Richmond's DPDR Commercial Permit Process

DPDR and the Online Permit Portal

DPDR is Richmond's front door for commercial permits. The Bureau of Permits and Inspections — located at 900 E. Broad St., Room 108 — receives applications, reviews for building code compliance, issues permits, and conducts inspections. The Online Permit Portal (OPP) is the required submission path for commercial work:

• Applications submitted through OPP.
• Construction documents uploaded as single black-and-white PDFs.
• Fees invoiced through the portal.
• Real-time status tracking on application review.
• Upon approval, a permit number is issued and stamped documents uploaded back to the portal with email notification.

Walk-in support runs Monday-Friday 8 AM–1 PM; phone line (804-646-4169) operates 8 AM–5 PM. Primary source: rva.gov (Planning and Development Review / Permits and Inspections).

Separate trade permits — a distinct Richmond pattern

One of the more structurally notable aspects of Richmond's process: the building permit covers only the building and structural portion of the project. Electrical, mechanical, and plumbing work require separate trade permits, each submitted independently. The building permit is reviewed solely for building code compliance — not trade compliance.

This means a typical commercial project in Richmond involves:

• Building permit — structural/architectural/envelope/means of egress per Virginia Construction Code (currently 2018 VCC).
• Electrical permit — separate application, separate review, separate inspection.
• Mechanical permit — separate HVAC/ductwork application.
• Plumbing permit — separate plumbing application.
• Other permits as applicable — fire protection, signs, demolition, etc.

Contractors used to jurisdictions where trade permits are bundled into the building permit packet or pulled as sub-permits under the GC's master need to adjust. In Richmond, each trade contractor typically pulls its own permit.

Codes Richmond enforces

Richmond enforces the VA statewide code package — not a local amendment set:

• 2018 Virginia Construction Code (USBC Part I).
• 2018 Virginia Existing Building Code (USBC Part II, when applicable).
• 2018 Virginia Statewide Fire Prevention Code (USBC Part III).
• 2018 Virginia Energy Conservation Code.
• 2009 ICC A117.1 for accessibility.

The code cycle is statewide, so code expectations in Richmond align with code expectations in Norfolk, Fairfax, or any other VA jurisdiction. The procedural differences sit at the local-process level, not at the code level.

Licensing: state DPOR + Richmond business license

Two licensing layers attach to commercial work:

• Virginia state contractor license through the Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation (DPOR). Appropriate classification (Class A, B, or C — see our VA Class A/B/C essay) and any specialty designations. Or an owner affidavit under VA Code § 54.1-1111 when the project genuinely isn't subject to licensure.
• Richmond business license — required before permit submission. A city-level revenue/identity layer that's not a competency credential.

Out-of-state or out-of-city contractors often miss the Richmond business license. It's a blocker at permit submission; verify it's in place before filing the OPP application.

The departments behind the permit

While DPDR is the primary owner of the permit packet, commercial projects often trigger review by:

• DPDR Zoning Administration — zoning compliance verification, Special Use Permit / Conditional Use processes for non-as-of-right projects.
• DPDR Planning — land use and plan of development (POD) review for larger commercial projects.
• Department of Public Utilities (DPU) — water, wastewater, and gas service connections. Runs its own review and connection processes.
• Public Works / Transportation Engineering — right-of-way impacts, access management, traffic control plans for construction.
• Fire Marshal — fire protection review, alarm, sprinkler, occupancy changes affecting life safety.
• Commission of Architectural Review (CAR) — exterior changes to contributing structures in Richmond's Old and Historic Districts (Church Hill, Monument Avenue, Jackson Ward, Shockoe Slip, and others).
• Urban Design Committee — for projects subject to urban design review in specific contexts.

Historic district review — CAR

Richmond has a substantial historic fabric, and the Commission of Architectural Review has authority over exterior work in designated Old and Historic Districts. Work triggering CAR review includes:

• Facade modifications, including window and door replacement.
• Roof replacement where visible.
• Signage.
• Exterior mechanical equipment placement.
• Additions and demolitions affecting district character.

