Chambers County, Alabama Building Permit Guide

Chambers County’s own website lists no building department, building permit form or permit fee, so outside the cities there is no county building permit to apply for. What the county does regulate is land: the Highway Department (334-864-4359) approves driveways onto county roads and the County Engineer reviews subdivision plats, starting at $100 per submission. Inside Valley, Lanett, Waverly and Cusseta the city or town issues its own building or zoning permit, and septic systems go through the Chambers County Health Department in Valley.

What needs a permit in Chambers County?

The answer changes at each city limit. Valley and Lanett publish their own permit lists; in the unincorporated county the approvals are about roads, lots and septic systems, not the building itself.

In Waverly, every property owner needs a town Zoning Permit before site preparation, a new or accessory building, or moving a structure onto a lot.

Who issues permits in Chambers County?

Six municipalities lie wholly or partly in the county. The table gives what each one publishes about permits.

The Chambers County Commission sits at the courthouse, 2 South LaFayette Street, LaFayette (334-864-4341), open 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Central. Its annex at 610 South Gilmer Avenue in Lanett keeps Eastern time, 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and Valley’s city offices also post their hours in Eastern time. Reid Riley is Valley’s Director of Planning and Development.

The Sheriff’s Code Enforcement office describes its job as giving information on county adopted codes, making field inspections and issuing notices of violation for nuisance, property maintenance and land use problems. It does not publish a building permit application.

Forms and applications by office

Nothing here is filed through an online portal. Each office publishes printable forms.

• County Highway Department: Application for Turnout for Private Entrance, Utility Agreement for Location on County Right of Way, the Access Management Policy and the Subdivision Regulations with the proposed plat application.
• Valley: separate applications for building, roofing, electrical, mechanical, plumbing, demolition and sign permits, returned to Planning and Development at City Hall.
• Lanett: an Application for Building Permit and a Building Inspection Request form.
• Waverly: a Zoning Permit Application and a Subdivision Application, handed in at Town Hall or emailed to the town.

Valley’s building application asks whether the job is residential or commercial, the total project cost including site preparation, and sign-off from the water district serving the address, the county health department and Spire for gas.

What the county and cities charge

The only county fee schedule is in the Chambers County Subdivision Regulations (adopted October 2, 2006, amended June 3, 2013). The regulations call these minimum charges: the developer also pays any inspection and testing costs the county runs up during approval.

For example, a 10-lot subdivision with 1,200 feet of new road pays $500 for the proposed plat, then $250 in lot fees and $900 in road fees at the final plat: $1,650 before any testing costs.

Driveways: there is no flat driveway fee. The Highway Department sizes the pipe, quotes a price based on the county’s cost for labor, equipment and materials, and schedules the installation once that is paid.

Lanett sets its fees in Section 7-5 of the city code, last amended in March 2023. Building permits are priced on total valuation, meaning the actual cost of labor, materials and profit.

A $200,000 house in Lanett therefore pays $600 plus $4 for each of the next 100 thousands: $1,000. Each phase of work includes one inspection and one re-inspection, and starting without a permit doubles the fees.

Valley: the building, electrical, mechanical and plumbing forms leave the fee lines blank for staff to complete. Trade permits are built from an issuance fee plus a charge per outlet, fixture, ton or similar unit, and commercial permits carry an added CICT fee. A demolition permit costs $100, with a cash bond or letter of credit of $1 per square foot of floor space. Under Valley’s Zoning Ordinance, work started before the permit is issued costs $50 or double the permit fee, whichever is greater.

Electrical, plumbing, mechanical and septic

Valley: Planning and Development issues electrical, mechanical and plumbing permits on separate forms. The electrical form counts outlets, services, ranges, dryers, water heaters, interior panels and site poles; the mechanical form asks for unit size in tons, kW or BTU and the contractor’s state licence number; the plumbing form counts fixtures, sewer lines, water piping and water heaters.

Lanett: electrical, plumbing and HVAC work all need a city permit; the city code puts plumbing and mechanical jobs of $500 or more, any gas piping work and all electrical wiring under permit, with electrical permits and inspections handled by the fire inspector. The City’s inspection request form covers electrical, gas, fire and water inspections. Swapping an appliance from gas to electric, or the reverse, is not exempt.

Unincorporated county: the county publishes no electrical, plumbing or mechanical permit.

Septic: onsite sewage permits come from the Chambers County Health Department. Call 334-756-0758 and ask for the Environmental Office. Valley will not treat its building permit as septic approval, and its application has a line for the health department’s sign-off.

