Building permits and land rules in Hampshire County, West Virginia

Yes. Hampshire County requires a building permit, and the Planning Office says all permit documents and fees must be submitted there for processing^1,2.

West Virginia's State Building Code applies in counties and municipalities that adopt it rather than automatically applying everywhere¹⁰. Structures used primarily for agriculture are exempt from the State Building Code and from an adopted county or municipal building code¹⁰. Before Hampshire County issues a building permit, the applicant must provide proof of contractor licensure or file a written affidavit that contractor or subcontractor licensing does not apply⁷. That licensing route does not waive the county building permit or any applicable building-code, septic or floodplain requirement⁷.

The Hampshire County Planning Office processes building-permit documents and fees². The office is in the old jail at 90 N. High St. in Romney, and its mailing address is PO Box 883, Romney, WV 26757². Call (304) 822-7018 or email planning@hampshirewv.com; posted hours are Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m²..

The same office identifies its Code and Compliance Official as the Floodplain Administrator, making the Planning Office the practical starting point for mapped-floodplain questions². West Virginia requires participating counties and flood-prone municipalities to regulate floodplain development through a permitting system¹¹. Contact the office with the parcel location and proposed work before committing to a site plan.

Hampshire County does not have a county zoning ordinance, but it does have a subdivision and land-development ordinance⁴. In unincorporated Hampshire County, no county zoning rule sets a minimum dwelling size⁴. County zoning also sets no minimum lot size, setbacks, lot coverage or building height there⁴. The absence of zoning does not remove county review of a subdivision or land-development proposal⁴.

Municipal zoning is separate from county zoning in West Virginia, so land inside a municipality may still be subject to municipal rules¹². Ask the Planning Office whether a proposed division or development triggers county review, and ask the relevant municipality about its rules if the parcel lies within municipal limits.

West Virginia sets the regulations and design standards for individual sewage systems and water wells, while the Hampshire County Health Department handles local permits^3,5. For septic, start with a licensed installer: the installer conducts the percolation test and contacts the sanitarian to evaluate the soil, after which you can apply for the installation permit⁶. The published fee is $252 for a new septic permit or $222 for a repair permit⁶. The septic permit must be obtained before a building permit is issued³.

Only 1.2% of Hampshire County soils are rated without severe limitations for a conventional septic drain field, so make a satisfactory site evaluation a purchase contingency¹³. A local health department permit is required before drilling, modifying or abandoning an individual well⁸. The Health Department can also provide existing septic and well records³.

In unincorporated Hampshire County, no county zoning restriction bars long-term RV occupancy on private land⁴. No county zoning restriction bars tiny-home occupancy there, and county zoning sets no minimum dwelling size⁴.

Those answers concern county zoning only. Hampshire County's building-permit requirement and the permit required for an individual sewage system can still apply^1,3. Subdivision review may still apply to the land, and development in a regulated floodplain may require approval^4,11. Municipal rules are separate, so confirm local requirements if the parcel is inside a municipality¹². For an unincorporated parcel, give the Planning Office the parcel address, unit type, foundation plan and intended utility setup so the office can identify the permits that still apply².

1. Ask the Hampshire County Planning Office whether subdivision or land-development review applies, and check municipal rules if the parcel is inside a municipality^2,4,12.
2. For an individual sewage system, hire a licensed installer to conduct the percolation test and contact the sanitarian for soil evaluation; then apply to the Health Department for the septic permit^3,6. A new permit costs $252, while a repair permit costs $222⁶.
3. Obtain the septic permit before applying for the building permit³.
4. Obtain a local health department permit before drilling, modifying or abandoning an individual well⁸.
5. Give the Planning Office proof of contractor licensure or a written affidavit that contractor or subcontractor licensing does not apply⁷.
6. Submit the applicable building documents and fees to the Planning Office for processing^1,2.
7. Ask the Floodplain Administrator whether mapped-floodplain approval applies^2,11.
8. Obtain a free Division of Highways permit before building a new driveway or approach to a state highway⁹. If land disturbance reaches 1 acre or is part of a larger common plan, obtain state construction-stormwater authorization through the electronic system¹⁴.

Start with sewage feasibility: only 1.2% of Hampshire County soils are rated without severe limitations for a conventional drain field¹³. Terrain can complicate both access and construction because 34.8% of the county is at a slope of 15% or less, while 80.4% is wooded¹³. Walk the proposed house, septic and driveway areas with those constraints in mind.

Request existing septic and well records from the Hampshire County Health Department, and confirm any permits for existing structures with the Planning Office^2,3. Check whether the driveway enters a state highway and whether any work falls in a regulated floodplain^9,11. Hampshire County's effective property-tax rate is about 0.4%, and its median annual property-tax bill is about $745¹³.