Building Permit Fees in Suffolk, VA (2026)

What common projects cost

Kitchen or bath remodel

$25,000 value, remodel 300 sq ft

$145.12

$56.00 building permit + $83.00 plan review + $5.00 technology + $1.12 virginia state levy

Room addition

$75,000 value, addition 400 sq ft

n/a

No building-permit formula for this project type.

New single-family home

$350,000 value, new single-family 2,400 sq ft

$308.32

$216.00 building permit + $83.00 plan review + $5.00 technology + $4.32 virginia state levy

How Suffolk calculates your permit fee

The city charges a building permit fee using $0.09 per square foot, with a $56.00 minimum. Plan review is a separate charge: its own fee table. Electrical, plumbing and mechanical work gets its own permits.

The fee table

Residential new construction and alterations

$0.09 per square foot, with a $56.00 minimum.

Commercial new construction and alterations

$0.10 per square foot, with a $56.00 minimum.

Added to every matching permit

Technology fee: a flat $5.00 (All projects)

Surcharges

Virginia State Levy: 2% of the permit fee

What counts as project value

Floor area (square feet). Building permit and building plan review fees are priced by square feet of the structure/work, not by valuation. Some other permits (fire, swimming pools, towers, mechanical) are valuation-based.

Worked example: a $350,000 new home

Building permit fee: 2,400 sq ft × $0.09 = $216.00
Plan review fee: table value for 2,400 sq ft: $83.00 = $83.00
Technology fee: flat fee = $5.00
Virginia State Levy: 2% of $216.00 = $4.32
Total before trade permits: $308.32.

Fees people miss

Fee	Amount
Certificate of occupancy, residentialWhen: certificate of occupancy issued	$56.00 each
Certificate of occupancy, commercialWhen: certificate of occupancy issued	$110.00 each
Extra inspection tripsWhen: extra inspection	$56.00 each
Correction/amending permit fee (building)When: permit corrected or amended	$53.00 each
Extension of permitsWhen: permit extension	$83.00 each
Penalty for working without permitsWhen: work started before permit issued	$276.00 per permit
Zoning permitWhen: zoning permit required	$49.00 each

Trade permits are separate. Electrical: Item/amperage-based (e.g. new, temporary and service-change permits by amps and phase; circuits included for residential). $56 minimum. Not fully extracted. Plumbing: Per-item: each fixture, floor drain or trap $8.00; each sewer $8.00; sewer replaced/repaired $39.00; $56 minimum. Not fully extracted. Mechanical: All mechanical, new and replacement equipment: $56.00 plus $6.00 per $1,000 value. Mechanical plan review (new equipment and changeouts with new ductwork) $50.00.

How to apply

Gather your plans and your project's total value and floor area.
Submit to Community Development, Building Permits.
Pay the permit and plan review fees when invoiced.

Source record

Effective: not stated
Verified: 2026-11-05
Issuer: Community Development, Building Permits
Valuation: Floor area (square feet)
Confidence: medium

What this page does not cover (8)

Effective date: schedule is labelled 'Fiscal Year 2026-2027' with no precise date.
No separate formula named for additions ('New Construction and Alterations' only); addition rate not assumed.
Which floor areas count toward the $0.09/sq ft (garages, porches, unfinished basements) is not stated.
Whether the 2% state levy also applies to plan review and the technology fee is not stated; applied to the building permit fee only.
Plan review sq-ft rows overlap at 5,000 and skip 2,499-2,500; stored as described in plan_review.notes.
Electrical permit amperage table and full plumbing/mechanical item lists not fully extracted.
Whether a residential certificate of occupancy ($56) or zoning permit ($49) is charged on every new house is not stated.
Correction/Amending Permit Fee is printed twice with different FY2026-2027 amounts ($56.00 in the general Community Development rows, $53.00 under Building Fees); other_fees records $53. Outside the calculator total.

Separate electrical, plumbing, mechanical, fire, impact, utility and school fees are usually not included unless they are listed. BuildingPermitCost is not a government permit office, and this is not legal advice.

Report an error · How we verify fees

How Suffolk compares

A $25,000 remodel costs $145.12 in Suffolk: 62% below the national median of $380.00, and the 2nd lowest of 7 places we cover in Virginia (state median $224.40).

A $350,000 new home costs $308.32 in Suffolk: 89% below the national median of $2,918.63, and the lowest of 7 places we cover in Virginia (state median $524.01).

Same standard projects everywhere, including plan review and required surcharges. All Virginia places · Compare side by side

Suffolk permit fee FAQ

How much is a building permit in Suffolk, VA?

A $25,000 remodel: $145.12. A $350,000 new single-family: $308.32. These include every fee the schedule applies to that project; trade permits are separate.

Is plan review included in the Suffolk permit fee?

No. Plan review is charged separately at its own fee table.

How does Suffolk determine project value?

Floor area (square feet). Building permit and building plan review fees are priced by square feet of the structure/work, not by valuation. Some other permits (fire, swimming pools, towers, mechanical) are valuation-based.

Are electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits included?

No. They are separate permits. Electrical: Item/amperage-based (e.g. new, temporary and service-change permits by amps and phase; circuits included for residential). $56 minimum. Not fully extracted. Plumbing: Per-item: each fixture, floor drain or trap $8.00; each sewer $8.00; sewer replaced/repaired $39.00; $56 minimum. Not fully extracted. Mechanical: All mechanical, new and replacement equipment: $56.00 plus $6.00 per $1,000 value. Mechanical plan review (new equipment and changeouts with new ductwork) $50.00.

When did these Suffolk fees take effect?

The schedule does not state an effective date. We last checked it against the official source on Nov 5, 2026.