Cherokee County building department

Cherokee County does not issue building permits or enforce zoning outside its incorporated towns. The County Commission’s Zoning / Permitting page says: “Cherokee County, Alabama does not have zoning regulations or building permit requirements outside of the incorporated areas of the county.”

If your property is inside a town such as Centre, check with that town, because the county statement does not cover incorporated areas.

In unincorporated Cherokee County, three county-level requirements still apply:

• contractor licensing through Probate
• septic permits through the Health Department
• floodplain and right-of-way permits through the County Engineer

Contractor licenses (Probate Office)

The county says any contractor paid to work on a site must be licensed through the Cherokee County Probate Office:

• Address: 373 East Main Street, Suite 103, Centre
• Phone: 256-927-3363
• Hours: Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The Probate Office posts a Business License Application and a Contractor’s Affidavit. On the affidavit, the contractor states expected gross contracts for the license year, and the state and county contractor license fee is set by that amount. On the version of the form posted for the October 2021 to September 2022 license year, the fee ranged from $22.00 (contracts of $5,000 to $10,000) to $502.00 (over $200,000).

The affidavit also lists trade credentials Probate must see before it issues the business license:

Trade	Required before Probate issues the license
HVAC installers	Certificate of qualification from the state HVAC contractors board
Plumbers	MPGP card
Electrical work	Electrical Contractor Board card

State builder licensing also applies. The Alabama Home Builders Licensure Board requires a home builders license for residential work costing more than $10,000, and a roofers license plus a $10,000 bond for residential roofing over $2,500. In counties with no adopted residential code, the Board applies the 2015 International Residential Code when it investigates contracts signed on or after February 13, 2022. With no county inspections, the license and the contract are the homeowner’s main protection.

Septic permits

The county says the Cherokee County Health Department issues septic system permits and lists 256-927-7322 for that purpose. The Alabama Department of Public Health’s Cherokee County page lists the health department’s main line as 256-926-0726 and includes environmental services among its programs. Get the septic permit before you set the house location, since no county building permit will flag it for you.

Floodplain development

The Engineering Department posts the county Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance, a Flood Plain Development Application, the FEMA Elevation Certificate with instructions, and the amendments for the National Flood Map. If the site is in a mapped flood hazard area, apply to the Engineering Department before you build or place fill.

• Address: 1875 East Main Street, Centre
• Phone: 256-927-5573
• Hours: Monday through Thursday, 6:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
• Staff: County Engineer Evan Morgan, Assistant Engineer Ben Walker, Clerk Angie Cox

Driveways, utilities, and work in county right of way

The county Right of Way Permit Procedure was adopted July 22, 2001 and amended and approved by the Commission on November 13, 2001. It applies to anyone working in a county-maintained right of way. No work may start until the County Engineer issues the permit.

The application must include:

• a description and location of the work
• a schedule and equipment list
• best management practices
• a plan for restoring the right of way
• a cash or surety bond, held for one year after completion
• the signature of a manager-level representative
• a $100 permit fee payable to the Cherokee County Highway Department

Other rules:

• Cutting entirely across a paved road requires a recommendation from the district commissioner and approval by the County Commission.
• New utility facilities must be at least 18 inches below pavement and 36 inches below final grade in ditches, shoulders, and back-slopes.
• Service taps and emergency repairs are covered by a yearly blanket permit with a minimum $5,000 bond.

The Engineering Department also posts Road Acceptance Criteria for developers who want the county to accept a new subdivision road.

Other county offices

Office	Use it for	Contact
Revenue Commission	Property appraisal and taxes	260 Cedar Bluff Road, Suite 102; 256-927-5527
Emergency Management Agency	Hazard and mass-notification information	260 Cedar Bluff Road, Suite 104; 256-927-3367
County Commission	General county questions	260 Cedar Bluff Road, Suite 103; Monday–Friday 8 a.m.–4 p.m.