Kingsport, TENNESSEE Building Permit Guide

Permit Authority

City of Kingsport permit authority for work inside Kingsport city limits in Sullivan County. Unincorporated county work is handled separately by Sullivan County.

Department

City of Kingsport Building Division

Address

415 Broad Street, 1st Floor, Kingsport, TN 37660

Phone

423-229-9393

Email

AmandaSakellar@KingsportTN.gov , RebeccaArnold@kingsporttn.gov

Website

https://www.kingsporttn.gov/city-services/building/

Online Permit Portal

Application Process

1. Confirm prerequisite approvals for the project. For a new house, first obtain an Erosion and Sediment Control permit from the Traffic Department.
2. Confirm zoning and any plat approval needs with Planning if the lot is in a Planned Development.
3. Submit the building permit application and plans. Commercial plans submittal requires 1 set of stamped plans, a PDF, and the plans review fee with the application.
4. Building staff reviews plans, issues comments if needed, receives corrections, and approves final plans.
5. Building permit is issued first, then all trade permits are attached to the building permit.
6. Schedule inspections through the portal or permit staff. Approved stamped plans must remain on site.
7. After all finals are approved, including required commercial closeout items, the Certificate of Occupancy is issued.

Typical processing time: Not publicly posted for general permits in the reviewed materials.

Source: City of Kingsport Building Division

General Requirements

Kingsport states permits are required for new construction and renovations except cosmetic repairs such as paint, cabinets, and floor coverings. Permit examples include accessory structures, enclosing decks or porches, decks, porches, sunrooms, basement or attic finishes, additions, reroofing, demolition, grading, rewiring, sewer lines, fixture relocations, water heater replacement, gas piping, and furnace or heat pump replacement.

Required Documents

• Building permit application
• Plans
• For new houses: Traffic erosion and sediment permit and any Planning plat approval
• For commercial work: stamped plans, PDF set, and plans review fee
• Homeowner affidavit when an owner-occupant pulls the permit

Permit validity

Not stated on the reviewed Kingsport public pages or PDFs.

Building code

2018 IBC, 2018 IMC, 2018 IPC, 2018 IPMC, 2018 IRC, 2017 NEC, 2018 IECC, accessibility under Chapter 11 of the 2018 IBC and 2009 A117.1, plus the City of Kingsport Zoning Ordinance.

Owner-builder

If the applicant owns and occupies the home and is doing the work, the homeowner may purchase permits after completing the Homeowner Affidavit. Kingsport also notes homeowners may build one new house every two years under state law.

Contractor requirements

All contractors and trades must pull permits. Projects under $25,000 require a city business license only; over $25,000 require a Tennessee contractor license. Trade contractors must also provide workers compensation and general liability insurance. Electricians, plumbers, mechanical and gas installers also need a city business license and performance bond.

Fees

Minimum permit fee

$30.00, plus a $7.00 permit technology fee applied to all permits

Plan check fee

Commercial and multifamily with 4 or more units. $25 up to $100,000, then stepped up to value times 0.0001 above $5,000,000.

Permit fee formula

Valuation-based for building permits. $1 to $2,000 is $30 minimum; $2,001 to $50,000 is $30 for first $2,000 plus $4.50 per $1,000; then stepped rates continuing up to $2.50 per $1,000 above $500,000.

Reinspection fee

Plumbing reinspection is $50. Mechanical and gas additional inspection due to insufficient or unacceptable work is $50.

Penalty (no permit)

Working without a permit is double the permit fee.

Payment note

Online payment is available through eTRAKiT and Click2GovBP. Kingsport accepts cash, check, debit, and credit cards except American Express, and does not take permit payments over the phone.

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

Work That Does NOT Require a Permit

• Cosmetic repairs such as painting, cabinets, and floor coverings
• Fences

Inspections

How to Schedule

• eTRAKiT portal scheduling (online)
• Permit staff by phone (phone)

Inspection hours

8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday

Time windows

In-office visits by appointment from 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Typical inspection sequence: Initial inspections such as footing, slab, and under-slab electric and plumbing; rough-ins for electric, plumbing, and mechanical; utility releases; framing and insulation; commercial fire inspections as applicable; final inspections; Certificate of Occupancy.

Additional Resources

• Building code: 2018 IBC, 2018 IMC, 2018 IPC, 2018 IPMC, 2018 IRC, 2017 NEC, 2018 IECC, accessibility under Chapter 11 of the 2018 IBC and 2009 A117.1, plus the City of Kingsport Zoning Ordinance.
• Zoning information: View zoning info
• Owner-builder rules: View rules
• Building FAQ
• Building Permit Application
• Permit Inspection Work Flow
• License lookup guide: Tennessee Contractor License Requirements
• Contract template: Tennessee Homeowner-Contractor Agreement
• Tennessee hub: Tennessee Contractor License & Permit Hub

Other cities in Sullivan County