Building permits, zoning and septic rules in Norfolk, Virginia

At a glance

Building permit

Required for new construction, additions and structural alterations; applied for online through the city's E-Permit Portal¹²

Zoning

City of Norfolk's own zoning ordinance applies inside city limits³

Building code

Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code, enforced by the city's building inspections⁵

Septic and wells

Virginia Department of Health, Norfolk Health Department⁴

Floodplain

Floodplain permit required inside the floodplain/coastal overlay district⁶

Owner-builder

State rule exempts owner-builders from contractor licensing only, not from permits⁷

RV and tiny home living

Not confirmed; depends on Norfolk zoning, so ask the zoning office³

Who to call

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 25, 2026.

Do you need a building permit in Norfolk, Virginia?

Yes. The City of Norfolk requires a building permit for new construction, additions and structural alterations, to keep work in line with the Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code¹. The city's permit office lists building permits as required for room additions, decks, screen porches, new framing, and any accessory structure over 256 square feet².

The state code is statewide, so Norfolk cannot opt out of it, and enforcement sits with the city's own building inspections department⁵. Doing the work yourself does not change that: Virginia's owner-builder exemption covers contractor licensing for one primary residence, but the work still falls under the building code⁷.

The state building code does not require a permit for some small items, such as a one-story detached storage shed of 256 square feet or less⁸. Confirm any specific project with the permit office before you start.

Who issues building permits in Norfolk, and how do you reach them?

Building permits inside Norfolk come from the City of Norfolk Department of City Planning, Permits and Inspections². Call 757-664-6565 or email planreviewpermits@norfolk.gov². The city takes building, electrical, mechanical, plumbing, sign and zoning permit applications online through its E-Permit Portal².

Virginia's state building code lets the local building official set the fee schedule, so Norfolk's building permit fees are set by the city rather than the state⁹. The city's fee amounts for building permits are not something we could confirm; ask the permit office for the current schedule¹⁰.

Driveway, right-of-way and construction permits are a different counter: City of Norfolk Public Works, Permits & Inspections Bureau, 757-664-4600¹¹. Watch for scam emails: the city says official correspondence comes only from a norfolk.gov address.

Does Norfolk have zoning, and what does it mean for RVs, tiny homes and setbacks?

Yes. The City of Norfolk adopts and administers its own zoning ordinance inside city limits³. Zoning approval is a separate step from the building permit, and the city's Procedures Manual covers zoning applications such as zoning certificates, site plans, conditional use permits and variances¹². Subdividing land, grading or paving counts as a site modification that needs zoning review¹³.

The zoning office is at 757-664-6588 or zoningDSC@norfolk.gov¹⁴.

We could not confirm Norfolk's single-family district names, minimum lot sizes, setbacks, height limits or minimum home size, because those standards sit in the zoning ordinance rather than the Procedures Manual¹⁵. Ask the zoning office for the standards that apply to a specific parcel before you buy.

How do septic permits work in Norfolk?

Septic permits in Norfolk are issued through the Virginia Department of Health, not by the city¹⁶. Requests go first to the Norfolk Health Department's environmental health office, and applications are presented in person with the site information and fees⁴. The environmental office phone is (757) 683-2712, and it asks that applications be mailed¹⁷.

Virginia requires a written permit before anyone builds, expands or modifies a sewage disposal system¹⁸. Once installed, no part of the system may be covered until it has been inspected and approved, unless an engineer or onsite soil evaluator certified the design¹⁹.

Most of Norfolk is served by municipal sewer, so many lots never need a septic system²⁰. Where a lot does need one, conventional drain-field soils rate poorly across the city, so expect a site evaluation and possibly an engineered system²¹.

Private wells need a construction permit before installation from the same health department²². Ask the health department for the current fee, since its own pages list different amounts.

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

We could not confirm whether Norfolk allows living in an RV or tiny home on a private lot. Because Norfolk runs its own zoning ordinance, the answer depends on the zoning district and the use standards in that ordinance³. Ask the zoning office at 757-664-6588 before you buy or park anything¹⁴.

Virginia's campground rules do not answer the question. They cover permitted campgrounds with three or more campsites and do not create a general right to live in an RV on your own lot²³. A manufactured home is a different case: state law sets conditions for placing one wherever a locality's zoning allows site-built housing²⁴.

