UPDATED: April 1, 2020 at 1:30 p.m.

Interim-Counter Instructions

We continue to adapt our processes to shift to electronic transactions as quickly as possible while minimizing customer inconvenience. As a result, you may experience slower processing until our process changes are complete.

Choose from the following development areas for instructions on how to process your transactions.

• Building Permits and Plans
• Site-Related Plans and Documents
• Zoning Permit Applications and Submission
• Records and VFOIA Requests

The instructions herein may change as our processes evolve.  Please check back here to ensure the clarity of your transaction process. For more information, please email us.

Building Permits and Plans

 

Permit Application

You must apply for all permits online on FIDO. In many cases, you can obtain your permit the same day as application. Use the links below to guide you on the various project types:

Residential Projects

Start on FIDO to apply your permit. Depending on your project type, you may need to submit plans and supplemental documents as noted in the list below.

• Chimney reline/repair
• Decks²
• Demolish entire structure¹
• Detached structure, residential²
• Electric Residential
• Finished Basements²
• Foundation Repair²
• Household appliance
• Interior alterations²
• Interior/exterior waterproofing
• Mechanical/gas residential
• Mobile Home²
• New Single Family Dwelling²
• Plumbing/gas residential
• Residential Addition²
• Residential Swimming Pool/Spa²
• Retaining walls²
• Roof repair/reline

¹You must use our Building Plan and Document Upload Portal. For example, you may need to submit a scaled, certified house location plat depicting your project.
²You must submit plans using our ePlans system ProjectDox.

Commercial Projects

Start on FIDO and apply for your permit. Depending on your project type, you may need to submit plans and supplemental documents as listed below.

• Antenna
• Building Sign Permit²
• Commercial Addition²
• Commercial Swimming Pool/Spa²
• Decks²
• Demolish entire structure¹
• Detached structure, commercial²
• Electric Commercial³
• Foundation Repair²
• Interior alterations commercial²
• Low Voltage electrical permit
• Maximum occupancy²
• Mechanical/gas commercial³
• New Commercial²
• Plumbing/gas commercial³
• Retaining walls²
• Roof repair/reline²

¹You must use our Building Plan and Document Upload Portal. For example, you may need to submit a scaled site-related plan depicting your project.
²You must submit plans using our ePlans system ProjectDox.
³You will not need to submit plans if your permit is associated with replacement equipment or a parent building permit.

Elevators

To apply for a permit for new or alterations to existing elevators or escalators, follow the submission requirements below. For more information, visit the program website or email LDSelevators@fairfaxcounty.gov.

• Complete and save the fillable Elevator Permit Application Form. Please ensure you fully complete the application; incomplete applications may delay permit issuance.
• Go to the new Elevator Application Web Portal, fill or check the required fields and upload the required documents.
• Upon submission, staff will review the submission package for completeness and notify you of any submission deficiencies.
• Once accepted, you can monitor the application’s progress using FIDO by searching permit status by address.
• Upon approval, fees will be assessed which you will be able to pay online.
• Once fees have been paid, staff will email you the permit and approved plans.

Permit Issuance

You can obtain and print your permit from FIDO only when all plan review and other conditions have been approved.

• Ensure all outstanding fees are paid online.
• Follow the instructions that FIDO sends to the applicant emails to print your permit.
• Email LDSbuildingpermits@fairfaxcounty.gov or call 703-222-0801, TTY 711 if you need assistance with outstanding approvals.

Building Plans

Building plan reviews will continue as normal, and plan reviewers will be available for questions and consultation by telephone. For more information, please email bprmail@fairfaxcounty.gov or call 703-324-3035, TTY 711. Please continue to monitor FIDO for the status of your plan reviews.

Please note: Plans submitted using the Fairfax County eplans Program (ProjectDox) are not affected and will continue normally.

Please follow the instructions below for the services normally offered at our plan review counter.

• To retrieve your paper plans in order to make corrections due to failed plan reviews:
  • Email bprmail@fairfaxcounty.gov to request a pick-up.
  • Once confirmed, go to the Herrity Building main entrance; your plans will be found in the "Building Plan Review Pick-Up" bin.
  • Plans that do not have a complete review cycle by all applicable disciplines and have not yet been released by plan reviewers are not eligible for pick-up.
  • DO NOT proceed to the Herrity Building unless you have confirmed your pick-up with staff.
  • Pick-ups will be available on Fridays only; requests made by close of business on Wednesdays will be available on the subsequent Friday.
  • Plans not picked up by the next Friday will be returned to plan storage and will not be available until the Herrity Building reopens.

