Property Owner Resources

The following resources provide assistance with the permitting process. A permit is an official document that gives permission to carry out specific activities, including construction and/or demolition of a building or structure, installing plumbing, activity in the public right-of-way, land disturbing activity, and more. Permits ensure a project meets safety, health, zoning, and environmental standards. Permits also provide a legal record of activity that may affect property sale and insurance claims, among other implications.

If you still have questions, contact the Permit Arlington Center. 

Permit Process & Guidance 

• Permit Arlington permit list.
• Learn more about Permit Arlington terms and statuses.
• Learn more about Permit Arlington roles.
• Learn how to use Permit Arlington to Create a Collection, which allows you to save groups of permits or applications under a title of your choosing and easily pull up those permits / applications in a list.
• Learn how to use Permit Arlington to Add a Contact, which allows another Permit Arlington account to be added to a permit in order to stay informed on permit status and communications. Contacts can also request renewal of an expired permit, make payments and schedule inspections. 
• Learn how to use Permit Arlington to Add a Delegate, which allows another Permit Arlington account (an architect, contractor, family member, etc.) to view your records or perform actions on your account's behalf, such as making changes to an application, paying fees, etc. 
• An Inspection Services Code Consultation is highly recommended for projects that:
  • Are large or complex in scope
  • Involve a special use or occupancy
  • Employ a novel design
  • Constitute an enlargement or change of use for an existing building 
• To stay informed as your permit moves through the process, ask the applicant to add you as a contact to the permit with your preferred email address. You'll be notified by Permit Arlington each time your permit is rejected, approved, ready for payment, and issued.

Contractor Resources

• View the guide of contractor class limitations(PDF, 90KB). 
• Learn more about Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation Contractor Regulations.
• Application for Letter of Reciprocity.

Additional Information

• Browse Document Search for Administrative Changes, Plats, Zoning Administrator Determinations and more topics.  
• Learn more about real estate assessment, taxes and payments.
• Permit Arlington: Help.
• To research a contractor of file a complaint, visit the Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation.
• To change the permit holder or transfer a permit, visit Permit Revisions and click on Changing the Permit Holder.