In Fairfax County, a deck, a finished basement, a bathroom or kitchen remodel, and any addition need a building permit from Land Development Services. Swapping cabinets or countertops, replacing windows and doors in the same openings, re-siding with a similar material, and replacing roof shingles are listed as not needing one. New, moved, or repaired electrical, plumbing, and mechanical fixtures need trade permits. In the Towns of Vienna and Clifton, the town reviews the project too.
Who issues the permit depends on your address
Fairfax County Land Development Services (LDS) issues building permits for the unincorporated county and for the Towns of Vienna and Clifton, but those towns add their own zoning or approval step. The Town of Herndon, the City of Fairfax, and the City of Falls Church run their own permit offices, so if your address is in one of them, start there.
Fairfax County Land Development Services
Residential building and trade permits, applied for online in PLUS. Permit types include addition/alteration, miscellaneous, and electrical, mechanical, and plumbing. Source: Fairfax County LDS: Residential permit library.
Town of Vienna
Fairfax County issues the building permit and the Town reviews zoning. Decks, patios, additions, and larger accessory structures need Town review, and fences need Town approval even though no county building permit is required. Source: Town of Vienna: Residential projects, Fairfax County LDS: Residential addition and alteration permits.
Town of Clifton
The Town lists a town use permit, an Architectural Review Board certificate, and a signature from the mayor or a designated representative before the county will issue the building permit. Confirm with the town what your project needs. Source: Town of Clifton: FAQs, Fairfax County LDS: Residential addition and alteration permits.
Do I need a permit? Job by job
Short answers for the remodel jobs homeowners ask us about most. Your exact scope decides the answer, so confirm with the permit office for your parcel.
Deck
Permit requiredRequired, including changes to an existing deck. A wood or paver patio built directly on the ground is not a deck and is exempt. Source: Fairfax County LDS: When is a permit required?, Fairfax County LDS: Residential addition and alteration permits.
Our decks workFinished basement
Permit requiredRequired. Finishing a basement is listed as an interior alteration that needs a building permit, plus trade permits for new electrical, plumbing, or mechanical work. Source: Fairfax County LDS: When is a permit required?.
Our basement finishing workBathroom remodel
Permit requiredRequired for a remodel. Replacing a vanity or countertop by itself is not on the permit-required list, and a like-for-like fixture swap in the same location is exempt from trade permits. Source: Fairfax County LDS: When is a permit required?.
Our bathroom remodeling workKitchen remodel
Permit requiredRequired for a renovation. New cabinets or countertops alone are listed as not needing a permit. Moving or adding plumbing, electrical, or gas fixtures needs trade permits. Source: Fairfax County LDS: When is a permit required?.
Our kitchen remodeling workRoof replacement
Depends on scopeReplacing shingles is listed as not needing a permit, and so is replacing a small amount of roof sheathing unless it has to be fire rated, as on many townhomes. Roof repairs and re-roofing beyond that appear on the county’s permit lists, so check with LDS for your scope. Source: Fairfax County LDS: When is a permit required?, Fairfax County LDS: Residential miscellaneous permits.
Our roofing workSiding
Often no building permitRe-siding with a similar material is listed as not needing a permit. Source: Fairfax County LDS: When is a permit required?.
Our siding & stone exteriors workWindows and doors
Depends on scopeReplacing a window or door in the existing opening is exempt. Cutting a new opening needs a permit. Source: Fairfax County LDS: When is a permit required?.
Addition, screened porch, or sunroom
Permit requiredRequired. The county lists garages, carports, porches, and second-story additions as additions that need a permit. Source: Fairfax County LDS: When is a permit required?, Fairfax County LDS: Residential addition and alteration permits.
Our home additions workPatio on grade
Often no building permitAn on-grade paver or concrete patio does not need a building permit. Zoning setbacks and other site rules can still apply. Source: Fairfax County LDS: When is a permit required?.
Our outdoor living workShed or fence
Depends on scopeA detached one-story shed up to the county’s size limit is exempt, and so are most fences, except a fence that serves as a pool barrier. Zoning height and setback rules still apply, so confirm before you build. Source: Fairfax County LDS: When is a permit required?, Fairfax County Zoning: Frequently asked questions.
The typical permit steps in Fairfax County
- Check zoning, setbacks, and whether the job disturbs enough land to need a grading plan. Source: Fairfax County LDS: When is a permit required?, Fairfax County LDS: Residential addition and alteration permits.
- Apply online in PLUS with the drawings and a plat or site plan, plus any Town of Vienna or Clifton approval. Source: Fairfax County LDS: Residential addition and alteration permits.
- Answer plan reviewer comments, then download the issued permit and approved plans. Source: Fairfax County LDS: Residential addition and alteration permits, Fairfax County LDS: Residential miscellaneous permits.
- Add the electrical, plumbing, and mechanical permits, which are issued after the building permit. Source: Fairfax County LDS: Residential miscellaneous permits.
- Schedule inspections at each stage through final. Source: Fairfax County LDS: Residential addition and alteration permits.
HOA approval and historic districts are separate
Fairfax County does not enforce private covenants or deed restrictions, so a county permit is not HOA approval. If you have an HOA, get its architectural approval as its own step. Source: Fairfax County Zoning: Frequently asked questions.
In a county Historic Overlay District, the Architectural Review Board reviews exterior work that needs a building permit. Source: Fairfax County: Historic Overlay Districts FAQ.
How Real Elite handles permits
On a job we build, we confirm which office has jurisdiction over your parcel, pull the permits the scope needs, and schedule the inspections. Start with a free site visit: we walk the project with you, tell you what we expect the permit path to be, and put it in a written estimate. If something on this page doesn’t match what the county tells you, the county is right.
Quick questions
- Do I need a permit to build a deck in Fairfax County?
- Yes. Fairfax County requires a building permit for a new deck and for changes to an existing one. An on-grade patio is exempt.
- Do I need a permit to finish a basement in Fairfax County?
- Yes. A finished basement is an interior alteration that needs a building permit, plus trade permits for new electrical, plumbing, or mechanical work.
- Can I replace my windows in Fairfax County without a permit?
- A direct replacement in the existing opening is listed as exempt. A new opening needs a permit.
- Does Fairfax County check my HOA approval?
- No. The county does not enforce private covenants, so HOA approval is a separate step you handle with your association.
Official sources
Last checked October 11, 2026. Rules change, so confirm with the county before you file.
- Fairfax County LDS: When is a permit required?
- Fairfax County LDS: Residential permit library
- Fairfax County LDS: Residential addition and alteration permits
- Fairfax County LDS: Residential miscellaneous permits
- Fairfax County Zoning: Frequently asked questions
- Fairfax County: Historic Overlay Districts FAQ
- Town of Vienna: Residential projects
- Town of Clifton: FAQs
Where we work in Fairfax County
Permit guides for other counties
- Loudoun County, VA permit guide
- Arlington County, VA permit guide
- Montgomery County, MD permit guide
- Howard County, MD permit guide
- Frederick County, MD permit guide
- Berkeley County, WV permit guide
- Jefferson County, WV permit guide
- Washington County, MD permit guide
- Franklin County, PA permit guide
- Fauquier County, VA permit guide
- Prince William County, VA permit guide
- Frederick County and Winchester, VA permit guide
- Clarke County, VA permit guide
- City of Alexandria, VA permit guide
- Falls Church and City of Fairfax, VA permit guide
- Anne Arundel County and Annapolis, MD permit guide
- Carroll County, MD permit guide
- Manassas and Manassas Park, VA permit guide