Fairfax County vs Henrico County Building Permit Fees (2026)

Side-by-side comparison of two large Virginia jurisdictions on opposite sides of the state, using official fee schedule data verified from Fairfax County Land Development Services Appendix Q (FY2025 schedule, effective July 1, 2024) and henrico.gov/bldg/permit-fees/ (page last updated December 2025). Fairfax charges 3% of declared construction value with a $72 minimum building permit fee, plus a mandatory 50% plan review fee, plus a 2% Virginia state levy on the combined subtotal. Henrico charges $100 base plus $6 per $1,000 of declared value above $5,000, capped at $680, with no separate plan review and a 2% levy on the permit fee only. The structural difference is decisive: Henrico is cheaper on every residential alteration, deck, addition, kitchen, bath, basement, pool barrier, shed, garage, and in-ground pool, at every project value, because Henrico's formula is gentler at the start and capped. The only category where Fairfax wins is new residential single-family construction, where Fairfax prices by square foot ($0.143/sq ft for VA/VB wood frame) and Henrico hits its $680 cap.

Calculate Your Project Fairfax County permit fees Henrico County permit fees

Evidence and Source Confidence

Both jurisdictions have official fee data verified by PermitPrice from primary .gov sources. Fairfax's data comes from the Land Development Services FY2025 Appendix Q PDF, effective July 1, 2024. Henrico's data comes from the Department of Building Construction and Inspections permits page, last updated December 2025. Both sources are current and were extracted from the official jurisdiction website without secondary intermediaries.

Fairfax County

Verified

Source: Fairfax County Land Development Services - Appendix Q LDS Fee Schedule, FY2025 (effective July 1, 2024). Verified March 15, 2026 from the official PDF on fairfaxcounty.gov.

Currency note: The FY2025 Appendix Q schedule is the current published fee schedule. The next scheduled update is July 2026 (start of FY2027). Confirm current rates before filing with Land Development Services at (703) 222-0801 or the Build Fairfax County portal.

Henrico County

Verified

Source: Henrico County Department of Building Construction and Inspections - Permit Fees: Current. Verified from henrico.gov/bldg/permit-fees/ (page last updated December 2025). Verified April 16, 2026.

Currency note: Henrico's published page does not state an explicit fiscal year start date, but the page was last updated December 2025 and is treated as current. The Department of Building Construction and Inspections is at (804) 501-4360.

Fee Structure Side-by-Side

The two jurisdictions use fundamentally different residential pricing methods. Fairfax is a percentage-of-value system: 3% of declared construction cost with a $72 minimum, plus a mandatory 50% plan review fee, plus 2% state levy on the combined subtotal. Henrico is a flat-base-plus-marginal-rate system with a hard cap: $100 base plus $6 per $1,000 of declared value above $5,000, capped at $680, plus 2% state levy on the building permit fee only. Henrico bundles plan review into the base permit fee; Fairfax itemizes it as a separate mandatory line. The Henrico cap is the structural reason Henrico is dramatically cheaper at every project size, because Fairfax's 3-percent-plus-50-percent-plan-review stack scales linearly without any cap.

Component	Fairfax County	Henrico County
Method	3% of declared value	$100 base + $6 per $1,000 over $5,000
Minimum building permit	$72	$100 (the base)
Maximum / cap	None	$680
Plan review	50% of building permit (mandatory)	None (bundled)
State levy	2% of permit + plan review	2% of permit fee only
Effective date	July 1, 2024 (FY2025)	December 2025 page revision
Last verified	March 15, 2026	April 16, 2026
Source format	Official PDF (Appendix Q)	Official HTML page (henrico.gov/bldg)
Trade permits	Tiered electrical/plumbing/HVAC	Trade permits separate (not on this page)
Source-age caveat	Current FY (next due July 2026)	Page updated Dec 2025; treated as current
New SFD construction	Square-foot pricing ($0.143/sq ft VA/VB wood frame)	Same value formula; effectively $680 cap
In-ground swimming pool	$270 flat permit + $135 plan review + $8.10 levy = $413.10	Same value formula as alteration; capped at $680

Sources: Fairfax County Appendix Q LDS Fee Schedule (FY2025, effective July 1, 2024) and Henrico County Department of Building Construction and Inspections - Permit Fees: Current (henrico.gov/bldg/permit-fees/, page updated December 2025). Trade permits (electrical, mechanical, plumbing) are itemized on separate fee sheets in both jurisdictions and are not modeled in this comparison. Verify current rates with each jurisdiction's office before relying on this comparison for filing.