CAR operates with staff-level review (Certificate of No Material Effect, or staff-level Certificate of Appropriateness) for routine work, and full Commission review for work that exceeds staff authority. Similar in structure to Baltimore's CHAP process (see our Baltimore CHAP essay) with Richmond-specific design standards.

A commercial project in a CAR district needs CAR approval in hand or in progress before or alongside DPDR permit review. Missing this step and discovering it late is a classic out-of-town error.

DPU — utilities as a separate track

The Department of Public Utilities runs its own processes for water, wastewater, and gas service. For commercial projects:

• Water and sewer service applications and design review.
• Capacity fees and connection fees.
• Coordination with plumbing trade permit for on-site work.
• Backflow prevention and cross-connection review.

DPU's review is independent of DPDR's building permit review. Neither agency forwards packages to the other; the applicant coordinates both.

What's different about Richmond vs other Mid-Atlantic cities

• vs Philadelphia L&I. Philadelphia bundles trade permit issuance differently — often pulled by the GC as sub-permits. Richmond's default is separate trade permits pulled independently. See our Philadelphia Pre-Permit Approvals essay.
• vs Baltimore DHCD E-Permits. Baltimore's E-Permits is more unified across trade and building submissions; Baltimore's CHAP historic review sits parallel. Richmond's CAR serves a similar historic function. See our Baltimore CHAP essay.
• vs Pittsburgh OneStopPGH. Pittsburgh uses OneStopPGH as a unified portal covering zoning + permits + contractor licensing. Richmond's OPP is more narrowly focused on permit submission itself. See our Pittsburgh OneStopPGH essay.
• vs Washington DC. DC's permit process runs through DOB (Department of Buildings, reorganized from DCRA) with its own stack and specific DC-only codes. Richmond enforces VA statewide codes; DC has its own local code base.
• vs Northern VA localities. NoVA cities/counties (Fairfax, Arlington, Alexandria) enforce the same VA statewide codes Richmond does, but with different local procedures, portals, and staffing resources. Cross-VA contractors should not assume Fairfax's process transfers to Richmond.

The practical sequence for commercial work

1. Zoning determination. DPDR Zoning confirms as-of-right or flags SUP/Conditional Use requirements. Pre-application meeting available and valuable.
2. Historic district check. Verify CAR applicability; if yes, start CAR process in parallel with design.
3. Licensing stack. DPOR Class A/B/C with appropriate specialty, plus Richmond business license, plus individual trade contractor licenses through DPOR.
4. DPU coordination. Water/sewer/gas service applications early; design to capacity.
5. Building permit via OPP. Single B&W PDF submission through the portal.
6. Trade permits via OPP. Electrical, mechanical, plumbing as separate applications.
7. Fire protection / other permits as scope requires.
8. Review iterations, approval, fee payment, permit issuance.
9. Construction.
10. Trade inspections separately, then final building inspection, occupancy.

Common missteps

• Assuming trade permits bundle under the building permit. They don't in Richmond.
• Missing the Richmond business license. Required before permit submission.
• Ignoring CAR triggers. Exterior work in a designated district without CAR approval will trigger permit block or stop-work.
• Under-scoping DPU involvement. Water/sewer aren't bundled; separate process with its own timeline.
• Treating Richmond process as interchangeable with NoVA. State codes same, local procedures different.
• Submitting non-compliant PDFs. OPP requires single black-and-white PDFs in construction documents; color/multi-file packages get rejected.

What to do with this

If you're starting Richmond commercial work: map zoning, CAR, DPU, and licensing stack as the first-week regulatory items. Don't treat them as post-design tasks.

If you're crossing from NoVA: the codes are same (VA statewide), but the procedural cadence at Richmond DPDR is different. Build in learning curve time.

If you're out-of-state: get the DPOR class determination right, secure the Richmond business license, and plan for separate trade permits per scope.

For cross-city comparison, see Mid-Atlantic City Permits Compared.

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