The Fairfax County Subdivision Provisions, Section 101-2-(1)(A), requires a subdivider to submit a preliminary subdivision plat for all proposed subdivisions creating more than 50 lots and allows them to be submitted for subdivisions creating 50 or fewer lots. In some cases, plans proffered with approved entitlement cases may substitute for a preliminary plan.
ON THIS PAGE
This information is the most common for how to obtain the necessary approval for your project and is not representative of all the conditions you may encounter.
WHO SHOULD APPLY?
Homeowners or their duly authorized agents may submit preliminary plans on their own, however, the plan itself must be certified by a professional engineer, land surveyor, architect or landscape architect licensed by the Commonwealth of Virginia and meeting the respective code requirements.
PLAN AHEAD
Before submitting, ensure you are aware of all applicable regulations and conditions that could affect your project to avoid surprises during the review process. Some of those factors include:
- Zoning Information
- Design Codes and Standards
- Do I Need to Hire a Design Professional?
- Floodplains
- Resource Protection Areas (RPA)
- Grading/Site Plans
- Parking Tabulation
- Types of Soils and Problem Soils
- Researching Site Conditions
To get a detailed description about each regulation and condition, visit our Plan Ahead page.
HOW DO I SUBMIT MY RECORD?
PLUS Application
Apply for your preliminary plan online in PLUS under the Site tab. If you are a first-time user, you must first register for an account.
Submission Guidelines
Visit our Site-Related Submission Guidelines page for information on how to submit your plan, including strongly encouraged naming conventions.
Tutorial on Uploading Plans and Documents in PLUS
Helpful Instruction Guide:
Requirements
Depending on the scope of your project, one or more of the following may be required:
What's Next?
To get a step-by-step guide on PLUS statuses and what they mean, see our What is My PLUS Status? Site Plans Infographic.
Review Process
Staff from the Site Application Center and Site Development and Inspections Division will review your package for completeness and compliance with applicable codes and county ordinances. You will be notified of any deficiencies. Plan corrections, resubmission fees and additional supporting documents may be required.
- Queue times
- Fees
- Common plan comments for site review
- Workflow Routing Slip to track review and plan assignment
For a detailed summary of application progress, to include the name(s) of assigned review staff, click on “Reports” in the top-right corner of the PLUS screen, when you are in a specific record, and select “Workflow Routing Slip Report.”
Plan and Permit Issuance
Once all reviews are approved, fees have been paid and all associated post-approval conditions have been satisfied, your approved plans will be available to download from PLUS. The approved preliminary plan must be referenced in the submission of a subdivision plan.
Visit the Meeting Approval Condition web page to learn more about your plans specific approval conditions, including where to locate them in PLUS and to get the appropriate form for each condition. Once completed, submit all required documents using this form.
Helpful Video:
Access Approved Plans in PLUS - YouTube Video
