City Building Permits

Chattanooga, TENNESSEE Building Permit Guide

How to apply for a building permit in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Permit authority, application steps, fees, and inspection requirements.

Tennessee Hamilton County Updated March 2026

Permit Authority

City permit authority for work inside Chattanooga city limits; Hamilton County handles unincorporated areas and some municipalities that do not enforce their own codes.

Department
City of Chattanooga Land Development Office
Address
Development Resource Center, 1250 Market Street, Suite 1000, Chattanooga, TN 37402
Phone
(423) 643-5894 building plans review; (423) 643-5884 trade permits and licensing; (423) 643-5891 zoning
Website
https://chattanooga.gov/government/public-works/land-development-office

Online Permit Portal

Open Chattanooga OpenGov

Platform: OpenGov • Account required: Yes • Submission: In-person only

Additional resources:

Application Process

  1. Confirm permit type and code path with the Land Development Office.
  2. Open the Chattanooga OpenGov portal and choose the residential or commercial permit record.
  3. Log in or create a free account.
  4. Upload plan sets and required supporting documents; commercial pages state plans must be split and titled correctly or they will be rejected.
  5. Respond to any review comments from zoning, plans review, or related trade reviewers.
  6. Pay permit fees and obtain issuance before starting work.

Typical processing time: No firm turnaround posted on the current permit pages; the city states it uses a digital review process.

Source: City of Chattanooga Land Development Office

General Requirements

Building permit review and inspections are handled by the LDO for building permits, retaining walls, and related work; trade permits and licensing are handled separately by the same office. The city permit pages do not provide one consolidated exemption list, so applicants should confirm scope with LDO before relying on any code exemption.

Required Documents

  • Building plans and specifications
  • Commercial pages require properly split and titled plan sets
  • Additional zoning, site, historic, floodplain, or trade documents may apply by project type
Permit validity
Not clearly posted on the public permit pages reviewed.
Building code
2018 IBC, 2018 IRC, 2018 IFC, 2018 IMC, 2018 IFGC, 2018 IPC, 2018 IECC with state amendments, 2017 NEC, and ANSI A117.1 2009
Owner-builder
No city owner-builder summary located on the public pages reviewed.
Contractor requirements
Trade permits and licensing are handled by LDO; the building codes page links to the DET certified contractor list and city code resources.

Fees

Minimum permit fee
No fee at $1,000 and less unless inspection is required; then $40 per inspection
Plan check fee
Not separately posted on the current public residential or commercial permit pages reviewed.
Permit fee formula
Valuation-based. $25 for the first $1,000 plus $5.75 per additional thousand to $50,000; then stepped rates above that.
Payment note
LDO accepts checks, money orders, and credit cards; cash is not accepted. Permits are not accepted for processing after 3:30 p.m.

Fees change. Verify current amounts at the official fee schedule.

Work That Does NOT Require a Permit

Contact the City of Chattanooga Land Development Office to confirm whether your project requires a permit before starting work.

Inspections

How to Schedule

Inspection hours
Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Time windows
Monday to Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Typical inspection sequence: Depends on permit type; building permit inspections are coordinated by Building Permits, Plans Review and Inspections, with separate trade permit functions for licensing and permit payments.

Additional Resources

Information on this page was last verified: March 2026. Permit rules and fees change — confirm current requirements directly with the City of Chattanooga Land Development Office before applying.

Need help with your project?

Navigating permits in Chattanooga can be complicated.

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Important: This page is an educational resource provided by jaspector.com. It is not legal advice, and it does not substitute for official guidance from the permit authority listed above. Permit requirements, fees, and processes change frequently. Always verify current requirements directly with the issuing department before beginning any construction project. Use of this page does not create an attorney-client relationship. Jaspector assumes no liability for any outcomes arising from reliance on this information.

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