Alexander City, Alabama Building Permit Guide

The City of Alexander City Building Department at the Municipal Complex issues building, roofing, electrical, mechanical and plumbing permits, and applications go in through the PLL (permits, land and licensing) portal. A residential building permit costs $6 per $1,000 of construction value and a commercial one $8 per $1,000, plus a $10 issuance fee. Unpermitted work is charged double.

What requires a building permit in Alexander City?

The Building Department says permits are required for most construction, renovation and repair work, on homes and commercial property alike. The permit must be in hand before work starts, and the site needs an E-911 address before a permit can be issued.

Who issues permits in Alexander City?

The Building Department, also called Building Services, carries out plan review, permit issuance, inspections and floodplain review. Under the City code the Building Official is also the electrical, gas, housing, mechanical, plumbing and swimming pool inspector, so one office handles every trade. Aaron Gortney is the Building Official.

The City’s demolition and land disturbance ordinances both state that they apply within the city limits, and the land disturbance ordinance expressly leaves out the planning jurisdiction beyond them.

Alexander City permit types and the PLL portal

PLL is the City’s online system for building permits, business licences and land development cases. After registering you can apply, upload site plans and supporting documents, track the application and pay fees online. Online inspection scheduling is listed as coming soon.

• Building permits: new construction, renovations, roofing, moving and demolition, with the trade permits filed in the same portal.
• Land development applications: Land Development, Historic Property, Rezone, Variance, Minor Subdivision, Major Subdivision, Lee Street Overlay and Central Alabama Business Park District.
• Business licences: applications and renewals, including the City licence every contractor and subcontractor must hold.
• Rental registration: landlords open a Rental Registration case and book the inspection there.

The department emails PDF instruction guides for permit applications on request.

Permit costs and fees in Alexander City

Building fees are set in Section 18-22 of the City code, last rewritten by Ordinance 2022-21 in June 2022. Demolition fees were replaced by Ordinance 2026-20, adopted on July 20, 2026.

For example, a new house valued at $250,000 has a building permit fee of $1,500 plus the $10 issuance fee, $1,510 in all, before the 0.25% licence fee ($625) and the trade permits. The City’s online code still shows the old $50 demolition fee; the 2026 ordinance is the one in force.

Water capital improvement fees for new development are due before the building permit or the new water meter is issued, whichever comes first.

Alexander City trade permits

Trade permits are issued by the Building Department. Each carries the $10 issuance fee and the $20 minimum, and a failed first inspection costs $20 to re-inspect.

Larger outlet counts, services over 400 amps, motors and generators have their own lines in Section 18-133. Electrical work in the city must be in the charge of a licensed electrical contractor or that contractor’s designee, and each contracting firm needs at least one qualified electrician. A contractor buying any plumbing, electrical or mechanical permit, or a building permit for a job over $10,000, must file proof of general liability insurance of at least $100,000.

The Alexander City Fire Department has a Fire Marshal, reached at (256) 329-6761.

Application documents and plan review

The Building Department publishes these requirements with its portal:

The City asks for site development plans by noon on a Thursday, and review starts once the digital and paper copies are both in. Any change from the approved construction documents must be sent to the Building Department and approved before that work is done, and the stamped drawings and change orders must stay on site.

How to apply: 6-step Alexander City process

Alexander City inspections

Every inspection is scheduled through Building Services at (256) 329-6712 or inspections@alexandercityal.gov with at least 24 hours’ notice; same-day inspections are not offered. On Wednesdays inspections run only from 7:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., because the afternoon is set aside for plan review.

• The trade contractor is responsible for requesting each trade inspection.
• All trade inspections must pass before a framing inspection is scheduled.
• The air barrier or house wrap inspection must be booked before siding goes on.
• The Building Official may ask for a third-party inspection report.
• A building permit becomes void after 180 days if no inspection has been requested.

A final inspection cannot be scheduled until the completed subcontractor list is turned in and every contractor and subcontractor holds a current City business licence and the permits for their work.

Local Alexander City details that matter

Floodplain: the City’s Floodplain Development Ordinance of September 16, 2024 requires a development permit before any development in a special flood hazard area. Where base flood elevations are available, the lowest floor of a new or substantially improved building must be at least 1 ft above that elevation.

Land disturbance: under Ordinance 2026-01, commercial development, subdivision development and any other disturbance over 2 acres needs a Land Disturbance Permit from the City Engineering Department. It lasts 6 months and can be extended once for another 6 months. Farming and forestry work is exempt.

Demolition: the 2026 ordinance asks for proof of liability insurance, a signed demolition contract with a site plan, and a performance bond 10% above the estimated demolition cost. Noisy or dusty work is limited to 7:00 am to 7:00 pm, never on Sundays, holidays or bad-weather days, and the permit is valid for 180 days.

Rental property: since December 2018 a rental unit that becomes vacant must be inspected before a new tenant moves in. The first two inspections are free, a third costs $100 and a fourth or later one $250.

City utilities: Alexander City owns its natural gas, electric, water and sewer systems, and utility taps are requested in the same PLL portal.

Zoning: the Community Development office (256-329-6717) checks zoning compliance for building permits and handles rezonings, variances and special use permits.

Alabama building code

From 1 January 2027, under Act 2024-443, a residential home builder must build to the applicable residential code (the Alabama Residential Building Code, or the local code where one applies) even where no building department inspects the work. Since 1 October 2024 the Alabama Home Builders Licensure Board adopts the residential code, and the Licensing Board for General Contractors the commercial energy code. Alabama’s codes and the 2027 change

Official Alexander City permitting resources

• City of Alexander City Building Department
• Alexander City Permit Portal (PLL) requirements
• PLL portal sign-in
• Alexander City adopted building codes
• Alexander City Code of Ordinances, Chapter 18 (Municode)
• Alexander City ordinances by year
• Alexander City land development documents
• Alexander City rental inspections

Alexander City building permit FAQs

How much is a building permit in Alexander City?

$6 per $1,000 of construction value for residential work and $8 per $1,000 for commercial work, plus a $10 issuance fee. A $250,000 house comes to $1,510 before the contractor’s licence fee and trade permits.

What happens if I build without a permit?

The City charges twice the normal permit fee, and repeat violations can be prosecuted.

How do I schedule an inspection in Alexander City?

Call Building Services at (256) 329-6712 or email inspections@alexandercityal.gov at least 24 hours ahead. There are no inspections on Wednesday afternoons.

Do I need a permit to replace a roof?

Yes. The fee code has residential and commercial roofing permits, charged at the same rates as building permits.

How much is a demolition permit?

Since July 2026, $200 for each residential structure, or $8 per $1,000 of valuation for commercial demolition.

Which codes does Alexander City enforce?

The 2021 International Building, Residential, Existing Building, Energy Conservation, Mechanical, Plumbing, Fuel Gas, Swimming Pool and Spa, Property Maintenance and Fire Codes, with the 2020 National Electrical Code.

How long does an Alexander City building permit last?

It becomes void after 180 days if no inspection has been requested.

Simplify Alexander City permitting with Alliance Permitting

Alliance Permitting is a permit documentation and submission company in Alabama. We prepare your paperwork, file it correctly and coordinate with the permitting authority through issuance. We are not a contractor and we do not perform licensed plan review or inspections; that work stays with your licensed team and the jurisdiction.

This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Alexander City permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.