Building permits, zoning and land rules in Goochland County, Virginia

Yes. Goochland County requires a permit before constructing a new structure, altering or demolishing an existing structure, moving a building, installing regulated equipment or changing a structure's occupancy¹. The county specifically identifies additions, swimming pools, some interior remodeling, most electrical, mechanical and plumbing work beyond basic repairs, and accessory structures larger than 256 square feet as permit work¹. Permits submitted after January 17, 2024 are reviewed under the 2021 Uniform Statewide Building Code¹. Qualifying farm buildings and structures are exempt from the state Building Code when they are nonresidential, sit on property where farming occurs and serve a qualifying farm use, but floodplain rules can still apply⁹. Because the county-specific treatment of a proposed agricultural structure can depend on its actual use, describe the building to Goochland County Building Inspection before relying on that exemption¹⁰.

Goochland County Building Inspection handles building permits, plan review and inspections from 1800 Sandy Hook Road in Goochland; call 804-556-5815 or email bi-emails@goochlandva.us¹⁰. Virginia's statewide process requires the permit application to go to the building official before covered work begins, while allowing emergency-work applications by the end of the next working day¹¹. Goochland County publishes a permit calculator plus separate commercial and residential construction-value documents; the amount depends on the applicable fee schedule and construction value¹². During construction, Goochland inspection requests must be made by 3 p.m. at least 1 business day ahead¹⁰. Virginia exempts an owner who builds or supervises work on an owned primary residence for personal use from contractor licensing, limited to one primary residence in a 24-month period, but the building permit, inspections and code still apply⁷. Before anyone occupies a regulated new building or changes its occupancy, Virginia requires a certificate of occupancy¹³.

Yes. Goochland County's zoning ordinance applies to every property in the county, and buildings and structures require zoning-compliance approval unless exempted². Goochland County Planning & Zoning provides property-specific answers because requirements vary by parcel and zoning district³. For example, single-family properties zoned RPUD after December 31, 2013 have setbacks of 30 feet in front, 10 feet at the side, 15 feet at a side facing a street and 25 feet at the rear¹⁴. Under those RPUD standards, an accessory structure must sit behind the main building and stand 5 feet from side and rear property lines¹⁴. In the R-3 Residential, General District, a single-family lot served by individual water and sewage needs at least 1.5 acres, while a lot on public or central water and sewage needs at least 20,000 square feet¹⁵. Other districts and older RPUD properties have different standards, so call Planning & Zoning at 804-556-5860 for the parcel's permitted uses, minimum lot size, setbacks and building height¹⁶. Subdividing land requires Planning Department approval¹. Short-term-rental permission also varies by zoning district³.

A new onsite septic system in Goochland County needs a written construction permit, and county procedure places septic review inside the building-permit process^4,17. Apply for the building permit first; the Health Department will not review the septic construction permit until that application exists⁴. The local contact is the Goochland Health Department in the Chickahominy Health District at 1800 Sandyhook Road, phone (804) 556-5843¹⁸. For a lot in a subdivision, Goochland requires an authorized onsite soil evaluator plan; that plan is valid for 18 months and transfers to a new owner⁴. About 46.8% of county soils avoid a severe USDA limitation rating for a conventional septic drain field, so do not treat an attractive homesite as proof that a conventional system will work¹⁹. Virginia requires local Health Department inspection before an installation not built from a certified professional design is covered or used; a system built from a certified engineer or onsite soil evaluator design follows the certifier's inspection-report path instead²⁰.

Goochland County zoning states that recreational vehicles cannot be used as a dwelling, so an RV is not a way to live on raw land while you build⁵. Virginia's campground rules do not create a general right to occupy an RV as a residence either²¹. Ask Goochland County Planning & Zoning at 804-556-5860 about any short stay or storage question¹⁶.

Goochland County allows a tiny house as a dwelling when it has the required building, well and septic permits and follows the same zoning rules as a single-family dwelling⁶. A tiny house larger than 256 square feet needs a foundation⁶. At 256 square feet or less, a foundation may be omitted only when the eave is no higher than 10 feet, the finished floor is no more than 18 inches above grade, the support directly contacts the ground, the structure is wind-anchored and it uses light-frame construction⁶. A regulated dwelling also needs a certificate of occupancy before anyone moves in¹³.

1. Ask Goochland County Planning & Zoning to identify the parcel's district, permitted dwelling type, setbacks and any subdivision limits^2,16.
2. Confirm floodplain status with the Environmental Department because development within county floodplain limits needs permitting⁸.
3. Plan access: a new or modified entrance connecting to a VDOT-maintained highway needs a VDOT land-use permit²².
4. Apply to Building Inspection before work starts; the building application must also precede Health Department review of a new septic construction permit^1,4. Use the county's permit calculator and residential construction-value document to estimate the building fee¹².
5. Obtain the county agreement in lieu and building permit before land disturbance for a detached single-family home, including driveway installation²³.
6. Schedule county building inspections by 3 p.m. at least 1 business day ahead¹⁰.
7. Complete the final inspection and obtain the required certificate of occupancy before moving in¹³.

Start with buildability, not the listing description: get the zoning district and setbacks from Planning & Zoning, septic feasibility from the Goochland Health Department, floodplain status from the Environmental Department and entrance requirements from VDOT^8,16,18,22. If a parcel can connect to county-owned public water or sewer, budget for the applicable connection fees and obtain a plumbing permit number before the water meter can be set²⁴. Goochland County is about 75.2% wooded, while about 86% of its land has a slope of 15% or less; gentle-looking ground can still conceal septic or shrink-swell constraints¹⁹. Only about 46.8% of county soils avoid a severe limitation rating for a conventional septic drain field¹⁹. The county's effective property-tax rate is about 0.5%, with a median annual property-tax bill around $2,418¹⁹. The nearest city of 100,000 or more people is about 31 straight-line miles from the county's center¹⁹. If you intend to divide the tract, secure Planning Department approval rather than assuming acreage alone makes the split legal¹.