Huntsville building department

The City of Huntsville Inspection Department issues building permits inside Huntsville city limits. It enforces the adopted building codes and the city’s contractor licensing rules.

The office is on the 1st floor of City Hall, 305 Fountain Circle. The permit pages list hours of 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays; the department page says 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Inspectors are usually in the office from 7:30 to 8:15 a.m. and from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m., which are the best times to reach your inspector. The department publishes direct numbers for each plans reviewer and trade inspector. The department’s general email is [email protected].

When you need a permit

You need a building permit if materials and labor cost more than $250, or if the work is structural at any cost. Painting, wallpapering, fencing, and floor covering are exempt.

Project	Huntsville rule
Fence	No permit required. In the Huntsville Historic District, the fence needs Historic Preservation Commission approval. Community Development (256-427-5400) answers most fence questions.
Accessory building	Permit required. It must be in the rear yard, at least 5 ft from side and rear lot lines, off easements, at least 10 ft from any other structure, and no more than two stories. Plumbing is limited to one toilet and one lavatory. Corner lots must meet the secondary front setback; Zoning Administration (256-564-8008) can tell you what it is.
Moving a house or large structure on city streets	Structure Move Permit
Roofing, siding, and trade work	Electrical, plumbing, mechanical, and gas permits, plus some roofing and siding permits, can be bought online by the licensed contractor

How to apply

Zoning approval comes first. For most building permits, Zoning Administration reviews the application before anything else. Call Planning or Zoning at 256-427-5100 to find out whether your project needs zoning approval. For commercial projects, the city recommends a pre-application meeting.

ePlans Review. All commercial and residential projects that need plan approval are submitted online through ePlans Review. Requirements:

• All files must be PDF, 50 MB or less per file.
• Civil sheets go in one combined PDF. Architectural, structural, mechanical, plumbing, and electrical each go in their own single PDF.
• On resubmittal, upload the full revised set and do not delete earlier files.

You can track status and download comment letters and marked-up plans in the portal. You get a “Ready for Issuance” email when plans are approved. Approved residential permits must be picked up in person.

What to submit for a new house or addition in an approved subdivision:

• a site plan drawn to scale, showing the house, dimensions, and all easements
• house plans with elevations, foundation plans, and floor plans
• a building permit application or project information page
• a copy of any Board of Zoning Adjustment approval letter

Lots in the 100-year flood fringe, the slope development district, historic districts, or metes-and-bounds lots may need more.

Alterations and repairs. Submit the application with an itemized cost breakdown of materials and labor. Minor work that doesn’t need plan review can get a walk-in permit.

Commercial projects. Plans must be sealed by an Alabama design professional if the building is over 2,500 sq ft or is an assembly, educational, institutional, or hazardous occupancy. After zoning approval, bring two full plan sets stamped by the Zoning Administrator to the Inspection Department. Projects in Cummings Research Park also need a Research Park Board approval letter.

Floodplain. If the site is in a FEMA Special Flood Hazard Area, you must apply in person. A Flood Development Permit must be issued before the building permit and most trade permits. To check your property, use the city GIS map’s “FEMA 2018 Flood Insurance Rate Map” layer.

Permit cost

Permit	Formula
New single-family dwelling	(heated sq ft × $15 + unheated sq ft × $7.50) × 0.0055
All other building permits	Total contract price × 0.0055

For example, a 2,000 sq ft heated house with a 500 sq ft garage works out to (30,000 + 3,750) × 0.0055 = $185.63. Trade work (plumbing, electrical, gas, mechanical) is permitted separately by the licensed trade contractor.

Who can pull a residential permit

Under state law, a one- or two-family dwelling must be built by:

• a builder certified by the Alabama Home Builders Licensure Board, or
• a state general contractor with a license number below 18908.

An owner may build their own home if they hold title and will live in it. The city requires a copy of the recorded deed. The owner must plan to live there for at least one year after final completion and closing of all permits. The city notes that owner-builders lose Home Builders Licensure Board protection against defects, and it says acting as your own contractor “is not recommended.”

Everyone you pay to do contractor or subcontractor work must be licensed with the Inspection Department. Subcontractors are licensed only for specific work. Contractors also need a City of Huntsville general business license, which requires zoning compliance review. On each project, subcontractors are documented on the Sub-contractors Schedule C form.

Codes

The Inspection Department’s commercial requirements page lists these codes:

• 2018 International Building, Residential, Existing Building, Mechanical, Plumbing, Fuel Gas, and Swimming Pool and Spa codes
• 2017 National Electrical Code
• 2015 IECC (Alabama Energy Code)

Huntsville Fire and Rescue enforces the 2021 International Fire Code.

Inspections

Request inspections through the Online Inspection and Permitting System. Contractors and owners log in with a taxpayer ID and pass code. The request is emailed to the inspector, and you get an email confirmation. You can see pass or fail results and inspector comments online. When you call in a request, have ready the inspection type, permit number, address, and contractor or owner name.

Residential footing standard. Footings must be 12 inches into undisturbed soil and 20 inches wide, with two #5 or three #4 bars within 3 inches of the bottom. For monolithic slabs, perimeter footings must be at least 20 inches tall, with 12 inches into undisturbed soil. The slab itself must be at least 4 inches thick over 6-mil poly.

Inspection sequence:

1. footing or slab
2. foundation (crawlspace)
3. pre-insulation, once roofing, sheathing, windows, and doors are in and trade rough-ins have passed
4. framing
5. Temp 30 power
6. final

Temporary power. “Temp 30” power requires a contractor affidavit, a posted permanent address number, and a lockable building. The building cannot be occupied until the certificate of occupancy is issued.

Commercial projects. The certificate of occupancy will not be issued until two holds are released: the Public Works “Engineering Hold” and the Inspection Division’s “Sub-contractors List Hold.”