Administrative overview · FIPS 51570
Colonial Heights 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 Colonial Heights Planning and Community Development, Building Inspections Division
For a project in or near Colonial Heights 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
Building permits and inspections: 804-520-9297; Fee questions: 804-520-9298
Call before mobilizing if the project has a boundary, occupancy, fire, septic, or utility question.
Permit counter
201 James Avenue, Colonial Heights, VA 23834
Operating hours
Monday-Friday 8:30 AM-5:00 PM Eastern
Review expectation
The Building Permit Applications page states permits are processed within two weeks and inspections within 48 hours. The separate zoning-application page states zoning permits are processed within 10 business 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 Colonial Heights city
Who handles permitting for this jurisdiction?
City of Colonial Heights Planning and Community Development, Building Inspections Division 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 Building permits and inspections: 804-520-9297; Fee questions: 804-520-9298.
How long might review take?
The Building Permit Applications page states permits are processed within two weeks and inspections within 48 hours. The separate zoning-application page states zoning permits are processed within 10 business days.
How are inspections scheduled?
Call 804-520-9297 between 8:30 AM and 5:00 PM on the business day before the inspection is needed. The city states inspections are processed within 48 hours. Building, plumbing, mechanical, gas, and electrical inspections are performed by Building Inspections; when a final building inspection is requested, required Planning, Environmental Engineering, Utilities, and Health final inspections are automatically scheduled.
Which codes and exemptions should I review?
The city enforces the current 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. Current Virginia USBC Section 108.2 exemptions include qualifying one-story detached sheds, playhouses, and similar structures not over 256 square feet; fences unless serving as pool barriers or construction-site pedestrian protection; shallow pools not over 150 square feet; specified low-voltage wiring; floor finishes; cabinetry and trim; paint and wallpaper; limited qualifying replacement of residential windows, doors, roof covering, siding, roof decking, plumbing fixtures, switches, receptacles, lights, ceiling fans, and non-gas/oil appliances; and other minor ordinary repairs approved by the building official. Zoning, historic-district, flood-hazard, and other city requirements still apply, and the building official may require permits for replacement siding, roofing, or windows in a designated historic district.