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Loudoun County vs Henrico County Building Permit Fees (2026)

Side-by-side comparison of Loudoun County (Northern Virginia) and Henrico County (Richmond MSA) residential building permit fees using official fee schedule data from each jurisdiction. Loudoun bundles building permit, plan review, and county zoning permit into a single flat $395 fee for residential additions of 1,000 sq ft or less ($100 building permit + $130 plan review + $165 county zoning permit). Virginia requires a 2% state levy on building-code permit fees (USBC Section 107.2), but Loudoun's published fees do not say whether that levy is already included or whether it is charged on plan review, so PermitPrice shows each Loudoun total as a range: the published amount up to 2% more on the building permit and plan review portion (the levy never applies to the zoning permit). That makes the Loudoun addition total $395.00 to $399.60. Henrico uses a tiered value formula: $100 base + $6 per $1,000 of declared construction value over $5,000, capped at $680, plus 2% Virginia state levy ($693.60 all-in at the cap). The right county depends on declared construction value. Henrico is cheaper below ~$53,000 declared; Loudoun is cheaper above that point because Henrico's formula keeps growing while Loudoun's bundled flat fee does not.

Loudoun Addition
$395.00 to $399.60 bundled (1,000 sq ft or less)
Henrico Addition
$100 + $6/$1k over $5k, capped $680
$30,000 Addition
Loudoun $395.00 to $399.60 vs Henrico $255.00
$80,000 Addition
Loudoun $395.00 to $399.60 vs Henrico $561.00
Crossover Point
~$52,000 to $53,000 declared value
Loudoun Schedule
July 2022 schedule, re-verified Nov 4, 2026
What This Comparison Covers - and What It Does Not

This comparison covers: Residential addition, deck, and pool building permit fees in Loudoun County and Henrico County using the official published fee schedules of each jurisdiction. Loudoun source: loudoun.gov residential fee schedule effective July 1, 2022 (bundled $395 building permit + plan review + county zoning, for 1,000 sq ft or less). Henrico source: henrico.gov/bldg/permit-fees, page last updated December 2025 (residential 1-2 family value formula).

This comparison does NOT cover: Trade permits (electrical, plumbing, mechanical) - both jurisdictions charge these separately. New residential construction - both jurisdictions use separate flat structures (Henrico $680 new SFD; Loudoun's new construction path is the 1% formula plus $335 plan review, not modeled). Loudoun projects above 1,000 sq ft - these use the 1% of construction value formula + $335 plan review path, which is not bundled and is not the $395 figure on this page. Multi-family, townhouses, commercial. Zoning and overlay approvals beyond Loudoun's bundled county zoning. HOA architectural review.

Why the comparison units differ: Loudoun structures its fee schedule as a bundled flat fee that includes building permit + plan review + county zoning permit; the bundle exists for residential additions of 1,000 sq ft or less (alterations are priced at 1% of construction cost plus a $130 plan review fee). Henrico structures its fee schedule as a single tiered value formula that covers decks, sheds, pools, additions, and demolitions in one rule. The two jurisdictions are not directly comparable component-by-component because Loudoun's bundle includes county zoning while Henrico's formula does not. The "all-in" totals on this page are the closest like-for-like the two schedules allow.

Loudoun source-age caveat: The Loudoun County residential fee schedule used on this page is the July 1, 2022 version (FY2023). This is still the most recent published version on loudoun.gov as of November 4, 2026. Virginia requires a 2% state levy on building-code permit fees (USBC Section 107.2), but Loudoun's published fees do not say whether that levy is already included or whether it is charged on plan review, so PermitPrice shows each Loudoun total as a range: the published amount up to 2% more on the building permit and plan review portion (the levy never applies to the zoning permit). Verify directly with Loudoun Building and Development before filing.

