Administrative overview · FIPS 51019
Bedford 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
Bedford County Community Development, Division of Building Inspections
For a project in or near Bedford 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
540-586-7616; inspection scheduling voicemail 540-586-7611
Call before mobilizing if the project has a boundary, occupancy, fire, septic, or utility question.
Permit counter
122 East Main Street, Suite G-03, Bedford, VA 24523
Operating hours
Monday-Friday 8:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m.; permit issuance and new application acceptance stop at 4:00 p.m.
Review expectation
A complete residential new-construction permit application is generally reviewed within five to 10 business days. Electrical permits for service changes, new services on existing buildings, temporary services, and similar work are typically issued the same day when submitted in person.
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 Bedford County
Who handles permitting for this jurisdiction?
Bedford County Community Development, Division of Building Inspections 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?
Begin with the online permit gateway listed in the application guide. If the portal does not recognize the address or project type, contact 540-586-7616; inspection scheduling voicemail 540-586-7611.
How long might review take?
A complete residential new-construction permit application is generally reviewed within five to 10 business days. Electrical permits for service changes, new services on existing buildings, temporary services, and similar work are typically issued the same day when submitted in person.
How are inspections scheduled?
Request an inspection through the Citizen Self-Service portal or call the inspection voicemail at 540-586-7611 and provide the permit number, name, and address. Requests received before 4:00 p.m. are scheduled for the next business day unless workload prevents completion; requests after 4:00 p.m. are scheduled for the second business day. Inspections are not appointment-based. The site must be identified and the permit posted, and work must be complete and accessible; otherwise escalating reinspection fees apply. General inspection questions: 540-586-7616.
Which codes and exemptions should I review?
Bedford County enforces the mandatory 2021 Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code cycle in 2026: the 2021 Virginia Construction Code, 2021 Virginia Residential Code, 2021 Virginia Existing Building Code, and applicable 2021 Virginia plumbing, mechanical, fuel-gas, energy-conservation, swimming-pool and spa, property-maintenance, and fire-code provisions, together with the referenced 2020 National Electrical Code and Virginia amendments. The County's current designer and energy-compliance forms expressly identify the 2021 code editions. The incorporated Town of Bedford operates its own building-inspection office. Bedford County identifies qualifying one-story detached storage or utility accessory structures not exceeding 256 square feet as building-permit exempt. Other Virginia USBC exemptions include fences other than required pedestrian-safety or swimming-pool barriers; qualifying tents not exceeding 900 square feet with 50 or fewer occupants; certain low-voltage wiring; limited roof-decking replacement on specified residential occupancies; and ordinary repairs such as painting, wall covering, cabinetry, and floor covering. A structure qualifying as a farm building is exempt from building plan review under state law but still requires a County zoning permit. Zoning, land-disturbance, floodplain, septic, and other approvals may apply even where a building permit is exempt.