Administrative overview · FIPS 51127
New Kent 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
New Kent County Department of Building Development
For a project in or near New Kent 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
804-966-9680
Call before mobilizing if the project has a boundary, occupancy, fire, septic, or utility question.
Permit counter
12007 Courthouse Circle, New Kent, VA 23124
Operating hours
Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m.; applications are accepted until 3:45 p.m.
Review expectation
Allow 10-15 business days for building-permit processing after submitting a complete application package.
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 New Kent County
Who handles permitting for this jurisdiction?
New Kent County Department of Building Development 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 804-966-9680 and request the current application route before preparing a final submittal.
How long might review take?
Allow 10-15 business days for building-permit processing after submitting a complete application package.
How are inspections scheduled?
Call the dedicated inspection line at 804-966-8572 and leave the building permit number or project address plus the inspection type requested. Requests received before inspectors receive their daily assignments at 8:00 a.m. are normally performed within one working day. The county charges $55 for a missed inspection, $75 when an inspection has failed twice or work is not ready, and $125 for a second-offense reinspection.
Which codes and exemptions should I review?
2021 Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code, including the 2021 Virginia Construction Code, 2021 Virginia Residential Code, 2021 Virginia Existing Building Code, 2021 Virginia Property Maintenance Code, 2021 Virginia Energy Conservation Code, 2021 Virginia Mechanical Code, 2021 Virginia Plumbing Code, 2021 Virginia Fuel Gas Code, and 2020 National Electrical Code. The county confirms that the 2021 USBC became effective January 17, 2025. The county identifies nonresidential farm buildings, as defined by the Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code, as exempt from building permits. Other statewide exemptions include qualifying low-voltage wiring; one-story detached tool/storage sheds, playhouses, and similar structures not exceeding 256 square feet; qualifying tents up to 900 square feet with 50 or fewer occupants; fences unless required for pedestrian safety or used as a pool barrier; masonry walls not over 6 feet; qualifying low retaining walls and small shallow pools; flagpoles not over 30 feet; minor and ordinary work; and specified like-for-like ordinary repairs and cosmetic work. New Kent separately states that a zoning permit is not required for fences, although height and placement limits apply; zoning, land-disturbance, floodplain, and Chesapeake Bay approvals may still be required.