Madison County

Madison County, VA Permits for Metal Carports and Garages

Plan on a permit for a carport or garage in Madison County, because the county posts no size cutoff and its building permit application has its own fields for detached garages and carports. A Madison County carport permit usually means two steps at the same office: a Zoning Permit, listed at $50 for accessory structures, and a building permit. The zoning application says no work may begin before you apply. Call 540-948-6102 if your building is small, since the county's pages do not address sheds directly.

Permit office: Madison County Building & Zoning Department
Address: 410 N Main Street, Madison, VA 22727
Phone: 540-948-6102
Official county page

When a permit is required

Construction of a building or structure: building permit, per the county's When is a Permit Required sheet
Accessory structures: Zoning Permit, $50
All work in a FEMA special flood hazard area: Flood Zone Development Permit
An erosion and sediment permit may also apply, as the zoning application notes

Zoning and setbacks

The Zoning Permit application needs a placement survey plat or drawn site plan showing structures, roads, easements, the entrance and your proposed setbacks; without it the application is incomplete. Staff fill in the required minimums on the form, and may ask you to stake the corners and flag the property lines. Review runs in the order received and can take up to two weeks once everything is in. The permit is good for one year, and changing the building's size or location means an amended application at the original fee. Check your district on the county GIS.

What to bring

Zoning Permit Application with E911 address, tax map number, parcel size, zoning district and the building's use, dimensions and height
Placement survey plat or drawn site plan
Madison County Health Department approval, which the application requires before any zoning permit is issued (540-948-5481)
Approved VDOT entrance permit if you are adding an entrance off a state-maintained road
Signed power line certification
Building Permit Application, with the carport or detached garage square footage filled in
Contractor's business details and Virginia license number, or the owner exemption section completed

Farm buildings

Farm buildings and structures are exempt from the building code under Code of Virginia § 36-99 and USBC Section 102.3. Madison County has a Farm Structure Policy and Affidavit: answer its two questions, complete and notarize the affidavit, provide proof of farm operation such as Schedule C or Schedule F, and submit a plot plan. The fee schedule lists an Agricultural Structure Permit at $50. Farm buildings still answer to the county zoning and erosion and sediment control ordinances, and those in a floodplain or mudslide-prone area must meet flood-proofing and mudslide rules.

Good to know

The county's design criteria call for a 30 PSF ground snow load, 110 MPH wind speed, an 18-inch frost line and 2000 PSF presumptive soil bearing unless a soils test says otherwise, so have those figures in hand when you order. The county also has suspected or known expansive soils, shown on its GIS. Residential new construction is listed at $0.18 per square foot or a $75 minimum, plus a 2% state levy, and work done without permits is charged double. Call REC at 1-800-552-3904 to confirm setbacks from power lines.

Common questions

Do I need a permit for a carport in Madison County?
Plan on yes. The Madison County carport permit process runs through the Building & Zoning Department, whose building permit application lists carports with their own square footage field, and no size cutoff is posted. Call 540-948-6102 for a very small one.

Do I need a permit for a metal garage or shed in Madison County?
A detached garage goes on the building permit application too, and the accessory structure Zoning Permit is $50. The county's pages do not say how they treat a shed of 256 square feet or less, so ask whether the zoning side still applies before you set one.

Does a flood zone change anything in Madison County?
Yes. All work in a FEMA special flood hazard area needs a Flood Zone Development Permit. You can check a property under the Flood Mapping menu on the county GIS.

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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