Fee Structure Side-by-Side

Henrico shows the 2% Virginia state levy on its permit fee; Loudoun's published fees do not show it, so Loudoun totals here are ranges. The building permit fee structure is also fundamentally different. Loudoun bundles plan review and county zoning into the building permit. Henrico bundles plan review into the building permit but does not include zoning. Loudoun's bundle is flat; Henrico's grows with declared value until the cap activates.

Component Loudoun County Henrico County
Building permit base $395 flat bundle (includes plan review + county zoning, for 1,000 sq ft or less) $100 base
Value step None at 1,000 sq ft or less (over 1,000 sq ft: 1% of construction value + $335 PR, not bundled) $6 per $1,000 over $5,000 threshold
Fee cap N/A for bundled path (no cap on 1% path either) $680 (activates at $101,001 declared value)
Separate plan review None - bundled in $395 flat for under-1,000-sq-ft path None - bundled in base + value step
County zoning permit Bundled in the $395 flat fee for the under-1,000-sq-ft path Separate process (not in building permit fee)
2% VA state levy applies to Not shown in published fees; 2% of the $230 building permit + plan review if not already included ($0 to $4.60), never the $165 zoning permit Building permit subtotal
Minimum addition all-in $395.00 to $399.60 (bundled) $102.00 (at $5,000 threshold)
Maximum addition all-in $395.00 to $399.60 (bundled, 1,000 sq ft or less) $693.60 (capped, above $101,000)
Source effective date July 1, 2022 (FY2023) Page last updated December 2025

Sources: Loudoun County Building and Development residential fee schedule effective July 1, 2022 (loudoun.gov/96/Building-Development), Henrico County Department of Building Construction and Inspections permit fees page last updated December 2025 (henrico.gov/bldg/permit-fees/). Both verified by Munib Ur Rehman.

Worked Examples - Same Project, Both Counties

Each example uses the same project assumptions and arithmetic from the official fee schedules of each jurisdiction. Loudoun's bundled $395.00 to $399.60 is constant at 1,000 sq ft or less. Henrico's value formula grows until the cap. The crossover is around $52,000 to $53,000 declared. Virginia requires a 2% state levy on building-code permit fees (USBC Section 107.2), but Loudoun's published fees do not say whether that levy is already included or whether it is charged on plan review, so PermitPrice shows each Loudoun total as a range: the published amount up to 2% more on the building permit and plan review portion (the levy never applies to the zoning permit).

Example 1: $5,000 small bump-out (Henrico threshold case)

A homeowner builds a tiny enclosed entry vestibule, declared construction value $5,000 - exactly at Henrico's value-step threshold.

  • Loudoun: $395 bundle + the 2% levy, if not already included, on the $230 building permit and plan review ($0 to $4.60) = $395.00 to $399.60
  • Henrico: $100 base + $0 value step (at threshold) + $2.00 levy on $100 = $102.00
  • Henrico saves $293.00 to $297.60 at this declared value

For very small additions Loudoun's bundle becomes the expensive option because the flat $395 dwarfs the actual permit work needed. Henrico's per-$1,000 step keeps the fee proportional.

Example 2: $30,000 sunroom addition (300 sq ft enclosed)

A homeowner adds a 300 sq ft enclosed sunroom, declared construction value $30,000. Under 1,000 sq ft so Loudoun's bundled path applies.

  • Loudoun: $395 bundle + $0 to $4.60 levy = $395.00 to $399.60
  • Henrico: $100 base + $6 x 25 = $250 + $5.00 levy = $255.00
  • Henrico saves $140.00 to $144.60 at this declared value
Example 3: $50,000 family-room addition (450 sq ft heated)

A homeowner builds a 450 sq ft heated family-room addition, declared construction value $50,000. Under 1,000 sq ft.

  • Loudoun: $395 bundle + $0 to $4.60 levy = $395.00 to $399.60
  • Henrico: $100 base + $6 x 45 = $370 + $7.40 levy = $377.40
  • Henrico saves $17.60 to $22.20 at this declared value

$50,000 is just below the crossover point. Henrico still wins by a small margin.

