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The applicant for a permit can either be a licensed contractor or, in certain circumstances, the property owner or business tenant. The City of Falls Church recommends owners only obtain permits if they will do the work themselves. If a contractor is to be used, have the permit issued to the contractor. If the contractor is not known at the time of application, it can be left blank and filled in later, before the permit is issued.
To obtain a permit, a contractor must provide the following:
All permits require an application form. Forms are downloadable online and are also available at the Development Services Counter. Please use only the most recent application form when applying for a permit. If you use an older form, you may be asked to fill out a newer one before your application will be accepted.
Several permit applications require additional forms:
Some types of permits can be issued immediately, without the need of plan review:
Most jobs require plans to be submitted and reviewed. All such jobs require at least two sets of plans, one to be at the job site and one to be retained by the City.
A third set of plans is required if there is any exterior work. A very large commercial job may require an additional plan set (i.e. three set for interior, four sets for exterior work).
When there is exterior work, a plat should be attached to each plan set.
This information can be downloaded as a PDF Brochure.