In Hartselle, the building office inside City Hall at 611 Chestnut Street NW issues building, electrical, plumbing, mechanical and gas permits and carries out the inspections. Applications are brought to the office in person, and a new house needs its blueprints left with the office for 24 hours of review. Fees follow a valuation table in the City Code that starts at $15.50, with $0.50 per $1,000 added as an issuance fee.
What requires a building permit in Hartselle?
The City publishes its own list of work that needs a permit, and the Building Department FAQ answers the fence and accessory structure questions.
Permit required
- Every new single-family home and new commercial building
- Additions to any structure, such as sunrooms and attached or detached garages
- New storage buildings over 200 sq ft
- Most alterations to a structure
- All electrical, plumbing, mechanical and gas work
- Signs
- Demolition
- Moving a building, and a change of occupancy
No permit
- Fences (on a corner lot, ask the office about easements and visibility first)
- Interior painting and wallpapering
- Replacing carpet
- Repairs costing $500 or less that do not change the character of the structure, under the zoning ordinance
Accessory structures have their own placement rules: rear yard only, at least 5 feet from the side and rear property lines, clear of easements and power lines, no more than two stories, and no plumbing beyond one commode and one lavatory. On a corner lot they must also meet the secondary front yard setback.
Who issues permits in Hartselle?
The building office sits within the Engineering Department, alongside the planning office in the City’s Development and Engineering group. It processes permit applications, reviews construction drawings, interprets the building code, checks contractor licences and issues Certificates of Occupancy for homes and commercial buildings. Its authority is the City of Hartselle; land beyond the city limits is unincorporated Morgan County, where the County Engineer’s Office at 580 Shull Road (256-773-5297) administers the county flood ordinance.
Short on time to read all of this?
Get a free quote →| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Office | City Hall, 611 Chestnut Street NW, Hartselle, AL 35640 |
| Permits and inspections | 256-773-2535 |
| Also listed for the Building Department | 256-773-0188 |
| Hours | Monday to Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. |
| Planning and zoning | Planning office, same building, 256-773-2535 |
Permit types and City forms
A building permit covers new construction, additions, alterations, repairs, moving, demolition and change of occupancy. Separate permits cover electrical, plumbing, mechanical and gas systems, and the City requires a qualified gas fitter for any gas work. Everyone paid to work on the job, contractor or subcontractor, must hold a City of Hartselle business licence, and the office will tell you by phone whether a contractor is licensed.
The planning office publishes the forms that often come before a commercial building permit:
- Site Plan Application and the Commercial-Multi-Family Site Plan Checklist
- Sign Permit Application, read with the Sign Ordinance updated in April 2023
- CBD Design Review Board Application for work in the downtown district
- Board of Zoning Adjustment Variance Application
- Home Occupation Questionnaire
The City also posts a report of the building permits issued each week on its Building Permits page.
Permit costs and fees in Hartselle
Section 14-2 of the City Code, last amended by Ordinance 1597 on September 10, 2023, sets one valuation table for all permits. What changes is how the valuation is found:
- New construction: gross square feet from the plans multiplied by the International Code Council’s Building Valuation Data figure for Type VB residential construction, which moves when the ICC republishes its tables.
- Commercial and industrial projects, and repairs, alterations, additions or moving: the contract value stated on the application.
- Electrical, mechanical, plumbing and fuel gas: the value of the work, with a minimum fee of $15.50.
Not sure this scope needs a permit?
Get a free quote →| Valuation of the work | Permit fee |
|---|---|
| $1,000 and less | No fee, or $15.50 if an inspection is required |
| $1,000 to $50,000 | $15.50 for the first $1,000, plus $5 for each additional $1,000 or fraction |
| $50,000 to $100,000 | $260 for the first $50,000, plus $4 for each additional $1,000 or fraction |
| $100,000 to $500,000 | $460 for the first $100,000, plus $3 for each additional $1,000 or fraction |
| $500,000 and up | $1,660 for the first $500,000, plus $2 for each additional $1,000 or fraction |
| Permit issuance fee, every permit | $0.50 per $1,000 of the calculated construction amount |
| Alabama Craft Training fee, commercial permits | $1 per $1,000 |
| Permit obtained after work has started | The regular fee plus an additional 100% |
For example, an $80,000 addition pays $260 plus 30 × $4, which is $380, and a $40 issuance fee, for a total of $420.
Planning fees are separate: $300 for a commercial or multi-family site plan and $50 for a Board of Zoning Adjustment variance or appeal. Downtown design review is free.
Electrical, plumbing, mechanical and gas permits
The building office issues the trade permits and its inspectors inspect the work. The fee is the greater of $15.50 or the amount the valuation table gives for the value of the trade work, plus the $0.50 per $1,000 issuance fee.
Hartselle amended the 2020 National Electrical Code in two ways that affect ordinary wiring: branch circuits serving receptacles or lighting must use at least #12 AWG wire, and a branch circuit may carry no more than 7 devices unless an electrical engineer designs and seals it. The plumbing code amendment sets a minimum sewer depth of 12 inches. The City deleted the residential sprinkler section (R313) from its residential code. Plans are routed to the Fire Department, Hartselle Utilities and Joe Wheeler for their approval as part of plan review.
