Cullman County does not issue building permits in its unincorporated areas. In a letter posted by the Road Department, the County Commission confirms that it has no zoning, does not inspect structures for plumbing, electrical or structural compliance, and neither issues nor requires a certificate of occupancy. What the county does regulate is handled at the Road Department, 2883 Highway 69 N (256-796-2266): driveway pipe permits, floodplain development permits, utility permits, logging notices and subdivision plats.
What needs county approval in Cullman County?
The Commission’s letter lists the rules it has in place for land outside the cities and towns.
County approval needed
- A driveway pipe on a county road
- Development in a mapped flood hazard area
- Utility facilities on a public right-of-way
- Subdividing land
- Logging, under the county’s logging resolution
Not regulated by the county
- Zoning or land use
- Building, electrical and plumbing work on a structure
- Occupancy; no certificate of occupancy is issued or required
The letter flags one exception: land around Cullman Regional Airport may carry other restrictions, and the airport should be contacted directly.
Who permits construction, place by place
Thirteen municipalities lie wholly or partly in the county. Cullman, Good Hope, Hanceville, Garden City, South Vinemont and Arab publish a building permit process of their own.
Short on time to read all of this?
Get a free quote →| Place | Who permits construction | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Unincorporated Cullman County | No building permit. Driveway pipe, floodplain development, utility and subdivision approvals come from the county Road Department. | 2883 Highway 69 N, Cullman, 256-796-2266 |
| City of Cullman | City Building Inspection Department: building, plumbing, HVAC, electrical and sign permits inside the city limits. The city code defines its police jurisdiction as the corporate limits, so city permitting stops at the city line. See the Cullman guide. | 201 2nd Avenue NE, 256-775-7203 |
| Good Hope | The City, online through Cloudpermit. Ordinance 011-2024 requires a permit from the city clerk for site preparation, construction, renovation or relocation of a building anywhere in the incorporated area. | City Hall, 135 Municipal Drive, 256-739-3757 |
| Hanceville | The City’s Permit Officer, under Ordinance 613, for all incorporated areas. A Building Permit Application and a New Construction Building Permit Application are posted for download. | City Hall, 112 Main Street SE, 256-352-9830 |
| South Vinemont | The Town Clerk, under the town’s Building Permit Ordinance; a permit is needed before any site preparation or development. | Town Clerk, 256-737-5411 |
| Arab (small part in Cullman County) | City of Arab Building Department. | 256-586-5968 |
| Garden City | The Town, through its Building Inspector and town clerk. Ordinance 003-2024 requires a building permit inside the incorporated area, and the application also serves as the request for a certificate of occupancy. | Town Hall, 501 1st Avenue South, 256-352-5408 |
| Holly Pond | The regional hazard mitigation plan lists a zoning ordinance and code enforcement in Holly Pond. | Town Hall, 256-796-2124 |
| Baileyton, Berlin, Colony, Dodge City, Fairview and West Point | The same plan lists no zoning ordinance and no code enforcement in these towns, and the ordinances Baileyton and Berlin post online include none on building permits. | Baileyton, 55 Fire Station Road, 256-796-6447; Berlin, 461 County Road 1615, 256-736-3138; Colony 256-287-1192; Dodge City 256-287-0364; Fairview 256-796-5424; West Point 256-734-0006 |
The plan cited is the Division F Regional Hazard Mitigation Plan, published by the Alabama Emergency Management Agency; its first phase, which covers Cullman County, is dated March 17, 2021.
County forms and applications
The Road Department’s download list is the county’s whole permit catalogue:
- Driveway Pipe Permit Application, for a new, extended or replacement pipe under a residential, commercial, industrial or agricultural driveway.
- NFIP Development Permit, the floodplain development application for unincorporated areas, with the county’s Floodplain Ordinance and a link to FEMA’s elevation certificate.
- Form for Utility Facilities on Public Right of Way, with the required drawing.
- Logging Resolution and Logging Form.
- Cullman County Subdivision Rules and Regulations.
