Compiled August 2026 from official state and local websites, ordinance PDFs (fetched and text-extracted), and the State Fire Marshal-sourced adoption list (2 parallel research agents; every claim carries its source). Verification labels: VERIFIED = fetched page/PDF; SNIPPET = search result not fetched; INFERRED = deduced from state law or documented absence, not a local document.
Scope: Greenbrier County, Raleigh County, and Wyoming County.
The statewide frame (nothing like Virginia; verify before assuming anything)
- The WV State Building Code is LOCAL-OPTION. Current authority is W. Va. Code §15A-11-5 (VERIFIED, code.wvlegislature.gov/15A-11-5/): counties and municipalities may adopt the State Building Code; "Enforcement of the provisions of the State Building Code is the responsibility of the respective local jurisdiction" (quoted); adoption is prospective only; adopters must notify the State Fire Marshal; jurisdictions may contract with each other for inspection/enforcement. NB the citation in older references, §29-3-5b, is REPEALED (VERIFIED; Fire Prevention and Control Act reorganized into Ch. 15A circa 2020). Consequence (INFERRED, and borne out below): a WV county or town with no adoption has no building code, no permits, no inspections, a legally normal condition in WV, unlike MD/VA/CT.
- The code itself: 87 CSR 4 (State Fire Commission), filed 5/5/2022, effective 8/1/2022, sunset 8/1/2027 (VERIFIED: official PDF from firemarshal.wv.gov extracted; editions cross-checked at Cornell LII 87-4-4): 2018 IBC, 2018 IRC (IRC Ch. 11 energy exempted), 2018 IPC/IMC/IFGC/IEBC/ISPSC, 2015 IECC (res) / ASHRAE 90.1-2013 (comm), 2020 NEC, NFPA 101-2021 substituted for IFC references, 2018 IPMC (optional), 2017 ICC A117.1. Agricultural buildings exempt.
- Adoption mechanics: 87-4-7 (VERIFIED, Cornell LII): written notice to the Fire Commission + ordinance copy to the Fire Marshal within 30 days; county enforcement per §7-1-3n, municipal per §8-12-13; local inspectors/plans examiners must be certified under 87 CSR 7; local amendments allowed by ordinance.
- No current published list of adopting jurisdictions exists. Fire Marshal's Laws page and FAQ have none (VERIFIED, fetched); WVCOA's adoption page unfetchable (broken TLS). Best available: WVU LEAP "Appendix C — Communities Who Have Adopted the Building Code," data as of 2/9/2017, sourced from the Fire Marshal's Licensing Department (VERIFIED, PDF extracted: wvleap.wvu.edu/files/d/bc75e8d9-02bc-476b-bd0d-65da514f5870/2017-02-15-appendix-c-communities-who-have-adopted-the-building-code.pdf). It is a 9.5-year-old snapshot with a completeness disclaimer. Presence/absence is used below with that caveat; the current roster is a Fire Marshal phone request (worklist item).
- Floodplain permitting exists where building codes don't. The WV Offices of the Insurance Commissioner (state NFIP coordinator) publishes a statewide Local Floodplain Managers list (rev 7/24/2020) (VERIFIED, PDF extracted: wvinsurance.gov/Portals/0/Floodplain%20Manager%20Contact%20Information.pdf). Every community in our three counties has a named floodplain manager. Floodway work requires a PE-sealed no-rise certification (VERIFIED for Greenbrier via county FEMA-remap letters; VERIFIED for Wyoming via its ordinance §F1 encroachment clause). Parcel lookup: WV Flood Tool, mapwv.gov/flood.
- Contractor licensing is statewide: W. Va. Code §30-42-3 (VERIFIED; old §21-11-3 repealed): license required for residential work ≥ $5,000, commercial ≥ $25,000; WV Contractor Licensing Board (304) 558-7890. Enforcing localities additionally require contractor registration + insurance certificates to pull permits (verified for Greenbrier, Raleigh, Beckley, Sophia).