Building a home in Norfolk: the steps, in order

1. Call the zoning office at 757-664-6588 to confirm the district and what the zoning ordinance allows on the parcel¹⁴.
2. If the property is in the floodplain/coastal hazard overlay district, expect a floodplain permit before a zoning certificate is issued⁶.
3. If the lot is not on city sewer, contact the Norfolk Health Department at (757) 683-2712 about the septic or well permit before building begins¹⁷²⁵.
4. Apply for the building permit online through the City of Norfolk's E-Permit Portal².
5. Book the inspections the state code requires, including a final inspection when construction is complete²⁶.
6. Obtain a certificate of occupancy before anyone moves in²⁷.

What to check before you buy land in Norfolk

Start with flood exposure. Land inside the floodplain/coastal hazard overlay district needs its own floodplain permit, and the state code lets the building official require permits for otherwise exempt work in a special flood hazard area⁶²⁸.

Next, confirm sewer or septic and a driveway connection. If the lot fronts a state-maintained highway, a VDOT land use permit may be needed; city streets go through Public Works²⁹¹¹.

Norfolk is dense, at about 4,335 people per square mile, and the nearest large city is about 1 mile from the city's center³⁰³¹. Property tax runs about 1% of home value, with a median bill near $2,738 a year³²³³.

Watch-outs

• Norfolk's single-family zoning standards, RV and tiny-home rules, and building permit fees were not confirmed; call the zoning office at 757-664-6588 and the permit office at 757-664-6565 before you commit to a parcel¹⁴².
• The City of Norfolk's Procedures Manual is a guide only, and the adopted zoning ordinance controls³.
• Septic and well permits go through the Norfolk Health Department, not the city's permit office⁴.

Sources

1. City of Norfolk - When do I need a Building Permit? (FAQ) (2026 county census)
2. City of Norfolk Department of City Planning - Permits and Inspections (norfolk.gov)
3. City of Norfolk Procedures Manual (updated December 6, 2023) (Norfolk), quoted and re-checked
4. Permits - Norfolk Health Department, quoted and re-checked
5. Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code (USBC) (Virginia statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
6. City of Norfolk Procedures Manual (updated December 6, 2023) (Norfolk), quoted and re-checked
7. § 54.1-1101. Exemptions; failure to obtain certificate of occupancy; penalties (Virginia statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
8. 13VAC5-63-80. Section 108 Application for permit (Virginia statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
9. 13VAC5-63-70. Section 107 Fees (Virginia statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
10. City of Norfolk Procedures Manual (updated December 6, 2023) (Norfolk), quoted and re-checked
11. City of Norfolk Public Works - Permits & Inspections Bureau (norfolk.gov)
12. City of Norfolk Procedures Manual (updated December 6, 2023) (Norfolk), quoted and re-checked
13. City of Norfolk Procedures Manual (updated December 6, 2023) (Norfolk), quoted and re-checked
14. City of Norfolk Department of City Planning - Zoning (norfolk.gov)
15. City of Norfolk Procedures Manual (updated December 6, 2023) (Norfolk), quoted and re-checked
16. 12VAC5-610-250. Procedures for obtaining a construction permit for a sewage disposal system, quoted and re-checked
17. Virginia Department of Health - Norfolk Health District, Environmental Health (vdh.virginia.gov)
18. 12VAC5-610-240. Permits; general (Virginia statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
19. Sewage Handling and Disposal Regulations, quoted and re-checked
20. VDH Norfolk Health Department - Sewage Disposal Permit (2026 county census)
21. 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
22. Water & Wastewater - Norfolk Health Department, quoted and re-checked
23. Code of Virginia, Title 35.1 — Hotels, Restaurants, Summer Camps, and Campgrounds (Virginia statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
24. § 15.2-2290. Uniform regulations for manufactured housing (Virginia statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
25. Sewage Disposal and/or Water Supply Permit - Norfolk Health Department, quoted and re-checked
26. 13VAC5-63-130. Section 113 Inspections (Virginia statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
27. 13VAC5-63-160. Section 116 Certificates of occupancy (Virginia statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
28. 13VAC5-63-80. Section 108 Application for permit (Virginia statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
29. Land use permits (Virginia statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
30. Population density: Bolthole Index county data
31. Straight-line distance from the county center to the nearest city of 100,000+ people: Bolthole Index county data
32. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
33. Median property tax bill: Bolthole Index county data

Written October 25, 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.