Read the newly updated July 1, 2022, notification.

Two changes occurring over the next eight months in Fairfax County will impact the submission of Residential Masterfile plans. The first occurs on July 1, 2022, when all new permit applications and plans are expected to comply with the 2018 Uniform Statewide Building Code (USBC), and the second occurs in the fall with the final release of the new Planning and Land Use System, PLUS. 

To facilitate a smooth transition to both the 2018 building code and the new Masterfile process, the county will extend the validity of currently approved Masterfiles under the 2015 USBC through February 2023. 

PLUS, scheduled for full implementation in fall 2022, will result in the following changes to the Masterfile process: 

Builders will not need to establish or update a Masterfile simultaneously with a new single family home application. In other words, builders can submit Masterfiles independently from subsequent single family home applications based on the Masterfile, and a site-specific plan will no longer be required.   

These changes occurring in such proximity have prompted the Fairfax County Building Official to extend the use of the 2015 USBC. 

If you have questions, please reach out to the Building Division via email or phone at 703-222-0801, TTY 711.