- Third-party / IBC Ch. 17 special inspections: NOTHING is published by any jurisdiction in this scope. No adopting locality publishes a third-party inspection policy, an engineer-report acceptance rule, or a special-inspections procedure (universal finding, documented per-jurisdiction below). The 2018 IBC's Ch. 17 exists on paper wherever the code is adopted (INFERRED: adopted without amendment to Ch. 17), but administration is unpublished everywhere → phone-call territory. There is no WV equivalent of Virginia's §113.7 "written policy required by law" lever.
Practical consequence: the VB-style Named/Allowed/Unpublished tiers collapse in WV to enforced vs. permit-only vs. nothing. Where enforcement exists, all 8 UP product categories are permit-triggering (the ordinances' repair carve-outs exclude structural work); where it doesn't, the only permit that can exist is a floodplain development permit, and an engineer's letter serves client/lender purposes only.
THE MATRIX
Tier 1: State Building Code enforced (2018 I-codes; permit + inspections on all structural work)
| UP | Jurisdiction | UND | ANC | BRC | SUP | FND | WTR | ENC | RTW | How it works |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ✓ | Greenbrier County ▲ | ■ | ■ | ■ | ■ | ■ | ■¹ | ■¹ | ■ | Permit for ALL construction/improvements; no published repair exemption. Cloudpermit online portal; contractor registration (license + GL + WC certs); floodplain determination on every application; >2,000 sq ft residential plans + all commercial plans need a WV RDP seal. |
| ✓ | Lewisburg ▲ | ■ | ■ | ■ | ■ | ■ | ■ | ■ | ■ | City P&Z issues building permits (Nick Sloan); state codes adopted by ordinance §1705.01 (VERIFIED 8/2026: Ord. 304, 7/19/2022 — SBC 87 CSR 4 eff. 8/1/2022, 2018 I-codes, read in full). Historic District: Certificate of Appropriateness required before permit on exterior changes downtown. |
| ✓ | Ronceverte ▲ | ■ | ■ | ■ | ■ | ■ | ■ | ■ | ■ | Planning & Inspection Dept enforces building codes, schedules and conducts inspections (VERIFIED); published detail thin ("check back soon" page). |
| ✓ | Raleigh County ▲ | ■² | ■² | ■² | ■² | ■² | ■?³ | ■?³ | ■⁴ | Building Code Ordinance (amended eff. 8/2/2022, full PDF read): "ordinary repairs" exempt BUT structural cutting/load-bearing work excluded from the exemption. Footing/foundation hold-point inspection (24" frost, "approval required before proceeding"). Fee 0.25% of cost. IWORQ portal. |
| ✓ | Beckley ▲ | ■ | ■ | ■ | ■ | ■ | ■ | ■ | ■ | Permit required to "construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move, demolish" (VERIFIED); broadest trigger in scope. Footing/foundation + lowest-floor-elevation (flood) inspections; 24-hr notice; contractor registration; structural changes need plan submission. |
| ✓ | Sophia | ■ | ■ | ■ | ■ | ■ | ■ | ■ | ■ | Own program since 2016; page still lists 2015 editions (stale vs. 87 CSR 4? verify). Permit for construction/alteration/renovation/demolition; $10 + 1/1,000 fee; annual contractor registration. |
Tier 2: Permit regime exists; SBC enforcement unconfirmed or dormant
| UP | Jurisdiction | Status | What IS known |
|---|---|---|---|
| ✓ | White Sulphur Springs ▲ | □ | "Any type of repair, renovation or alteration" needs a City Building Permit (VERIFIED, city site), via Zoning/Code Enforcement Officer Rusty Byer. NOT on the 2017 SBC adoption list → likely a zoning/ordinance permit, not certified-inspector code enforcement (INFERRED). Verify by phone. |
| ✓ | Alderson ▲ | □ | ON the adoption list: adopted 2/23/1990 (VERIFIED). No building-department web presence found; whether a 35-year-old adoption is actively enforced (certified inspector on staff/contract) is unknown. Call. |
| ✓ | Rupert ▲ | □ | ON the adoption list (VERIFIED). No building-department web presence found. Call. |
Tier 3: No building-code enforcement (documented absence; floodplain is the only permit layer)
