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Richmond County

Richmond County, VA Permits for Metal Carports and Garages

Virginia

A metal carport in Richmond County, the Northern Neck county seated in Warsaw, needs a Building Permit and a Zoning Permit, and a large enough site job adds a Land Disturbing Permit. The county says zoning and land disturbing permits come before the building permit. All of the county sits inside a Chesapeake Bay Preservation Area, so where you put the building matters as much as its size. For a Richmond County carport permit, the Building Inspections office in Warsaw and the county's Online Permitting System are the places to start.


Permit office: Richmond County Building Inspections
Address: 101 Court Circle, P.O. Box 1000, Warsaw, VA 22572
Phone: 804-333-3415
Official county page


When a permit is required

  • The county's permit guidance treats detached sheds, barns and garages as accessory structures that go through a Zoning Permit, at $30 per structure when land disturbance is under 2,500 square feet.
  • Carports are not named in the county's fee list, but the state code has no carport exemption, so plan on a Building Permit too.
  • The county charges building fees for garages and accessory structures at $0.08 per square foot, with a $30 residential minimum and a 2% state levy.
  • Land disturbance of 2,500 square feet or more needs an erosion and sediment control plan and a Land Disturbing Permit before work begins.
  • One-story detached tool and storage sheds of 256 square feet or less are exempt from the state building permit, but ask the county about the Zoning Permit.


Zoning and setbacks

Your plot plan must show the distance to every property line and to any river, lake or stream, with 100 feet as the minimum from water. The county's permit guidance sends you to the Zoning Ordinance for other setbacks, so ask Land Use Administration at 804-333-3415 for the numbers on your lot. A variance goes through the Board of Zoning Appeals with a public hearing.


What to bring

  • A plot plan with setbacks from all property lines and from any river, lake or stream
  • The application filed through the county's Online Permitting System
  • Contractor license details, or be ready to ask about an owner affidavit if you are the builder
  • Ask whether drawings are needed, since the county's published packet is written for houses and does not address carports


Farm buildings

Virginia exempts farm buildings from the building code unless they are used as a restaurant, and flood plain and mudslide rules still count. Richmond County's permit pages do not list a farm procedure, and the county's Bay rules cover the whole county, so ask Building Inspections and Land Use Administration before you start clearing.


Good to know

Building Inspections and Planning and Zoning both work from 101 Court Circle, Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. The Online Permitting System takes building, zoning and land disturbance applications. Any work in the 100-foot Resource Protection Area needs approval from the Land Use Administrator and a Water Quality Impact Assessment, and after-the-fact permit fees are doubled.


Common questions

Do I need a permit for a carport in Richmond County?
Plan on it. The state code does not exempt carports, and the county requires zoning review before the building permit. Call 804-333-3415 because the county's fee list does not name carports.


Do I need a permit for a metal garage or shed in Richmond County?
A detached garage needs a Zoning Permit and is charged a building fee of $0.08 per square foot. A shed of 256 square feet or less is exempt from the state building permit, but the county's guidance still lists sheds under its Zoning Permit.


Does the Chesapeake Bay Act affect my building site in Richmond County?
Yes, because the whole county is a Chesapeake Bay Preservation Area. Land disturbance in the 100-foot Resource Protection Area needs the Land Use Administrator's approval and a Water Quality Impact Assessment.


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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Design it yourself in 3D with the button below, or call 919-725-8176 and we'll help you figure out what your county needs.

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