Chattanooga building permits come from the Land Development Office (423-643-5894) through OpenGov. Rezonings go to the Regional Planning Commission, then council.
Last checked Oct. 17, 2026. Facts on this page come from the City of Chattanooga’s permits and applications, building codes and zoning and maps pages, and the Chattanooga-Hamilton County Regional Planning Agency.
In Chattanooga, building permits come from the city’s Land Development Office, and rezonings start with the Chattanooga-Hamilton County Regional Planning Agency. Both work out of the Development Resource Center at 1250 Market St. downtown. Permit applications are filed online through the city’s OpenGov portal. Call 423-643-5894 for building permits or 423-643-5891 for zoning.
Who to call
- Building permits, plan review and inspections: Land Development Office, 423-643-5894
- Zoning questions, Board of Zoning Appeals: 423-643-5891, LDOzoning@chattanooga.gov
- Land disturbing and stormwater permits: 423-643-5892
- Retaining wall permits: 423-643-7800
- Rezoning applications: Regional Planning Agency Development Services, 423-643-5902, rezoningapplications@chattanooga.gov
- Property outside city limits: Hamilton County Building Inspections, 423-209-7860
Do I need a permit?
The residential building permit covers new single-unit homes (detached or attached), accessory dwelling units (ADUs) and work that changes the footprint of an existing home. Separate permits cover electrical, plumbing, gas and mechanical work, signs, retaining walls and land disturbance. The city’s full list of 85 permits and applications is searchable by type.
Who can apply: a contractor with a Tennessee contractor’s license (BC, BC-A or BC-A/r; BC-A/r covers jobs up to $125,000), workers’ compensation coverage or a state exemption, and a Tennessee business license. A property owner can pull their own permit for a home or building for their own use, not for sale, lease or rent, if they have not had a property owner’s permit in the last 24 months.
What it costs
Residential building permit fees are based on the value of the work:
| Value of the work | Fee |
|---|---|
| $1,000 or less | No fee, but $40 for each inspection required |
| $1,001 to $50,000 | $25 for the first $1,000 plus $5.75 for each additional $1,000 |
| $50,001 to $100,000 | $306.75 for the first $50,000 plus $4.75 for each additional $1,000 |
| $100,001 to $500,000 | $544.25 for the first $100,000 plus $3.75 for each additional $1,000 |
| Over $500,000 | $2,044.25 for the first $500,000 plus $2.75 for each additional $1,000 |
Source: City of Chattanooga residential building permit page. Other fees are in Chapter 10, Article III of the city code.
The codes
Since May 26, 2023, the city has enforced the 2018 International Building, Residential, Fire, Mechanical, Fuel Gas and Plumbing codes, the 2018 International Energy Conservation Code with state amendments, and the 2023 National Electrical Code. Plans drawn to older codes are not accepted.
Zoning
Chattanooga adopted a new zoning code on Dec. 18, 2024. The grace period for permits under the old code ended June 18, 2025, so new work follows the new code. Read it in Chapter 38 of the city code.
- Find your zoning: the Regional Planning Agency’s zoning map dashboard or the city’s GIS map.
- Zoning verification letter: request one through the city’s permitting portal.
- Flood risk: check the city’s flood risk property map before you build.
Rezoning and special permits
- Pre-application meeting with Regional Planning Agency staff (rezoningapplications@chattanooga.gov).
- Apply by the monthly deadline, the third Monday of the month, with a site plan. The owner or the owner’s authorized representative can apply. Fees are on the agency’s application fees page.
- Regional Planning Commission hearing. The 15-member commission meets the second Monday of each month at 1 p.m., in public and streamed on the agency’s YouTube channel. It recommends; it does not decide a rezoning. The next meetings are Monday, Nov. 9 and Monday, Dec. 14.
- City Council vote. The council makes the final decision on a city rezoning.
Comments for the commission go to rezoning@chattanooga.gov or the agency’s public input form; commissioners cannot discuss a case with you before the hearing.
Variances: the Board of Zoning Appeals
The Board of Zoning Appeals hears variances (setbacks, landscaping, parking, building height), appeals of zoning decisions, special permits and sign variances. It meets the first Wednesday of each month at 10 a.m. in Conference Room 1A at the Development Resource Center; the next meetings are Wednesday, Nov. 4 and Wednesday, Dec. 2. The fee is $150. The board must find a hardship that comes from the property itself, not one the owner created. A sign goes up on the property 15 days before the hearing, and the applicant must attend. Approvals expire after two years.
Historic districts
Exterior changes and new construction in St. Elmo, Fort Wood, Battery Place and Ferger Place need a certificate of appropriateness from the Chattanooga Historic Zoning Commission. It meets the third Thursday of each month at 9:30 a.m. at 1250 Market St.; the next meetings are Thursday, Nov. 19 and Thursday, Dec. 17. Lupton City residents have applied to become a fifth local district.
What this means for you
- Check your zoning before you buy or build; the 2024 code changed what is allowed on many lots.
- Projects in St. Elmo, Fort Wood, Battery Place and Ferger Place need historic review before a building permit.
- Neighbors can comment on any rezoning at the Regional Planning Commission and again at City Council.
Related guides: property taxes, who to call at City Hall and moving to Chattanooga.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I get a building permit in Chattanooga?
From the city’s Land Development Office at the Development Resource Center, 1250 Market St. Applications are filed online through the city’s OpenGov portal; building permit questions go to 423-643-5894.
Can a homeowner pull their own building permit in Chattanooga?
Yes, for a home or building for their own use and not for sale or rent, as long as they have not been issued a property owner’s permit in the last 24 months.
How do I find the zoning of my property in Chattanooga?
Use the Regional Planning Agency’s zoning map dashboard or the city’s GIS map. The city’s zoning team answers questions at 423-643-5891.
How do I get property rezoned in Chattanooga?
Apply to the Chattanooga-Hamilton County Regional Planning Agency by the monthly deadline. The Regional Planning Commission hears the case on the second Monday of the month and makes a recommendation; the City Council makes the final decision.
When does the Chattanooga Board of Zoning Appeals meet?
The first Wednesday of each month at 10 a.m. in Conference Room 1A of the Development Resource Center, 1250 Market St. The application fee is $150.
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