Land Development Services

For projects proposing electrical, mechanical or plumbing (often referred to as “trades”) work, an applicant will now apply for residential trades permit records for projects applying under an R3 or R5 use group, per section 310 of the Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code, matching the parent building permit record. R3 and R5 projects include Townhouses (3-story, 4-story and 2-over-2’s), Duplex’s and Single-Family Detached dwellings. This change will apply regardless of service size. This improvement not only reduces unnecessary confusion for the applicant, but also increases efficiency for the building inspection team when scheduling daily inspections. The code edition and use group information will be updated by permits intake staff during the application submittal review task. All trades permit installations must still follow the appropriate code requirements based on the use group and current building codes.

Previously issued trades permits, and those currently under review, will not be subject to this new procedure.

For information on how to submit residential trades permits in PLUS, see the Residential Building permit library guide.

For additional information on the permit submission process, please email Permit Services at LDSbuildingpermits@fairfaxcounty.gov or call 703-222-0801, TTY 711.

The Virginia Department of Transportation’s (VDOT) Traffic Operations Division has issued an instructional and informational memorandum (Memorandum) intended to provide a set of standards and guidelines for where, when, and how Signalized Intersection Pedestrian Features are to be installed during certain improvement activities. The Memorandum establishes requirements, recommendations, and options for the provision of Signalized Intersection Pedestrian Features based on a default assumption that the features will be provided across all approaches of the intersection when certain improvement activities occur unless an exception is met.

The full memorandum, including worksheet & evaluation form can be found on VDOT’s website: IIM-TOD-400 Pedestrian Accommodations at Traffic Signals.

For additional information, please contact VDOT’s Northern Virginia District office at 703-259-2382.

As detailed in Technical Bulletin 23-07, the administrative provisions of the 2021 Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code (USBC) became effective January 18, 2024, which will effectively replace the 2018 USBC on January 17, 2025. During the one-year grace period, building permit applicants may choose to use the technical provisions of either the 2018 or 2021 USBC. To navigate Masterfile submissions through the grace period, applicants are advised to submit new Masterfile plans under the 2021 provisions. The 2018 Masterfile plans cannot be partially amended with 2021 provisions.

Additionally, building permits for detached and attached single-family dwellings obtained under a 2018 Masterfile Plan, will only be eligible for one 6-month extension request, whether it has been issued or is still a pending application. Additional extensions will not be granted. If inspections have not occurred, the permit will be deemed abandoned per Section 110.6 of the 2021 USBC and administratively voided.

It is strongly recommended that applicants avoid submitting new 2018 Masterfile plans as those plans will become invalid on January 17, 2025, when the technical provisions of the 2018 USBC code expire. Applicants will be required to submit a new Masterfile (MFILE) record in the Planning and Land Use System (PLUS) reflecting the 2021 USBC.

For information on how to submit Masterfile records in PLUS, see the Masterfile permit library guide.

For additional information on the 2021 Masterfile submission process, please email Permit Services at email or call 703-222-0801, TTY 711.

Land Development Services closed briefly from 11 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 24, for an LDS awards ceremony. The Customer Experience Team in Suite 324, the Customer Information Center in Suite 111, and the Cashier’s Office in Suite 636 will close during that time. Plan review and inspections services will also be unavailable for this brief period of time.

The Planning and Land Use System (PLUS) will remain accessible to customers, but staff will not be available to respond to questions in person or via phone or email.

County staff continue to implement additional improvements to the Planning and Land Use System (PLUS) to serve you better. Check out these new PLUS fixes for Land Development Services (LDS) customers.

We welcome your feedback on future PLUS enhancements. If you have ideas to improve the system, please take a moment to enter them here: LDS Customer PLUS Feedback Form.

Reminder - effective July 1, 2024, the countywide Stormwater Pro Rata Share Assessment rate changed from $26,713.59 to $27,342.66 per increase in impervious acre; the maximum water quality credit increased from 61.7% to 61.9%; and the maximum water quantity credit decreased from 38.3% to 38.1%.

These revenues, collected during the development process and combined countywide, pay for the drainage infrastructure that is required to reduce harm to receiving waters in Fairfax County, the Potomac River, and the Chesapeake Bay. They also stop the deterioration of the current drainage systems and flood damage.

The county determines the Pro Rata Share assessment for an individual development project as a proportion of the total estimated cost of the drainage improvement program. The assessment is based on the stormwater impact of the project measured by its increase in impervious cover discounted by any applicable credit for on-site stormwater management facilities and best management practices provided as part of the new construction.

Once collected, the assessment fees will be allocated to the Fairfax County Department of Public Works and Environmental Services for the program. Learn more about typical community improvement projects supported by funding from the Pro Rata Assessment fee and other funding sources by visiting the Stormwater Management page.

For more information on Pro Rata Share Assessment, refer to Public Facilities Manual (PFM) § 6-0600.

If you have any questions, please contact the Site Application Center at 703‑222-0801, TTY 711.

County staff continue to implement additional improvements to the Planning and Land Use System (PLUS) to serve you better. Check out these new PLUS fixes for Land Development Services (LDS) customers.

We welcome your feedback on future PLUS enhancements. If you have ideas to improve the system, please take a moment to enter them here: LDS Customer PLUS Feedback Form.

The Expedited Building Plan Review (EBPR) program, which has been available at Fairfax County’s Land Development Services (LDS) for over 20 years, is one of several methods provided to expedite review of permits for construction projects using certified and approved peer reviewers. EBPR is open to plans for any project size, construction type or use group without pre-approval by the Building Official.

Plans that go through the EBPR program have review timelines seven times shorter than non-EBPR plans. This significant reduction in review time is possible because EBPR plans have been reviewed by peer reviewers, resulting in better quality plans than non-EBPR plans. A majority of peer reviewed plans received at LDS are Commercial Interior Alteration (ALTC) plans. All plans, including these high-volume commercial interior alteration plans, are eligible for the expedited building plan review program.

Leveraging the expedited building plan review program could save your project time and money. If you are interested in participating in the EBPR program, contact Ali Heidari Goodarzi at 703-324-1087.

Land Development Services (LDS) staff are continuously developing resources to help improve customer access to our services. To better serve our customers navigating the Planning and Land Use System (PLUS), a new guide is available to explain how to print a payment receipt in PLUS. Click here for the full guide on “How to Print a Payment Receipt in PLUS.

In our ongoing effort to enhance the Planning and Land Use System (PLUS) and better serve our community, the Building Division is implementing an important change regarding the submission of Special Inspection documents. Effective Monday, July 15th, the county will no longer accept Special Inspection documents through email correspondence. Instead, all Special Inspection documents must be uploaded to the associated Critical Structures (CRIT) record in PLUS.

Key points to note:

1. New Submission Method: Starting July 15th, all Special Inspection documents must be uploaded to the associated CRIT records in PLUS. Email submissions will no longer be accepted.
2. Access for Uploading Reports: Only individuals whose PLUS accounts are listed in the contact list of the CRIT records will have access to upload the reports and add new contacts to the record. Please ensure that your PLUS account is properly associated with the relevant CRIT records. Visit the Update Contacts website for guidance to update contacts on your record.

For more details on this process, please visit our Critical Structures Permit Library. We appreciate your cooperation and support as we work to improve our systems and services. For more information about critical structures, contact Haval Barzingy at 703-324-1921, TTY 711 or Benjamin Sadeqian at 703-324-8465, TTY 711.