Administrative overview · FIPS 51550
Chesapeake city 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
City of Chesapeake Department of Development and Permits
For a project in or near Chesapeake city, 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
Permit Support: 757-382-6018; Building/Zoning inspections and Customer Contact Center: 757-382-2489
Call before mobilizing if the project has a boundary, occupancy, fire, septic, or utility question.
Permit counter
City Hall, 306 Cedar Road, 2nd Floor, Chesapeake, VA 23322
Operating hours
Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-5:00 PM Eastern; a second-floor drop box is available outside normal department hours
Review expectation
The city states that residential addition or alteration plans of 500 square feet or less are normally reviewed and the permit issued at the time of submission. Larger projects require formal plan review; no general review duration is published. Inspection requests may be performed on the requested date, but the USBC permits up to two working days.
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 Chesapeake city
Who handles permitting for this jurisdiction?
City of Chesapeake Department of Development and Permits 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 Permit Support: 757-382-6018; Building/Zoning inspections and Customer Contact Center: 757-382-2489.
How long might review take?
The city states that residential addition or alteration plans of 500 square feet or less are normally reviewed and the permit issued at the time of submission. Larger projects require formal plan review; no general review duration is published. Inspection requests may be performed on the requested date, but the USBC permits up to two working days.
How are inspections scheduled?
Request inspections through eBUILD or call 757-382-2489. Provide the permit number, property address, inspection type, contractor and phone, and requester's name. Requests received by the published cutoff on the prior business day are eligible for next-business-day scheduling; the city notes the Virginia USBC allows up to two working days to perform an inspection. Approved plans and applicable engineering/site plans must be on site, and the permit holder must provide ladders, scaffolds, and test equipment. At least one approved inspection on one of the project's permits is required every six months to keep the permit active.
Which codes and exemptions should I review?
The city currently enforces the 2021 Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code cycle, including the 2021 Virginia Construction, Residential, Existing Building, Plumbing, Mechanical, Fuel Gas, Energy Conservation, and Property Maintenance codes with Virginia amendments, plus the 2020 National Electrical Code. The city's homeowner guide identifies painting, carpet/rug installation, trim, cabinets, gutters, qualifying siding and roof-covering replacement, roof patches under 100 square feet, minor porch/step repairs, uncovered on-grade concrete patios, same-location like-for-like plumbing and electrical fixtures, specified switches, receptacles, lights and plug-in equipment, and many same-for-same non-gas/oil appliances as permit exempt. Chesapeake nevertheless requires a zoning permit and site plan for sheds 256 square feet or smaller, and its current permit page says sheds and fences require city permits regardless of size; any shed in a flood zone requires a building permit. Gas/oil equipment and new or relocated wiring, piping, or equipment require permits.