Example 4: $80,000 family-room addition (post-crossover)

A homeowner builds a 500 sq ft heated family-room addition, declared construction value $80,000. Under 1,000 sq ft so Loudoun's bundle still applies.

  • Loudoun: $395 bundle + $0 to $4.60 levy = $395.00 to $399.60
  • Henrico: $100 base + $6 x 75 = $550 + $11.00 levy = $561.00
  • Loudoun saves $161.40 to $166.00 at this declared value

Past the roughly $53,000 crossover Loudoun's bundled fee becomes the cheaper structure. Henrico's value step keeps climbing while Loudoun stays at $395.00 to $399.60 until the project hits 1,000 sq ft and crosses into the 1%-of-value formula path.

Example 5: $250,000 second-story addition (over 1,000 sq ft case)

A homeowner adds a 1,200 sq ft second-story addition, declared construction value $250,000. Above 1,000 sq ft, so Loudoun's bundled path does not apply - it falls under the 1% of construction value + $335 separate plan review path.

  • Loudoun (1% path, estimated): 1% x $250,000 = $2,500 + $335 plan review = $2,835 + the 2% levy, if not already included, on $2,835 ($0 to $56.70) = $2,835.00 to $2,891.70, plus the county zoning permit (estimated)
  • Henrico (cap active): $680 capped + $13.60 levy = $693.60
  • Henrico saves $2,141.40 to $2,198.10 at this declared value, before Loudoun's zoning permit (estimate based on Loudoun 1% path)

For very large additions above 1,000 sq ft Loudoun's structure flips back to expensive because the 1% formula has no cap. Henrico's $680 ceiling is a structural advantage for any large project. The Loudoun 1% path figure is an estimate from the July 2022 schedule - verify with Loudoun Building and Development before relying on it. The levy is shown as a range on the building permit and plan review only; the county zoning permit on this path is listed separately and not included.

Decision Rule by Project Type and Declared Value

The "which county is cheaper" answer depends on declared construction value and whether the project is under or over 1,000 sq ft (which switches Loudoun between bundled flat and 1% paths).

Project Type / Value Loudoun Henrico Cheaper
$5,000 addition (threshold case) $395.00 to $399.60 $102.00 Henrico (saves $293.00 to $297.60)
$15,000 deck of 1,000 sq ft or less $395.00 to $399.60 bundled $163.20 Henrico (saves $231.80 to $236.40)
$30,000 addition $395.00 to $399.60 $255.00 Henrico (saves $140.00 to $144.60)
$50,000 addition $395.00 to $399.60 $377.40 Henrico (saves $17.60 to $22.20)
~$52,000 to $53,000 crossover $395.00 to $399.60 ~$395.00 to $399.60 Tied
$80,000 addition $395.00 to $399.60 $561.00 Loudoun (saves $161.40 to $166.00)
$100,000 addition (1,000 sq ft or less) $395.00 to $399.60 $683.40 (just under cap) Loudoun (saves $283.80 to $288.40)
$250,000 addition over 1,000 sq ft (Loudoun 1% path) $2,835.00 to $2,891.70 + zoning (estimated) $693.60 capped Henrico (saves $2,141.40 to $2,198.10 or more)
$30,000 in-ground pool $260.00 to $261.90 outside incorporated towns; $95.00 to $96.90 plus town zoning and fees inside a town $255.00 (same 1-2 family formula) Depends on location (outside towns Henrico saves $5.00 to $6.90; inside a town it depends on the town fee)

Henrico is the structurally cheaper county for additions below roughly $53,000 declared value and for decks at typical residential values. Loudoun is cheaper for additions of 1,000 sq ft or less from roughly $53,000 declared value upward, including above Henrico's $693.60 cap: Loudoun stays at $395.00 to $399.60 until the project exceeds 1,000 sq ft, whatever its value. For pools the answer depends on location: outside Loudoun's incorporated towns Henrico is slightly cheaper; inside a town it depends on the town's own zoning fee. The over-1,000-sq-ft Loudoun figure is an estimate based on the July 2022 schedule and carries a source-age caveat - verify with Loudoun Building and Development before relying on the 1% path estimate for budgeting.