Four Worked Examples - Same Project, Both Jurisdictions

Each example uses identical project assumptions and walks through the building permit math from each jurisdiction's official schedule. The first three (deck, alteration, addition) all favor Henrico because of its capped value formula. The fourth (new SFD construction at 2,000 sq ft) is the only example where Fairfax wins, because Fairfax prices new construction by square foot rather than by declared value.

Example 1: $15,000 residential deck

A homeowner builds a 320 sq ft attached deck with composite decking and railings for a declared construction value of $15,000. Fairfax applies 3% of value plus 50% plan review plus 2% levy on the subtotal. Henrico applies the value formula on the $15,000 input.

Fairfax County

Building permit (3% of $15,000): $450.00
Plan review (50% of $450.00): $225.00
2% Virginia state levy on $675.00: $13.50

Total: $688.50

Henrico County

Base fee: $100.00
$6 x 10 ($1,000 increments above $5,000): $60.00
2% Virginia state levy on $160.00: $3.20

Total: $163.20

Henrico saves $525.30. The Fairfax 50% plan review surcharge alone ($225) is larger than Henrico's entire all-in fee ($163.20). Fairfax's percentage-of-value method produces a larger building permit ($450 vs Henrico's $160), and the mandatory plan review and levy on the combined subtotal compound the difference. See the dedicated Fairfax deck permit guide and the Virginia deck permit guide for jurisdiction-by-jurisdiction deck math.

Example 2: $30,000 residential alteration (kitchen remodel)

A homeowner gut-renovates a 200 sq ft kitchen with new circuits, plumbing relocation, and new cabinetry for a declared construction value of $30,000. Fairfax and Henrico apply their respective residential alteration formulas to the $30,000 input.

Fairfax County

Building permit (3% of $30,000): $900.00
Plan review (50% of $900.00): $450.00
2% Virginia state levy on $1,350.00: $27.00

Total: $1,377.00

Henrico County

Base fee: $100.00
$6 x 25 ($1,000 increments above $5,000): $150.00
2% Virginia state levy on $250.00: $5.00

Total: $255.00

Henrico saves $1,122.00. The gap widens at higher project values because Fairfax's 3% rate scales linearly while Henrico's $6 per $1,000 marginal rate is an order of magnitude smaller. The 50% plan review fee ($450) by itself is nearly twice Henrico's entire all-in cost. The same dynamic applies to bath remodels, basement finishes, and any other residential alteration scope.

Example 3: $80,000 room addition

A homeowner adds a 400 sq ft heated family room addition to an existing single-family dwelling for a declared construction value of $80,000. Both jurisdictions apply their residential value formulas.

Fairfax County

Building permit (3% of $80,000): $2,400.00
Plan review (50% of $2,400.00): $1,200.00
2% Virginia state levy on $3,600.00: $72.00

Total: $3,672.00

Henrico County

Base fee: $100.00
$6 x 75 ($1,000 increments above $5,000): $450.00
2% Virginia state levy on $550.00: $11.00

Total: $561.00

Henrico saves $3,111.00. The gap is now over six-to-one, and Henrico has not even hit its $680 cap yet at this value (the cap activates at roughly $101,667 declared value). Once Henrico's cap activates, the all-in Henrico fee freezes at $693.60 while Fairfax's percentage-based fee continues to climb without bound. This is the structural reason Henrico is dramatically cheaper for every alteration, deck, addition, kitchen, bath, basement, pool barrier, shed, and accessory project at any value.

Example 4: 2,000 sq ft new single-family dwelling at $400,000 declared value

A builder constructs a new 2,000 sq ft VA/VB wood-frame single-family home with a declared construction value of $400,000. Fairfax prices new residential construction by square foot at $0.143 per sq ft for VA/VB wood frame, then adds 50% plan review and 2% state levy. Henrico applies its standard residential value formula, which hits the $680 cap at roughly $101,667 declared value, so the $400,000 input produces the capped result.

