved.
How are inspections scheduled?
Call the Public Works Department at 540-863-6650 at least 24 hours in advance. Inspections are scheduled Monday-Friday from 7:00 a.m.-3:30 p.m.; same-day inspections are generally unavailable, and the inspector may take up to two working days after the request. The permit applicant is responsible for requesting all required inspections, and work must remain exposed until approved. Inspections are conducted under the Virginia USBC.
Which codes and exemptions should I review?
Alleghany County issues permits under the Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code. The mandatory 2021 Virginia code cycle applies in 2026, including the 2021 Virginia Construction Code based principally on the 2021 International Building Code with Virginia amendments, the 2021 Virginia Residential Code, the 2021 Virginia Existing Building Code, applicable 2021 plumbing, mechanical, fuel-gas, energy-conservation, swimming-pool and spa, and fire-code provisions, and the referenced 2020 National Electrical Code with Virginia amendments. Published local design criteria are an 18-inch frost depth, 90-mph wind design load, and 30-psf snow design load. Virginia USBC exemptions include qualifying one-story detached sheds, playhouses, or similar structures not exceeding 256 square feet; fences not serving as a required pedestrian-safety or swimming-pool barrier; qualifying tents of 900 square feet or less with an occupant load of 50 or fewer; certain low-voltage wiring; limited roof-decking replacement on specified residential occupancies; and minor ordinary repairs. Painting, wall covering, cabinetry, floor covering, and similar cosmetic work generally do not require a building permit. Zoning, erosion and sediment control, health-department, floodplain, and other approvals may still be required.