Ashland and Lineville are the only incorporated places in Clay County, and both permit construction through their zoning ordinances. In Ashland the Code Enforcement Officer issues a building permit that doubles as the zoning permit, on an application that costs $25 for residential work; in Lineville a Zoning Permit is needed for any work beyond painting, wallpapering or repairs under $1,000. The county’s listed offices include no building or inspections department, so on rural land the approvals that remain are the health department’s septic permit and, for a manufactured home, registration with the Revenue Commissioner.
What needs a permit in Clay County?
Ashland
- Building permit to construct, erect, move, extend, enlarge or structurally alter any building or structure, in whole or in part
- Zoning permit to start a new use or expand an existing one, filed on the same form
- Conditional use approval from the Planning Commission, where the district requires it, before the building permit application
- Certificate of occupancy before a new, moved or altered building is occupied
Lineville
- Zoning Permit for construction, renovation, reconstruction or development
- Sign permit for nearly every sign erected, altered, moved or repaired
- ADEM stormwater discharge permit first, on sites the ordinance makes subject to it
- Certificate of Zoning Compliance before occupancy
Lineville exempts painting, wallpapering and repairs that do not change the character of the structure and cost no more than $1,000. Routine maintenance or repainting of an existing sign needs no sign permit there.
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Get a free quote →Who issues permits in Clay County?
| Where | Who to see |
|---|---|
| Ashland | City Code Enforcement Officer, 256-354-2122; City Hall, 83183 Highway 9 (P.O. Box 849), 256-354-2121 |
| Lineville | City Code Enforcement Officer; City Hall, 60151 Highway 49 N (P.O. Box 247), 256-396-2581, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. |
| Unincorporated Clay County | No county building office is listed. County Commission, Courthouse Annex, 41771 Highway 77 North, Suite 1, Ashland, 256-354-7888 |
| Septic systems and wells | Clay County Health Department, 86892 Highway 9, Lineville, 256-396-6421, weekdays 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. |
| Manufactured home registration and parcel maps | Revenue Commissioner, 25 Courthouse Square, Ashland, 256-354-2454; mapping and appraisal 256-354-4833 |
Each city’s zoning ordinance applies to land inside its corporate boundaries only, so these permit rules stop at the city limits. In both cities the Code Enforcement Officer is appointed by the City Council. Ashland’s ordinance makes the post a sworn law enforcement officer. The County Commission is a five-member board that meets on the second Monday of each month at the Courthouse Annex, with a planning meeting at 9 a.m. and the commission meeting at 11 a.m.
Applications and approvals
Ashland: one written form, the Zoning Permit Application printed in Appendix A of the City’s zoning ordinance, covers both the building permit and zoning approval. A separate zoning application is not needed when you are already applying for a building permit. Conditional uses go to the Planning Commission first, with a subdivision plat or site plan and a $50 certified check payable to the City of Ashland.
Lineville: the Zoning Permit Application is printed in Appendix A of the City’s 2018 Zoning Ordinance, alongside the rezoning application and the petition for a variance. Sign permits are a separate application to the Building Inspector or Code Enforcement Officer.
Health department: the state’s CEP-2 form is the application for a permit to install or repair a small-flow septic system, meaning under 1,800 gallons a day or 12 bedrooms or fewer.
Fees that are published
Ashland prints its application fee on the Zoning Permit Application: $25 for residential, $50 for commercial and $75 for industrial projects, non-refundable. Lineville’s application leaves the fee blank for the office to fill in, and the county charges nothing because it issues no permit. These are the amounts written into the two zoning ordinances:
Not sure this scope needs a permit?
Get a free quote →| Charge | Amount |
|---|---|
| Ashland Zoning Permit Application, residential | $25 |
| Ashland Zoning Permit Application, commercial | $50 |
| Ashland Zoning Permit Application, industrial | $75 |
| Ashland rezoning application | $100 |
| Lineville sign permit | $25 per application |
| Lineville sign put up before the permit | Permit fee doubled |
| Lineville sign permit denied | Fee refunded |
| Ashland conditional use application | $50 certified check |
| Zoning violation, either city | Fine of up to $500 |
Trades, septic and wells
Ashland’s and Lineville’s zoning ordinances do not set up separate electrical, plumbing or mechanical permits. Lineville’s sign rules note that city building and electrical codes may require additional permits for a sign.
Septic and wells: the Clay County Health Department’s environmental staff handle onsite sewage applications and permits, septic tank and grease trap permits, small and large flow development permits and private well water testing. Ashland asks every zoning applicant to show the water supply and sewage disposal facilities on the site drawing.
Rather talk it over?
