Virginia Beach City

Virginia Beach City, VA Permits for Metal Carports and Garages

Most likely yes, since the City of Virginia Beach lists attached and detached carports and garages among the projects on its residential building permit page. A Virginia Beach City carport permit runs through Permits & Inspections, using the residential permit application. Small jobs can go over the counter, and the rest are filed online in Accela Citizen Access. If you are near water or in a flood zone, expect extra environmental approvals before the City issues anything.

Permit office: City of Virginia Beach Permits & Inspections
Address: Municipal Center, Building 3, 2403 Courthouse Drive, Virginia Beach, VA
Phone: 757-385-4211
Official county page

When a permit is required

Building permit through Permits & Inspections for carports and garages, attached or detached
Permit for detached sheds and storage buildings over 256 square feet
Possible environmental approvals in the Chesapeake Bay Preservation Area, a flood zone or the Southern Rivers Watershed
Three inspections for garages and sheds over 256 square feet: setback/footing, framing/insulation and final

Zoning and setbacks

Setbacks in the City are set by zoning district and written into the Zoning Ordinance as minimum yard requirements. Zoning Administration at 757-385-8074 can tell you which ones apply to your lot, and the setback gets checked in the field at the first inspection. The City also posts a zoning map lookup, which is a good first stop before you commit to a building size.

What to bring

Residential permit application
Plan set for the building, kept to five pages or fewer if you want counter review
Building size, since 500 square feet is the cutoff for accessory structures at the counter
Payment for the permit fee, the 2% state levy and the $10 technology fee

Farm buildings

Virginia's farm exemption from the building code applies to genuine farm buildings, other than one used as a restaurant, and it leaves flood plain and mudslide rules in place. The City's permit pages do not lay out a procedure for it, so ask Permits & Inspections at 757-385-4211 what proof they want. The City's flood rules are worth raising in that same call.

Good to know

An accessory structure of 500 square feet or less with five pages of plans or fewer can be reviewed at the counter at 2403 Courthouse Drive. Anything else goes online, where first reviews take 15 to 45 business days and revisions take half that. In a Special Flood Hazard Area the City requires a permit for all construction and development, including grading and filling, and the southern part of the City has special fill limits. Call Planning at 757-385-4621 for a flood zone determination. Waterfront lots go to the Planning Administration Environmental Team at Waterfront@vbgov.com.

Common questions

Do I need a permit for a carport in Virginia Beach City?
Plan on it. The City lists carports with permit projects and gives no size cutoff for them. If yours is a small detached one, ask Permits & Inspections at 757-385-4211 whether the state's 256-square-foot exemption covers it.

Do I need a permit for a metal garage or shed in Virginia Beach City?
Garages are on the same list as carports. The City lists sheds over 256 square feet, and the state exemption covers one-story detached buildings at or below that size. A small shed in a flood zone is still worth a call first, since the flood rules reach all construction there.

Does the City's flood or Bay area status change my project?
It can. New structures in the Chesapeake Bay Preservation Area, flood zones or the Southern Rivers Watershed may need environmental approvals before you can get the building permit, so settle that before your order is final.

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.

Design Your Building in 3D