Administrative overview · FIPS 51049
Cumberland 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
Cumberland County Building Inspection
For a project in or near Cumberland 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
804-492-9114
Call before mobilizing if the project has a boundary, occupancy, fire, septic, or utility question.
Permit counter
1 Courthouse Circle, Cumberland, VA 23040; mailing address: P.O. Box 110, Cumberland, VA 23040
Operating hours
Monday-Friday, 8:30 AM-4:30 PM; application cutoff is 4:00 PM
Review expectation
Ask the agency for its current review estimate
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 Cumberland County
Who handles permitting for this jurisdiction?
Cumberland County Building Inspection 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 804-492-9114 and request the current application route before preparing a final submittal.
How long might review take?
A typical review timeline was not verified. Ask the agency for its current completeness and review estimate.
How are inspections scheduled?
Request inspections by emailing permits@cumberlandcounty.virginia.gov or calling 804-492-9114. Provide as much notice as possible because same-day inspections are not guaranteed, and have all work ready by 8:30 AM on the scheduled inspection date. The permit must already be issued, and regulated work must be inspected before concealment. After an approved final inspection, the county states that a certificate of occupancy will be issued within five working days.
Which codes and exemptions should I review?
2021 Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code, effective January 18, 2024: 2021 Virginia Construction, Residential, Existing Building, Plumbing, Mechanical, Fuel Gas, Energy Conservation, and Swimming Pool and Spa Codes, with Virginia amendments and the 2020 National Electrical Code; the county also references the 2021 Virginia Property Maintenance, Statewide Fire Prevention, Amusement Device, Industrialized Building Safety, and Manufactured Home Safety regulations. Qualifying one-story detached sheds, playhouses, and similar accessory structures of 256 square feet or less are exempt from a building permit, although zoning requirements still apply. Virginia USBC exemptions also cover tents no larger than 900 square feet with an occupant load of 50 or less; fences other than pool or pedestrian-safety barriers; ordinary minor repairs and cosmetic work; qualifying low-voltage work; pools no larger than 150 square feet, 5,000 gallons, and less than 24 inches deep; small retaining walls; certain flagpoles and temporary residential ramps; and same-location, same-capacity LP-gas container replacements by the supplier. Qualifying farm structures may use the county's farm-structure affidavit, but zoning, floodplain, health, or other approvals may still be required.