Land Development Services

CONTACT INFORMATION: Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. - 4 p.m. and Friday, 9:15 a.m. - 4 p.m. Please note that visitors may not be added to in-person queues past 3:45 p.m.
703-222-0801 TTY 711
12055 Government Center Pkwy
Fairfax, VA 22035
Bill Hicks
Director

Electric Vehicle Charging Stations (EVCS) Permits

Electric Vehicle Charging Stations

This information is the most common for how to obtain the necessary permits for your residential project and is not representative of all the conditions you may encounter.

PERMITS NEEDED

The types of permits required, as listed below, may be required depending on the size and complexity of your EVCS.

  • Electrical permit for new circuits and outlets (no permit is required if you are plugging a stand-alone charging station into an existing outlet).
  • Commercial New Building permit for commercial charging stations with an overhead canopy or other type of structure.
  • Sign permit for commercial charging stations with advertising signs.

 

There are also applicable Zoning Provisions for electric vehicle charging stations.  Please review the EVC memorandum and checklist for more information.

 

FEES

The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors authorized the exemption (no fees) of all electrical and building permit fees for electric vehicle charging stations through October 31, 2025.

DOCUMENTS REQUIRED

Depending on the scope of your project, one or more of the following documents may be required:

 

In addition, please review the EVC memorandum and checklist for more information.

Please see EVCS Permit Guidance for Homeowner Associations (HOA).

GIS Application

A new GIS application was created to let the public see the distribution of Electric Vehicle Charging Station (EVCS) permits across Fairfax County for the first 12 months of the trial period. This application overlays the location of LDS Commercial and Residential Electrical Permits for EVCS against the Fairfax County Vulnerability Index Map to show equity impacts.


Who should apply for the permit?

Homeowners may obtain permits in their own name. However, it is strongly recommended a properly licensed contractor pull the permits as the responsible party so the county can better assist in gaining compliance for defective work.


Permit Process

Follow the steps below to obtain the necessary approvals and permits for your EVCS.

Vienna and Clifton residents require additional approvals from their respective towns.

 

Obtain permits online using PLUS. If you are a first-time user, you must first follow the prompts to create an account. Once you are logged into PLUS, apply for a new commercial building permit if required and an electrical permit.

Refer to our Fee Schedule to help determine your costs. EVCS fees waived through October 31, 2025.

County staff from the Permit Application Center, Building Plan Review, Site Review and Zoning will review your package for completeness and compliance with the building code and county ordinances. You will be notified of any deficiencies. Plan corrections, resubmission fees and additional supporting documents may be required. 

Once all county reviews are approved and outstanding fees have been paid, you can access your approved plans in PLUS. The permit for the construction of any structures and the installation of the electrical components must be printed and posted at the job site for the duration of the project.

Fairfax Virtual Assistant