King William County

King William County, VA Permits for Metal Carports and Garages

Plan on a permit: King William County's fee schedule has an accessory structure building permit, and its process page starts with a Land Disturbance/Zoning Permit from Planning before the Building Department takes your application. The county's posted pages give no separate carport cutoff, so call the Building Department about a King William County carport permit before you order. Its zoning code also says a carport may not sit in any required front or side yard.

Permit office: King William County Building Department
Address: 180 Horse Landing Road #4, King William, VA 23086
Phone: 804-769-4969
Official county page

When a permit is required

Land Disturbance/Zoning Permit from the Planning Department, before the building permit application
Residential building permit for an accessory structure
Separate electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits if that work is part of the job

Zoning and setbacks

Sec. 86-248, adopted in August 2025, caps detached accessory buildings in R-1, R-R and non-agricultural A-C by lot size: 1,000 square feet under 1 acre, 1,500 for 1 to 1.99 acres, 2,000 for 2 to 4.99 acres, and up to 7,000 over 40 acres. Accessory buildings are limited to 60% of the principal building's maximum height, listed as 27 feet in those districts. In R-1 they go only in rear and side yards, at least 5 feet from side and rear lines and 25 feet from corner side lines. Front yards are off limits on lots under 5 acres, with a narrow allowance if side and rear yards fall in the RPA. A-C and R-R setbacks are in Sec. 86-110. Read the full ordinance for the rest of the table.

What to bring

Land plat, taken to Planning for the Land Disturbance/Zoning Permit
Proposed setbacks, building height, square footage and land to be disturbed for the zoning form
Two sets of building plans with truss specifications, plus sealed truss drawings
Residential Building Permit Application and the notarized Affidavit
Contractor information and license number, if you are using a contractor

Farm buildings

Farm buildings and structures are exempt from the building code under Code of Virginia § 36-99 and USBC Section 102.3. King William's zoning code also frees barns, silos, bins and sheds used for bona fide agricultural purposes in A-C from the size table and height limit, as long as they serve the operation. The county's posted pages show no farm form, so ask the Building Department what it wants on file.

Good to know

The fee schedule lists $125 with no plan review charge for a pre-fab accessory structure under 600 square feet. Other accessory permits start at $100 for up to $15,000 of value, and a 2% state levy applies. Plans must be approved before you pay, so do not expect a same-day permit. A permit is not final until approved, paid for and issued. Apply and schedule through the online permit portal. Shipping containers and trailers are not treated as accessory structures.

Common questions

Do I need a permit for a carport in King William County?
Plan on it and call 804-769-4969. A King William County carport permit question comes down to how the Building Department classes your unit, since the fee schedule does not list carports by name. Zoning also bars carports from required front and side yards.

Do I need a permit for a metal garage or shed in King William County?
Plan on a Land Disturbance/Zoning Permit and then a building permit. A one-story detached tool or storage shed of 256 square feet or less is exempt from the building permit under state rules, so ask Planning whether it still needs zoning approval.

How big can an accessory building be in King William County?
It depends on acreage. Detached buildings in R-1, R-R and non-agricultural A-C run from 1,000 square feet on lots under an acre to 7,000 on lots over 40 acres. Bona fide agricultural buildings in A-C are exempt from that table.

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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