| UP | Jurisdiction | Status | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| ✗ | Wyoming County (unincorp.) | ○ ▲⁵ | Not on adoption list; county permit pages cite ONLY the floodplain ordinance, never any construction code; no building/code-enforcement department on wycowv.gov (all VERIFIED). County development permit required for ANY development in a SFHA (even repairs) and for any footprint-changing development outside it, administered by the Office of Emergency Services (Floodplain Administrator). No code inspections exist. |
| ✗ | Mullens | ○ ▲ | Not on adoption list; official site (cityofmullens.org) has zero permit/code/inspection content (VERIFIED). Sits on the Guyandotte corridor; assume SFHA screening (INFERRED). County floodplain ordinance applies. |
| ✗ | Pineville | ○ ▲ | Not on adoption list; no municipal website or permit office found (documented searches). Guyandotte corridor. |
| ✗ | Oceana | ○ ▲ | Not on adoption list; no municipal website or permit office found (documented searches). |
| ✗ | Rainelle / Quinwood / Falling Spring (Renick) — Greenbrier | ○ ▲ | None on adoption list; no permit pages found (documented searches). Scope RESOLVED 8/2026: the county code is "controlling within the limits of Greenbrier County, not including incorporated municipalities" (county's own Policy Manual, Art. I §1.0(A)), so the county code does NOT reach inside them; none adopted the SBC → no building-code layer at all. Their named NFIP floodplain managers are the only permit layer. |
| ✗ | Mabscott / Lester / Rhodell — Raleigh | ○* | Not on adoption list; no web presence for permits (Mabscott "permits at Town Hall" claim is an unverified aggregator SNIPPET). *Whether Raleigh County's program reaches inside them is unpublished; phone Q. |
Footnotes:
- Greenbrier publishes no exemption list at all: "a permit is required for ALL construction, improvements to or demolition of any structure within Greenbrier County" (VERIFIED, county Building Checklist, still live 8/2026). WTR/ENC as "improvements" is INFERRED from that text; confirm by phone (worklist Q3). Territorial scope resolved 8/2026: that sentence is application-and-floodplain-screening shorthand, not a claim over towns — the county's Building Code Administrative Policy Manual (Art. I §1.0(A), recovered via a 12/2024 archive of the dead pre-migration PDF) says the county code is "controlling within the limits of Greenbrier County, not including incorporated municipalities."
- Raleigh Co. ordinance: "Repairs DO NOT include: cutting away of any wall, partition or portion thereof; removal or cutting away of structural beam or load-bearing support; … or other work affecting public health or general safety" (VERIFIED quote). Piers, anchors, bracing, structural support, and foundation-wall work fall outside the repair exemption → permit-required.
- Interior drainage/sump and encapsulation may qualify as exempt "ordinary repairs" in unincorporated Raleigh County, ambiguous under the "public health or general safety" clause; phone question.
- Raleigh Co.: retaining walls exempt only if ≤2 ft above grade and not supporting a surcharge (VERIFIED).
- Wyoming Co. Floodplain Ordinance (2018 rev., PDF extracted): permit required for "any development, new construction, substantial improvement, repair of substantial damage, other repairs, or the placement or relocation of any structure" in the floodplain; "development" includes excavation, filling, grading. Foundation excavation/underpinning in a mapped SFHA is permit-triggering. Substantial improvement = ≥50% FMV (plus 2-events/10-yr cumulative rule). Floodway (F1): PE-sealed hydrologic/hydraulic study required (VERIFIED quotes).
Third-party engineer reports & IBC Ch. 17: the WV answer
- No jurisdiction in scope publishes any third-party inspection policy, engineer-report acceptance rule, or special-inspections procedure. (Universal, documented per dossier.)
- Where the code is enforced, Ch. 17 exists on paper (2018 IBC adopted unamended in that chapter, INFERRED) but its administration is unpublished; for UP's residential book, IRC-scope work wouldn't trigger Ch. 17 anyway. The operative question is whether the BO will accept a PE's design + inspection/certification letter alongside (or in lieu of) county hold-point inspections. Ask each office directly; that's the entire worklist.
