Hanover County

Hanover County, VA Permits for Metal Carports and Garages

Plan on a building permit for a carport or metal garage in Hanover County, because the county requires one for new structures and has a set fee for a residential accessory structure. Its pages do not name carports or post a size cutoff, so call the Building Inspector's Office at 804-365-6040 to confirm your project. A Hanover County carport permit can be applied for online through eTRAKiT or on paper at the County Complex.

Permit office: Hanover County Building Inspector's Office
Address: 7516 County Complex Road, Hanover, VA 23069
Phone: 804-365-6040
Official county page

When a permit is required

Building permit for a residential accessory structure, $121.75 on the county's Apply for Permit page ($101.75 in the Town of Ashland)
Land Disturbance Permit Application for most land-disturbing work (not required in the Town of Ashland)
Town of Ashland accessory structures may need a Zoning Permit even if exempt from a building permit

Zoning and setbacks

Hanover wants a plot plan showing the proposed structure on the lot with all setbacks dimensioned, so sort out your numbers before you apply. Planning is at 804-365-6171 and can issue a zoning compliance letter on request. Inside the Town of Ashland, the town handles the Zoning Permit for accessory structures at 804-798-1073 and charges a stormwater fee on accessory buildings with 50 square feet or more of new impervious area.

What to bring

Residential Building Permit Application
Plans and specifications (paper up to 11 x 17, printed to scale; larger plans go in electronically)
Plot plan with all setbacks dimensioned
Health Department Interference Letter
Land Disturbance Permit Application, outside the Town of Ashland

Farm buildings

Farm buildings and structures are exempt from the building code under Code of Virginia § 36-99 and USBC Section 102.3. Hanover does not appear to post a farm building form, so ask the Building Inspector's Office at 804-365-6040 how it wants a farm structure documented.

Good to know

The office is open Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM. Under the county's Chesapeake Bay ordinance, a buffer of at least 100 feet runs along tidal wetlands, tidal shores and both sides of perennial water bodies, and disturbance over 2,500 square feet in a preservation area carries erosion control requirements. Public Works at 804-365-6181 takes land disturbance questions.

Common questions

Do I need a permit for a carport in Hanover County?
Plan on one. The county requires permits for new structures but does not name carports or post a cutoff, so a Hanover County carport permit is worth confirming at 804-365-6040 before you order.

Do I need a permit for a metal garage or shed in Hanover County?
The county's fee resolution names sheds and garages among residential building permit work, so plan on a permit for a garage. Virginia exempts one-story detached tool and storage sheds of 256 square feet or less from a building permit, and in Ashland those may still need a town Zoning Permit.

Does the Chesapeake Bay ordinance affect my lot?
It can if you are near tidal wetlands, tidal shores or perennial water, where the county requires a buffer of at least 100 feet. Maps are not conclusive, so a site-specific delineation may be needed; ask Public Works at 804-365-6181.

Sources

Rules and fees change. Call the office to confirm before you order.

See the full Virginia permit guide for statewide rules, farm exemptions and wind and snow ratings.

Looking at buildings? See our metal carports, metal garages and metal buildings.

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