Rather talk it over?
Call 1-855-478-4290 →What to bring to the building office
New home
- A copy of the blueprints, left with the office for 24 hours
- A plot plan prepared by a registered surveyor
- The lot number and subdivision name, so an address can be assigned
- A copy of the Health Department permit if the house will use a septic tank
- The home builder’s name with state licence and City business licence numbers
Garage, addition or commercial site
- A drawing with the dimensions of the garage or addition and its distance to the property lines
- The job cost
- The name of the licensed contractor
- For commercial, industrial or multi-family construction: an approved site plan drawn to the City’s checklist, with all site utilities shown underground
The zoning ordinance asks for a plan or plat drawn to scale with every application, showing the lot’s shape and dimensions, existing and proposed structures and their use, and the setback lines of buildings on adjoining lots. Single-family homes do not need a full site plan; staff review the simplified plot plan when the permit is applied for. Septic permits for Hartselle addresses come from the Morgan County Health Department, whose environmental office is on 256-340-6563.
Rather not deal with the building department?
Get a free quote →How to apply: 6-step Hartselle process
Call 256-773-2535 for zoning, setbacks, flood hazard areas and utility availability before plans are drawn.
File the Site Plan Application, 3 hard copies, a PDF and the $300 fee by the second Tuesday of the month; the Commission considers it on the first Tuesday of the following month.
The utility is separate from the City and has its own requirements and fees.
Hand in the blueprints or drawing, the plot plan and the contractor and licence details at 611 Chestnut Street NW.
Fees are due before any work starts; the office assigns the street address for a new house.
Have the permit number ready; a request called in after 2:30 p.m. goes on the next business day’s schedule.
Hartselle inspections
Inspections are requested by phone on 256-773-2535. Give the building permit number, the address, a contact name and phone number, and the type of inspection. Calls that come in after 2:30 p.m. are scheduled for the following business day; the City may make an exception to restore power or heat to an occupied home.
Inspectors cover new construction, room additions and alterations on residential and commercial buildings. No building may be used until the Certificate of Occupancy is issued, and the zoning ordinance gives the City three days from the owner’s notice that the building is ready to make the final inspection.
Local Hartselle details that matter
Permit life: a permit is good for 6 months. If the job has started but is not finished, the office renews it at no charge when you call.
Owner-builders: the City lets an owner build his or her own personal residence, provided it will not be offered for sale for at least a year.
Flood hazard areas: the Chief Building Official administers the flood ordinance, and a new or substantially improved home in a mapped flood hazard area must have its lowest floor at least 1 foot above the base flood elevation.
Downtown: work in the central business district goes to the CBD Design Review Board, whose submittal deadline is the last Thursday of the month.
High-density housing: Planning Commission Resolution 26-0505 placed temporary limits on considering high-density residential subdivisions and multi-family apartment site plans.
Want this handled start to finish?
Get a free quote →Design values: the residential code table adopted by the City uses a 12-inch frost line depth and a 10 lb per sq ft ground snow load.
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 Hartselle permitting resources
These are the primary sources behind this guide. Codes, fee schedules and procedures change — confirm the position for your filing date.
- City of Hartselle Building Permits
- City of Hartselle building office
- Hartselle inspections
- Building Department FAQ
- City Code Chapter 14: adopted codes and permit fees
- Hartselle Zoning Ordinance
- Hartselle planning office forms and documents
- Planning deadlines and fees
- Hartselle Development Guide 2025
- Morgan County Engineer’s Office
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →Hartselle building permit FAQs
Do I need a permit for a fence in Hartselle?
No. Fences do not need a permit. On a corner lot, ask the building office about easements and visibility requirements before building.
Do I need a permit for a shed or storage building?
A new storage building over 200 sq ft needs a permit. Any accessory structure has to go in the rear yard, at least 5 feet from the side and rear lot lines and off easements.
How much does a Hartselle building permit cost?
It depends on valuation: $15.50 for the first $1,000 plus $5 per additional $1,000 up to $50,000, then lower rates in higher bands, plus $0.50 per $1,000 as an issuance fee. A $30,000 remodel works out at $160.50 plus $15.
How long does plan review take for a new house?
The office asks you to leave the blueprints for 24 hours for review.
How long is a permit good for?
Six months. If work has started, call the office and it will renew the permit without charge.
Can I build my own house in Hartselle?
Yes, if it is your personal residence and will not be offered for sale for at least a year. You must still follow all codes and ordinances, and anyone you pay to work on it must be licensed with the City.
Which building code applies?
The 2021 International Codes and the 2020 National Electrical Code, with Hartselle’s amendments.
Where is the building office?
Inside City Hall, 611 Chestnut Street NW, open 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on weekdays. The permit and inspection line is 256-773-2535.
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More Alabama permitting guides
This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Hartselle permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.