Henrico vs Chesterfield Garage Permit Fees (2026)
Project-type-specific comparison of detached garage permit fees for two neighboring Richmond-area counties, using official fee data. Henrico County prices a garage on declared value (verified December 2025 schedule), so a $15,000 garage is $163.20 all-in. Chesterfield County charges a flat $340.70 (verified FY2025-2026) regardless of value. The cheaper county flips near $44,000 of declared value: Henrico wins below it, Chesterfield wins above. This page covers detached garages only; for all project types see the general Chesterfield vs Henrico permit fee comparison.
For a detached garage, Henrico County charges its 1-2 family valuation formula - $100 base plus $6 per $1,000 over $5,000, plus the 2% state levy - so a $15,000 garage is $163.20 all-in and a $40,000 garage is $316.20. Chesterfield County charges a flat $340.70 regardless of value. The two cross near $44,000 of declared value: below that Henrico is cheaper, above it Chesterfield's flat fee wins (until Henrico's own $693.60 cap). Both figures are county permit costs only - not the slab, the structure, or the separate electrical sub-permit.
- The headline number: a $15,000 detached garage is $163.20 all-in in Henrico County versus a flat $340.70 in Chesterfield County - Henrico saves $177.50 at that value.
- Henrico prices a garage on its 1-2 family formula: $100 base plus $6 per $1,000 of declared value over $5,000, capped at a $680 building permit, plus the 2% state levy (all-in ceiling $693.60).
- Chesterfield charges one flat $285 building permit plus a mandatory $50 Environmental Engineering site fee plus the 2% levy on the $285 = $340.70, the same at any value.
- The cheaper county flips near $44,000 of declared value. Below it Henrico is cheaper; above it Chesterfield's flat fee wins, and the gap keeps growing until Henrico hits its $693.60 cap around $101,667.
- For a typical $15,000-$40,000 garage, Henrico is the cheaper county. For a high-value garage above $44,000, Chesterfield's flat fee pulls ahead.
- Both totals are permit costs only. They exclude the concrete slab, the structure itself, and the separate electrical sub-permit both counties require for garage lighting and outlets.
What Is Verified in This Comparison
Both counties' garage data on this page are verified from official sources. No fee amounts are estimated. The Henrico fee page was updated December 2025 on henrico.gov. The Chesterfield schedule reflects the FY2025-2026 Residential Building Inspection fee schedule (effective July 1, 2025).
| Data Point | Henrico County | Chesterfield County |
|---|---|---|
| Fee schedule source |
Verified Henrico Building Permit Fees (updated December 2025) |
Verified Residential Building Inspection Fee Schedule, FY2025-2026 (effective July 1, 2025) |
| Garage fee method |
Verified Value formula: $100 + $6/$1,000 over $5,000, $680 BP cap |
Verified Flat $285 building permit (detached garage line item) |
| Plan review fee |
N/A No separate plan review fee in the formula |
N/A No separate plan review on the flat line item |
| Site inspection fee |
N/A No separate site inspection fee |
Verified: $50 Environmental Engineering site fee (mandatory for garages) |
| Add-on fee |
Verified: 2% levy Virginia USBC state levy on the permit (Code of Virginia 36-139) |
Verified: 2% levy Virginia state levy on the building permit only (not the $50 site fee) |
| $15,000 garage all-in | Verified: $163.20 | Verified: $340.70 flat |
Note on schedule currency: The Henrico fee page was updated December 2025 - the most current verified source in this comparison; confirm with Henrico Building at (804) 501-4360. The Chesterfield schedule is FY2025-2026 (effective July 1, 2025) - confirm with Chesterfield Building Inspection at (804) 751-4990. Declared value is the cost of the garage, not the home.
Garage Fee Structure Comparison
Head-to-head comparison of how each county prices a new detached garage permit. Henrico scales with declared value up to a cap; Chesterfield charges one flat fee.
| Fee Component | Henrico County | Chesterfield County |
|---|---|---|
| Fee calculation method | $100 + $6/$1,000 over $5,000 | Flat $285 building permit |
| Building permit cap | $680 (reached at ~$101,667) | No cap needed (flat) |
| Site inspection fee | None | $50 Environmental Engineering (mandatory) |
| Add-on fee | 2% Virginia state levy on the permit | 2% Virginia state levy on the $285 only |
| Scales with garage value? | Yes - up to the $693.60 all-in ceiling | No - same fee at any value |
| Electrical sub-permit | Separate (lighting/outlets) | Separate (lighting/outlets) |
| $15,000 garage - all-in total | $163.20 Verified | $340.70 Verified |
Scope note: Both totals are permit costs only. Henrico's building permit is $100 plus $6 per $1,000 of declared value over $5,000 (capped at $680), plus the 2% state levy. Chesterfield's $340.70 is a flat $285 building permit plus a mandatory $50 Environmental Engineering site fee plus the 2% levy on the $285. Neither figure includes the slab, the structure, or the separate electrical sub-permit.
