Building Development Division

The Joint Occupancy Evaluation (JOE) Program has been developed to help facilitate the issuance of a Certificate of Occupancy or JOE Letter for an existing commercial tenant space without a full tenant layout plan review permitting and inspections.

For detailed information regarding the new Joint Occupancy Evaluation (JOE) Program, refer to Building Development Policy: Joint Occupancy Evaluation Program. The list of Commonly Found Safety Violations in Existing Tenant Spaces and Buildings can assist the customer if an approved change of use is occurring and the space requires a safety inspection. The following is a summary of the improvements in the new Policy:

Business Name Change: A safety inspection is no longer required to secure a Business License from the Finance Department, unless the use is one of the Building Use Groups listed in the Policy: Joint Occupancy Evaluation Program.

Tenant Change without Change of Use: A safety inspection is no longer required to secure a Business License from the Finance Department, unless the use is one of the Building Use Groups listed in the Policy: Joint Occupancy Evaluation Program.

Tenant Change with Change of Use: A safety inspection is required to secure a Business License from the Finance Department if the change of use is one of the Building Use Groups listed in the Policy: Joint Occupancy Evaluation Program.  If the Building Use Group is not listed in the Policy: Joint Occupancy Evaluation Program than Tenant Layout Plans may be required.

Shell Buildings (Policy: Commercial Partial Permitting Process for Shell Buildings): The process for a first generation tenant has been relocated to a new Policy: New Commercial Building and First Generation Tenant Space – Occupancy Permit.

For additional information visit Starting a Business in Prince William County.