Building permits, zoning and septic rules in Chesterfield County, Virginia

Yes. Chesterfield County requires a permit before residential construction, reconstruction, enlargement, alteration, demolition or structural work begins; ordinary repairs and cosmetic work are among the listed exceptions¹. Chesterfield County enforces the 2021 edition of the Virginia building codes⁹. Inspections depend on the project scope, and the homeowner or contractor schedules them as work advances¹. A new house needs final building approval and all applicable county-department approvals before Chesterfield County issues its certificate of occupancy². A qualifying farm building used for farming rather than residence can be exempt from the building code, but floodplain rules still apply¹⁰. Virginia's owner-builder exemption applies to contractor licensing for a person who performs or supervises construction of no more than one primary residence for their own use in any 24-month period; it does not eliminate building, trade, health, zoning or occupancy approvals⁷.

Chesterfield County's Building Inspection Department is at 9800 Government Center Parkway, Chesterfield, and its main number is 804-751-4990¹¹. For a house or addition, contact Planning about setbacks and easements, assemble the required documents, then submit the application and construction documents; the application and inspections depend on the project's scope¹. The county states a goal of reviewing residential plans within 10 working days². Chesterfield County publishes residential permit fees, which are paid with the application; minor work under $500 can be fee-exempt only when no electrical, gas, mechanical or plumbing permit is required¹². The homeowner or contractor schedules inspections as work advances¹.

Yes. Chesterfield County administers countywide zoning under Chapter 19.2, which became effective January 1, 2026^3,5. The county publishes the current ordinance and a zoning-and-development map^3,5. Minimum lot area depends on the zoning district and use, while setbacks come primarily from each district's dimensional-standards table and can change with overlays, use restrictions or parcel-specific exceptions^13,14. Major subdivisions, meaning division into two or more lots for residential use, go through county subdivision review, and minor and family subdivisions follow separate procedures¹⁵. We could not confirm one countywide answer for minimum dwelling size, building height, accessory dwellings, RV occupancy or tiny-home occupancy. Call the Planning Department at 804-748-1050 with the parcel and proposed use¹⁶.

The Chesterfield Health District, part of the Virginia Department of Health, handles onsite sewage and private-well permits⁴. A written construction permit is required before an onsite sewage system is built, expanded or modified, and permit conditions may apply⁶. Chesterfield County also requires Health Department approval during the house-permit process when a home will use a well or septic system². Only 15% of Chesterfield County soils rate without severe limits for a conventional drain field, so confirm public-sewer availability or septic feasibility before treating a lot as buildable⁸. We could not confirm a universal local septic-inspection requirement; ask Environmental Health at 804-748-1691 about the specific project¹⁷.

We could not confirm a countywide rule allowing RV residence, temporary camping on private land or tiny-home occupancy in Chesterfield County. Start with the parcel's zoning district and current use standards⁵. Manufactured homes are not a workaround: in several named districts, Chesterfield County bars their use as dwellings or accessory structures except where Chapter 19.2 specifically allows it¹⁸. The Board of Zoning Appeals may allow a temporary manufactured home for no more than seven years under listed circumstances, including when a principal residence in certain districts becomes uninhabitable because of fire or an Act of God¹⁸. Give the Planning Department the parcel address, district, exact unit and intended occupancy before buying or placing it¹⁶.

1. Look up the parcel's zoning district and confirm its use, lot-area and setback standards with the Planning Department^5,13,14,16.
2. If creating lots, determine which county subdivision review applies⁵.
3. Identify buffers, easements and floodplains on the plans; Chesterfield County says structures may not be located in those identified areas⁹.
4. For a well or septic home, obtain Health Department approval^2,4.
5. If public water or wastewater facilities are part of the development, obtain county utilities-plan approval before construction or building-permit issuance^19,20.
6. Submit the residential application and construction documents, pay the published fees and wait for permit issuance^1,12.
7. Call for the required inspections, then obtain final departmental approvals and the certificate of occupancy before moving into a new house^1,2.

Check the parcel's zoning district, minimum lot area and setbacks before relying on a listing's description of what can be built, and investigate county subdivision review if the tract will be divided^5,13,14. Have the site plan identify every buffer, easement and floodplain, because Chesterfield County's residential requirements say structures may not be located in those identified areas⁹. Only 15% of county soils rate without severe limits for a conventional septic drain field, so verify public-sewer availability or obtain a site evaluation⁸. Public utility plans require county approval when a development needs public water or wastewater facilities, but the source does not say every residential parcel must connect^19,20. The effective property-tax rate is about 0.8%, and the median annual bill is about $2,636⁸. We could not confirm current short-term-rental or accessory-dwelling rules; ask Planning about those uses¹⁶.