Frequently Asked Questions

Henrico, by a small margin. Loudoun charges $395.00 to $399.60 bundled all-in (under 1,000 sq ft path), depending on whether the 2% state levy is added. Henrico charges $377.40 ($100 base + $270 value step + $7.40 state levy). Henrico saves $17.60 to $22.20. The crossover where Loudoun becomes cheaper is at approximately $52,000 to $53,000 declared construction value; below that Henrico wins, above it Loudoun wins until the project hits 1,000 sq ft and switches into Loudoun's separate 1% path.
The $395 flat fee bundles Loudoun's $100 building permit, $130 plan review, and $165 county zoning permit into one charge for residential additions of 1,000 sq ft or less. Virginia requires a 2% state levy on building-code permit fees (USBC Section 107.2), but Loudoun's published fees do not say whether that levy is already included or whether it is charged on plan review, so PermitPrice shows each Loudoun total as a range: the published amount up to 2% more on the building permit and plan review portion (the levy never applies to the zoning permit). That gives $395.00 to $399.60 all-in. This bundled model is structurally different from Henrico, which does not include county zoning in the building permit fee. The bundled path applies only at 1,000 sq ft or less; over that threshold Loudoun switches to a 1% of construction value + $335 separate plan review path.
Henrico's published 1-2 family fee schedule applies the same $680 cap across decks, sheds, pools, additions, garages, and demolitions. The cap exists because the County's new construction fee for a 1-2 family dwelling is a flat $680, and the addition formula ceiling matches new construction so an addition can never cost more than a new house in building permit terms. The cap activates at $101,001 declared construction value, where the $6 per $1,000 value step would otherwise push the building permit past $680. Above that threshold the all-in fee freezes at $693.60 regardless of declared value.
The July 1, 2022 (FY2023) residential fee schedule is still the most recent version published on loudoun.gov as of November 4, 2026. Loudoun County may have revised the schedule in a newer fiscal year that has not yet been posted to the public Building and Development page; that is not unusual for VA county schedules. PermitPrice uses the most recently published official schedule and discloses the source-age caveat clearly on every page that cites Loudoun. Verify directly with Loudoun Building and Development before filing a load-bearing budget that depends on Loudoun's $395 bundled fee.
No - both counties bundle plan review on the under-1,000-sq-ft path. Loudoun bundles plan review and county zoning into the $395 flat fee for additions of 1,000 sq ft or less. Henrico bundles plan review into the $100 base + value step formula across all residential 1-2 family permit types. The plan review work itself still happens - both counties perform structural and code review before issuing the permit - but neither charges a separate line item. Loudoun's over-1,000-sq-ft path is the exception: it adds $335 separate plan review on top of the 1%-of-value building permit.
No. Trade permits are separate filings in both jurisdictions. Most additions trigger all three trade categories: electrical for new outlets/lighting/circuits, plumbing if the addition includes a bathroom or kitchen extension, mechanical for the duct extensions or new zone equipment. Trade permits add roughly $100-$400 to the addition permit total depending on installer scope in either county. Licensed trade contractors pull these permits separately at intake under each county's trade fee structures. The $395.00 to $399.60 Loudoun and $377.40 Henrico figures on this page exclude all trade permits.
Loudoun's $395 bundled flat applies to residential additions of 1,000 sq ft or less of work area (residential alterations are priced separately at 1% of construction cost, minimum $65, plus a $130 plan review fee). Above 1,000 sq ft, the schedule switches to the 1% of construction value building permit fee + $335 separate plan review fee path. Most typical residential additions in Loudoun (bump-outs, sunrooms, family rooms, mid-sized additions) stay 1,000 sq ft or less and use the $395 bundled path. Second-story additions over an existing first floor or large family-room expansions are the cases where projects cross into the 1% path. Verify the exact sq-ft work-area threshold with Loudoun Building and Development before relying on the bundled $395 figure.
Partially. Henrico's same 1-2 family formula covers decks, pools, sheds, garages, and demolitions, so the value-step math on this page applies directly to those project types - a $15,000 Henrico deck is $163.20, a $30,000 Henrico pool is $255.00. Loudoun's $395 bundled path covers deck and shed permits of 1,000 sq ft or less (so $395.00 to $399.60 all-in applies to a typical residential deck or shed in Loudoun). Pools are not on the bundle. Loudoun's official pool page (loudoun.gov/5382) lists $260 for a property not in an incorporated town, including the county building and zoning permit fees ($260.00 to $261.90 with the levy range) - $5.00 to $6.90 more than Henrico's $255.00 for a $30,000 pool. Inside an incorporated town (Leesburg, Purcellville, Middleburg, Hamilton, Hillsboro, Lovettsville, Round Hill) Loudoun charges $95 ($95.00 to $96.90) for the county building permit only, and the owner must also get an approved zoning permit from the town, whose fees are not included - so whether Loudoun is cheaper there depends on the town fee. Trade and grading permits are separate. See /guides/deck-permit-cost-virginia/ and /guides/pool-permit-cost-virginia/ for the statewide project-type guides.

