City of Bedford, Virginia - At the Peaks of Perfection!

A building permit is required before work is started on any project that is not classified as ordinary repairs. Ordinary repairs include such items as:

Replacement of mechanical and/or plumbing equipment provided such equipment and appliances are not fueled by gas or oil;
Repair or replacement of Floor coverings (including porch flooring);
Replacement of windows, doors, electrical switches, electrical outlets, light fixtures or ceiling fans;
Replacement of roof coverings (up to the 2nd layer);
Installation or replacement of siding;
Installation of cabinets;
Painting;
Replacement of interior floor finish and interior covering materials;
Repair of plaster, interior tile and any other interior wall covering.

Ordinary repairs do not include such items as:

The construction or installation of carports, miscellaneous buildings and permanent pools;
The cutting away of any wall, partition or portion thereof;
The removal or cutting of any structural beam or load bearing support;
The removal or change of any required means of egress;
The rearrangement of parts of a structure affection the egress requirements;
Neither the addition to, alteration of, replacement of nor the relocation of any standpipe, water supply, sewer drainage, drain leader, gas or oil, soil, waste, vent or similar piping, electrical wiring or mechanical work;
Any other work affecting public health or general safety.

A zoning permit is required & issued as part of most building permits.

A land disturbing permit is required for all new homes and any other activity which disturbs more than 10,000 square feet of land. A surety may be required for any land disturbing activity that exceeds one (1) acre. The appropriate fees are required. The applicant must also obtain a land disturbing permit from the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation when the land disturbing activity is one (1) acre or more.

Obtaining a permit

To apply for a building permit, first complete an application at the Planning and Community Development Office at 215 E. Main Street. A site plan is needed as well as detailed information on:

What is being built, including size;
Electric amperage and voltage;
Water and sewer sizes and number of connections;
Mechanical tons and number of units;
Location / address of the job;
Cost of the job (including materials and labor);
A CAD drawing and six (6) complete sets of drawings, calculations and specifications;
Contact information for the Owner, contractor and architect or engineer preparing the plans;
Mechanics' lien agent designation is required to be part of permit applications and shall include the agent’s name, company name, mailing address, and telephone number. If no lien agent is designated, the applicant, for the permit shall at the time of application state that none has been designated;
Licensing information for each contractor, to be filled out on a sub contractors roster, which includes:

Company/Trade name;
Project manager and/or superintendent;
Company contact person;
Trade;
Mailing address;
Office phone number, mobile phone number, pager number and email address;
Virginia license number including the expiration date and class;
The amount each contractor is being paid for the job;
When applicable, the jurisdiction holding their business license.

Water and Sewer fees, which are separate from the building permit fee, may also be required for your project. Applications for new water/sewer connections are available through our Engineering Department office at 215 East Main Street (540.587.6031)

The completed application, including all plans (and required CAD files), is reviewed by the appropriate personnel. The Building Official coordinates departmental reviews, and may require a technical review meeting.

The person responsible for the project and/or the permit holder must also insure that all permits are obtained prior to beginning the project.

Plumbing, mechanical, gas and electrical contractors are required to be certified in their trade. Work completed by journeymen must be supervised and approved by the trade master prior to inspection.

All contractors are required to have a business license, unless exempted by law. This information and the licenses can be obtained at the Office of the Commissioner of Revenue in the City Municipal Building (540.587.6051).

An Erosion and Sediment Control Plan Checklist must be completed and must be submitted as part o f the Land Disturbing Permit. A Stormwater Management Checklist must be completed and included as part of the Land Disturbing Permit submittal for review if one (1) or more acres are being disturbed.

Scheduling an Inspection

We are happy to answer any questions, respond to requests for inspections and help applicants get through the process as quickly and conveniently as possible. In most cases, if a request for inspection is made between 8:30 and 11:00 a.m., the inspection can be made that same day. Calling between 8:30 and 11:00 a.m. the day the inspection is encouraged preferred and c an save re-inspection fees.

During the construction phase of the project, various elements of your project need to be inspected. The inspections range from inspecting the footings to making final inspections for the use and occupancy. The following is a list of things to remember during construction:

Builders are required to have inspections before concrete is poured, a framing inspection before covering framing members, insulation inspections prior to covering insulation and a final inspection.
Electrical service inspections are required before the service can be energized. The 2 driven grounds and their connections must be driven below grade and visible during the inspection.
Gas, plumbing water and sewer must be on test prior to and at the time of inspection.
Elevator, fire protection and alarm test are required in the presence of the inspector.
Gas, oxygen, etc., lines must be labeled.
Certificates of Occupancy are required prior to occupancy and are issued after the building has been inspected and approved for occupancy or use by the Official.

Phone 540.587.6021 - Building permits, inspections, signs, land disturbing permits, etc.
Phone 540.587.6051 - Commissioner of Revenue (licenses, etc)
Phone 540.587.6031 - Engineering Dept. (new water and sewer connections)
Phone 540.587.6071 - Electrical Dept. (meter, service drop locations, clearances, etc.)

