Water bills are mailed on the 5th of every odd month and due on the 5th of every even month, as shown on the table below.  If the 5th falls on a weekend or holiday, the bill will be due the following business day.  A 10% penalty is applied to the outstanding balance on the 6th of the month the bills are due.  Payments are accepted in the form of cash, check, credit cards, or money order.  We also accept payment on our website.   When paying by check or money order, please make payable to the Town of Grottoes.  There is a $30.00 charge for returned checks.

Bills Mailed:            Bill Due By:
January 5                   February 5
March 5                     April 5
May 5                         June 5
July 5                          August 5
September 5            October 5
November 5             December 5

The day after bills are due, a final notice will be mailed to all customers with an outstanding balance.  This notice will provide a disconnection date and time.  If full payment is not received by the given date, services will be disconnected.  A reconnection fee will be due in addition to any remaining balance in order to restore your services.  Reconnection fees are $35.00 during regular business hours and $70.00 during non-business and holiday hours.

Water and Sewer Rates
All rates are per 1000 gallons with the minimum billing being 2000 gallons.  Each budget year there is a cost-of-living increase for water and sewer rates.

Gallons Used:             Water:                    Sewer:       
0-2000                          $21.36                      $49.21
Above 2000                 $2.08/1000 gal.        $3.88/1000 gal.

Turning on Water Service
To establish water service in a new name for an existing water and sewer connection, please contact the Town Office.  

An Application for Water & Sewer Account must be completed and a deposit in the amount of $150.00 must be paid prior to the Town turning on the water service.  This must be done in person and a photo ID must be presented to a Town official.  Deposit payments are accepted in the form of cash, check or money order.  Currently, we accept debit or credit cards for utility payments only.  Utility payments may also be made by calling 1-833-266-8326.  Convenience fees apply to online and phone payments. When paying by check or money order, please make payable to the Town of Grottoes.  There is a $30.00 charge for returned checks. The deposit will be held on each account until services are terminated.  Upon termination, the deposit will be applied towards the final billing and any overage will be refunded.  A forwarding address is required to receive a refund.

New Service Connections
Connection Fees:
To receive new Town water and/or sewer services, the property owner is responsible to pay the connection fees.  Paying the connection fees establishes the property owner's rights to connect onto the Town's water and/or sewer system.  The connection fees are as follows:  $4,500 for residential water connections $4,500 for residential sewer connections $4,500 for commercial water connections $4,500 for commercial sewer connections

Additional Costs:
The property owner is responsible for installing the service lines from the Town's main line to the building that will receive the water and/or sewer service.  The property owner is also responsible for installing a septic tank for sewer and a water meter box with setter for water.  Usually these tasks are preformed by an independent contractor, licensed by the state to perform such tasks.  The property owner will hire the contractor of their choosing and make the arrangements to pay their fees.

View/download Annual Drinking Water Quality Report (CCR).

Questions? Please contact us.

To construct a new building, make a structural alteration, install signage or fencing, or conduct a significant repair to your property, you must first obtain a Zoning Permit from the Town of Grottoes Zoning Administrator and then a Building Permit from the Rockingham County Office of Community Development.

Zoning permits establish setback requirements and similar regulations. Building permits are issued by the County and all inspections are handled by Rockingham County building officials. To apply for a zoning permit, you will need to schedule an appointment with the Town Manager/Zoning Administrator and will be asked to provide the following information:    

Name and Address of Property Owner    
Name and Address of Contractor    
Dimensions of Building/Addition/Signage    
Plot Plan and Plat (if applicable)    
Construction Plans (if applicable)    
Estimated Cost of Project    
Estimated Date of Completion

The cost for a zoning permit is $2.50/$1,000 cost of the project, with a minimum fee of $30.For questions about obtaining a zoning permit or to schedule an appointment, you may contact the Town Office at (540) 249-5896.

For questions about obtaining a building permit, you may contact the Rockingham County Office of Community Development at (540) 564-3030.

The official zoning map can viewed in the office of the Town Manager, Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m.

The Town of Grottoes has the following zoning districts:
B1  General Business District    
B2  Planned Business District    
B3  Business District    
R1  Low Density Residential District    
R2  Residential District    
R3  Residential Limited District    
R6  Manufactured Housing District    
R7  Planned Business District    
M1  Light Industrial District    
I1  General Industrial District

View/download table of regulations for each zoning district. For more specific information about a particular zoning district, please refer to Section 100 of the Town Code.

View/download Development Guide

Business Licenses
Chapter 144 of the Grottoes Town Code establishes License Requirements to conduct business within the Town. If you have any questions contact the Town Office at (540) 249-5896.

Every person shall apply for a license for each business or profession when engaging in a business in this jurisdiction.  All license taxes become due and payable on or before July 1 of the license tax year. (For license taxes based on gross receipts, penalty for late payment will begin July 2.)

