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Fauquier County vs Prince William County Permit Fees

A side-by-side comparison of residential building permit fees in Fauquier County and Prince William County, two adjacent Northern Virginia jurisdictions. Both verified against official fee schedules. Fauquier charges $0.16 per square foot for decks and alterations (a $100 minimum) plus a 10% technology surcharge and 2% state levy; Prince William uses flat minimum fees and a $0.1536 per square foot new-construction rate, with its surcharges already folded into the printed totals.

Read This First - How the Two Schedules Differ

Fauquier County: A per-square-foot model with category minimums. Decks, accessory structures, and residential alterations are $0.16/SF with a $100 minimum; new dwellings are $0.18/SF ($200 minimum). A 10% technology surcharge and the 2% Virginia USBC levy are added to the permit fee, and plan review ($0.05/SF, $60 minimum) and trade permits (electrical, plumbing, mechanical, each $75 minimum) are billed separately. Pools are flat: $250 in-ground, $100 above-ground. Source schedule effective July 1, 2025.

Prince William County: Flat minimum fees for most small residential work - alterations are a flat $107.24 regardless of value, a deck of 250 SF or less is $107.24 (over 250 SF jumps to a $266.31 minimum), and a pool is a flat $177.52. New construction is $0.1536/SF. Prince William's printed totals already fold in its ~25.5% combined surcharge stack (2% USBC levy + 14% technology + 10% indirect costs). Trade permits ($107.24 each) and a $139.38 plan review filing are separate for new construction. Source schedule is the FY26 adopted version, effective July 1, 2025.

Both schedules carry the same July 1, 2025 effective date. Fauquier's figures show the $100/$200 base plus its 10% + 2% surcharges; Prince William's figures are the schedule's printed all-in totals. Trade permits and plan review are separate on both sides for new construction and are noted where they apply.

Key Takeaways
  • Small deck or alteration: near-tie. Fauquier's $100 minimum plus 12% surcharges is about $112; Prince William's flat minimum is $107.24. Within a few dollars either way.
  • Deck over 250 sq ft: Fauquier wins. Prince William sets a $266.31 minimum for a deck over 250 SF, while Fauquier's deck stays at $112 until about 625 SF. That is a $154 swing in Fauquier's favor.
  • In-ground pool: Prince William wins. Its flat $177.52 beats Fauquier's $280 (a $250 base plus the 10% + 2% surcharges).
  • Above-ground pool: Fauquier wins. Fauquier's $100 base plus surcharges is $112; Prince William charges the same flat $177.52 for any residential pool.
  • New construction: both unbundle trades and plan review. Fauquier is $0.18/SF plus separate trades and a $0.05/SF plan review; Prince William is $0.1536/SF plus three $107.24 trade permits and a $139.38 plan review - so both require a build-up, and the totals are scope-dependent.
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Fee Structure Side by Side

Feature Fauquier County Prince William County
Core method Per square foot + minimums, surcharges added Flat minimums; per-SF new construction; surcharges in total
Surcharges +10% tech + 2% levy ~25.5% (in total)
Minimum permit fee $100 base (+12%) $107.24 all-in
New construction $0.18/SF + trades / PR $0.1536/SF + trades / PR
Interior alteration (500 SF) ~$112.00 ($100 min + 12%) $107.24 flat (any value)
Deck (300 sq ft) ~$112.00 ($100 min + 12%) $266.31 (over 250 SF min)
In-ground pool $280.00 ($250 + 12%) $177.52 flat
Above-ground pool $112.00 ($100 + 12%) $177.52 flat
Fee schedule date Effective July 1, 2025 FY26, effective July 1, 2025

Worked Example 1: 300 sq ft Deck

Same project, both jurisdictions: a 300-square-foot residential deck. A deck carries no trade permits, so this is a clean comparison - and it lands right at Prince William's 250 SF threshold.

Fee Component Fauquier County Prince William County
Base permit fee $0.16 × 300 = $48 → $100 min $266.31 (deck > 250 sq ft min)
Surcharges / levy +10% + 2% = $12.00 included in total
Total $112.00 $266.31

Result: Fauquier is lower by $154.31 on a 300 sq ft deck. Fauquier prices the deck under its $0.16/SF accessory line, which stays on the $100 minimum (so $112 with surcharges), while Prince William sets a $266.31 minimum for a deck over 250 sq ft. At 250 sq ft or under, the two nearly converge: Fauquier is still $112, and Prince William drops to its $107.24 small-deck minimum. Sources: Fauquier County fee schedule and PWC FY26 fee schedule (both effective July 1, 2025).

Worked Example 2: In-Ground Swimming Pool

A residential in-ground swimming pool. Both jurisdictions price pools as a flat fee, so construction value does not matter - but the structure flips the result versus the deck example.