To submit a paper plan correction or revision:

• Paper plan submissions can no longer be accommodated. Please have your corrected or revised plans converted to PDF format.
• Plans submitted for corrections (rereviews prior to permit issuance) must:
  • Be the complete set that was previously reviewed by the county in paper format.
  • Have corrected sheets inserted into the full set.
  • Have all disciplines must be submitted; not just the those requiring corrections.
  • Not be only those sheets that have been corrected; this will delay plan approval and permit issuance.
• Plans submitted for revisions (rereviews after permit issuance) are permitted to be only those sheets that have been revised.
• A file for each plan sheet is not required; a single file for the entire submittal is permitted.
• To upload your file, go to Building Plan and Document Upload Portal. Please indicate if your plan is larger than 25 MB.
• The transfer of files greater than 25 MB will be handled by a service called Citrix ShareFile. Through an email generated by the service, staff will invite you to upload your plan files.
• Reviews for plans that were formerly paper will be conducted similarly to the previous paper review process and will not be part of the ProjectDox system.
• Continue to monitor FIDO to obtain your review status and associated comments.
• When all plan reviews are complete, follow the steps above for Permit Issuance.
• Plans and documents for new permit applications are required to be submitted using ProjectDox; see instructions above for Permit Application.

Site-Related Plans and Documents

 

To facilitate the altered counter operations for site-related submissions, use ProjectDox or Citrix ShareFile as described below. For the following plan types, submit ePlans using ProjectDox:

• Site Plans
• Minor Site Plans
• Infill Lot Grading Plans

For all other site-related plan and document types, LDS is now temporarily accepting files through our ShareFile system. This includes, but is not limited to:

• Public Improvement Plans (PI) (Coming soon to ePlans)
• Subdivision Plans (SD) (Coming soon to ePlans)
• Conservation Plans (CON) (Coming soon to ePlans)
• Rough Grading Plans (RGP) (Coming soon to ePlans)
• Subdivision Grading Plans (SDGP) (Coming soon to ePlans)
• Site Plan Grading Plans (SPGP) (Coming soon to ePlans)
• Plats
• Waivers
• Soils reports
• Parking studies
• All other site related plans and documents

To submit documents through ShareFile, please use the ShareFile Submission Form. The Site Application Center will respond with a link for you to upload your plans and documents, which will be logged in and distributed to the appropriate review agencies electronically.

Submission requirements (related documents, checklists, etc.) are the same for paper and electronic submissions, and the minimum submission requirements must be met before the submission can be accepted.

We are not able to accept electronic payments for submissions through ShareFile. For this reason, we will accept otherwise complete submissions, however approved plans and permits will not be issued until all payments have been received and processed. Payment options include mailing checks, and we hope to add more options soon. Mail checks to:

12055 Government Center Parkway
Suite 216
Fairfax, VA 22035

Site Related Plan & Permit Issuance

If you would like to pick up an approved plan and land disturbance permit:

• Check LDSnet to see what outstanding conditions and fees remain.
• Email LDSSAC@fairfaxcounty.gov to work with a site technician to have conditions met.
• Once all conditions have been “met," the plan along with the Land Disturbance Permit will be issued electronically.

Return to Engineer (RTE) Bins

• All plans/documents must be picked up from the RTE bins on the 1st floor lobby by Friday, March 27, at 5 p.m.
• If your plans are not picked up by the above date, you will need to email LDSSAC@fairfaxcounty.gov to have your plan placed outside in the Site-Related Plan and Document bin located outside the Herrity Building main entrance.
• Starting Monday, March 30, the RTE plans and documents will be returned electronically.

Signature Submission

Signature submissions will be done via ePlans or ShareFile depending on the plan type. Please see above for instructions on what types of plans should be submitted via ePlans or ShareFile. If you have any questions or concerns, please email LDSSAC@fairfaxcounty.gov or call 703-222-0801, TTY 711.

Zoning Permit Applications and Submissions

 

General Information for Zoning Permit Applications

Download and print Zoning Permit applications online which include:

• Non-Residential Use Permits
• Home Occupation Permits
• Temporary Special Permits
• Short Term Lodging Permits
• Food Truck Location and Operator Permits

Upon completion, mail the application along with a check (payable to Fairfax County) for the applicable fee, to the mailing address on the application or drop off the application and check in the drop-box entitled “Zoning Drop-off” at the Herrity Building main entrance.

If dropping it off, you must complete and include a drop off sheet.

For requests for zoning information or for submission of Height Certifications, Final House Location Surveys, Setback Certifications, and Contact with Local Zoning Administrator forms for childcare, please email to: DPZMailforZPRB@fairfaxcounty.gov.

If you have any questions or concerns about your application or submission, please email DPZMailforZPRB@fairfaxcounty.gov or call 703-324-1359, TTY 711.

Sign Permit Application Submissions

Sign permit applications, along with additional information and materials are available online. Building mounted sign permit applications only may be submitted via email at DPDMailforZPB-SPS@FairfaxCounty.gov or submitted in the drop-box entitled “Zoning Drop-off” at the Herrity Building main entrance.

Sign permit application fees will be assessed after the application has been received and logged-in by staff. You will be contacted with the fee amount and payment instructions. Approved sign permits will be emailed to you.

For sign related questions, please email the Sign Permits Section at DPDMailforZPB-SPS@FairfaxCounty.gov or call 703-324-4300, TTY 711.