Call 1-855-478-4290 →What the applications ask for
Ashland building or zoning permit
- Address and legal description of the property
- Name, address and phone number of the owner and the applicant
- Description of the use to be established or expanded
- Accurate dimensioned drawing showing existing and proposed buildings, lot areas to be used, parking with lighting and landscaping, water supply and sewage disposal
- Anything further the Code Enforcement Officer needs to judge compliance
Lineville Zoning Permit
- Proof of compliance with other applicable codes and regulations
- Scaled map or plat with the shape and dimensions of the lot
- Shape, size and location of every building, existing or proposed
- Existing and intended use of each building
- Setback and side lines of buildings on adjoining lots
- Zoning district boundaries that apply to the lot
If an application is rejected in either city, the officer has to write the reason on it.
Step by step in Clay County
The Revenue Commissioner’s GIS map covers every parcel; the mapping office is at 256-354-4833.
On land without sewer, apply to the health department in Lineville before you finalize the site drawing.
Ashland: from the City, with zoning questions to Code Enforcement at 256-354-2122. Lineville: from City Hall, 256-396-2581.
Both ordinances forbid issuing a permit until the application and plans are on file.
An Ashland permit expires if construction has not begun within six months.
Tell the Code Enforcement Officer when the building is ready; the final inspection follows within three regular business days.
Rather not deal with the Clay County building department?
Get a free quote →Inspections and occupancy
Ashland: no building may be occupied until the Code Enforcement Officer issues a certificate of occupancy. After the owner gives notice that the building is ready, the officer inspects within three regular business days and issues the certificate, or a written denial, within three business days of that inspection.
Lineville: the equivalent document is the Certificate of Zoning Compliance. The officer makes the final inspection of the site within three regular business days of being notified and must put any refusal in writing.
These inspections test the work against each city’s zoning ordinance and other city codes. The county lists no inspection office for building work outside the two cities.
Local details for Clay County
Ashland permits follow the owner and the builder: a building permit expires if the property is sold or transferred, or if the contractor named when it was issued changes. It can be reissued under the rules then in force.
Lineville signs: a sign permit is issued within five days of a valid application, lapses if work has not started within 90 days, and needs proof of a bond or liability cover of at least $1,000.
Manufactured homes: register the home with the Revenue Commissioner within 30 days of buying it or bringing it into Alabama. A home coming from another Alabama county needs its certificate of title, current registration and a move permit.
Stormwater in Lineville: where the ordinance requires state approval of site drainage, applicants must show an ADEM stormwater discharge permit before the City issues the Zoning Permit, and stormwater may never be piped into the sanitary sewer.
Who wrote the zoning rules: both cities’ ordinances were prepared with the East Alabama Regional Planning and Development Commission. Ashland first adopted zoning on July 15, 1991 and replaced that ordinance on May 2, 2022; Lineville’s current ordinance is dated January 2018.
Want this handled start to finish?
Get a free quote →Flood insurance: FEMA lists Ashland and Lineville as taking part in the National Flood Insurance Program, and both zoning ordinances carry a flood hazard district. Clay County itself is on FEMA’s list of Alabama communities not in the program.
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 sources — Clay County
- Clay County local government directory
- Clay County Revenue Commissioner
- Clay County manufactured home registration
- Clay County Health Department environmental services
- Alabama onsite sewage application forms
- City of Ashland zoning and code enforcement
- City of Ashland Zoning Ordinance
- City of Lineville
- City of Lineville Zoning Ordinance (January 2018)
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →Clay County building permit FAQs
Does Clay County, Alabama issue building permits?
The county lists no building or inspections office. Ashland and Lineville issue permits inside their limits; elsewhere the main approval is the health department’s septic permit.
Who issues building permits in Ashland, AL?
The City’s Code Enforcement Officer, 256-354-2122. The building permit also serves as the zoning permit.
How much is a building permit in Ashland?
The Zoning Permit Application in the City’s zoning ordinance prints a $25 residential fee, $50 for commercial projects and $75 for industrial ones.
Do I need a permit for small repairs in Lineville?
Not for painting, wallpapering or repairs that leave the character of the structure unchanged and cost $1,000 or less. Other construction and renovation needs a Zoning Permit first.
How long is an Ashland building permit good for?
Construction must start within six months of issue. The permit also ends if the property changes hands or the contractor changes.
Where do I apply for a septic permit in Clay County?
At the Clay County Health Department, 86892 Highway 9, Lineville, 256-396-6421.
How soon can I move in after finishing?
Once the Code Enforcement Officer has inspected and issued the certificate. In both cities the final inspection is due within three regular business days of your notice.
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This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Clay County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.