After the construction documents, drawings, and/or scope of work for a project have been completed they must be forwarded to the Building Code Services office. The documents will be reviewed by a committee for compliance with applicable building and fire codes. The review committee, composed of planners, engineers, architects, building plans examiners, and a certified building official, will also consider the project's conformance with state and university standards of quality and aesthetics.

With proper documentation the permit committee is committed to processing permits for small projects in less than a week. Larger projects may take up to three weeks. Please note that construction work must not begin until this review has been completed and approval granted. A graphic representation of the building permit process is shown on the Permit Flow Chart (pdf format)*.

(* Note: You will need Adobe's Acrobat Reader to be able to view and print the file above. Get a free copy of Acrobat Reader by visiting Adobe's Acrobat Reader Download page.)

After a building permit is issued inspections will be performed by a certified building inspector who will work with the Regional State Fire Marshal as necessary to ensure the finished project meets the requirements of the VUSBC. The building permit should be displayed at a location visible to the building occupants or general public until the project has been complete. If you have any questions concerning the university's policy on building permits or have questions concerning the building code please call Building Code Services at (703) 993-8339.

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