York County

York County, VA Permits for Metal Carports and Garages

Yes, plan on a building permit for a carport in York County, because the county lists carports with the detached projects that need one, and zoning approval is needed for all new structures. The county's small-building exception is written for one-story tool and storage sheds, playhouses and similar uses up to 256 square feet, and it doesn't name carports. If yours is small, call Building Safety at 757-890-3522 before you count on that exception. This guide covers York County, Virginia, not the York Counties in Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Maine or Nebraska.

Permit office: York County Building Safety (Planning and Development Services)
Address: 100 County Drive, Suite B, Yorktown, VA
Phone: 757-890-3522
Official county page

When a permit is required

Detached garages and carports: the county's Accessory Structures page lists a building permit
Sheds of 257 square feet or more: building permit
Sheds up to 256 square feet can be exempt if one-story, detached, outside a designated flood zone, with eaves at 10 feet or less and the floor no more than 18 inches above grade
Electrical, gas, mechanical or plumbing work: separate permits may apply
All new structures: zoning approval
Property in a Chesapeake Bay Preservation Area or flood zone: expect added review

Zoning and setbacks

York County says zoning approval is needed for all new structures, and the zoning code lists carports, garages, utility sheds and similar storage among the accessory uses allowed with a home. The county's summary table gives these minimum front, side and rear yards by district: RC 50, 50 and 50 feet; RR 50, 20 and 50 feet; R33 50, 15 and 30 feet; R20 40, 15 and 30 feet; R13 30, 12.5 and 25 feet; R7 30, 10 and 20 feet. That table doesn't give separate numbers for accessory buildings, which may differ, so don't lay out a slab from it alone. Ask Zoning and Code Enforcement at 757-890-3523 what applies to your lot. Your plot plan has to show the distance from the building to each property line, plus any buffers or easements, and no structures may be placed in those.

What to bring

Building permit application, which asks for owner, contractor, mechanic's lien agent, square footage, height, stories and estimated cost
Accessory Dwelling Disclosure Form
Plot plan showing setbacks to each property line, road names, and any buffers or easements
Two or more sets of construction plans, drawn to architectural scale
$90 plan review fee
Soil report by a soil scientist or geotechnical engineer if the building has potentially habitable space, such as living space over a garage, and the property is in the Triassic Basin
Septic system permit for a detached building, which the county's Development Guide lists along with Fire Department approval; ask how these apply to your site
Elevation Certificates if you're in a flood zone, one before the foundation inspection and one before the final inspection

Farm buildings

Virginia's building code exempts farm buildings and structures, except any part of a building on a farm that operates as a licensed restaurant, and farm buildings in a flood plain or mudslide-prone area still have to meet those rules. York County's zoning summary lists agriculture under its RC district and farming under RR, and its Development Guide says site plans aren't required for agricultural operations. We did not find a county page that spells out how it treats a farm building, and the zoning page says approval is needed for all new structures without a farm carve-out. Before you order a barn, call Zoning at 757-890-3523 and ask what the county needs from you and what it wants to see to treat the building as a farm structure.

Good to know

York County has water to plan around. The county says it's subject to the Chesapeake Bay Preservation Act, with a Resource Protection Area that includes a 100-foot vegetated buffer and a Resource Management Area beyond it, and its comprehensive plan says coastal flooding affects about 7,000 acres near coastal streams and creeks. You can check your zoning and flood zone in the county's Property Information lookup. The Bay Act location is decided site by site, so call Public Works at 757-890-3750 if you're near water. The county's flood zone requirements cover residential accessory structures such as garages and storage sheds, and they say garage doors don't count as flood openings, which matters for a roll-up door building. Building Safety is open Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and inspections are requested through its online portal.

Common questions

Do I need a permit for a carport in York County?
Plan on it. The county's Accessory Structures page lists carports with the projects that need a building permit, and zoning approval is needed for all new structures. The 257 square foot figure on that page is attached to sheds, so the page doesn't say a small carport is exempt. Call Building Safety at 757-890-3522 if yours is small.

Do I need a permit for a metal garage or shed in York County?
A detached garage needs a building permit, and so does a shed of 257 square feet or more. A shed up to 256 square feet can skip the building permit if it's one-story, detached, outside a designated flood zone, has eaves at 10 feet or less, and has a floor no more than 18 inches above grade. It still needs zoning approval as a new structure.

What if my property is near water in York County?
Check before you buy. The Resource Protection Area includes a 100-foot vegetated buffer, the county's Development Guide says it has the strictest development restrictions, and the exact location takes a site-specific determination. Flood zones bring Elevation Certificates and flood opening rules. The county lists Public Works at 757-890-3750 as its Bay Act contact.

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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