Virginia Beach permit search

Virginia Beach review and inspection figures

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How to search a permit by address in Virginia Beach

The Virginia Beach Public Portal links its “Search by Record #” option to the Accela record search. The same form offers an address search. Select Search by Address in the search-type list, then enter the property information in the form. The record search also offers a record-information option.

Enter information below to search for records.

Source: Accela Citizen Access, read 2026-11-01

Select the search type from the drop-down list.

Source: Accela Citizen Access, read 2026-11-01

Open Search by Record # for the public search, or use the should be submitted online to reach its application choices. The Public Portal presents building and trade record searches separately from planning, DSC and zoning records.

Virginia Beach permit login

The Virginia Beach Public Portal marks the building and trade application choice as requiring login. Its record-search link leads to the public Accela search form. Choose the application entry for submitting a project, or use the address and record-information search options for an existing record.

Apply for Building & Trade Permits Login Required

Source: Public Portal, read 2026-11-01

Virginia Beach permit requirements

The residential building guidance covers structural changes, egress changes, additions and other listed projects. Start with the kind of work you are proposing: cutting a structural beam and changing an exit are among the city’s examples. The operative construction and alteration statement is quoted here.

Construction or alteration of a residential structure requiring permits include cutting away any wall, partition, or portion of the building; the removal or cutting of any structural beam; the removal or change of any required means of egress, or rearrangement of parts of the structure affecting the egress requirements.

Source: Residential Building Permits | City of Virginia Beach, read 2026-11-01

Do I need a permit for a fence in Virginia Beach?

Virginia Beach separates a conditional fence exception from the other fences or walls that require a zoning or building permit. Its zoning FAQ combines the location, lot, use, distance and height conditions. Read the complete exception together; the city directs other fence proposals to its Fence/Wall page.

Most fences and walls require a permit. However, fences that meet all of the criteria below are not required to obtain a fence permit: Located in a residential zoning district. Accessory to a single-family residence. On an interior lot. No closer than 30 feet to a right-of-way (ROW). No taller than 4 feet in the front yard and 8 feet in any other yard. All other fences or walls require either a zoning permit or building permit. Please see our Fence/Wall page for further details.

Source: Zoning | City of Virginia Beach, read 2026-11-01

For the ordinance reference, the Fence/Wall Permits identifies Section 201 of the City Zoning Ordinance as the fence provision.

Start my request for a fence in Virginia Beach

Do I need a permit to repair or replace a roof in Virginia Beach?

Roofing or siding replacements appear in the city’s residential permit list under Change of use Alterations. Its inspection table groups roofing with siding, EIFS and fences and marks Final for that row. Keep the permit application and the final inspection together when describing the work.

Roofing or siding replacements

Source: Residential Building Permits | City of Virginia Beach, read 2026-11-01

For alterations, the application guidance distinguishes the contractor’s contract value from the homeowner’s approximate material cost. It also calls for an asbestos exemption form with the relevant signature. Those are application details published for alterations, including roofing and siding.

Siding / EIFS / Roofing / Fences Final X

Source: Residential Building Permits | City of Virginia Beach, read 2026-11-01

Start my request for a roof in Virginia Beach

Can a homeowner pull their own permit in Virginia Beach?

The city publishes application instructions for a homeowner obtaining the permit, alongside a contractor application route. For additions and alterations, the homeowner instruction requests identifying information, the approximate material cost, a signature and an associated permit number when applicable. The same residential page has separate homeowner entries for new houses, pools and driveways.

If the homeowner is obtaining permit: name, address, approximate cost of materials, signature, and if applicable, any permit number associated with the same address.

Source: Residential Building Permits | City of Virginia Beach, read 2026-11-01

For a new house, the owner’s entry requests the owner’s signature and the physical location of the new house. For a pool or hot tub, it asks for the approximate pool or hot-tub cost. The fence page also expressly assigns obtaining the pool and barrier building permit to property owners.

All property owners must obtain a building permit to install swimming pools and barriers.

Source: Fence/Wall Permits | City of Virginia Beach, read 2026-11-01

For residential alterations, the asbestos exemption form has a contractor-representative signature route when a contractor does the work and an owner-signature route when the owner does it. Use the application section for the proposed project so that the signature and accompanying information match the city’s instructions.

What work does not need a permit in Virginia Beach?