Fairfax County

Building permit (2,000 sq ft x $0.143): $286.00
Plan review (50% of $286.00): $143.00
2% Virginia state levy on $429.00: $8.58

Total: $437.58

Henrico County

Formula at $400,000: $100 + ($6 x 395) = $2,470, capped at: $680.00
2% Virginia state levy on $680.00: $13.60

Total: $693.60

Fairfax saves $256.02. This is the only category where Fairfax beats Henrico. Fairfax uses a square-foot pricing method for new residential construction that decouples the building permit from declared value entirely - a 2,000 sq ft home pays roughly $286 regardless of whether the declared value is $200,000 or $1 million. Henrico's value formula, by contrast, is so gentle and so heavily capped that it produces $680 (capped) for any new construction with declared value above roughly $101,667. For declared values where Fairfax's sq-ft pricing is less than $680, Fairfax wins. Trade permits (electrical, plumbing, mechanical) are filed separately in both jurisdictions and add to the total stack on either side.

When Each Jurisdiction Is Cheaper

There is no crossover for residential alteration, deck, addition, kitchen, bath, basement, pool barrier, shed, garage, or in-ground pool work - Henrico is structurally cheaper at every value because Henrico's formula is gentler at the start ($100 base + $6/$1,000 marginal) and capped at $680. Fairfax's 3-percent-plus-50-percent-plan-review stack scales linearly without a cap. The only category where Fairfax becomes cheaper is new residential single-family construction priced by square foot at $0.143/sq ft for VA/VB wood frame, which beats Henrico's capped $680 once the building is large enough to cross over.

Project Type / Scenario	Cheaper	Why
Residential deck, any value	Henrico	Capped + flat-base structure. Henrico's $100 base + $6/$1,000 marginal beats Fairfax's 3% + 50% plan review + 2% levy stack at every value.
Kitchen / bath remodel ($10k - $50k)	Henrico	$1,122 cheaper at the $30,000 worked example. The Fairfax 50% plan review fee alone is larger than Henrico's entire all-in cost.
Basement finish or addition under $100,000	Henrico	$3,111 cheaper at the $80,000 worked example. Fairfax's percentage-of-value method scales linearly while Henrico's marginal rate is much smaller.
Pool barrier fence / shed / accessory structure	Henrico	Capped at $680 building permit. Most accessory structures fall well below the cap so the value formula stays well below the Fairfax 3% + plan review path.
In-ground swimming pool	Henrico	At a $30,000 declared pool value Henrico is $255.00 (capped formula) vs Fairfax's flat $270 permit + $135 plan review + $8.10 levy = $413.10. Henrico saves about $158.
Roof replacement, $15,000 declared value	Henrico	$163.20 vs $688.50. Same dynamic as the deck example: Henrico's gentler base-plus-marginal formula crushes Fairfax's 3% + plan review stack.
New single-family dwelling (2,000+ sq ft)	Fairfax	Square-foot pricing ($0.143/sq ft for VA/VB wood frame) beats Henrico's $680 cap once the declared value crosses roughly $101,667.
Garage new construction (large)	Fairfax	Square-foot pricing for new structures applies, which beats Henrico's capped value formula on larger garages with high declared value.

Caveat: this comparison covers building permit fees only. Trade permits (electrical, mechanical, plumbing) are filed separately in both jurisdictions under their own schedules. Zoning approvals, stormwater fees, certificate of occupancy, and other site-specific permits are not modeled here. Both jurisdictions also charge a 2% Virginia state levy. Verify before relying on this comparison for filing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Quick fee comparison: Fairfax vs Henrico for a $15,000 deck?

Fairfax charges $688.50 all-in: 3% of $15,000 = $450 building permit, plus 50% mandatory plan review ($225), plus 2% Virginia state levy on the $675 subtotal ($13.50). Henrico charges $163.20 all-in: $100 base + ($6 x 10 increments above $5,000 = $60) = $160 building permit, plus 2% state levy on the building permit fee only ($3.20). Henrico saves $525.30. The Fairfax 50% plan review surcharge alone ($225) is larger than Henrico's entire all-in fee. Both totals cover the building permit only; trade permits (electrical, plumbing) are filed separately in both jurisdictions.

Why is Henrico cheaper for nearly all residential alteration work?

