PERMIT APPLICATION PROCEDURES

ELECTRICAL, MECHANICAL, & PLUMBING

1. Complete application items 1 – 13 for plumbing and mechanical permits. 1-18 for electrical permits and 1- 15 for building permits.
2. Property owners who are applying to do the work themselves must visit the Building Standards Division on the 4th floor of City Hall, 801 Crawford Street to complete the application process with an inspector. Please bring clearly detailed plans or drawings of the work you are planning to do and a form of identification that includes a picture. In order for a property owner to pull a permit a Property Owner Affidavit must be signed by the applicant and notarized.
3. Contractors who have never applied for a permit in the City of Portsmouth must mail or fax (757-393-5108) the following information to Building Standards prior to or at the time of application:
   1. State Contractors License
   2. Proof of business license
   3. Master Tradesman’s Card
   4. $5,000 Surety Bond is required for contractors who do not hold a Class A contractors license. The bond must be on the City of Portsmouth form. Bonds may not be faxed, as original signature is required on file. The form can be found in PDF Format or in Word97 Format with these instructions.
   5. A completed registration card.
4. Permit applications must be signed by the Master Tradesman.
5. Applications may be mailed to City of Portsmouth, Building Standards, 801 Crawford St., Portsmouth, VA 23704 . Applications must be accompanied by check or money order made payable to the City of Portsmouth. A receipt will be mailed after permit is approved and processed.

BUILDING PERMITS

1. In addition to the above procedures, building permits for new construction, additions and accessories must be accompanied by a physical survey of the property. The proposed construction must be shown, to scale, on the physical survey and must be approved by the Planning Services Division. Approval must be obtained during a visit to City Hall (at present).
2. New construction – single family – applicants must pay utility tap fees and any fees required by the Engineering Department prior to application. Plans must accompany the application for review.

COMMERCIAL PERMITS

Please contact the office of Community Quality & Planning Services for requirements, (757) 393-8531.