Fees, valuation & enforcement
Permit fees are a project input. Enforcement exposure is a project risk. Use the official schedule where available, then confirm valuation, trade permits, plan review, and inspection charges with the Authority Having Jurisdiction.
Official fee pathway
The final charge may depend on declared construction value, occupancy classification, square footage, plan review, state surcharges, trade permits, technology fees, and inspection activity. Do not use a neighboring city’s fee table as a substitute for this jurisdiction.
Fee desk contact
434-332-9596
Ask the counter to confirm current charges before submitting a project with multiple trades or a change of use.
Financial exposure
Plan for building, mechanical, plumbing, electrical, fire, energy, zoning, septic, right-of-way, or other reviews that the project scope triggers. The lowest initial permit fee is not always the lowest project cost.
Enforcement exposure
When work begins without authorization, the agency may halt the site, require corrective plans, impose additional fees, withhold inspection release, or require concealed work to be exposed for review.
Closeout exposure
A missing final inspection or certificate can complicate occupancy, refinancing, sale, insurance, and utility connection. Preserve the approved plans and signed inspection record through closeout.
Professional field note
Even when a cosmetic or minor project does not require a building permit, zoning, floodplain, shoreline, historic, utility, fire, or right-of-way controls may still apply. Confirm the full jurisdictional picture before work starts.
Source trail
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
Campbell County Community Development, Building Inspections Office is the identified county-level authority for this profile. Confirm that the property is in its service area before filing.
Begin with the online permit gateway listed in the application guide. If the portal does not recognize the address or project type, contact 434-332-9596.
Most complete permits can be issued while the applicant waits; permits requiring plan review may take several days. The online portal asks applicants to allow 24 business hours for an email response regarding application status.
Request inspections through the Campbell County SmartGov portal at https://co-campbell-va.smartgovcommunity.com/Public/Home or call 434-332-9596 with the permit number. The portal also displays pending applications, issued permits, and inspection results. Required work must remain exposed and accessible until approved; a $50 reinspection fee applies when the address is wrong or absent, the premises are inaccessible, corrections were not made, or work is not ready.
All Campbell County permits issued after January 18, 2025 are subject to the 2021 Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code cycle. This includes the 2021 Virginia Construction, Residential, Existing Building, Plumbing, Mechanical, Fuel Gas, Energy Conservation, and Swimming Pool and Spa codes, the referenced 2020 National Electrical Code, and applicable Virginia Statewide Fire Prevention, Industrialized Building Safety, Manufactured Home Safety, and Amusement Device regulations. County design criteria include 25 psf ground snow load, 110 mph wind speed, seismic category B, 18-inch frost depth, severe weathering, and moderate-to-heavy termite exposure. Campbell County lists painting; residential reroofing; replacement windows and doors outside fire-rated assemblies; repair or replacement of interior walls and wall coverings; floor and porch-floor coverings; cabinets; repair or replacement of existing plumbing and electrical fixtures; common-appliance replacement; residential siding; lighting systems under 50 volts; and fences as examples that may be exempt. Qualifying one-story detached storage buildings and garages of 256 square feet or less may also be exempt under the Virginia USBC. Zoning, floodplain, land-disturbance, health, or other approval can still apply.
Why permit costs vary
Building departments commonly calculate charges from valuation, occupancy, floor area, project type, plan review effort, trade scope, state surcharges, and inspection activity. A remodel that appears small on paper may still trigger structural, energy, fire, or utility review. Ask the permit counter which disciplines apply before you finalize the construction budget.
The same discipline applies to enforcement. Correcting unpermitted work after finishes are installed can require demolition, revised plans, additional inspections, and schedule disruption. Authorization is usually the less expensive project-management decision.