Three structural reasons. First, Henrico's marginal rate is far smaller than Fairfax's: $6 per $1,000 of declared value (0.6%) versus Fairfax's 3% of declared value. Second, Henrico's formula has a $680 hard cap on the building permit fee; Fairfax has no cap, so the gap grows linearly with project size. Third, Henrico bundles plan review into the base permit fee, while Fairfax adds a mandatory 50% plan review surcharge that is itself larger than most Henrico totals. The combined effect is that Henrico beats Fairfax by ratios of 4-to-1 at low values ($163.20 vs $688.50 for a $15k deck) and 6-to-1 at higher values ($561 vs $3,672 for an $80k addition). The math holds across kitchen remodels, bath remodels, basement finishes, additions, sheds, garages, in-ground pools, and pool barrier fences.

When (if ever) does Fairfax become the cheaper option?

Only on new residential single-family construction. Fairfax prices new SFD construction by square foot at $0.143 per sq ft for VA/VB wood frame (other construction types use different sq-ft rates), then adds 50% plan review and 2% state levy. For a typical 2,000 sq ft, $400,000 declared-value home: Fairfax charges 2,000 x $0.143 = $286 building permit + $143 plan review + $8.58 levy = $437.58. Henrico applies its standard residential formula but the $680 cap activates at roughly $101,667 declared value; at $400,000 declared value, Henrico's all-in total is $680 + 2% levy = $693.60. Fairfax saves $256.02 on the new SFD example. The crossover happens because Fairfax's sq-ft method decouples the permit from declared value, while Henrico's value formula is gentle but capped. For renovation, alteration, deck, addition, and accessory work, Fairfax is never cheaper.

How does the plan review fee change the math for Fairfax?

The 50% plan review fee is mandatory and itemized as a separate line in the Fairfax Appendix Q schedule, applied to the building permit fee. For every Fairfax permit, the plan review adds half the building permit fee on top, then the 2% Virginia state levy is calculated on the combined permit-plus-plan-review subtotal. Numerically: a Fairfax 3% permit becomes effectively 4.5% before the levy (3% + 1.5% plan review), and 4.59% all-in after the 2% levy on the subtotal. Henrico does not itemize plan review at all - the $100 base fee and $6 per $1,000 marginal rate already include any plan review labor on the Henrico side. This is why a $30,000 alteration costs $1,377 in Fairfax but only $255 in Henrico: the plan review fee plus the higher percentage rate plus the larger levy base compound on the Fairfax side.

What does the $680 Henrico cap cover?

The $680 cap applies to Henrico's residential 1-2 family value formula and covers building permit work for additions, decks, sheds, garages, pools, demolitions, and alterations. The cap is the building permit fee maximum; the 2% Virginia state levy still applies on top (so the all-in capped total is $693.60). The formula reaches the cap at declared construction value of roughly $101,667 ($100 + ($101,667 - $5,000) / $1,000 x $6 = $680). Below that value, the formula climbs linearly; at and above it, the cap holds steady regardless of how much higher the declared value goes. The cap does not extend to trade permits (electrical, plumbing, mechanical) which are filed separately on their own fee sheets. It also does not extend to non-residential work or to administrative fees like re-inspection or working-without-permit penalties.

State levy difference: 2% on what base?

Both jurisdictions collect the 2% Virginia state levy authorized by Code of Virginia Section 36-139, but the base differs. Fairfax applies the 2% levy to the combined building-permit-plus-plan-review subtotal, because Fairfax itemizes plan review as a separate fee. Henrico applies the 2% levy to the building permit fee only, because Henrico does not itemize plan review separately. Numerically, on a $30,000 alteration: Fairfax levy is 2% of ($900 permit + $450 plan review) = $27, while Henrico levy is 2% of $250 = $5. The Fairfax levy alone is larger than Henrico's entire all-in fee at small project sizes. The levy funds the Virginia State Building Code Technical Review Board and statewide construction code enforcement. Both jurisdictions are mandatory collectors and you cannot opt out.

How is declared construction cost determined in each jurisdiction?

Both jurisdictions ask the applicant to declare a construction cost on the permit application. The declared cost should reflect the total cost of materials and labor for the project; it is the basis for the percentage (Fairfax) or marginal-rate (Henrico) building permit fee. Both jurisdictions reserve the right to require supporting contractor estimates or bid documents if the declared value appears inconsistent with the scope of work. Under-declaring construction cost to reduce the fee can trigger working-without-permit investigation fees, retroactive recalculation, and other penalties. For new construction in Fairfax, the building permit fee is set by square footage rather than declared value, so the declared value matters less for the permit fee itself but still appears on the application. Verify the current declared-cost guidance with each jurisdiction's permit center before filing - rules around what is included (site work, mechanicals, fixtures, finishes) can vary.