TABLE OF GENERAL INSPECTIONS
INSPECTION TYPE	INSPECTION PREFORMEND BY
ADA	Planning and Community Development
Blasting	Planning and Community Development
Backflow / cross connection	Engineering
Building	Planning and Community Development
Electrical (Preliminary meter location)	Electric Department
Electrical	Planning and Community Development
Entrances, Curb Cuts	Engineering
Explosive Magazine	Planning and Community Development
Fire Prevention and Alarm System	Planning and Community Development
Gas	Planning and Community Development
Heating, Ventilation, AC Mechanical (HVAC)	Planning and Community Development
Land Disturbing / Soil and Erosion	Engineering / Planning and Community Development
Landscaping	Planning and Community Development
Manufactured Home	Planning and Community Development
Occupancy	Planning and Community Development
Plumbing	Planning and Community Development
Property Maintenance	Planning and Community Development
Sanitary Sewer Connection	Engineering
Sign	Planning and Community Development
Storm Water Management	Engineering
Utility Excavation	Engineering / Electric Department
Water Connection	Engineering
Zoning	Planning and Community Development

*This table does not include all of the inspections that are performed during construction; it is only meant to give a general list.

Fees

When zoning, sign, electrical, plumbing, fire protection and mechanical permits are applied for individually, each carries its own fee. When these permits are applied for in conjunction with a building permit, the building permit fee takes the place of all the other fees. The building permit fee is based on the total project cost. Electrical permits are based on the amperage of service.

Land disturbing permits and Manufactured / Mobile home permits are independent and cannot be combined under the building permit. Individual permit fees apply whenever one of these permits is pulled. The fee for a land disturbing permit is based on the acreage or portion thereof disturbed. For a mobile / manufactured home, a mobile home permit is needed as well as electrical, plumbing, and mechanical permits. A fee is generally charged for the building and electrical permits only.

All fees are assessed an additional 1.75% by the State of Virginia.

When callbacks or extra trips are required of the inspector because of error or carelessness a $100.00 callback fee may be charged for each additional trip required. Such fee is payable in the City of Bedford prior to the required additional inspection.

After completion of electrical, plumbing or mechanical work for which a permit has been properly obtained, proof of the total actual cost required for the work may be required by the office of the building official. Where the total actual cost exceeds the estimated cost, the required additional fee must be paid. Where the total actual cost is less than the estimate the excess fee will be reimbursed.

PERMIT FEES EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 2004
ELECTRICAL PERMIT
	Amp Rating	Fee	Virginia Sur. (1.75%)	Total Fees
Electric Service Size	To 100 amp	$50.00	$.088	$50.88
Electric Service Size	To 200 amp	$100.00	$1.75	$101.75
Electric Service Size	To 400 amp	$150.00	$2.63	$152.63
Electric Service Size	to 600 amp	$300.00	$5.25	$305.25
Electric Service Size	> 600 amp	$400.00	$7.00	$407.00
X
MOBILE HOME PERMIT
Locating a manufactured / mobile home in the City of Bedford		$105.00	$1.84	$106.84
X
DEMOLITION, HVAC, PLUMBING & FIRE PROTECTION PERMITS
X	Cost of Job	Fee (cost of job x .004)	Virginia Sur. (1.75%)	Total Fees
X	$0 - $4,999.99	$20.00	$0.35	$20.35
X	$5,000.00 and up	Cost of job x .004	Fee x 1.75%	Fee + VA Sur.
Examples	$6,149.00	$24.60	$0.43	$25.03
X	$50,000.00	$200.00	$3.50	$203.50
X	$100,000.00	$400.00	$7.00	$407.00
X	$140,000.00	$560.00	$9.80	$569.80
X
BUILDING PERMIT
XX	Cost of Job	Fee (cost of job x .004)	Virginia Sur. (1.75%)	Total Fees
XX	$0 - $4,999.99	$20.00	$0.35	$20.35
XX	$5,000.00 and up	Cost of job x .004	Fee x 1.75%	Fee + VA Sur.
Examples	$6,149.00	$24.60	$0.43	$25.03
XX	$50,000.00	$200.00	$3.50	$203.50
X	$100,000.00	$400.00	$7.00	$407.00
XX	$140,000.00	$560.00	$9.80	$569.80
X
SIGN PERMIT
X	X	X	$50.00
X
LAND DISTURBING / EROSION & SEDIMENT CONTROL PERMITb
Fee is based on the number or portion of acres disturbed		# of Acres Disturbed	Fee (# of Acres disturbed x $75.00)
X	X	1	$75.00
X	X	2	$150.00
X
CALL BACK FEE
X	X	X	$100.00
X

Zoning and Subdivision Fees

ACTION	FEE
Conditional Use, Request for	$150.00
Home Occupation Permit	$25.00
Minor Subdivision Plat	$35.00
Major Subdivision, Preliminary Plat	$150.00 + $10.00 per lot
Major Subdivision, Final Plat	$100.00
Re-zoning, Request for	$200.00
Special Use Permit, Request for	$200.00
Vacation of Plat, Request for	$100.00
Variance, Request for	$150.00
Zoning Appeal, Request for	$150.00
Zoning Text Amendment, Request for	$150.00
Zoning Map Amendment, Request for	$150.00

Before a Final Subdivision Plat can be approved, seven (7) copies of the plat, one (1) copy of the CAD drawing and the appropriate fee must be submitted to the Zoning Administrator.

To download all of this information with the checklists included click here. (pdf format)