Richmond
City of Richmond Planning & Development Review, Bureau of Permits and Inspections
In short
City of Richmond Planning & Development Review, Bureau of Permits and Inspections issues 5 permits we publish for Richmond, last verified 2026-09-05. Each carries the fee as the agency publishes it, with a link to the schedule it was read from.
What this agency issues
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Commercial Building Permit | City of Richmond Planning & Development Review, Bureau of Permits and Inspections | $131.00 for the first $2,000 of value; above that, $131.00 plus $8.50 per $1,000 or fraction. A 2.0% state surcharge is added to the final calculated fee. This same formula also prices electrical, plumbing, mechanical, gas-piping, fire alarm, sprinkler, and sign permits. | one-time, per project | 2026-09-05 |
| Sign Permit | City of Richmond Planning & Development Review, Bureau of Permits and Inspections | $131.00 for the first $2,000 of value; above that, $131.00 plus $8.50 per $1,000 or fraction, plus a 2% state surcharge — the identical commercial-permit formula used for building permits. | one-time, per sign | 2026-09-05 |
| Special Use Permit for Day Nurseryonly if it applies to you | City of Richmond Planning & Development Review, Bureau of Permits and Inspections | $400 initial application for a day nursery up to 5,000 sq ft and 3 stories; $200 to amend | issued once per approved use | 2026-09-05 |
| General Contractor License — State DPOR License Applies (Richmond)only if it applies to you | City of Richmond Planning & Development Review, Bureau of Permits and Inspections | No fee | not applicable | 2026-09-05 |
| Certificate of Occupancy (HCO) | City of Richmond Planning & Development Review, Bureau of Permits and Inspections | $263 for a Partial, Temporary, or Owner/Tenant/DBA-change Certificate of Occupancy (HCO) | issued once per qualifying occupancy | 2026-09-05 |
Fees shown as a range or formula are set that way by the issuing agency — we do not average them into a single number.
About each permit
Commercial Building Permit
Value of work equals the higher of the contractor's estimate or an RS Means price lookup. A commercial demolition permit is $368 plus up to $1,000 more for buildings over 10,000 sq ft; a failed inspection or no-show costs $63; after-hours inspection is $110/hour.
Sign Permit
A copy of the applicant's state contractor's license and city business license must be on file before a sign permit issues, confirmed directly on the application form itself. The form also carries an affidavit under Code of Virginia § 54.1-1101 for an applicant not subject to contractor licensure, and directs that a 2% state surcharge be added to the final calculated fee.
Special Use Permit for Day Nursery
Only required where the zoning district does not permit a day nursery by-right — confirmed directly against the city's own current Special Use Permit fee schedule. A larger day nursery falls into the higher "Other uses" SUP tiers ($2,400/$1,200 or $3,600/$1,800). Day nurseries are classified as an Assembly use and separately require the full Certificate of Occupancy process, not the cheaper zoning-compliance shortcut.
General Contractor License — State DPOR License Applies (Richmond)
There is no separate city contractor license fee: the City's Permits Fee Schedule (effective July 1, 2024) lists permit and review fees and names no city contractor license or bond, and Code of Virginia § 54.1-1111 requires a permit applicant to furnish satisfactory proof of a valid state contractor license or certification (or a written statement that the applicant is not subject to licensure) before a building or other permit issues, which the city verifies rather than separately licensing. A contractor still needs the state DPOR Board for Contractors license already covered at the state layer.
Certificate of Occupancy (HCO)
A final Certificate of Occupancy tied to an active building permit carries no separate fee — confirmed directly on the city's own customer guide. The $263 HCO fee applies instead to a partial, temporary, or ownership/tenant/DBA-change certificate not tied to new construction. Reprinting an issued certificate is $32. Assembly, Education and Institutional uses — including restaurants and day nurseries — cannot substitute the cheaper Certificate of Zoning Compliance and must go through this process.
Contact
- Jurisdiction
- Richmond
- Phone
- (804) 646-4169
Contact details are taken from the agency’s own site or its published fee schedule. Where we have not verified a phone number we leave it blank rather than guess.
Sources
Every fee and term above was read from one of these government pages on the date shown.
- City of Richmond — Customer Guide to Certificates of Occupancy and HCOs (Rev. 12/04/2024)City of Richmond Planning & Development Review · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-05
- City of Richmond — Permits Fee Schedule, effective July 1, 2024City of Richmond Planning & Development Review · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-05
- City of Richmond — Sign Permit Application (form DCD02S, Rev. 06/23)City of Richmond Planning & Development Review · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-05
- City of Richmond — Special Use Permit application fee scheduleCity of Richmond Planning & Development Review · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-05
Other offices serving Richmond
The full permit list for this jurisdiction
Industry permit lists that include this agency
Virginia jurisdictions
Commercial Compliance Hub publishes information, not legal advice. Requirements change — confirm anything you rely on with the issuing agency before you file.