Three Garages, Two Counties: Line-by-Line
Each example uses the same declared garage value on both sides. Chesterfield's $340.70 never changes; Henrico rises with value, so the winner flips as the garage gets more expensive.
Example 1: Standard detached garage ($15,000 declared value)
$100 + (10 × $6) =
$160.00$160 × 2% =
$3.20$160 + $3.20 =
$163.20$285.00$50.00$285 × 2% =
$5.70$285 + $50 + $5.70 =
$340.70Result: Henrico is cheaper by $177.50 on a standard $15,000 garage.
Example 2: Larger garage near the crossover ($40,000 declared value)
$100 + (35 × $6) =
$310.00$310 × 2% =
$6.20$310 + $6.20 =
$316.20$285.00$50.00$5.70$340.70Result: Henrico is still cheaper, but only by $24.50 - the two are converging toward the crossover near $44,000.
Example 3: High-value garage past the crossover ($60,000 declared value)
$100 + (55 × $6) =
$430.00$430 × 2% =
$8.60$430 + $8.60 =
$438.60$285.00$50.00$5.70$340.70Result: Chesterfield is now cheaper by $97.90. Past the ~$44,000 crossover, Chesterfield's flat fee beats Henrico's rising formula. Henrico figures are arithmetic from its verified value formula; Chesterfield is its verified flat line item.
Where Does the Winner Flip? Value Scaling
Henrico scales with declared value while Chesterfield is flat, so there is a clean crossover near $44,000. Below it Henrico is cheaper; above it Chesterfield wins until Henrico reaches its $693.60 cap. The table below tracks both (Henrico rows are arithmetic from the verified value formula).
| Declared Garage Value | Henrico All-In | Chesterfield All-In | Cheaper County |
|---|---|---|---|
| $5,000 | $102.00 | $340.70 | Henrico (-$238.70) |
| $15,000 | $163.20 | $340.70 | Henrico (-$177.50) |
| $25,000 | $224.40 | $340.70 | Henrico (-$116.30) |
| $40,000 | $316.20 | $340.70 | Henrico (-$24.50) |
| ~$44,000 (crossover) | ~$340.70 | $340.70 | About even |
| $60,000 | $438.60 | $340.70 | Chesterfield (-$97.90) |
| $100,000 | $683.40 | $340.70 | Chesterfield (-$342.70) |
| $101,667+ (Henrico cap) | $693.60 | $340.70 | Chesterfield (-$352.90) |
For most homeowners building a $15,000-$40,000 detached garage, Henrico is the cheaper county. The flip near $44,000 only matters for an unusually high-value or oversized garage. Henrico's building permit caps at $680 ($693.60 all-in) once declared value reaches about $101,667.
Why Henrico and Chesterfield Price Garages Differently
Two neighboring counties, two different fee philosophies - which is why the cheaper option depends on the value of your garage.
Henrico ties the fee to declared value. A garage falls under Henrico's existing 1-2 family formula: $100 base plus $6 per $1,000 of declared value over $5,000, capped at a $680 building permit, plus the 2% state levy. The cost starts low and rises gradually, so an average garage is inexpensive and only a high-value build approaches the cap. The same formula covers Henrico decks, additions, sheds, and pools.
Chesterfield charges one flat fee. The county sets a flat $285 building permit for a detached garage and adds a mandatory $50 Environmental Engineering site inspection fee because a garage changes the building footprint. With the 2% state levy on the $285, the all-in is $340.70 at any value. The flat model is simple but does not shrink for a modest garage, so Chesterfield is comparatively high until the garage is expensive enough that Henrico's formula catches up.
The practical takeaway: for a typical garage, Henrico is cheaper; for a high-value garage above about $44,000, Chesterfield's flat fee wins. For the full single-jurisdiction detail, see the Henrico garage guide and the Chesterfield garage guide, or the statewide Virginia garage guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
Garage Guides and Tools
Go deeper on either county, run your own numbers, or compare across all Virginia jurisdictions.
Official Sources
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Building Permit Fees - Henrico County Updated December 2025 - source for the 1-2 family valuation formula ($100 + $6/$1,000 over $5,000, $680 cap) covering garages. Verified May 2026 Verified
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Residential Permits and Inspections - Chesterfield County FY2025-2026 schedule (effective July 1, 2025) - source for the flat $285 detached-garage building permit and the $50 Environmental Engineering site fee. Verified May 2026 Verified
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Code of Virginia Section 36-139 - USBC State Levy Authority Current - authorizing statute for the 2% state levy applied to the building permit in both counties