Norton City

Norton City, VA Permits for Metal Carports and Garages

Plan on it: carports are missing from the state's shed exemption, and Norton tells owners to see the building official and get the proper permits before work begins. The form for a Norton carport permit is the Building and Mobile Home Land Use Permit, which you turn in at the building official's office or by mail. The fee is based on your contract price: $1 per thousand plus a 2 percent state levy.

Permit office: City of Norton Building Inspection & Zoning
Address: 618 Virginia Ave. NW, Norton, VA 24273 (mail: P.O. Box 618)
Phone: 276-679-1160
Official city page

When a permit is required

Carports: not listed in the USBC 108 exemption, so expect to apply for the Building and Mobile Home Land Use Permit.
Detached garages: the application has a line for garage type, attached or detached, and needs the same form.
Sheds: USBC 108 exempts one-story detached tool and storage sheds of 256 sq ft or less from the building permit. Norton posts no separate shed rule.
Land disturbance: sites from 10,000 sq ft to 1 acre fall under erosion and sediment control rules and use the city's Grading Permit Application.
Electrical work on the building: a separate trade permit application applies.

Zoning and setbacks

The Building Official also serves as Zoning Administrator, so one office handles both questions. The city posts a zoning map, but the pages we reviewed give no setback numbers for accessory buildings, so ask for yours before picking a spot. Staff fill in your city zone and floodplain zone on the permit application, and an appeal goes to the Board of Zoning Appeals on its own form.

What to bring

Signed Building and Mobile Home Land Use Permit application; Norton will not process one that is unsigned or incomplete.
Job address, owner details and contractor details.
Estimated cost of construction, counting structural work only and leaving out plumbing, mechanical and electrical.
Water and sewer source (city or well, city sewer or septic).
Contractor exemption statement if you are building it yourself and are exempt from licensing.
City contractors license for general and subcontractors, needed before permits are issued.

Farm buildings

Farm buildings and structures are exempt under Code of Virginia § 36-99 and USBC Section 102.3, other than restaurant use, while flood plain and mudslide rules continue to apply. Norton posts no farm exemption procedure, so bring the question to the Office of the Building Official if you believe your building qualifies.

Good to know

City offices keep 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. hours on weekdays, but the Building Official is in the office from 8:30 a.m. to noon and out on general inspections from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m., so call in the morning. The city charges no plan review fee for site or building plans. Applications can be downloaded as Word or PDF files from Forms & Permits; PDFs are completed by pen. For larger projects, the city's development process expects two sets of building plans and about a week of review.

Common questions

Do I need a permit for a carport in Norton?
Expect to, yes. No size cutoff for carports is posted and they are not in the state exemption, so call the Office of the Building Official at 276-679-1160, preferably before noon, before work starts.

Do I need a permit for a metal garage or shed in Norton?
A metal garage goes on the same permit application as other building work. A shed of 256 sq ft or less, one story and detached, is exempt from the building permit under USBC 108, though you should ask about zoning placement.

How much does a building permit cost in Norton?
The city charges $1 per thousand of the contract price plus a 2 percent state levy. A city contractors license is a separate item.

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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