Step 1: Find out who issues your permits
| Location | Permit authority |
|---|---|
| McLean, Great Falls, Oakton, Reston, Annandale, most Fairfax addresses | Fairfax County |
| Town of Vienna | Fairfax County building permits plus Town of Vienna approvals |
| Arlington | Arlington County |
| City of Falls Church, City of Alexandria, City of Fairfax | Each city’s own permit office |
| Ashburn and the rest of Loudoun County | Loudoun County (plus the town, in Leesburg, Purcellville or Middleburg) |
| Bethesda, Potomac, Chevy Chase (Maryland) | Montgomery County DPS, plus some Chevy Chase municipalities. See our Maryland guide. |
Falls Church, Alexandria and Fairfax mailing addresses cover both the independent cities and large parts of Fairfax County, so check your parcel.
Step 2: Demolition permit
In Fairfax County a residential demolition permit needs, before it is issued (Fairfax County, residential demolition permit):
- A plumbing permit to cap the sewer, with a passed final inspection
- Asbestos inspection or removal certification (and an abatement permit if asbestos is found)
- Disconnect letters for gas, electric and water
- A demolition bond
Inside the Town of Vienna, the Town also wants a demolition agreement or a demolition plan reviewed by Public Works and the Town arborist (Town of Vienna, residential projects). In Arlington, demolition is a separate process from the building permit (Arlington County, residential building permits).
Step 3: Grading or site plan
- Fairfax County: new houses that disturb more than 2,500 sq ft and include stormwater work need an infill lot grading plan, certified by a Virginia-licensed engineer, surveyor, architect or landscape architect (Fairfax County, infill lot grading plans).
- Town of Vienna: new houses with more than 2,500 sq ft of disturbance need a large-scale residential permit (Town of Vienna, residential projects).
- Arlington: a development plan once disturbance passes 2,500 sq ft, plus height and lot coverage information with the plans (Arlington County, residential building permits).
- City of Alexandria: a grading or site plan, a disturbed-area plat and a soil report for new construction ([City of Alexandria, new residential plan submittal requirements](https://www.alexandriava.gov/sites/default/files/2022-03/New Residential Plan Submittal Requirements - checklist_0.pdf)).
- Loudoun County: a grading permit once you disturb 5,000 sq ft or more, or on steep slopes, plus a Health Department permit for a well or septic system (Loudoun County, residential construction permits). In Leesburg, the Town zoning permit has to be approved before the county releases the building permit (Town of Leesburg, home improvement projects).
Step 4: Building permit and inspections
Fairfax County files new homes as a Residential New Building permit online in PLUS (Fairfax County, residential new building permit). Expect a wall check survey after the foundation in Vienna and Arlington, and a final survey before occupancy.
What a knockdown costs
Demolition itself is a small share of the project: HomeAdvisor’s national average is $15,800, with most jobs $6,000-$25,000 (HomeAdvisor, house demolition cost guide (updated June 2026)). The new house is the big number, typically $250 to $800+ per sq ft from local builders’ published prices. See the cost guide.
Who handles all this
Builders that build on your lot usually file the demolition, grading and building permits for you. Sekas Homes, for example, lists help with zoning, demolition and perc tests. Ask any builder you interview exactly which permits they handle and which you need to.
