Arlington County has an awesome website when it comes to questions about building, repairing, adding, etc. and what requires a permit, how to apply for one, how to check the status of one, and who to contact.
If you’re wondering what requires a permit, here’s a brief summary of the common projects you may not expect to but are actually required to have a permit:
- The removal or addition of any wall, partition or portion thereof
- Any structural component (certain exemptions apply)
- The repair or replacement of any required component of a fire- or smoke-rated assembly
- The alteration of any required means of egress system
- Water supply and distribution system, sanitary drainage system or vent system
- Fire protection system, mechanical systems or fuel supply systems or
- Any equipment regulated by the Uniform Statewide Building Code (USBC)
- Deck
- Plumbing
- Gas appliance (range, water heater, etc)
- Electrical
- Mechanical
- Boilers
- Furnaces
- Air-conditioning systems
- Ventilation
- Exhaust
- Refrigeration systems
- And their related components
- Fire protection (sprinklers, kitchen hoods, fire alarms, fire mains)
- Elevator
- New driveway
- New sidewalks
- Dumpster
For a full list of popular projects that require a permit and the types of permits they require, visit the Arlington County Building Division website.