County Building Permits
Macon County, TN - 2026 Building Permit Guide
How to apply for a building permit in unincorporated Macon County, Tennessee. Permit authority, application steps, fees, and inspection requirements.
Permit Authority
For unincorporated Macon County, the county zoning code is administered and enforced by the Macon County Codes Enforcement Officer. The code states the officer issues all applicable permits and conducts inspections. In practice, unincorporated county projects are routed through the county zoning/code office rather than a separate city department.
- Department
- Macon County Codes Enforcement Officer
- Address
- 607 Highway 52 Bypass East, Suite D, Lafayette, TN 37083
- Phone
- (615) 666-4480 x3811
- qmarlow@hotmail.com
Online Permit Portal
Platform: None publicly posted. • Account required: No • Submission: In-person only
Application Process
- Confirm whether the work is located in unincorporated Macon County and subject to county zoning review.
- Prepare a written zoning permit application on county-provided forms.
- Attach required plans or sketches in duplicate drawn to scale.
- Include site, lot, structure, use, parking, drainage, and flood data as required by the zoning code.
- Submit the application and pay the required fee.
- County Codes Enforcement Officer reviews for zoning compliance and issues the zoning permit if compliant.
- If denied, the applicant may appeal through the Board of Zoning Appeals process.
Typical processing time: Not publicly posted.
General Requirements
The county zoning code makes it unlawful to commence excavation, construction, moving, alteration, expansion, use change, or floodplain fill without a permit from the Codes Enforcement Officer.
Required Documents
- Written zoning permit application on county forms; duplicate scaled plan/sketch; lot dimensions; structure locations; existing and intended use; parking and loading information; and floodplain-related documentation when applicable.
- Permit validity
- Not publicly posted.
- Building code
- The public county zoning code governs zoning compliance and permitting, but the specific building code edition for unincorporated county work was not clearly posted in the sources reviewed. Thin data.
- Owner-builder
- Not publicly posted.
- Contractor requirements
- Not publicly posted in the county materials reviewed; Tennessee contractor licensing rules may still apply depending on project scope and value.
Fees
- Minimum permit fee
- The code states that no action is taken until the appropriate fee is paid, but the current schedule was not fully visible in the reviewed public text.
- Plan check fee
- Not publicly posted.
- Permit fee formula
- A fee schedule is set by the county legislative body and posted in the Codes Enforcement Officer office; the public PDF text reviewed did not expose the full current schedule.
- Reinspection fee
- The zoning code states a civil penalty of $100.00 per day for continuing violations.
- Payment note
- The code states no action is taken on an application until the appropriate fee is paid in full.
Fees change. Verify current amounts at the official fee schedule.
Work That Does NOT Require a Permit
Contact the Macon County Codes Enforcement Officer to confirm whether your project requires a permit before starting work.
Inspections
How to Schedule
- Not publicly posted. (phone)
- Inspection hours
- County office hours for the listed codes enforcement contact were M-W 11:00-5:00.
- Time windows
- County office hours for the listed codes enforcement contact were M-W 11:00-5:00.
Typical inspection sequence: The county code says the Codes Enforcement Officer conducts inspections for compliance and makes and maintains records thereof. After a building or premise is ready for occupancy, a second inspection is required within one year following occupancy.
The code places responsibility on the owner to correct deficiencies after inspection. The county may also pursue enforcement, civil penalties, and other remedies for violations.
Additional Resources
- Building code: The public county zoning code governs zoning compliance and permitting, but the specific building code edition for unincorporated county work was not clearly posted in the sources reviewed. Thin data.
- Zoning information: View zoning info
- License lookup guide: Tennessee Contractor License Requirements
- Contract template: Tennessee Homeowner-Contractor Agreement
- Tennessee hub: Tennessee Contractor License & Permit Hub
Information on this page was last verified: March 2026. Permit rules and fees change — confirm current requirements directly with the Macon County Codes Enforcement Officer before applying.
Frequently Asked Questions
Macon County Building Permit FAQ
- Do I need a building permit in unincorporated Macon County, TN?
- The county zoning code makes it unlawful to commence excavation, construction, moving, alteration, expansion, use change, or floodplain fill without a permit from the Codes Enforcement Officer.
- How much does a building permit cost in unincorporated Macon County, TN?
- The minimum permit fee is The code states that no action is taken until the appropriate fee is paid, but the current schedule was not fully visible in the reviewed public text.. Fees are calculated as: A fee schedule is set by the county legislative body and posted in the Codes Enforcement Officer office; the public PDF text reviewed did not expose the full current schedule.. Plan check fee: Not publicly posted..
- How do I apply for a building permit in unincorporated Macon County, TN?
- 1. Confirm whether the work is located in unincorporated Macon County and subject to county zoning review. 2. Prepare a written zoning permit application on county-provided forms. 3. Attach required plans or sketches in duplicate drawn to scale. 4. Include site, lot, structure, use, parking, drainage, and flood data as required by the zoning code. 5. Submit the application and pay the required fee. 6. County Codes Enforcement Officer reviews for zoning compliance and issues the zoning permit if compliant. 7. If denied, the applicant may appeal through the Board of Zoning Appeals process.
- How long does it take to get a building permit in unincorporated Macon County, TN?
- Typical processing time is Not publicly posted..
- What work is exempt from building permits in unincorporated Macon County, TN?
- The following work is generally exempt: No public county exemption list was located in the materials reviewed.; Thin data: the county zoning code is public, but the fee schedule and permit exemption table were not clearly surfaced in the accessible text.. Note: the county zoning code is public, but the fee schedule and permit exemption table were not clearly surfaced in the accessible text.
- How do I schedule a building inspection in unincorporated Macon County, TN?
- Inspections can be scheduled via: Not publicly posted..
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