Sources

Official .gov Sources - Verified May and November 2026
  • Loudoun County Building and Development - Residential Fee Schedule FY2023 effective July 1, 2022 - Loudoun County Building and Development - Primary source for the bundled $395 building permit + plan review + county zoning permit fee for residential additions of 1,000 sq ft or less, with the $100 building permit (page 9), $130 plan review fee (page 10) and $165 residential zoning permit fee (page 13) that make up the bundle. This is still the most recent published version on loudoun.gov as of November 4, 2026 Source July 2022 - Verify Current
  • Henrico County Department of Building Construction and Inspections - Permit Fees Page last updated December 2025 - Primary source for the residential 1-2 family value formula ($100 base + $6 per $1,000 over $5,000, capped at $680). Verified by Munib Ur Rehman against the formula description and the published cap value Verified Dec 2025
  • Code of Virginia Section 36-137(7) - State Levy Authority Current - Virginia General Assembly - Enabling statute for the state levy; USBC Section 107.2 (13VAC5-63-70) requires it at 2% of fees charged for building-code permits, collected by the local building department; it does not apply to county zoning permits
  • Loudoun County - Pools Verified November 4, 2026 - Loudoun County, VA - Source for pool fees: $260 outside incorporated towns (includes county building and zoning permit fees); $95 inside an incorporated town (county building permit fee only; town zoning permit and fees separate); trade and grading permits separate
Next Step

Calculate your specific permit cost in either county, see all fee categories per county, or compare against other neighboring jurisdictions.

Always verify current building permit fees directly with Loudoun County Building and Development and the Henrico County Department of Building Construction and Inspections before budgeting or filing. The Loudoun July 2022 schedule and the Henrico December 2025 page are the most recent published versions as of November 4, 2026. Loudoun: loudoun.gov/96/Building-Development. Henrico: henrico.gov/bldg/permit-fees or call the Permit Center at (804) 501-7280.
Disclaimer: All fee information on PermitPrice is for informational purposes only and is not an official permit quotation. Actual permit fees are determined by each county at the time of application. The Loudoun figures on this page come from the July 2022 published schedule (still current as of November 4, 2026) and the official pool page, and are shown as ranges because Loudoun's published fees do not say whether the required 2% state levy is already included. The over-1,000-sq-ft Loudoun 1% path figure in Example 5 is an estimate; verify directly before relying on it for budgeting. Trade permit costs (electrical, plumbing, mechanical) are not modeled in this comparison and depend on installer scope. Verify directly with each county's building department before filing.

Written by: Munib Ur Rehman

Data verified against official fee schedule documents.