Administrative overview · FIPS 51133
Northumberland 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
Northumberland County Building & Zoning Department
For a project in or near Northumberland 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
804-580-8910
Call before mobilizing if the project has a boundary, occupancy, fire, septic, or utility question.
Permit counter
72 Monument Place, Heathsville, VA 22473
Operating hours
Monday-Friday, 7:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
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 Northumberland County
Who handles permitting for this jurisdiction?
Northumberland County Building & Zoning Department 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 804-580-8910 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?
Call the Northumberland County Building & Zoning Office at 804-580-8910 to schedule required building and site inspections. Provide the permit number, project address, requested inspection type, and site-access information; do not conceal regulated work before approval.
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. Virginia's 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. Zoning permits, Chesapeake Bay, floodplain, wetlands, erosion and sediment control, and other applicable approvals may still be required.