Nottoway County

Nottoway County, VA Permits for Metal Carports and Garages

Most likely yes, and it takes two steps here: a $30 County Septic/Zoning Permit first, then a building permit. The county checklist names garages and sheds as needing a Zoning Permit and Health Department review, and though it does not name carports, they are not in the state's shed exemption either. For a Nottoway County carport permit, call the Building Department in Crewe at 434-645-8696 and tell them the size and whether it sits on county land or inside a town.

Permit office: Nottoway County Building Department
Address: 344 West Courthouse Road, Crewe, VA 23930 (mail: P.O. Box 92, Nottoway, VA 23955)
Phone: 434-645-8696
Official county page

When a permit is required

Garages and sheds on county parcels: Zoning Permit plus Health Department review before a building permit is issued.
Carports: not named on the county checklist, and not in the USBC 108 exemption. Ask the office to confirm the same steps apply.
Inside Blackstone, Burkeville or Crewe: the Zoning Permit comes from that town, and its approval goes to the county before a building permit is issued.
Small sheds: USBC 108 exempts one-story detached tool and storage sheds of 256 sq ft or less from the building permit, but the county still lists sheds for zoning.
Floodplain: the zoning ordinance requires a permit for development in a floodplain district.

Zoning and setbacks

Accessory buildings can be no closer than 15 feet to a side or rear lot line in the A-1 Agricultural and C-1 Conservation districts, and 10 feet in the Rural Residential and Urban Residential districts. In those four districts an accessory building must be shorter than the main structure, and no more than one story if it is within 30 feet of a lot line. The main-building setbacks are much larger: 100 feet front, 50 feet side and 70 feet rear in Agricultural and Conservation, 75/15/35 in Rural Residential, and 35/15/25 in Urban Residential on town water and sewer. The ordinance gives no separate front setback for accessory buildings, so ask before setting anything in a front yard.

What to bring

Completed Building Permit Application, listing the contractor's full name as it appears on the license and the full license number.
Approved Zoning Permit from the County Administration Office, or town approval if you are inside a town limit.
Health Department approval; the Zoning Permit goes to the Health Department to start that review.
Structural plans. The checklist calls for two sets, covering footing or foundation and exterior walls, and they can be dropped off with the Zoning Permit application.

Farm buildings

Farm buildings and structures fall outside the building code under Code of Virginia § 36-99 and USBC Section 102.3, unless used as a restaurant, and flood plain and mudslide rules remain in force. The Nottoway Building Department also points owners to Section 102.3 for what is fully exempt, and it posts no separate exemption form we could find. Farm buildings are also exempt from the county's height limits in the zoning ordinance, but ask about the Zoning Permit before you build.

Good to know

Hours are 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. Starting work without a permit costs $250 under the fee schedule the Board of Supervisors approved on July 17, 2025. A permit is good for six months, each inspection extends it another six, and a permit with no inspection in six months is closed. Inspections are scheduled through the same office number. Contractors doing $1,000 or more in work must hold a Virginia license, and the county checks it before issuing a permit.

Common questions

Do I need a permit for a carport in Nottoway County?
Most likely. The county posts no carport size cutoff, and carports are not in the state's shed exemption, so call 434-645-8696 and expect a Zoning Permit and building permit.

Do I need a permit for a metal garage or shed in Nottoway County?
Yes for zoning. The county checklist lists both garages and sheds for a Zoning Permit and Health Department review. A shed of 256 sq ft or less can skip the building permit under USBC 108, while a garage cannot.

How far must an accessory building be from the lot line in Nottoway County?
15 feet from side and rear lines in Agricultural and Conservation districts, and 10 feet in Rural and Urban Residential.

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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