Renovation permits in Arlington County, Virginia
Arlington publishes clear review times for residential permits. Swapping cabinets and fixtures in place needs no permit; most other interior alterations and all additions do.
By Hawthorne Mason · Published · Sources checked · How we write our guides
What needs a permit
Arlington's residential permits page says replacing cabinets, appliances (other than gas or oil), or fixtures in exactly the same location needs no permit, and you may begin work immediately. Other interior alterations do need a permit. For permit application and fee purposes, exterior work, including deck changes and egress window wells, is treated as an addition. Buildings with three or more dwelling units are treated as commercial.
Re-roofing needs no permit when the roof decking does not change or less than 256 square feet of decking is replaced, except where fire-retardant-treated lumber was originally required, as in many townhouses.
Published review times
| Review | Time |
|---|---|
| Alteration, express | 2 |
| Addition, express | 2 |
| Alteration, route-through | 5 |
| Addition, route-through | 10 |
According to Arlington's review process page, express review requires, among other things, a work area under 750 square feet on one story, additions only at the ground floor or basement, the house remaining habitable during the work, and under 2,500 square feet of land disturbance. The filing fee is not refunded even if a permit is not issued.
Who can hold the permit
Arlington's authorization affidavit page says no affidavit is needed when the applicant is the Virginia-licensed contractor for the work or the property owner applying for themselves; anyone else needs a Permit Authorization Affidavit. The county strongly suggests that the contractor be the permit holder, and an owner can be the permit holder for only one residential address in a two-year period.
Applying and inspections
- All residential permit applications are filed online through Permit Arlington.
- Inspections are scheduled only through the Permit Arlington portal. Requests made before 5 p.m. are done within 24 hours; later requests within 48 hours.
- Canceling or rescheduling on the day of an inspection triggers a re-inspection fee.
- The Permit Arlington Center can be reached at 703-228-3800.
Before you hire, check the contractor's Virginia license with our contractor checklist. To plan an Arlington project with us, start a project.
Sources
This guide is general information, not legal, financial, or construction advice. Rules and prices change; confirm current requirements with the official office and your own professionals. Hawthorne Mason is not a general contractor and does not perform construction work. Found something out of date? See how we write and correct our guides.
Planning a project?
Tell us about it in about five minutes, then book a 30-minute consultation.