Building permits, zoning and land rules in New Kent County, Virginia

Yes. New Kent County requires a permit before constructing, reconstructing, enlarging, altering or demolishing a structure¹. The Department of Building Development reviews plans, issues permits and inspects construction under Virginia's Uniform Statewide Building Code⁷. A one-story detached tool shed, storage shed, playhouse or similar structure of no more than 256 square feet can qualify for a state permit exemption, but flood-hazard and historic-district conditions can override listed exemptions⁶. A qualifying nonresidential farm building is exempt from the building code, but residential use does not qualify, and farm structures in a floodplain remain subject to applicable flood-protection rules⁸. Permit fees follow a locally established schedule⁹.

New Kent County's Department of Building Development is the permit office for plan review, building-permit issuance and construction inspections⁷. The office is at 12007 Courthouse Circle in New Kent, and its main number is (804) 966-9680⁷. Applications go to the building official before covered work starts; Virginia allows submission and processing by mail unless online processing is available or the applicant voluntarily chooses another method⁶. During construction, applicable inspections include footings, foundations, concealed structural work, concealed electrical, mechanical and plumbing systems, energy-conservation materials and a final inspection¹⁰. A certificate of occupancy is required before occupying a regulated building, and it follows final approval and a finding that the work complies¹¹.

Yes. New Kent County has a zoning ordinance administered by Planning and Zoning, with districts including Agricultural A-1 and district-specific setbacks². Planning and Zoning tells applicants to check setbacks for both primary and accessory structures and provides parcel zoning through the county GIS viewer¹². That parcel-level check matters because the zoning district, rather than a single countywide answer, determines which land uses and dimensional standards apply². Ask Planning and Zoning at (804) 966-9690 or planning@newkent-va.us about the parcel's use, setbacks, RV occupancy, tiny-home placement and any minimum dwelling size before designing or buying¹². Virginia counties exercise zoning authority over unincorporated territory, while an incorporated municipality controls zoning inside its own boundaries¹³.

A New Kent County home using a private well or septic system must obtain approval through the New Kent Health Department before applying for county land-disturbance and building permits³. The local health department administers application, inspection and permit work under Virginia's statewide onsite-sewage framework¹⁴. State law requires a written permit before constructing, operating, expanding or modifying a sewage-disposal system, and the statutory application fee is $75, subject to listed waiver and refund provisions¹⁵. Call the New Kent Health Department at (804) 966-9640 or visit 7911 Courthouse Way in New Kent¹⁶. Only 11.9% of county soils lack severe USDA-rated limits for a conventional drain field, so do not price a parcel on the assumption that a standard system will work without a site evaluation⁵.

We could not confirm a single countywide rule allowing residential RV occupancy or defining tiny-home placement on private land in New Kent County. New Kent County has zoning with district-specific land-use and setback rules, so Planning and Zoning should confirm what the parcel's district permits before you buy or move a unit onto the site^2,12. Virginia's campground framework covers facilities offering campsites, but it does not establish a general right to occupy an RV outside that framework¹⁷. A tiny home used as a dwelling still has to fit the applicable zoning and building-permit framework^1,2. Manufactured homes receive separate statewide treatment, including conditions tied to zoning district, conversion to real property and placement on an individual lot¹⁸.

1. Ask Planning and Zoning to confirm the parcel's district, allowed residential use and setbacks^2,12.
2. If the home needs a private well or septic system, secure the New Kent Health Department approval before applying for land-disturbance or building permits³.
3. Ask the Environmental Department whether clearing, grading, Chesapeake Bay, wetland or floodplain review applies¹⁹.
4. If the driveway connects to a VDOT-maintained highway, obtain the required VDOT land-use or entrance permit²⁰.
5. Submit the building-permit application to Building Development before covered work starts^6,7.
6. Schedule and pass the applicable construction inspections, including the final inspection¹⁰.
7. Obtain the certificate of occupancy before moving into the completed regulated dwelling¹¹.

Start with septic feasibility: only 11.9% of New Kent County soils lack severe USDA-rated limits for a conventional drain field, so obtain a real site evaluation before relying on a standard system⁵. Check parcel zoning and setbacks with Planning and Zoning, and ask the Environmental Department about floodplain, Chesapeake Bay, wetland and land-disturbance review^12,19. For road access, a new or modified entrance connecting to VDOT right-of-way requires a state land-use permit²⁰. The county is 76.3% wooded and 79% of its land has a slope of 15% or less, but clearing, drainage and grading costs remain parcel-specific⁵. The effective property-tax rate is about 0.7%, with a median annual property-tax bill of $2,523⁵.