The local fence exception is set out in the fence answer. For sheds, the state building-code excerpt below is a separate source: Virginia Administrative Code 13VAC5-63-80, Section 108.2, item 2. The same state section includes the special-flood-hazard exception quoted immediately after it.

2. One story detached structures used as tool and storage sheds, playhouses, or similar uses, provided the building area does not exceed 256 square feet (23.78 m2) and the structures are not classified as a Group F-1 or H occupancy.

Source: 13VAC5-63-80. Section 108 Application for permit., read 2026-11-01

2. Application for a permit may be required by the building official for any items exempted in this section that are located in a special flood hazard area.

Source: 13VAC5-63-80. Section 108 Application for permit., read 2026-11-01

Virginia Beach lists sheds greater than 256 square feet among detached structures in its residential permit guidance. The zoning FAQ separately limits the allowable area and height of an accessory structure. Read the building-code excerpt and the city’s zoning limits as separate requirements for the proposed shed.

How much is a permit and how long does it take in Virginia Beach?

Virginia Beach publishes an initial online review range and a separate revision rule. The building page directs submissions outside its small-plan counter criteria online. Use the initial review statement for that stage of the application; the city describes revisions by reference to the original review timeframe.

All other items should be submitted online. The initial review for online submissions takes 15-45 business days. Revisions take half of the original review timeframe.

Source: Building Permits | City of Virginia Beach, read 2026-11-01

Virginia Beach links its residential permit schedule from the residential building page. Use that document for the charges associated with the proposed application.

For inspection scheduling, Virginia Beach allows requests in advance but also prints a same-day cutoff and an earlier recommended submission time. The complete scheduling instruction follows so those conditions stay attached to the advance window.

Inspections can be scheduled up to five working days in advance of the desired inspection date; however, they must be scheduled PRIOR to 8 a.m. for the day desired. All inspections scheduled after 8 a.m. will not be available for a same-day inspection. Schedule inspections no later than 7 a.m. the day the inspection is desired to assure the information will be recorded in time.​

Source: Residential Building Permits | City of Virginia Beach, read 2026-11-01

The city makes the permit holder responsible for scheduling the required inspections at the appropriate stage of construction. Its residential inspection table identifies a final inspection for roofing, siding, EIFS and fences; the table also warns that its list may not cover each situation.

It is the permit holder’s responsibility to schedule the required inspections at the appropriate stage of construction. VCC Chapter 1.

Source: Residential Building Permits | City of Virginia Beach, read 2026-11-01

Before you apply in Virginia Beach: checklist

For a new house, the residential page calls for building construction plans prepared to the city’s climate and geographic design criteria. For an addition, it calls for a through-wall section drawing that includes floor, foundation and elevation plans. Choose the document list under the project category you are applying for.

Two sets of building construction plans. The plans must be built in accordance with the City of Virginia Beach's climate and geographic design criteria.

Source: Residential Building Permits | City of Virginia Beach, read 2026-11-01

Through-wall section drawing including: floor, foundation and elevation plans.

Source: Residential Building Permits | City of Virginia Beach, read 2026-11-01

The homeowner application instruction also calls for a signature and any associated permit number when applicable. For an alteration, include the asbestos exemption form with the signature for the party doing the work. These instructions come from the city’s residential application categories.

How do I contact the Virginia Beach building department?

The responsible division is Permits & Inspections in the city’s Planning department. Its department page publishes office contact options and operating hours. Use that official page for the current office details and the residential building page for the requirements tied to the project.

​Hours of operation: 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday

Source: Permits & Inspections | City of Virginia Beach, read 2026-11-01

Contact page: Permits & Inspections, read 2026-11-01.

Sources

• Public Portal (cvb-prod.accela.com), read 2026-11-01
• Residential Building Permits | City of Virginia Beach (planning.virginiabeach.gov), read 2026-11-01
• Zoning | City of Virginia Beach (planning.virginiabeach.gov), read 2026-11-01
• Building Permits | City of Virginia Beach (planning.virginiabeach.gov), read 2026-11-01
• Permits & Inspections | City of Virginia Beach (planning.virginiabeach.gov), read 2026-11-01
• Accela Citizen Access (aca-prod.accela.com), read 2026-11-01
• Fence/Wall Permits | City of Virginia Beach (planning.virginiabeach.gov), read 2026-11-01
• 13VAC5-63-80. Section 108 Application for permit. (law.lis.virginia.gov), read 2026-11-01