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

At a glance

Building permit

Required for new construction and many alterations; separate trade permits may apply¹

Building code

2021 Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code, effective January 18, 2024⁵

Zoning

County zoning applies; permitted uses and density vary by district⁶⁷

Septic and wells

VDH construction, inspection and operation approval required³⁸⁹

Owner-builder

Allowed conditionally with an Owner's Affidavit identifying the state-law exemption claimed¹⁰

RV / tiny home living

Rural-district travel-trailer habitation is temporary and needs a conditional-use permit; tiny houses have a state code path but remain subject to county zoning¹¹¹²⁶

Inspections

Required at each phase of permitted construction¹³

Private well

Apply through the local Health Department; inspection is required before use¹⁴

Who to call

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 9, 2026.

Do you need a building permit in Mathews County, Virginia?

Yes. Mathews County requires a building permit before a person or company erects, constructs, enlarges, alters, moves, converts, renovates, remodels, rehabilitates or demolishes a building or structure¹. Separate building, plumbing, electrical and mechanical permits are required when those trades are part of the work, and inspections are required for each phase of construction¹⁵. The Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code applies to new construction, additions, maintenance, repairs, renovations and changes of use in Mathews County¹⁶. The published building schedule sets a $50 minimum permit fee and adds a 2% state education surcharge¹⁷. Ordinary repairs and other code exceptions can differ from regulated construction, so describe the exact scope of work to the Building Department before starting¹¹⁸. A certificate of occupancy is generally required before occupancy or a change of occupancy, with exceptions for an IRC accessory structure and certain additions¹⁹.

Who is the Mathews County building department, and how do you reach it?

The Mathews County Building Department accepts permit applications, reviews construction documents and plans, issues permits and performs inspections¹⁸. The department says the preferred application method is to complete the fillable forms on its Building Applications and Forms page and email them to Lgreve@mathewscountyva.gov¹⁸. The office is at 50 Brickbat Road, Suite 102, Mathews, Virginia, and its phone number is 804-725-7171¹⁸. The same department administers the county Floodplain Management Ordinance and maintains the FEMA flood maps¹⁸. Any work or development in a special flood hazard area needs a signed Flood Zone Development Permit, and an existing structure needs a substantial-improvement determination²⁰. Mathews County reviews the permit application and construction documents before issuing a permit, and the issued permit must be posted before inspections proceed²¹.

Does Mathews County have zoning?

Yes. Mathews County's Planning, Zoning & Wetlands office administers and enforces the Zoning Ordinance, Subdivision Ordinance, Erosion and Sediment Ordinance and wetlands program⁶²². A parcel's zoning district controls which uses are allowed and its development density; changing the zoning-map designation can change both⁷. The office administers subdivision review, with fees of $100 plus $15 per lot for a minor subdivision and $500 plus $25 per lot for a major subdivision²³. Major site-plan review costs $350, minor review costs $150, and the ordinance allows 60 days for site-plan review²⁴²⁵. A short-term vacation rental also requires a zoning permit and executed use agreement before renting²⁶. We could not confirm one countywide numeric answer for minimum lot size, home size, setbacks, lot coverage or building height; ask Planning, Zoning & Wetlands for the parcel's district standards²².

How do septic and well permits work in Mathews County?

The Virginia Department of Health's Three Rivers Health District handles onsite sewage permits in Mathews County³. A construction permit authorizes a septic system at a specified location, remains valid for 18 months and does not transfer when ownership changes⁸. After a new system is installed and inspected, the Health Department must issue an operation permit before the local building official can issue a certificate of occupancy²⁷. The Mathews County Health Department's Environmental Health line is 804-725-7131 at 536 Church Street in Mathews²⁸. A private well requires a construction permit before drilling, must be safely separated from contamination sources, and costs $300; approval for use follows a local Health Department inspection, the driller's construction report and satisfactory bacteriological results for a drinking well¹⁴. Only 8.7% of county soils are rated without severe limitations for a conventional drain field, so settle septic feasibility before buying or siting a house²⁹.

Can you live in an RV or tiny home on your land in Mathews County?

In Mathews County's Rural district, a licensed travel trailer outside a travel-trailer park may be occupied for temporary habitation only with a temporary conditional-use permit from the Board of Supervisors and a written promise to remove it by the permit deadline¹¹. In a floodplain district, an RV using the temporary option must stay fewer than 180 consecutive days, remain fully licensed and ready for highway use; otherwise it must meet the applicable manufactured-home requirements³⁰. Virginia's residential code provides an alternative code path for a qualifying tiny house with no more than 400 square feet of floor area, but county zoning, septic and floodplain rules still apply¹²⁶. We could not confirm a county rule expressly authorizing residential occupancy of tiny homes. Ask Planning, Zoning & Wetlands about the parcel and proposal before buying²².

Building a home in Mathews County: the steps, in order

1. Ask Planning, Zoning & Wetlands to confirm the parcel's zoning district, permitted residential use and dimensional standards⁶²².

