Applicant
“Applicant” is used here to mean the company or person to whom the permit will be issued. This is not necessarily the same as the who is submitting the application and plans. Anyone can submit the application and plans.
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, the “Applicant” section of the application form can be left blank at submission. It can be filled in later, before the permit is issued.
To obtain a permit, a contractor must provide the following:
- A copy of the original Virginia State Contractor's License. Printouts of the State website are not acceptable as a substitute.
- A form processed by the Commissioner of Revenue, either for an application for a business license or a waiver saying no business license is necessary.
Application Forms
All permits require an application form. Forms are available online and at the Development Services Counter. Please use only the most recent version of a 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:
- Addendum to Building Permit Application for Exterior Work form is required for all projects with exterior work unless the project has a Grading Plan or Site Plan.
- Asbestos Certification form is required for all commercial jobs and must be signed by the building owner.
- Accessibility Compliance form is required for all commercial renovation jobs.
Over-The-Counter Permits
Some types of permits can be issued immediately, without the need of plan review:
- Replacement of an appliance, such as a new furnace or A/C with an equivalent new appliance.
- Simple work that can be verified at inspection, such as an electric service heavy-up or simple lighting addition.
- Trade work where a building permit has already been reviewed and approved and included plans for the specific trade.
Plan Sets
Most jobs require plans to be submitted and reviewed. All plan submissions should be made in PDF form. When there is exterior work, a plat should be part of the plans.
Details on plan requirements
When there is exterior work, a plat should be attached to each plan set.
Details on PDF submissions
