Renovation permits in the City of Alexandria, Virginia

What needs a permit

The city's permit requirements page says permits are required for most construction work, including alterations, renovations, additions, demolition, and decks, porches, and stoops. The same page sets minimum plan scales and asks for the contractor's state license number and city business license number. Trade permits for electrical, plumbing, and mechanical work are separate.

Section 108.2 of the Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code lists work on one- and two-family homes that needs no permit, including flooring, wall finishes, cabinets, trim, and paint; replacing windows and doors with similar units in the same opening; replacing plumbing fixtures without altering the piping; and replacing switches, receptacles, and light fixtures. A kitchen or bath remodel that moves plumbing, wiring, or walls needs permits.

The city's page, updated April 2026, still lists permits for accessory structures over 200 square feet and fences over 6 feet. The current state code exempts one-story sheds up to 256 square feet and most fences. Confirm with the Permit Center before you rely on either number.

Old Town and Parker-Gray: more needs a permit

In the city's historic districts, a building permit is required for installing any windows and for replacing more than 100 square feet of roofing or siding, according to the city's 2024 historic district letter. That is work that usually needs no permit elsewhere.

Board of Architectural Review

The Board of Architectural Review (BAR) covers the Old and Historic Alexandria District, the Parker-Gray District, and buildings designated as 100 years old. A Certificate of Appropriateness is required for new construction and for exterior changes visible from a public right-of-way. Interior work does not need BAR approval. Demolishing or covering more than 25 square feet of a building needs a Permit to Demolish, whether or not it is visible.

• Staff can approve many routine items without a hearing; the city says administrative approval usually takes under five business days once the application is complete.
• Its administrative approval policies (amended September 24, 2025) cover items such as roofing that matches the original, some window replacements, rear and side fences up to 6 feet, and sheds up to 65 square feet. Changes not visible from a public right-of-way are exempt from review.
• The policies say hollow vinyl and vinyl cladding are not appropriate, and visible solar panels need Board approval.
• The Board hears cases on the first and third Wednesdays of the month, except in August. Preservation staff can be reached at 703-746-3833.

Walk-through review

The city's Small Business and Residential Project Facilitation Office offers walk-through plan review. For projects that qualify, the city says the permit process typically takes about 2 to 4 hours, and walk-through routing ends at 4:15 p.m. It also offers residential consultations of about 30 minutes to an hour. Ask the office whether your project qualifies.

Applying and fees

The Permit Center asks customers to submit applications electronically through APEX, the city's permit portal. The city's FY26 fee schedule (effective July 1, 2025) includes:

• Residential additions and new construction: $0.75 per square foot.
• Residential alterations and repairs: $0.30 per square foot, or $18 per $1,000 of construction cost, or the minimum, whichever is greater.
• Decks: $100.
• Minimum fee for any permit: $95.
• Surcharges of 14%, 11%, 0.2%, and 5% on top of the permit fee, plus the state levy, and a non-refundable plan review deposit of 35% of the estimated fee.

The city warns that it never asks for permit fees by cryptocurrency, wire transfer, or payment apps such as Venmo or Zelle. The Permit Center is at 4850 Mark Center Drive, 703-746-4200.

Inspections

Request inspections and see results in APEX. If APEX is unavailable, the city says to call 703-746-4200 during business hours for help scheduling.

Pulling your own permit, and contractor licenses

If no contractor will do the work, the owner submits a property owner's affidavit and an Owner's Written Statement, accepting full responsibility as the contractor. The exemption covers a primary residence, with no more than one primary residence owned in Virginia in the past 24 months. The city's hiring a contractor page is blunt: licensed contractors should obtain the permits, and anyone who talks you into pulling your own is not doing you any favors.

Contractors need a city business license and a Virginia contractor license from DPOR. That city page lists older license limits; under DPOR's current thresholds (form dated July 1, 2025), Class C covers single jobs over $1,000 up to $10,000, Class B covers $10,000 to under $120,000, and Class A covers $120,000 or more, with separate limits on annual totals. Our contractor checklist shows where to look one up. To plan an Alexandria project with us, start a project.