Fee Component Fauquier County Prince William County
Base permit fee $250.00 (flat in-ground) $177.52 (flat, all-in)
Surcharges / levy +10% + 2% = $30.00 included in total
Total $280.00 $177.52

Result: Prince William is lower by $102.48 on an in-ground pool - its flat $177.52 covers any residential pool, while Fauquier's $250 in-ground base becomes $280 after the 10% + 2% surcharges. The result reverses for an above-ground pool: Fauquier charges a $100 base ($112 with surcharges), beating Prince William's flat $177.52. Pool electrical and barrier requirements are separate on both sides. Sources: Fauquier County fee schedule; PWC FY26 fee schedule.

Which County Is Cheaper?

If your project is... Generally cheaper Why
A deck over 250 sq ft Fauquier County Fauquier stays on its $100 minimum ($112 all-in) until ~625 SF; Prince William jumps to a $266.31 minimum over 250 SF
A small deck or interior alteration Near-tie Fauquier ~$112 ($100 min + 12%) vs Prince William's flat $107.24 - within a few dollars
An in-ground pool Prince William County Flat $177.52 vs Fauquier's $280 ($250 in-ground base + 12% surcharges)
An above-ground pool Fauquier County $112 ($100 base + 12%) vs Prince William's flat $177.52 for any pool
New construction Build it up both sides Fauquier $0.18/SF + separate trades + $0.05/SF PR; Prince William $0.1536/SF + three $107.24 trades + $139.38 PR - scope-dependent

Frequently Asked Questions

It depends on the project. For a deck over 250 sq ft, Fauquier is cheaper - it stays at about $112 while Prince William jumps to $266.31. For an in-ground pool, Prince William wins with a flat $177.52 versus Fauquier's $280. For small decks and interior alterations the two are nearly tied (about $112 vs $107.24). Match the rule to your specific project.
Fauquier bills decks under its $0.16/SF accessory line, and for a 300 sq ft deck the math ($48) is below the $100 minimum, so the base is $100 - $112 with the 10% + 2% surcharges. Prince William sets a higher minimum for any deck over 250 sq ft: $266.31 in its all-in totals. The gap is driven by Prince William's 250 sq ft threshold; at 250 sq ft or under, the two are nearly tied.
Because each county prices pools with its own flat figure. Fauquier charges $250 for an in-ground pool ($280 with surcharges), which is higher than Prince William's flat $177.52. But for an above-ground pool, Fauquier's $100 base ($112 with surcharges) undercuts Prince William's $177.52, which applies to any residential pool. So the cheaper county depends on whether the pool is in-ground or above-ground.
No. Decks and pools generally do not require separate trade permits, so those examples are clean. But new construction does: Fauquier bills electrical, plumbing, and mechanical separately (each $75 minimum) plus a $0.05/SF plan review, and Prince William bills each trade at a $107.24 minimum plus a $139.38 plan review filing. For a new home you must build up the total on both sides.
Yes, on both sides, but they are presented differently. Fauquier itemizes a 10% technology surcharge and the 2% Virginia USBC levy on top of the base fee, so we show them explicitly ($12 on a $100 base). Prince William folds the 2% levy into its combined surcharge stack (2% levy + 14% technology + 10% indirect costs, ~25.5% effective), which is already inside its printed totals. Both totals are therefore fully loaded.
Yes. These are building-permit figures with the trade and plan-review structure noted where it applies. Fauquier also collects a separate $100 zoning permit with the application. Impact fees, proffers, and land-development charges are excluded from the comparison. See the Fauquier County and Prince William County pages for full detail.

Sources

Official .gov Sources
Next Step

Decide by project type and size, then confirm the live rate. For a deck over 250 sq ft or an above-ground pool, Fauquier usually wins; for an in-ground pool, Prince William's flat fee is lower. Re-confirm both figures directly with each county building department before you file - and for new construction, ask for the trade-permit and plan-review build-up.

Verify Before You Rely on These Figures

Fee schedules and surcharges change without notice. Always verify the current rate directly with each county building department before applying. Both schedules carry a July 1, 2025 effective date; Fauquier itemizes its 10% + 2% surcharges, while Prince William folds its ~25.5% stack into the printed totals.

Disclaimer: All fee information on PermitPrice is for informational purposes only and is not an official permit quotation. Actual permit fees are determined by each county at the time of application. These are building-permit figures: trade permits and plan review are separate on both sides for new construction, and impact, proffer, and zoning charges are excluded (Fauquier also charges a separate $100 zoning permit). Confirm current rates with each county building department.

Written by: Munib Ur Rehman

Data verified against official fee schedule documents.