What to bring

The plat package must reach the County Engineer at least 30 days before the Commission considers it. Lanett asks for a site plan with new structures, additions, accessory structures, fences, new driveways and pools, plus the zoning district, total square feet, construction cost and the contractor’s business licence number.

How to get approved in Chambers County: 6 steps

Inspections

Valley: the permit holder must notify the building official when work is ready and give access for each inspection. Work may not go beyond the stage last approved, and the final inspection follows completion of everything on the permit. A roof needs a decking inspection before any roofing goes on; call 334-756-5226 to book it.

Lanett: request inspections from the Building Inspector at 334-644-5245 or on the Building Inspection Request form, giving the permit number, job address and inspection type. The form states that scheduling more than one day in advance cannot be accommodated. New construction is inspected at least three times, on the schedule the inspector writes on the permit application, and the permit holder must call when each stage is due. A permit application lapses six months after filing if no permit has been issued.

County: the county inspects subdivision roads and drainage under its Subdivision Regulations. A developer has one year from the Permit to Develop to begin substantial work, or the plat must be resubmitted. The county publishes no inspection process for houses or other buildings on those lots.

Local details for Chambers County

Two time zones: the courthouse in LaFayette runs on Central time while the Lanett annex, Valley City Hall and the health department’s clinic and environmental staff keep Eastern time. Check which clock an office uses before driving over near closing.

Flood-prone land: the county has a Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance that its subdivision rules rely on, and it takes part in the National Flood Insurance Program under flood maps FEMA dates February 18, 2011. The county website names no floodplain office; the subdivision rules themselves are administered by the County Engineer at the Highway Department (334-864-4359). Land in a floodway cannot be platted for homes or building sites, and every new lot must contain a building site at least 1 foot above the 100-year flood elevation.

Right-of-way: nothing may be built on a county road right-of-way except utilities and mailboxes. A metal mailbox post may be up to 2 inches in diameter and a wooden one up to 4 inches.

Road signs and maintenance: a road number on a sign does not mean the county maintains the road. The county’s Map of Roads and Bridges shows which roads are county-maintained and which are private.

Family and large-tract splits: the County Engineer says divisions among immediate family members, and divisions of large tracts that all keep county road frontage, can be exempt from the subdivision rules.

Adopted codes: Valley enforces the 2021 International Building and Residential Codes, adopted in June 2023. Lanett’s code adopts the 2021 International Building, Residential, Plumbing, Mechanical and Fuel Gas Codes and the 2020 National Electrical Code.

Downtown Lanett: exterior work in the Downtown Business District needs a C.O.A. as well as the building permit.

Valley utilities: the City’s permit form lists East Alabama Water District, Lee Chambers Water District and Spire, and tells applicants to call 811 for line location.

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 Chambers County resources

• Alabama Home Builders Licensure Board
• Alabama Division of Construction Management
• Chambers County Commission
• Chambers County Highway Department resources and regulations
• Chambers County Subdivision Regulations
• Chambers County Highway Department FAQs
• Chambers County Code Enforcement
• Chambers County Health Department contacts
• City of Valley Planning and Development
• City of Valley building permit application
• City of Lanett Code Enforcement / Building Inspection
• City of Lanett building permit application
• City of Lanett Code of Ordinances, Chapter 7: buildings and permit fees
• City of Valley Code of Ordinances, Chapter 14: buildings
• Town of Waverly resident resources

Chambers County building permit FAQs

Does Chambers County require a building permit outside city limits?

The county lists no building department and publishes no building permit form or fee. Outside the cities, expect to deal with the Highway Department for a driveway or land division and the health department for septic.

Where do I get a building permit in Valley, Alabama?

From Planning and Development in the City Hall Complex at 20 Fob James Drive. Call 334-756-5226 with construction and permit questions.

Do I need a permit for a fence or a roof in Lanett?

Yes to both. Fences and new roofs are on Lanett’s permit-required list, and a fence application also needs a site plan.

How much is a building permit in Lanett?

By valuation: $15 up to $500, then $21 for the first $3,000 plus $7 per additional $1,000 up to $50,000, with lower rates above that. A $200,000 project is $1,000.

How much does it cost to subdivide land in Chambers County?

Plat review is $100 per submission, or $500 when construction or road improvements are required. At the final plat, add $25 per lot and $0.75 per linear foot of new road.

Who issues septic permits in Chambers County?

The Chambers County Health Department’s Environmental Office at 5 North Medical Park Drive, Valley, 334-756-0758.

How do I get a driveway onto a county road?

Apply to the Highway Department at 18017 US-431 in LaFayette, 334-864-4359. It reviews the location for safety and drainage, prices the pipe and installs it after payment.

Simplify Chambers County 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 Chambers County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.