Building Permits in Chattanooga

Chattanooga's Land Development Office administers building permits within City jurisdiction and accepts online applications through the OpenGov portal.

Adopted codes

The City's current code page lists the 2018 IBC, IRC, IFC, IMC, IFGC and IPC, the 2018 IECC with Tennessee amendments, and the 2023 NEC, together with accessibility requirements. Chattanooga states that plans under the prior code cycle stopped being accepted May 26, 2023.

State amendments and Tennessee licensing law can also affect a project. Design-professional and contractor requirements depend on project scope; they should not be generalized to every permit.

Permit fees

For residential and commercial building permits, Chattanooga publishes a valuation-based schedule. For example, projects valued at $1,000 or less have no permit fee unless an inspection is required, in which case the City lists $40 per inspection. Higher valuation brackets use formulas published on the City's permit pages. Calculate the actual fee from the current bracket rather than using a generic percentage.

Application and review

Applications are filed through OpenGov. Required plans and departmental reviews depend on project type. The City states that digital review is used; it does not publish one universal processing time on the general commercial permit page, so this guide does not invent one.

Inspections and final approval

Required inspections follow the approved permit and applicable code. Verify the permit record and Land Development Office instructions for scheduling and final/occupancy requirements.

Official sources

Use the official City code and permit pages linked above before submitting because adopted codes, fees, and procedures can change.