- Favorable signals for PE paper: Greenbrier already requires WV-RDP seals in three published places (all commercial plans, >2,000 sq ft residential, floodway no-rise certs); Raleigh's ordinance contemplates "a report from a licensed WV Design Professional" for un-permitted work and seats a PE/architect on its appeals board; Wyoming's floodway rule requires a PE study. Engineer-sealed documents are familiar currency everywhere enforcement exists (VERIFIED facts, INFERRED significance).
- Where nothing is enforced (Wyoming County outside the floodplain, the non-adopting towns): there is no authority to accept or reject anything; UP's engineer letters serve client/lender/insurer purposes only, which is itself the deliverable there.
- Certifier note: all three counties are in WV. Valerio holds MD/VA/CT PE licenses per the cert pipeline. Confirm WV PE licensure before promising sealed WV work (same class of gap as the NC one flagged in memory
project_vbeach_nc_certifier_gap; not verified either way in this research).
Per-jurisdiction dossiers (sources + contacts)
Alderson / Rupert / Rainelle / Quinwood / Falling Spring (Renick): small Greenbrier towns
- Alderson: SBC adopted 2/23/1990 (VERIFIED, list); active enforcement unknown. Town Hall 304-445-2916 (SNIPPET); FPM Eric Duff (304) 646-4612 (VERIFIED, 2020 list)
- Rupert: on adoption list (VERIFIED); no web presence; FPM Valarie Currence (304) 392-5682 (VERIFIED, 2020 list)
- Rainelle: not on list; no permit pages found; FPM Shaun Wolford (304) 438-7191 (VERIFIED, 2020 list)
- Quinwood: not on list; FPM Brenda Sizemore (304) 438-6658 (VERIFIED, 2020 list)
- Falling Spring (Renick): not on list; FPM Angie Lewis (304) 497-3095 (VERIFIED, 2020 list)
Beckley
- Code Enforcement Department, 232 Industrial Dr, Beckley, WV 25801: (304) 256-1738, codeenforcement@beckley.org, M-F 7-3. https://beckley.gov/code-enforcement/ + /building-permits-and-inspections/ (VERIFIED)
- Adopted: WV SBC / 2018 IBC-IRC-IEBC-IPC-IMC-IFGC-IPMC-ISPSC, 2015 IECC res, ASHRAE 90.1-2013, 2020 NEC, 2021 NFPA (VERIFIED). First adopted 8/1/2016 per list
- Permit to "construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move, demolish, or change the occupancy" (VERIFIED); footing/foundation, slab, lowest-floor-elevation (flood), framing + finals; 24-hr notice; plan submission for structural changes (res 2 sets/comm 3, review free); contractor registration; CO required
- Staff names Donald Morgan (Code Official) / Jeanie Campbell (Property Maintenance) are SNIPPET-only: Fire Marshal officers PDF 404'd; Municode Ch. 4 (Board of Code Appeals) blocked (403). Call to confirm + ask 3P/Ch. 17.
