Building and Fire Codes Overview

Program Contacts
Vernon Hodge
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Whole House Mechanical Ventilation Memo (7/16/15) - Memo can be dowloaded here.

Whole House Mechanical Ventilation

Information on the use of #2 Grade Southern Pine - Letter can be dowloaded here.

Virginia’s state building codes and regulations are administered through the Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code (USBC), and its associated standards and regulations for industrialized or modular buildings, manufactured homes and amusement devices. Codes and regulations are adopted by the Board of Housing and Community Development and periodic amendments are utilized to update codes and incorporate new reference standards.

Architects, engineers and builders use these codes and standards to design and construct safe, healthy and durable structures for all uses, from residential to commercial and industrial. Local building officials and inspectors issue permits and conduct inspections to assure that the structures are constructed or assembled and operated according to the codes.

The Department of Housing and Community Development administers and carries out the building codes and regulations through the programs listed below:

The Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code prescribes building regulations to be complied with when constructing, repairing, renovating, maintaining and/or changing the use of buildings and structures.
The Industrialized Building provides for the administration and enforcement of uniform statewide standards for the design, construction, inspection and certification of industrialized or modular buildings, wherever produced.
The Manufactured Housing and the Virginia Manufactured Housing Licensing and Transaction Recovery Funds regulate codes and regulations for manufactured housing.
The Virginia Amusement Device program prescribes uniform statewide regulations for the construction, maintenance, inspection, and operation of amusement devices, whether mobile or affixed to a site.