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

Yes. Henrico County requires a permit for construction or demolition of a building or structure and for listed regulated installations, although the county's published list is not comprehensive¹. Typical home projects that need a permit include detached sheds over 256 square feet and swimming pools over 150 square feet and deeper than 24 inches¹. The Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code governs the work and is enforced locally⁶. Regulated new construction requires inspections, although the inspecting authority may waive inspection when construction costs less than $2,500⁶. A new certificate of occupancy is required when a change of use demands greater structural strength, fire protection, means of egress, ventilation or sanitation¹. Qualifying nonresidential farm buildings are exempt from the Building Code, but licensed restaurants and flood-prone or mudslide-prone sites remain exceptions⁸.

The Henrico County Permit Center is the public-facing office for building, electrical, mechanical and plumbing permits, at 4301 East Parham Road, Henrico, VA 23228, phone (804) 501-7280, email permitcenter@henrico.gov¹. The Department of Building Construction and Inspections can also be reached at (804) 501-4360 when the county's published trigger list does not answer whether a particular project needs a building permit^1,9. Applications may be submitted and processed by mail where online processing is not offered, and an applicant cannot be required to appear in person¹⁰. Henrico bases residential building-permit fees on estimated labor and material costs and adds a 2% state levy; the published base fee for new residential construction is $680¹¹. Check the current county fee schedule for project-specific charges and possible inspection or plan-review fees¹¹.

Yes. Henrico County administers zoning throughout the county, with use and dimensional rules that vary by district². The county's zoning page is a summary, so identify the parcel's district and use the full zoning ordinance for the controlling rule². Published residential examples include minimum lots of 1 acre or 35,000 square feet and front and rear yards of 50 feet with side yards of 20 feet, but those figures do not apply to every district². Height limits also vary by district and use². Henrico regulates subdivisions, and final plat approval generally precedes recordation; a preliminary plat is optional for subdivisions of 50 lots or fewer⁹. The Board of Supervisors amended the Subdivision and Zoning Ordinances on July 28, 2026¹². Henrico County's minimum dwelling size and specific tiny-home occupancy rules could not be confirmed; ask the Planning Department about the exact parcel and design.

Septic permits in Henrico County go through the Henrico Health Department at 8600 Dixon Powers Dr., Henrico, VA 23228, phone 804-501-4522³. A construction permit authorizes one specific onsite sewage system design and location, expires 18 months after issuance and does not transfer to a later owner³. Applications require an OSE or PE design; the listed construction-permit fee is $275 for a system of 1,000 gallons per day or less and $1,450 above that capacity³. For a new single-family home, obtain the onsite sewage permit first because Henrico will deny the building-permit application until the sewage permit is approved and issued³. Only 14.8% of Henrico County soils rate free of severe limitations for a conventional septic drain field, so evaluate the site before buying¹³. Ask Environmental Health which inspection path applies to the approved design.

Henrico County prohibits occupying an RV or travel trailer for living or business purposes on a residential lot in a district used for residential purposes, except the RTH district⁴. On those lots, no more than two covered RVs or trailers may be stored, and an RV or travel trailer cannot be connected to utilities, the ground or another structure in a way that prevents ready removal⁴. Tiny homes are a different legal category, and Henrico County's specific tiny-home occupancy and minimum dwelling-size rules could not be confirmed; ask the Planning Department how the proposed unit is classified and what the parcel's district allows. Short-term rentals are limited to specified one-family and agricultural districts and an owner's primary residence; by-right hosted stays require at least 80 feet of road frontage, no more than six renters and no more than 60 rental days per year¹⁴. Manufactured homes are separately regulated under Virginia law and must be allowed in qualifying agricultural-type districts where site-built housing is allowed⁷.

1. Confirm the parcel's zoning district, allowed use, lot size, setbacks and height limits with the Henrico County Planning Department^2,12.
2. If the site needs septic, submit the OSE or PE design and obtain the onsite sewage construction permit through the Henrico Health Department before seeking the home building permit³.
3. Check whether work is in or adjacent to a Special Flood Hazard Area; Henrico requires a Floodplain Development Permit there¹⁵.
4. Resolve access: obtain the Construction Engineer's letter before cutting a County curb, or a VDOT land-use permit and pay the $100 processing fee for an entrance on a VDOT-maintained road^16,17.
5. Apply through the Permit Center before covered work begins and budget from Henrico's project-specific fee schedule^9,11.
6. Complete required inspections and obtain the certificate of occupancy before moving in^6,18.

Confirm the parcel's zoning district and permitted use before closing because Henrico's dimensional and use rules vary by district². If a purchase involves dividing land, confirm subdivision review and final-plat requirements with Planning before relying on a proposed lot line or access plan⁹. If the parcel is not on public sewer, evaluate the soil early: only 14.8% of Henrico County soils rate free of severe limitations for a conventional septic drain field, and the approved system needs an OSE or PE design^3,13. Check flood mapping before planning the house or driveway because development in and adjacent to a Special Flood Hazard Area requires a Henrico Floodplain Development Permit¹⁵. Access authority depends on the road: County-curb cuts need a Construction Engineer's letter, while a private entrance on a VDOT-maintained highway needs written VDOT permission^16,17.