Greenbrier County
- Planning & Permits Office, 912 Court Street N, Lewisburg, WV 24901: (304) 647-6687 (inspections also 304-667-0132); Commission main (304) 647-6689. Cloudpermit portal: us.cloudpermit.com
- Building Code page ("The State Building Code has been adopted by Greenbrier County… proper building permits must be in place before any type of construction can begin"; full 2018-edition code list): https://www.greenbrierwv.gov/economic-development/building-code/56 (VERIFIED)
- Building Checklist ("permit required for ALL construction, improvements to or demolition"; contractor registration; floodplain determination on every application; septic/911/DOH/DEP signoffs): https://www.greenbrierwv.gov/economic-development/building-checklist/57 (VERIFIED)
- Planning & Building (Cloudpermit): https://www.greenbrierwv.gov/economic-development/planning-and-building/55 (VERIFIED)
- Floodplain Manager: Kelly Banton, (304) 647-6689 ext. 0, kelly.banton@greenbriercounty.net (phone VERIFIED current county page; name/email from 2020 state list). Post-2023 FEMA remap in progress; floodway = PE no-rise cert (county letterhead PDF VERIFIED: data.wvgis.wvu.edu …/Greenbrier_Mapped_IN_FLOODWAY_Merged_20230605.pdf)
- Territorial scope SETTLED 8/2026: the dead "Building Code Administrative Policy Manual" was recovered via a 12/2024 Wayback capture of the pre-migration PDF (11 pages, read). Art. I §1.0(A): the county adopted the WV SBC 2/26/2008 "and the provisions thereof shall be controlling within the limits of Greenbrier County, not including incorporated municipalities." The towns are the AHJs inside their own limits: Lewisburg/Ronceverte/White Sulphur Springs all stand on their own authority. Lewisburg's §1705.01 upgraded to VERIFIED (Ord. 304, 7/19/2022: adopts the SBC 87 CSR 4 eff. 8/1/2022 with the 2018 I-codes; read via headless Chromium). County Building Code Official: Stephen Simmons, 304-647-6681 (VERIFIED-via-archive 1/2025; possibly stale). Remaining gaps: fee schedule unpublished; the 2008/2016 adoption orders themselves not online. Belt-and-suspenders call: 304-647-6687, "is the Policy Manual's municipal exclusion still current?"
Lewisburg (county seat)
- Nick Sloan, Planning & Zoning Officer, City Hall (304) 645-2080. https://lewisburg-wv.org/city-government/planning-and-zoning/ (VERIFIED; issues building permits, reviews site plans)
- On the 2017 SBC adoption list (VERIFIED). Ordinances at codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/lewisburg: §1705.01 "Building codes adopted" now VERIFIED (read via headless Chromium 8/2026: Ord. 304, 7/19/2022, adopts the State Building Code 87 CSR 4 eff. 8/1/2022 incl. 2018 IBC/IRC/IEBC); §1101.05 inspections still SNIPPET
- Historic District: Certificate of Appropriateness before any exterior-change permit downtown; HLC meets ~2nd Monday; emergency permits via the mayor (VERIFIED); real for exterior-visible foundation work on older downtown structures
- Floodplain Manager (2020 list): Ray Still, (304) 645-2080, rstill@lewisburg-wv.com
Raleigh County
- Code Enforcement / Building Code Office, 203 S. Eisenhower Dr, Beckley, WV 25801 (secondary 116 N. Heber St): (304) 255-9388, fax 255-9391, M-F 8-4 (closed 12-1); Commission main (304) 255-9100. IWORQ citizen portal. https://raleighcounty.gov/building-code-office/ (VERIFIED)
- Building Code Ordinance, amended eff. 8/2/2022 (full scanned PDF OCR'd, VERIFIED): https://raleighcounty.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Building-Code-Ordinance-Amended-Effective-8-2-2022.pdf. Adopts 87 CSR 4 / 2018 I-codes per W. Va. Code 15A-11-5 (original county adoption 2003; list records 8/1/2016 re-adoption); frost 24", seismic C, snow ≥30 psf, wind 90 mph; fee 0.25% of estimated cost (min $20, doubled if work starts first); footing/foundation hold-point; contractor license + 500K/1M insurance; IBC Appendix G (flood) + J (grading) adopted
- Engineer references in the ordinance: PE/architect seat on the Board of Appeals; "a report from a licensed WV Design Professional may be required" for un-permitted work (VERIFIED); no 3P policy otherwise
- Floodplain Management, 116 N. Heber St, (304) 255-9173: https://raleighcounty.org/floodplain-management/ (VERIFIED); Flood Plain Ordinance amended 9/5/2006 (SNIPPET, PDF title seen not fetched)
- Gaps: Ch. 17 administration, 3P acceptance, coverage of Mabscott/Lester/Rhodell. Call.
Ronceverte
- Planning & Inspection Department, City Hall (304) 647-5455. "Enforcing building codes… scheduling and conducting building inspections" (VERIFIED): https://www.cityofroncevertewv.gov/business/planning___inspections.php ; Code Compliance page is a stub ("check back") (VERIFIED)
- On the 2017 SBC adoption list (VERIFIED). No published permit triggers, fees, or policies. Floodplain Manager (2020 list): Aulton (David) Smith, dsmith@cityofronceverte.com. Call.