- Zoning Letter, which states in writing that the county has no zoning or structural inspection. It is addressed “To Whom It May Concern” for anyone who needs that in writing.
Not sure this scope needs a permit?
Get a free quote →Permit costs in Cullman County
The county posts no fee on its driveway pipe or floodplain development applications, and there is no county building permit to pay for. Four of the municipalities publish their fees in an ordinance.
| Project | Fee |
|---|---|
| Residential construction | $20 flat issuance fee |
| Non-residential construction | $20 flat issuance fee plus $1 per $1,000 of construction value (state Construction Industry Craft Training fee) |
| Place and ordinance | Fee |
|---|---|
| Good Hope (Ordinance 011-2024) | $20 for a project of $1,000 or less; $20 plus $2 per additional $1,000 up to $49,999; $200 for the first $50,000 plus $2 per additional $1,000 up to $99,999. For $100,000 and up the ordinance prints “$400 for first $200,000 + $2.00 each additional $1,000”. Moving a building $250; demolition $100; a storage building under 500 square feet $25 |
| Hanceville, residential (Ordinance 613, May 11, 2017) | $10 issuance fee on every permit. No permit for work of $500 or less; $501 to $20,000, $25 for the first $2,000 plus $3 per additional $1,000; $20,001 to $50,000, $20 for the first $1,000 plus $6 per additional $1,000; $50,001 to $200,000, $314 for the first $50,000 plus $5 per additional $1,000; above $200,000, $1,064 for the first $200,000 plus $4 per additional $1,000 |
| Hanceville, commercial and other | Up to $50,000, $20 for the first $1,000 plus $6 per additional $1,000, then the residential rates above $50,000, each with the $10 issuance fee. Fence $15; moving a dwelling $200, any other structure $25. Churches and 501(c)(3) organizations pay no fee on the first $15,000 |
| Garden City (Ordinance 003-2024, rates effective November 18, 2024) | $20 for a project of $1,000 or less; $20 plus $5 per additional $1,000 up to $49,999; $200 for the first $50,000 plus $5 per additional $1,000 up to $99,999. For $100,000 and up the rate sheet prints “$400 for first $200,000 + $5.00 each additional $1,000”. Moving a building $50; demolition $100, or $25 under 500 square feet; a storage building under 500 square feet $25 |
Rather talk it over?
Call 1-855-478-4290 →A $150,000 house in Hanceville pays $314 plus $5 for each of the 100 thousands above $50,000, which is $814, plus the $10 issuance fee: $824. All three ordinances let the fee be doubled when work starts before the permit, and Hanceville’s and Garden City’s forms add the state craft training fee of $1 per $1,000 on non-residential work. Fees inside the City of Cullman are in the Cullman guide.
Electrical, plumbing, HVAC and septic work
Because the county does not inspect plumbing, electrical or structural work, no county trade permit exists outside the municipalities. Inside the City of Cullman, the Building Inspection Department issues plumbing, HVAC and electrical permits.
Septic systems are a health department matter throughout the county: the Cullman County Health Department’s Environmental Office is at 601 Logan Avenue SW, Cullman (256-734-0243).
What the county applications ask for
Driveway pipe
- Owner’s name, phone, email and mailing address
- County road number or name and the location of the access point
- New installation, extension or replacement
- Driveway use and proposed pipe type
- Length of pipe requested: at least 20 feet, and no more than 60 feet without approval from county engineering staff
- Name and phone number of the installer
Floodplain development
- Page 3 of the permit packet, completed
- Parcel ID number, address and owner details
- A site plan drawn to a standard scale showing watercourses, the floodway and flood hazard boundaries, and existing and proposed structures
- Flood zone, base flood elevation and the map panel used
- Copies of any Corps of Engineers or ADEM permits
- Signature and stamp of an Alabama-licensed professional engineer or land surveyor, who must prepare the application
Rather not deal with the Cullman County building department?
Get a free quote →How to get a driveway pipe permit: 5 steps
Fill in the Driveway Pipe Application and return it to the Road Department at 2883 Highway 69 North.