1. Obtain the VDH septic construction permit and private-well construction permit before installing either system⁸¹⁴. If the project is in the sanitary sewer district, submit HRSD approval or verification³¹.

1. Obtain a signed Flood Zone Development Permit if the project lies in a special flood hazard area²⁰.

1. If the driveway connects to a VDOT-maintained highway, obtain the required VDOT entrance permit before constructing or modifying it³².

1. Submit the building application and construction documents; separate trade permits may be required²¹¹⁵.

1. Post the permit and request inspections before covering each phase²¹¹⁵.

1. Secure septic operation and well approvals, then pass the final building inspection²⁷¹⁴¹³. Obtain the certificate of occupancy before using the home; a new dwelling requires approved water and sewage documentation, and a home in a special flood hazard area requires a compliant elevation certificate¹⁹.

What should you check before buying land in Mathews County?

Confirm the parcel's zoning district, allowed use and subdivision history before relying on a listing description⁷²³. Check flood status with the Building Department, because any work or development in a special flood hazard area requires a Flood Zone Development Permit¹⁸²⁰. Confirm whether the parcel lies in the sanitary sewer district, where a building project must submit HRSD approval or verification; the available rule does not establish a universal connection requirement³¹. Settle septic feasibility before closing: only 8.7% of county soils are rated without severe limitations for a conventional drain field, and a septic construction permit expires after 18 months and does not transfer to a new owner²⁹⁸. The landscape is mostly gentle, with 99.3% at a 15% slope or less, but that does not remove septic or flood constraints³³²⁹²⁰. Typical property tax is about 0.4% effectively, with a median annual bill near $1,475³⁴³⁵.

Watch-outs

• A septic construction permit is valid for 18 months and does not transfer when the property changes hands⁸.
• An owner may act as their own contractor only conditionally: Mathews County requires an Owner's Affidavit identifying the exemption claimed under state law¹⁰.
• Rural-district travel-trailer habitation needs a temporary conditional-use permit, and floodplain districts impose separate RV placement limits¹¹³⁰.
• Virginia provides a building-code path for qualifying tiny houses, but county zoning still controls parcel eligibility; minimum dwelling size and district-specific setbacks remain unconfirmed, so ask Planning, Zoning & Wetlands about the exact parcel and proposal¹²⁶²².

Sources

1. Building Permit Fees, quoted and re-checked
2. mathewscountyva.gov, quoted and re-checked
3. Environmental Health Services - Three Rivers Health District, quoted and re-checked
4. Private Well Program, quoted and re-checked
5. Building Official, quoted and re-checked
6. Planning, Zoning & Wetlands, quoted and re-checked
7. Planning Commission, quoted and re-checked
8. Environmental Health Services - Three Rivers Health District, quoted and re-checked
9. Environmental Health Services - Three Rivers Health District, quoted and re-checked
10. The Permit Process - A Guide to Permitting, quoted and re-checked
11. Article 5: Rural District (RU), quoted and re-checked
12. 13VAC5-63-210. Chapter 3 Use and occupancy classification, quoted and re-checked
13. mathewscountyva.gov, quoted and re-checked
14. Environmental Health Services - Three Rivers Health District, quoted and re-checked
15. Building Permit Fees, quoted and re-checked
16. Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code (USBC), quoted and re-checked
17. Building Permit Fees, quoted and re-checked
18. Mathews County Building Department (mathewscountyva.gov)
19. Certificate of Occupancy Guidelines, quoted and re-checked
20. The Permit Process - A Guide to Permitting, quoted and re-checked
21. The Permit Process - A Guide to Permitting, quoted and re-checked
22. Mathews County Planning, Zoning & Wetlands (mathewscountyva.gov)
23. Planning, Zoning & Wetlands, quoted and re-checked
24. Planning & Zoning Fees, quoted and re-checked
25. Site Plan Application, quoted and re-checked
26. Short-Term Vacation Rental Policy, Rules & Regulations, quoted and re-checked
27. Environmental Health Services - Three Rivers Health District, quoted and re-checked
28. Mathews County Health Department Environmental Health (vdh.virginia.gov)
29. Share of soils USDA rates "not limited" for a conventional septic drain field (SSURGO). A strict rating: the median county is about 6% and a tenth of counties are 0%, so a low figure means most lots need a site evaluation or an engineered system, not that septic is impossible. Cite it only with that caveat: Bolthole Index county data
30. Article IV: District Provisions - Mathews County, VA, quoted and re-checked
31. The Permit Process - A Guide to Permitting, quoted and re-checked
32. Land use permits (Virginia statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
33. Share of land at 15% slope or less: Bolthole Index county data
34. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
35. Median property tax bill: Bolthole Index county data

Written October 9, 2026 from the rules quoted below, each taken from an official source and re-checked by an independent reviewer. This is research, not legal advice: rules change, so confirm with the office before you buy or build.