Westmoreland County

Westmoreland County, VA Permits for Metal Carports and Garages

Yes, in nearly every case a Westmoreland County carport permit starts with a zoning permit, because the zoning ordinance lists a private garage or carport among accessory uses that typically need a permit before installation. Section 10-3.4 requires a zoning permit before any accessory building goes up, and in every case where a building permit is required. You can apply through the Citizens' Permit Portal, and staff email an invoice for the fees after processing. Waterfront parcels deserve an early conversation, since Chesapeake Bay protection rules can limit where a building may sit.

Permit office: Westmoreland County Building & Zoning (Land Use Administration)
Address: George D. English Sr. Building, 111 Polk Street, Montross, VA 22520
Phone: 804-493-0120
Official county page

When a permit is required

A zoning permit from the Zoning Administrator before any principal or accessory building is built, moved or expanded.
A building permit where the state code requires one, using the county's single Permit Application for all permit types.
Electrical, plumbing and mechanical work identified on the same application, with contractor details.
An erosion and sediment control review when land disturbance tops 2,500 square feet.

Zoning and setbacks

Accessory buildings count toward height, bulk and coverage limits and cannot sit in a required yard, except for the small shed allowances. The ordinance lists accessory setbacks by district: 35 feet front, 10 side and 20 rear in Residential Neighborhood; 55, 15 and 40 in Rural Residential; 100, 15 and 40 in Agricultural Conservation. Without a principal use on the lot, you are limited to one accessory structure of 150 square feet or less, so a bare lot usually cannot take a large garage. Residential lots can have no more than two storage sheds.

What to bring

The completed Permit Application with tax map number, magisterial district, zoning and project cost.
A scale drawing showing the parcel, the proposed use and the building's location relative to property lines and street rights-of-way. The zoning ordinance calls for three copies.
A signed plot plan with structure dimensions and setbacks.
Health Department information on water and wastewater, if the Zoning Administrator does not waive it.
Contractor license numbers, and the lien agent and responsible land disturber if they apply.

Farm buildings

Buildings genuinely used for farming are outside the building permit rules in Virginia, apart from any used as a restaurant, and flood plain and mudslide limits still reach them. The county's zoning ordinance still has things to say, so ask Land Use Administration how it handles your project. In agricultural districts an accessory structure may qualify on a same-owner parcel instead of the same lot as the principal use, and the water and sewage proof for a zoning permit is waived for certain agricultural storage buildings with no such facilities.

Good to know

The Chesapeake Bay overlay includes a Resource Protection Area with a 100-foot buffer landward of tidal wetlands and shores and along perennial water bodies, and encroachment allowances there are written around principal structures, not accessory ones. The rest of the county is defined as Resource Management Area. Crossing 2,500 square feet of disturbance or 833 square feet of impervious cover can trigger a plan of development. The application lists a $500 zoning fee for shoreline projects, base fees plus 5 cents per square foot for building work, and a 2 percent Virginia surcharge. Intake stops at 4 pm, and a zoning permit is good for one year.

Common questions

Do I need a permit for a carport in Westmoreland County?
Yes, expect a zoning permit. Carports are named in the ordinance's list of accessory uses that typically need a permit first. Land Use Administration can tell you whether a small detached one also falls under the state's 256 square foot building permit exemption.

Do I need a permit for a metal garage or shed in Westmoreland County?
A garage does, and the county's application has a garage box for it. Storage sheds are on the same list, but small sheds have special yard rules: up to 150 square feet and 12 feet tall, with limits on distance from the road.

Does the Chesapeake Bay rule affect a metal building in Westmoreland County?
It can, especially near water. The seaward 50 feet of the 100-foot buffer cannot be encroached on, and accessory buildings do not get the allowances principal structures do. Call 804-493-0120 with your tax map number before ordering.

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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