Mark the center of the proposed access point with white flagging ribbon or another marker.
Call 256-796-1336 to schedule an inspection of the location before any pipe goes in.
After approval, the county contacts you with the diameter the site needs.
A Road or Engineering employee inspects the finished installation; pipe placed incorrectly or without a permit can be removed.
Inspections
County staff inspect only what the county permits: the driveway location before the pipe is placed, and the pipe after it is installed. No county inspector visits a house or commercial building under construction, and no certificate of occupancy closes the job.
Local details for Cullman County projects
Flood hazard areas: a new home in a mapped flood zone must have its lowest floor at least 1 foot above the base flood elevation, and floodproofing is not accepted in place of elevation. Non-residential buildings must be at the base flood elevation or floodproofed above it with certified plans. Work in a floodway needs a no-rise study. The county’s current flood maps took effect on May 24, 2011.
Codes the cities have adopted: Good Hope and Garden City adopted the 2021 International Building, Residential, Plumbing, Mechanical, Fuel Gas and Fire Codes and the 2020 National Electrical Code in their 2024 ordinances. Hanceville’s Ordinance 655 of 2023 adopts the 2018 editions of the same codes, the 2017 National Electrical Code and the 2015 International Energy Conservation Code.
Permit life: a Hanceville permit lapses if work has not begun within six months and expires one year after issue; a Garden City permit is void if work has not started within one year. Garden City’s zoning ordinance lets repairs that do not change the character of a structure, or cost $500 or less, go ahead without a permit.
Road Department hours: Monday to Thursday, 6:00 am to 4:30 pm.
Airport surroundings: the county tells owners near Cullman Regional Airport to ask the airport itself about restrictions.
Other county numbers: the Commission office is on 256-775-4878 and the courthouse, at 500 2nd Avenue SW, on 256-739-3530.
Want this handled start to finish?
Get a free quote →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 for Cullman County
- Cullman County Road Department
- Cullman County Zoning Letter
- Driveway Pipe Permit Application
- NFIP Development Permit (floodplain)
- Cullman County Floodplain Ordinance
- Cullman County Subdivision Rules and Regulations
- Cullman County contact numbers
- Cullman County Health Department contacts
- City of Good Hope Building Info
- Good Hope Ordinance 011-2024 (permit fees and building codes)
- City of Hanceville quick information
- City of Hanceville ordinances (613 Building Permits, 655 Building and Fire Code)
- Town of Garden City documents (building permit application, fees and code)
- Town of South Vinemont ordinances
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →Cullman County building permit FAQs
Do I need a building permit in unincorporated Cullman County?
No. The County Commission has no zoning or building permit and does not inspect structures. You may still need a driveway pipe permit, a floodplain development permit or a septic permit.
Does Cullman County issue a certificate of occupancy?
No. The county’s letter says it neither issues nor requires one.
How do I get a driveway onto a county road?
File the Driveway Pipe Application with the Road Department, flag the entrance and call 256-796-1336 for an inspection before placing the pipe.
Can I build in a flood zone in Cullman County?
Only with a floodplain development permit prepared by an Alabama-licensed engineer or land surveyor. A home’s lowest floor must be at least 1 foot above the base flood elevation.
How much is a building permit in Hanceville?
A $10 issuance fee plus a charge that rises with the cost of the work: $25 for the first $2,000 and $3 per additional $1,000 on a residential job up to $20,000. A $150,000 house pays $824.
How much is a building permit in Good Hope?
$20 for a project of $1,000 or less, then $20 plus $2 for each additional $1,000 up to $49,999; a $40,000 addition is $98.
How much is a building permit in South Vinemont?
A flat $20 for residential construction. Non-residential work pays $20 plus $1 per $1,000 of construction value.
Who permits septic systems?
The Cullman County Health Department’s Environmental Office, 256-734-0243.
Where can I get written proof that the county has no zoning?
Download the Zoning Letter from the Road Department page, or call the Commission office on 256-775-4878.
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More Alabama permitting guides
This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Cullman County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.