County Building Permits
Jefferson County, AL - 2026 Building Permit Guide
How to apply for a building permit in unincorporated Jefferson County, Alabama. Permit authority, application steps, fees, and inspection requirements.
Permit Authority
Development Services accepts building permits for unincorporated Jefferson County and only for municipalities the county expressly serves by agreement. The county's procedures say properties outside unincorporated Jefferson County or the cities it serves are not accepted.
- Department
- Jefferson County Department of Development Services
- Address
- Jefferson County Courthouse complex, 716 Richard Arrington Jr. Blvd. N, Birmingham, AL 35203
- Phone
- 205-325-5321
- Website
- https://www.jccal.org/ds
Online Permit Portal
Platform: Accela Citizen Access / ePermitJC • Account required: Yes • Submission: In-person only
Application Process
- Register contractor licensing with Development Services if the permit type requires a licensed professional; the county requires a state license and current Jefferson County business license before the contractor can apply.
- Obtain prerequisite septic approval from the Jefferson County Health Department or sewer approval from Environmental Services before submitting a building permit when applicable.
- Create or log into ePermitJC and submit the permit application, plans, and supporting data, or submit a hard copy package in person.
- Pay application and review fees after the application is deemed sufficient and the county invoices the applicant.
- County staff route plans for review; the county states architectural plans are typically reviewed within 10 business days depending on complexity.
- Schedule inspections online or by phone after permit issuance; when all required inspections pass, download the Certificate of Completion or Certificate of Occupancy from ePermitJC.
Typical processing time: Architectural plans are typically reviewed within 10 business days depending on complexity.
General Requirements
County process covers building, addition, alteration, miscellaneous building, demolition, and stand alone trade permits for electrical, gas, and plumbing/mechanical work in the county service area.
Required Documents
- Permit application, plans, contractor licensing registration where required, septic or sewer approval where applicable, and any plan review materials required by the permit type.
- Permit validity
- Refer to the county's Expiration of Permits document in ePermitJC; the public portal indicates time limitations apply by record type.
- Owner-builder
- Not clearly summarized on the public county page reviewed; confirm with Development Services before filing as an owner-builder.
- Contractor requirements
- County requires contractor licensing setup before application for permits that require a licensed professional, including a copy of the state license and a current Jefferson County business license.
Fees
- Minimum permit fee
- $50 for miscellaneous building permits up to $5,000 valuation; trade permits up to $5,000 are $50 plus administrative and technology fees; demolition minimum is $100.
- Plan check fee
- Commercial building architectural plan review is $200 per commercial plan set; miscellaneous and trade architectural plan review is $100 if needed.
- Permit fee formula
- Valuation based for most building and trade permits plus a $50 administrative fee and $10 technology fee on permits/applications available through Accela.
- Reinspection fee
- Failed, incomplete, or late-cancel inspections are $55 each; permit extension is $50; stop work is double permit cost; work commencing before permit issuance is double permit cost for the first offense and triple for additional offenses.
- Payment note
- Online payment by eCheck or accepted credit/debit cards; hard copy applications can be paid by exact cash, check, or accepted cards.
Fees change. Verify current amounts at the official fee schedule.
Work That Does NOT Require a Permit
Contact the Jefferson County Department of Development Services to confirm whether your project requires a permit before starting work.
Inspections
How to Schedule
- ePermitJC or 205-325-5321 option 1 (contact)
Typical inspection sequence: Permit issuance, rough inspections as applicable, final inspection, then Certificate of Completion or Certificate of Occupancy
Additional Resources
- Zoning information: View zoning info
- License lookup guide: Alabama Contractor License Requirements
- Contract template: Alabama Homeowner-Contractor Agreement
- Alabama hub: Alabama Contractor License & Permit Hub
Information on this page was last verified: March 2026. Permit rules and fees change — confirm current requirements directly with the Jefferson County Department of Development Services before applying.
Frequently Asked Questions
Jefferson County Building Permit FAQ
- Do I need a building permit in unincorporated Jefferson County, AL?
- County process covers building, addition, alteration, miscellaneous building, demolition, and stand alone trade permits for electrical, gas, and plumbing/mechanical work in the county service area.
- How much does a building permit cost in unincorporated Jefferson County, AL?
- The minimum permit fee is $50 for miscellaneous building permits up to $5,000 valuation; trade permits up to $5,000 are $50 plus administrative and technology fees; demolition minimum is $100.. Fees are calculated as: Valuation based for most building and trade permits plus a $50 administrative fee and $10 technology fee on permits/applications available through Accela.. Plan check fee: Commercial building architectural plan review is $200 per commercial plan set; miscellaneous and trade architectural plan review is $100 if needed..
- How do I apply for a building permit in unincorporated Jefferson County, AL?
- 1. Register contractor licensing with Development Services if the permit type requires a licensed professional; the county requires a state license and current Jefferson County business license before the contractor can apply. 2. Obtain prerequisite septic approval from the Jefferson County Health Department or sewer approval from Environmental Services before submitting a building permit when applicable. 3. Create or log into ePermitJC and submit the permit application, plans, and supporting data, or submit a hard copy package in person. 4. Pay application and review fees after the application is deemed sufficient and the county invoices the applicant. 5. County staff route plans for review; the county states architectural plans are typically reviewed within 10 business days depending on complexity. 6. Schedule inspections online or by phone after permit issuance; when all required inspections pass, download the Certificate of Completion or Certificate of Occupancy from ePermitJC.
- How long does it take to get a building permit in unincorporated Jefferson County, AL?
- Typical processing time is Architectural plans are typically reviewed within 10 business days depending on complexity..
- How do I schedule a building inspection in unincorporated Jefferson County, AL?
- Inspections can be scheduled via: ePermitJC or 205-325-5321 option 1.
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