Property owners in Pittsylvania County are required to obtain a permit for the construction, alteration, and replacement of decks that meet any of the below criteria: 

• The deck exceeds 200 square feet
• Part of the deck is more than 30 inches above the finished grade
• The deck is attached to the dwelling

Building Permit Application

This building permit application can be submitted in person at 53 North Main Street, Chatham, VA 24531, via fax to 434-432-7919, or via email. 

Zoning Requirements 

Any deck construction will need to meet the setback requirements for lot regulation of that specific zoning classification. Please contact the Zoning Department for questions about zoning for decks. 

Plan Review and Inspections

The Pittsylvania County Building Inspectors review all deck construction plans to identify potential problems that may arise prior to construction. Construction inspections will be done during the project to ensure code compliance and that the materials used are installed correctly.

Builders and homeowners are required to obtain a permit prior to constructing, altering or replacing a deck.

It is the responsibility of the homeowner or person preparing the plans to show in detail how they will build their deck. The permit applicant is also responsible for scheduling all inspections. 

Your deck plans should replicate exactly how you will build your deck. We will review your plans before we issue the building permit to verify code compliance before you start work. The more detailed your plans, the more likely you will avoid mistakes during construction.

Once your plans are approved, you should not change your design without approval by Pittsylvania County Building Inspections. If you have any questions regarding any of the corrections, you should contact us before proceeding.

Enclosed Decks

Deck plans are approved on the assumption that the property owner will only use the deck as a deck and will not convert it into an enclosed or covered area. Because footing sizes, setbacks, structural supports and a host of other deck components are different for enclosed porches than for decks, it is important that you indicate on your plans the desire to convert the deck at a future date. You should then design your deck to carry future loads and meet setbacks and other rules.