Sophia
- Town Hall, 100 E Railroad Ave, Sophia, WV 25921: (304) 683-4456; code contact Lance Morgan, Zoning Officer. https://sophiawv.com/contractor-forms/ (VERIFIED)
- Own program eff. 8/1/2016 (list: 10/20/2016); page still lists 2015 editions (2015 IBC/IRC/IPC/IMC, 2014 NEC; stale vs. current 87 CSR 4? verify); permit for construction/alteration/renovation/demolition, $10 + 1/1,000 (doubled if early), 6-month validity; annual contractor registration $25 + license + 500K/1M insurance
White Sulphur Springs
- J. R. "Rusty" Byer, Jr., Zoning/Code Enforcement Officer, City Hall, 589 Main St W, WSS 24986, (304) 536-1454 (fax 536-4512), M-F 8-4 (VERIFIED)
- "If you are performing any type of repair, renovation or alteration to your home or property, you must obtain a City Building Permit… NO WORK SHALL BEGIN WITHOUT A VALID BUILDING PERMIT" (VERIFIED quote): https://www.whitesulphurspringswv.org/question/how-do-i-obtain-a-building-permit/
- NOT on the 2017 SBC adoption list (VERIFIED) → permit likely zoning-based, not certified-inspector SBC enforcement (INFERRED). Floodplain (2020 list): Reece "Bo" Belshee, likely superseded by Byer. Call.
Wyoming County
- No building code anywhere in the county (county or towns): not on the adoption list (VERIFIED); permit pages cite only the floodplain ordinance (VERIFIED); no building department exists on wycowv.gov (VERIFIED)
- Office of Emergency Services / Floodplain Administrator: Dean Meadows, Director, 1022 River Rd / PO Box 568, Pineville, WV 24874: (304) 732-6953, dean.meadows@wycowv.com; mapping (304) 732-8572. https://www.wycowv.gov/emergency-services + https://wyomingcounty911.com/building-permits/ (VERIFIED)
- Permit triggers (VERIFIED quotes): "any development within a Special Flood Hazard Area" needs a building [development] permit; outside the floodplain, "any development that would change the structural footprint"; "any significant development outside of the floodplain must obtain a certificate of compliance"
- Floodplain Ordinance (2018 rev., PDF extracted, VERIFIED): https://wyomingcounty911.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Wyoming-COunty-Floodplain-Ordinance-2018.pdf. §1.3 reaches "other repairs" in the floodplain; "development" includes excavation/filling/grading; substantial improvement ≥50% FMV + cumulative rule; floodway = PE-sealed H&H study, "signed and sealed by the responsible professional"; county ordinance governs annexed areas until a town adopts its own (§9.1); FEMA FIRM May 16, 2006 (or latest)
- County Commission: PO Box 376, Pineville 24874, (304) 732-8000
- Municipalities: no permit office found anywhere (documented searches, VERIFIED absence on official sites): Mullens (City Hall 316 Moran Ave, 304-294-7132, Mayor Alan Mills; cityofmullens.org has zero permit content); Pineville (county seat; PO Box 220, 304-732-6255, Mayor Aaron Hatfield); Oceana (PO Box 190, 304-682-6231, Mayor Tom Evans Jr.). Mayors/addresses VERIFIED via wycowv.gov/our-communities
- Net: structural/foundation repair outside a mapped SFHA with unchanged footprint = no permit of any kind identified. In a SFHA = county development permit, even for repairs; floodway = PE study. Screen every Wyoming job on the WV Flood Tool first.
Unverified numbers seen only in search snippets (confirm before use): Wyoming Co. "Building Permit Office (304) 732-7504"; Wyoming Co. Commission (304) 732-0007; Raleigh floodplain (304) 255-9146; Beckley staff names above; Alderson Town Hall 304-445-2916; WSS zoning line 304-646-0121; Ronceverte City Hall address 200 W Main St.