A penalty of ten percent, or ten dollars, whichever is greater, shall be added to all license taxes which are delinquent and unpaid on the due date.  Unless otherwise specifically provided, no license tax imposed under this Title shall be less than twenty-five dollars ($25.00).

Applications for existing businesses are mailed out during the month of April.  If you have not received your Application for Town Business License, you may download it here or contact the Town Hall at (540) 249-5896.

Town Decals/Vehicle License Fees
Effective November 8, 2010, the Grottoes Town Council voted to eliminate the Town decal. Decals will no longer be issued or required for display on motor vehicles, motorcycles, trailers or semi-trailers.

To replace the decal a Motor Vehicle License Fee will be assessed each calendar year. This fee will be assessed on all motor vehicles, motorcycles, trailers and semi-trailers licensed in the Town of Grottoes as of January 1st of each year.

The license fee will be billed with the personal property bill that is due December 5th of each year. The Vehicle License Fee is levied on each motor vehicle, motorcycle, trailer and semi-trailer for which a state license plate is required and which is normally garaged, stored or parked in the Town of Grottoes. A Vehicle License Fee is assessed each calendar year based on January 1st ownership/garage jurisdiction.

For calendar year 2011 and subsequent years the license fee is due December 5th of the preceding year and will be billed by the Treasurer at the same time as personal property taxes. Along with the Personal Property taxes, the Vehicle License Fee can be paid in person by cash, check or money order at the Town Office at 601 Dogwood Avenue, Grottoes, Virginia or by mail at P. O. Box 146, Grottoes, Virginia 24441.

Please make checks payable to Town of Grottoes.
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Retail Sales
The License tax imposed on a person engaged in retail sales is based upon gross receipts from the business during the preceding calendar year. The fee schedule is $0.12 per $100 of Gross Receipts with a minimum fee of $50.00.

Wholesale Merchants
All wholesale merchants and peddlers at wholesale shall pay an annual license based upon gross purchases from the business during the preceding calendar year.  The fee schedule is $0.05 per $100 of Gross Receipts with a minimum fee of $25.00.

Contractors whose principal office is located within the Town limits
The state code requires contractors to provide Certification of Workers Compensation coverage when applying for a business license. The license tax imposed upon contractors is based upon gross receipts from the business during the preceding calendar year.  The fee schedule is $0.12 per $100 of Gross Receipts with a minimum fee of $25.00.

Contractors whose principal office is located outside the Town
When a contractor has paid a local license tax in the city, town or county of his principal office other than this Town, no further license shall be required by the Town for conducting business herein except where the amount of business done in the Town exceeds the sum of $25,000.00 in one year, in which case the excess shall be subject to tax as provided under this Part. Section 65.2-801 of the Code of Virginia requires each Virginia locality issuing Business Licenses to provide a notice to employers regarding the State’s requirements for Contractors to provide Certification of Workers Compensation coverage. Section 58.1-3714 of the Code states that no locality may issue or reissue a business license to any contractor who has not obtained or is not maintaining workers’ compensation coverage for his employees. The following Virginia Worker’s Compensation Commission Form No. 61A, Contractor’s Certification of Insuring Liability for Worker’s Compensation in Virginia, must be completed and returned with any contractor’s business license application. This completed 61A form must be on file at the Town Office in order to issue a license. Should you have any questions concerning this, please do not hesitate to contact the Town Office at (540) 249-5896.

View/download the Contractor's Certification of Insuring Liability for Workers' Compensation in Virginia.

Financial, Real Estate and Professional Services
The license tax imposed on a person engaged in a financial, real estate, or professional service is $0.30 per $100.00 of gross receipts from the business during the preceding calendar year (with a minimum of $25.00).

Repair, Personal, Business, and Other Services
The license tax imposed on a person engaged in repair, personal, or business service is based upon gross receipts from the business during the preceding calendar year. The fee schedule is $0.20 per $100 of Gross Receipts with a minimum fee of $25.00.  For direct sellers whose total sales are less than $4000 per year; such seller shall still be required to obtain a license for such business, but the tax rate will not be assessed.  For amounts exceeding $4000 per year, the tax shall be charged at the same rate of $0.20 per $100 with a minimum fee of $25.00.

Peddlers and Vendors Selling Door to Door
For the privilege of peddling or selling products door to door, the Town imposes a license tax of $500.00.  Prior to the issuance of a Peddlers License, a Background Check must first be performed by the Town of Grottoes Police Department.

Click here to download a Request for Background Check for Issuance of Peddlers Business License.

Coin Operated Machines
There is a fee of $10.00 per machine plus $0.12 per $100 of gross receipts. Telephone and Power CompaniesThe license tax imposed on telephone and power companies is 0.5% of gross receipts.