Virginia building code
Virginia has adopted 2021 USBC Part I - Virginia Construction Code (VCC), 13VAC5-63 based on 2021 IBC (Chapters 2-35 adopted and incorporated by reference per VCC Section 101.2). The table below lists the governing edition for every discipline a plan check touches, followed by the Virginia cities and counties that amend it locally.
- Current edition
- 2021 Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code (2021 USBC), effective January 18, 2024, based on the 2021 I-Codes and 2020 NEC
- Prior edition
- 2018 USBC (2018 I-Codes / 2017 NEC)
- Code authority
- Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD), State Building Codes Office; codes promulgated by the Virginia Board of Housing and Community Development
Edition changeover: Projects with a complete application on or before 2025-01-17 (end of one-year grace period during which permit applicants could still use the 2018 VUSBC) may still be reviewed under the 2018 USBC (2018 I-Codes / 2017 NEC).
Adopted code by discipline
| Discipline | Adopted code | Local amendment |
|---|---|---|
| Building | 2021 USBC Part I - Virginia Construction Code (VCC), 13VAC5-63 based on 2021 IBC (Chapters 2-35 adopted and incorporated by reference per VCC Section 101.2) | n/a |
| Residential | 2021 USBC Part I - Virginia Construction Code (Virginia Residential Code provisions) based on 2021 IRC (referenced through the IBC per VCC 101.2 Note 1; applicable to detached one- and two-family dwellings and townhouses per VCC Section 310) | n/a |
| Existing buildings | 2021 USBC Part II - Virginia Existing Building Code (VEBC) based on 2021 IEBC (Chapters 2-16 adopted per VEBC Section 101.2) | n/a |
| Fire | 2021 SFPC - Virginia Statewide Fire Prevention Code, 13VAC5-51 based on 2021 IFC | n/a |
| Electrical | 2021 USBC USBC / VCC (electrical provisions via referenced standard) based on 2020 NFPA 70 (National Electrical Code) | n/a |
| Mechanical | 2021 USBC / VCC (Virginia Mechanical Code compilation) based on 2021 IMC | n/a |
| Plumbing | 2021 USBC / VCC (Virginia Plumbing Code compilation) based on 2021 IPC | n/a |
| Energy | 2021 USBC / VCC Chapter 13 energy provisions (Virginia Energy Conservation Code compilation) based on 2021 IECC (with Virginia amendments; ASHRAE 90.1 via IECC commercial compliance path) | n/a |
| Fuel Gas | 2021 USBC / VCC (Virginia Fuel Gas Code compilation) based on 2021 IFGC | n/a |
Overlays that can apply
Mapped hazard and district overlays stack on top of the adopted code. These are the overlays recorded for Virginia. They apply by parcel, not jurisdiction-wide, so confirm the parcel before assuming one is in play. Check CAL FIRE's fire hazard severity viewer and FEMA's flood map service.
- Hurricane wind-borne debris region
- FEMA mapped flood hazard area
- California Coastal Zone
Sources
- https://www.dhcd.virginia.gov/sites/default/files/DocX/building-codes-regulations/archive-codes/2021/2021-virginia-construction-code.pdf
- https://www.dhcd.virginia.gov/sites/default/files/DocX/building-codes-regulations/archive-codes/2021/2021-virginia-existing-building-code.pdf
- https://www.dhcd.virginia.gov/sites/default/files/DocX/building-codes-regulations/archive-codes/2021/2021-virginia-statewide-fire-prevention-code.pdf
- https://www.dhcd.virginia.gov/codes
- https://www.dhcd.virginia.gov/virginia-uniform-statewide-building-code-usbc
- https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title36/section36-98/
- https://law.lis.virginia.gov/admincode/title13/agency5/chapter63/
- https://www.dhcd.virginia.gov/2024-code-development-cycle
- https://www.iccsafe.org/adoptions
Common questions
What building code does Virginia use?
Virginia uses 2021 USBC Part I - Virginia Construction Code (VCC), 13VAC5-63 based on 2021 IBC (Chapters 2-35 adopted and incorporated by reference per VCC Section 101.2). It is administered by the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD), State Building Codes Office; codes promulgated by the Virginia Board of Housing and Community Development. The prior edition was 2018 USBC (2018 I-Codes / 2017 NEC).
Do cities in Virginia amend the state code?
Local amendments are adopted by ordinance at the city or county level. Confirm with the building department that reviews your permit.
Which edition applies to a permit already in review in Virginia?
Projects with a complete application on or before 2025-01-17 (end of one-year grace period during which permit applicants could still use the 2018 VUSBC) may still be reviewed under the 2018 USBC (2018 I-Codes / 2017 NEC).
Check a plan set against Virginia code
Knowing the adopted edition is the easy half. Architechtura reads your drawings, resolves which of these provisions actually apply to the project, and returns the corrections a plan checker would write up, each one cited to the section it came from.
Your first check is free, no card required.
Compiled from published state and municipal adoption ordinances. Local governments amend their codes on their own schedule, and a pending ordinance can change what applies to your permit. Confirm the governing edition with the building department before you submit. This page is reference information, not a code determination.