The City of Jasper’s Building Inspections Department issues building permits, including plumbing, HVAC and electrical work, for new construction and renovation inside the city, and it works from the City Hall Annex at 1707 2nd Avenue. You apply, and later request inspections, in the Jasper Public Portal. Building permit fees rise in bands with the cost of the work, from a $50 flat fee for jobs up to $1,000, and the City enforces the 2024 International Codes.
What requires a building permit in Jasper?
Jasper’s zoning ordinance sets a low bar for when a permit is needed: the only repairs that escape are those worth $100 or less that do not change the character of the structure.
Permit required
- Excavation for, or construction of, any building or other structure
- Accessory structures
- Moving, altering or repairing a structure
- Storing building materials or setting up a temporary field office
- Plumbing, HVAC and electrical work, new or renovation
- Signs
- Demolition
- Placing a manufactured or modular home
- Moving a house
Exempt under the zoning ordinance
- Repairs not changing the character of the structure and not exceeding $100 in value
- Painting
- Wallpapering
A site-built house may not be moved into Jasper, or from one lot to another inside the city; the house moving permit covers other moves and costs $300 for up to 10 miles plus $3 for each additional mile.
Who issues permits in Jasper?
Building Inspections is part of the Community Planning & Economic Development Department. It issues permits, reviews building plans, inspects the work and handles unsafe structures. Adam Bolton is the Building Inspector. Zoning comes first in Jasper: the City Planner is the Zoning Administrator, and the Building Inspector may issue a permit only after the Zoning Administrator has authorized it. The 2024 building, electrical, gas, mechanical and plumbing codes are controlling within the corporate limits of the city. The older one and two family dwelling section of the Code (Sec. 5-20) is written for the corporate limits or police jurisdiction, so ask Building Inspections on 205-221-8529 before building a house just outside the city line.
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Get a free quote →| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Office | City Hall Annex, 1707 2nd Ave, Jasper, AL 35501 |
| Phone | 205-221-8529 |
| inspection@jaspercity.com | |
| Hours | Monday to Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. |
| Apply and request inspections | Jasper Public Portal |
| Planning and zoning | City Planner / Zoning Administrator, City Hall Annex |
Permit types, the portal and City forms
The Jasper Public Portal has a Permits & Inspections section for building permits, sign permits and inspection requests, a separate section for citizen service requests, and help documents for both. Several applications are still PDF forms on the City’s Forms page:
- Manufactured Home Permit Application, filed with a site plan and the home’s specification sheet. It lists where each class of home is allowed: Class A modular homes in R-2; Class A and B manufactured and modular homes in R-3; and Class A manufactured and Class A and B modular homes in AG.
- House Moving Permit Application
- Site Plan Checklist
- Planning Commission Hearing Application for rezonings and conditional uses
- Zoning Board of Adjustment Application for variances, special exceptions and appeals
- Annexation Petition
- Burn Permit, from the Fire Department
Permit costs and fees in Jasper
Building permit fees are in Section 272 of the zoning ordinance, as amended by Ordinance 2025-07 (June 3, 2025) and Ordinance 2025-23 (October 7, 2025). They are based on the cost of the building.
Not sure this scope needs a permit?
Get a free quote →| Cost of the work | Building permit fee |
|---|---|
| $0 to $1,000 | $50 flat fee, plus any required inspection fee |
| $1,001 to $50,000 | $100 flat fee for the first $1,000, plus a calculated fee based on total cost |
| $50,001 to $100,000 | $345 for the first $50,000, plus a calculated fee based on total cost |
| $100,001 to $500,000 | $545 for the first $100,000, plus a calculated fee based on total cost |
| $500,001 and up | $1,745 for the first $500,000, plus a calculated fee based on total cost |
| Demolition, residential | $100 plus dumping costs |
| Demolition, commercial | $250 plus dumping costs |
| House moving | $300 for up to 10 miles, plus $3 per additional mile |
The ordinance prints the fixed part of each band but not the rate behind the calculated part, so the exact fee for a given job cost comes from the department when you apply. The City Code also lists an electrical inspection charge of $15 for a residential inspection and $50 for a commercial one. On a project that needs site plan review, the applicant reimburses the City for any professional fees it incurs in reviewing the plan.
Electrical, plumbing, HVAC and gas permits
The same department issues the plumbing, HVAC and electrical permits and inspects them. Jasper enforces the 2024 International Mechanical, Plumbing and Fuel Gas Codes and the 2023 National Electrical Code, all adopted in December 2024.
Only a licensed plumber may tap, cut or connect onto a sanitary or storm sewer line in the city or its police jurisdiction. The Code leaves an owner free to install and maintain plumbing within his or her own property when the owner does the work personally and the plumbing serves only the owner’s family. On site plans, the Zoning Administrator sends copies to the Fire Chief, the City Engineer and the Building Inspector for comment, and fire lanes and hydrants must be shown.
