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Surry County

Surry County, VA Permits for Metal Carports and Garages

Virginia

Plan on it: a Surry County carport permit usually starts with zoning, because the county's Zoning Application has a checkbox for carports, garages and sheds. Planning & Community Development reviews that application, then the Building Department handles the building side. The county's residential building application asks for a Zoning Permit or Waiver, so zoning comes first. State code exempts some small one-story detached buildings from a building permit, but that exemption does not settle the zoning question. Starting work before you hold the permit carries a $100 fine here.


Permit office: Surry County Building Department, with zoning handled by Planning & Community Development
Address: 45 School Street, Surry, VA 23883
Phone: 757-294-5211
Official county page


When a permit is required

  • Zoning Application through Planning & Community Development, which lists carport, garage and shed as proposed uses
  • Building permit application with the Zoning Permit or Waiver attached, unless the state small-building or farm exemption applies
  • Separate trade permits if you add electrical, plumbing or mechanical work
  • Inspections requested by phone before 5:00 p.m., normally set for the next business day, with up to two business days allowed


Zoning and setbacks

The Zoning Application asks for your zoning classification, magisterial district, square footage, ridge and eave height, and the distance from the building to all four property lines. It also asks whether the site sits in a Chesapeake Bay Preservation Area. The county's July 2025 fee invoice lists the zoning application at $50. Setback numbers depend on your zoning district, so get them from Planning & Community Development at 757-294-5210 before you settle on a location.


What to bring

  • Deed for the property
  • Licensed survey plat, or a building site sketch showing setbacks from all four property lines
  • Proof that real estate taxes are paid
  • One set of building plans for zoning, and the footing and foundation details the building application asks for
  • Tax map number, project address and the square footage of the building
  • Square feet of ground you will disturb


Farm buildings

Virginia exempts farm buildings from the building code unless one is used as a restaurant, and flood plain and mudslide rules still apply. Surry's published forms do not spell out a farm procedure, so call the Building Department or Planning & Community Development before you order and ask what paperwork they want for a barn on a working farm.


Good to know

The county's Bay Act page describes a 100-foot vegetated buffer along tidal wetlands, tidal shores and perennial water, and work in Bay Act areas can need a plan of development review before a building permit is issued. The fee schedule dated 11/03/22 prices garages, sheds and carports at $.08 per square foot, with a $75 minimum permit fee and a 2% state levy. A job that is not ready when the inspector arrives costs $100 to reinspect. If your lot is inside the Town of Surry or the Town of Claremont, the county says to talk to town officials first.


Common questions

Do I need a permit for a carport in Surry County?
Expect a zoning review at minimum, since the Zoning Application names carports directly. Whether a very small one-story carport also skips the building permit under the state exemption is a question for the Building Department at 757-294-5211.


Do I need a permit for a metal garage or shed in Surry County?
Both are on the Zoning Application, and the building application asks for a Zoning Permit or Waiver. A garage over 256 square feet needs a building permit. For a detached one-story shed at or below that size, ask zoning whether you need a permit or a waiver.


What if my lot is near the water in Surry County?
Mark the Chesapeake Bay Preservation Area question on the application and call 757-294-5210 early. The county requires a plan of development review for Bay Act areas, and the 100-foot buffer can limit where the building goes.


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.


Ready to design your building?

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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