Welcome to the Building Safety Division of the City of Falls Church. We enforce the codes and regulations established by the Commonwealth of Virginia and the City governing the construction, alteration, and maintenance of buildings and structures within the City for the protection of residents and property.
Latest News
December 5, 2023: The Development Services Counter will be closed and no inspections will be scheduled on Friday, December 22 and Monday, December 25 in observance of Christmas. The office is also closed on Wednesday, December 27. The office closes to the public on the last Wednesday of every month.
New Building Code: The 2021 Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code will go into effect on January 18, 2024. As usual there will be a one-year overlap period where plans may be submitted under either the 2018 or 2021 code. All submissions after January 18, 2025 must conform to the 2021 code.
Operating Status
The counter is open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. There may still be some times with limited service available, especially at the beginning and end of the day, across lunch hours, and if counter staff is reduced.
Please try to limit counter visits only to those things absolutely requiring them. Use e-mail whenever possible.
Avoid coming to City Hall on Wednesdays. Court sessions have resumed, and City Hall will be much more crowded.
If you’re coming from a significant distance, call or e-mail first to ensure we are open.
If you pay for a permit in person, plans will still be returned electronically.
All submissions should be made in PDF format to the permits e-mail. Plans should be in a single PDF, or at most two if there are separate drawings and submittals.
To request an inspection, please use the web form. Most inspections are being conducted in person.