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Call 1-855-478-4290 →Application documents
Every building permit
- A plot plan, drawn to scale and dimensioned, showing the shape and dimensions of the lot
- All existing and proposed buildings and structures, above and below grade, and their use
- Setback and side lines of buildings on adjoining lots
- A licensed engineer’s certificate, filed with the City Clerk, that the property has been surveyed and its lines located and marked (for constructing or relocating a building)
- Where there is no public sewer: a preliminary finding from the Walker County Health Department that the soils suit a septic system
Projects that need a site plan
- Commercial, industrial and institutional uses
- Townhouses and developments of five or more multi-family dwellings
- Planned residential and planned unit developments
- Manufactured home parks
The site plan must be prepared by an Alabama-licensed professional engineer and submitted as one reproducible set with five copies. The City’s checklist covers the cover sheet and vicinity map, property dimensions, easements, setbacks, driveway access, existing and proposed drainage and contours, erosion and sediment control, storm water detention with a negative effects letter, utilities, water supply, sewage disposal, parking, buffer yards and landscaping. The Zoning Administrator gives a decision within two weeks of submittal, and an approved site plan lapses if significant development has not begun within 12 months.
How to apply: 6-step Jasper process
Use the City’s interactive zoning map or call the Planning Department on 205-221-8529.
Submit the engineer’s site plan set to the Zoning Administrator and allow two weeks for the decision.
For an unsewered lot, obtain the Walker County Health Department’s preliminary soil finding before applying; the lot must be at least 15,000 sq ft.
Open Permits & Inspections and file the building or sign permit application with the plot plan.
The Building Inspector orders an inspection of the site and checks the plans before the permit is issued.
Get above the foundation within 90 days, and request each inspection as far in advance as you can.
Rather not deal with the building department?
Get a free quote →Jasper inspections
Inspections are requested in the Jasper Public Portal or by calling 205-221-8529, and the City asks that they be scheduled as far in advance as possible. Inspectors check the work against the adopted codes.
No land, building or structure may be used or occupied until the Zoning Administrator authorizes the Building Inspector to issue a Certificate of Occupancy. Once the owner gives notice that the building is ready, the Building Inspector has three days to order the final inspection and either issue the certificate or refuse it in writing with the reason.
Local Jasper details that matter
The 90-day rule: a building permit expires if no construction has been done above the foundation walls within 90 days of issue. It can be renewed on reapplication under the codes in force at that time.
Manufactured and modular homes: the permit form sets minimum setbacks by district, for example 35 feet front, 10 feet side and 20 feet rear in R-2. If the zoning district does not allow the type of home, a rezoning must be approved by the Planning Commission and the City Council before the home is placed; if it does not fit the setbacks, a variance from the Zoning Board of Adjustment is needed first.
Flood hazard areas: under the City’s flood damage prevention article, new and substantially improved homes in a mapped flood hazard area need the lowest floor at least 1 foot above the base flood elevation.
Hearings: the Planning & Zoning Commission meets on the third Thursday of each month at 5:00 p.m., and the Zoning Board of Adjustment on the third Thursday at 9:00 a.m., both in the Council Chambers at 121 17th Street West.
Site work: the owner must keep erosion and sedimentation controls in place until vegetation is established, and must control dust leaving the site.
Signs: the Planning Department enforces the City’s Sign Ordinance, which is posted on the Forms page.
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 Jasper 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 Jasper Building Inspections
- Jasper Public Portal: permits and inspections
- Community Planning & Economic Development Department
- City of Jasper Planning Department
- City of Jasper forms
- Manufactured Home Permit Application
- City of Jasper Site Plan Checklist
- Zoning Ordinance Sec. 272: building permit and fees
- City Code Chapter 5: buildings and construction
- Jasper interactive zoning map
- Walker County Health Department (ADPH)
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →Jasper building permit FAQs
How do I apply for a building permit in Jasper?
Through the Jasper Public Portal, under Permits & Inspections. The same portal takes sign permit applications and inspection requests.
How much does a Jasper building permit cost?
$50 flat for work up to $1,000. Above that, the fee is a fixed amount for the band ($100, $345, $545 or $1,745) plus a calculated fee based on the total cost.
Do small repairs need a permit?
Only repairs worth $100 or less that do not change the character of the structure are exempt, along with painting and wallpapering.
Where is the Building Inspections office?
In the City Hall Annex at 1707 2nd Ave, open Monday to Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The phone number is 205-221-8529.
How long is a permit valid before I have to start?
If no work has been done above the foundation within 90 days of issue, the permit expires and you must reapply.
What does it cost to demolish a building?
$100 plus dumping costs for a residential structure and $250 plus dumping costs for a commercial one.
Which codes does Jasper enforce?
The 2024 International Building, Residential, Mechanical, Plumbing and Fuel Gas Codes, the 2023 National Electrical Code and the 2017 ICC/ANSI A117.1 accessibility standard.
Can I build on a lot without city sewer?
Yes, if the Walker County Health Department first confirms the soils are suitable for a septic system and the lot is at least 15,000 sq ft. The Health Department is at 705 20th Avenue East, 205-221-9775.
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More Alabama permitting guides
This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Jasper permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.