Does either jurisdiction's data have source-age concerns?

Both sources are current as of the verification dates on this page. Fairfax's data comes from the FY2025 Appendix Q LDS Fee Schedule, effective July 1, 2024 - the current published fiscal-year schedule. Verified March 15, 2026. The next scheduled update is July 2026 (start of FY2027). Henrico's data comes from henrico.gov/bldg/permit-fees/, with the page last updated December 2025. Verified April 16, 2026. Henrico does not state an explicit fiscal year start date but the December 2025 page revision is recent. Neither source has a known source-age concern at the time of publication. Verify with Fairfax Land Development Services at (703) 222-0801 or with Henrico Department of Building Construction and Inspections at (804) 501-4360 before relying on this comparison for filing.

Calculate Your Specific Project

The PermitPrice Permit Fee Calculator covers Fairfax County, Henrico County, and other Virginia jurisdictions. Pick the jurisdiction and project type, enter your construction value, and the calculator returns the all-in permit cost broken down by component. The calculator math matches the worked examples on this page.

Open the Permit Fee Calculator All Fairfax Permit Fees All Henrico Permit Fees Fairfax deck permit guide Virginia deck permit guide

More Virginia comparisons: Fairfax vs Chesterfield, Fairfax vs Richmond, and Henrico vs Richmond. Browse the full All Comparisons hub for every head-to-head matchup.

Sources

Official .gov Sources - Verified March-April 2026

Fairfax County Appendix Q LDS Fee Schedule (FY2025 PDF) Effective July 1, 2024 - Fairfax County Land Development Services - Source for the Fairfax side of every comparison: 3% of declared construction cost ($72 minimum building permit), 50% mandatory plan review, 2% Virginia state levy on permit-plus-plan-review subtotal, $0.143/sq ft new SFD VA/VB wood frame, $270 flat in-ground pool permit + $135 plan review - Verified March 15, 2026 Verified
Fairfax County Land Development Services - Department Hub Current - Fairfax County Land Development Services - Department contact and permit center reference at (703) 222-0801; primary entry point for filing residential building permits in Fairfax County
Henrico County Permit Fees - Department of Building Construction and Inspections Page last updated December 2025 - Henrico County Department of Building Construction and Inspections - Source for the Henrico side of every comparison: $100 base + $6 per $1,000 over $5,000 (residential 1-2 family), capped at $680, 2% state levy on building permit fee - Verified April 16, 2026 Verified
Code of Virginia Section 36-139 - USBC State Levy Authority Current - Virginia General Assembly - Authorizing statute for the statewide 2% building permit surcharge applied in both Fairfax County and Henrico County

Next Step

Get the full fee schedule for either jurisdiction, run your specific project through the calculator, or check more Virginia comparisons.

Fairfax Fee Page → Henrico Fee Page Permit Fee Calculator All Comparisons

Verify current fees with both jurisdictions before relying on this comparison for filing. Verify directly with Fairfax LDS (Land Development Services) at (703) 222-0801 and verify with Henrico Building Construction and Inspections at (804) 501-4360. The Fairfax FY2025 Appendix Q schedule is current through June 30, 2026; the next scheduled update is FY2027 starting July 2026. The Henrico permits page was last updated December 2025 and is treated as current. Always confirm current rates and project classification before submitting an application in either jurisdiction.

Disclaimer: All fee information on PermitPrice is for informational purposes only and is not an official permit quotation. Actual permit fees are determined by Fairfax County Land Development Services or Henrico County Department of Building Construction and Inspections at the time of application. Trade permits (electrical, mechanical, plumbing), zoning approvals, stormwater fees, certificate of occupancy, and other site-specific permits are separate from the building permit and are not modeled in this comparison. Fairfax's fee structure for new 1-2 family dwellings uses square-foot pricing; Henrico's uses the same value formula as alteration work. Always contact your local building department to confirm current rates before filing.

Written by: Munib Ur Rehman

Data verified against official fee schedule documents.