The Randolph County Commission says in its Zoning & Permitting memorandum that it has not adopted any building codes or permit requirements, and that no zoning applies to unincorporated land outside municipal limits and police jurisdictions. Three things still go through the County Engineer (256-357-2311): dividing land into subdivision lots, building in a flood-prone area, and harvesting timber. Septic certifications come from the Randolph County Health Department (334-863-8981). Inside Roanoke, Wadley, Wedowee and Woodland, the town’s own rules apply.
What approvals does Randolph County require?
The county memorandum is short and direct about what applies on unincorporated land.
Required through the county
- Permit to Develop in a Special Flood Hazard Area, for homes or businesses in a flood-prone area
- Subdivision approval, for dividing land into subdivision lots
- Logging permit, for harvesting timber
- Driveway pipe evaluation by the Highway Department before a pipe goes in on a county road
- Septic tank certification from the Health Department
Not required by the county
- A county building permit
- County plan review or building inspections
- Zoning approval, outside municipal limits and police jurisdictions
The Commission asks anyone who builds a new home or installs a new structure to tell the Revenue Commissioner’s Appraisal Office (256-357-4343, ext. 402), so that tax exemptions are in place and unreported buildings are not back-taxed.
Who issues building permits in Randolph County?
Nobody at county level. The 4 incorporated places each handle their own territory, and they publish different amounts.
Short on time to read all of this?
Get a free quote →| Place | Who issues building permits | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Roanoke | City of Roanoke; building permit applications are obtained at City Hall, and business locations are approved by the Zoning Administrator. The zoning ordinance, which covers all land inside the corporate limits, is enforced by the Building Inspector, who issues a zoning permit once the application and plans have been reviewed | City Hall, 809 Main Street, 334-863-4129; 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday to Friday |
| Wadley | Town of Wadley; a Zoning Permit from the Enforcement Officer (the Building Inspector) is required before construction | Town Hall, 265 Highland Circle, (256) 395-2261; 7:30 AM to 4:00 PM |
| Woodland | The town publishes a $50 mobile home placement permit and a contractor licence rule, and nothing else on building permits; ask Town Hall | Town Hall, 120 County Road 64, 256-449-2222 |
| Wedowee (county seat) | The Town publishes no permit procedure. The Division G hazard mitigation plan lists a zoning ordinance in Wedowee and no code enforcement | Town Hall, (256) 357-2122 |
| Unincorporated Randolph County | No building permit. County Engineer for flood, subdivision and logging permits | 108 Woodland Ave. West, Wedowee, 256-357-2311 |
Chris Gann is the County Engineer. The Commission Office is at 12 East Broad Street Southeast, Wedowee (256-357-4980).
Randolph County permits and forms
The Highway Department page carries the county’s permit documents:
Not sure this scope needs a permit?
Get a free quote →- Application for Permit to Develop in a Special Flood Hazard Area. Filed with the Floodplain Administrator at the County Engineer’s office, with a location map, plans detailing the building site and the flood hazard parameters. It covers residential, non-residential and accessory structures, fill, manufactured home installation and substantial improvements.
- Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance.
- Private Subdivision Regulations and the county’s subdivision specifications.
- Logging Permit and overload permit.
- Driveway Pipe Policy, approved by the Commission on February 24, 2025.
Business licences for the county are issued by the Probate Judge’s office (256-357-4933).
Fees in Randolph County
With no county building permit there is no county building permit fee, plan review fee or inspection fee. The flood hazard application form and the Driveway Pipe Policy state no fee; under the pipe policy the owner buys the pipe.
In the towns, Woodland charges $50 for a permit to place a mobile home. Roanoke and Wadley do not post their permit fees online; Roanoke’s zoning ordinance says only that a lapsed permit needs a new application and all fees again. Roanoke City Hall answers on 334-863-4129 and Wadley Town Hall on (256) 395-2261.
Trades, septic and utilities in Randolph County
The county issues no electrical, plumbing, mechanical or gas permits. Its memorandum points out that residential home builders must still be licensed by the Alabama Home Builders Licensure Board and follow the Alabama Residential Building Code, and it urges owners to check their contractor’s licence.
Septic tank certifications are issued by the Randolph County Health Department, 320 Main Street, Roanoke. The environmental health line is 334-863-8981.
Woodland requires every business and contractor to buy a town licence before working inside the town limits.
Rather talk it over?
Call 1-855-478-4290 →Documents to prepare
Flood-prone site (county)
- Application for Permit to Develop in a Special Flood Hazard Area
- Location map of the site
- Plans that detail the building site
- Special flood hazard area parameters
- Parcel number, applicant and contractor details
- A final Elevation Certificate once construction is complete
Wadley zoning permit
- A map or plat drawn to scale
- Shape and dimensions of the lot
- Size and location of existing and proposed buildings
- Existing and intended use of each building
- Setback and side lines of buildings on adjoining lots
- Zoning district boundaries that apply to the lot
How to proceed in Randolph County: 5 steps
Land inside Roanoke, Wadley, Wedowee or Woodland, or in a police jurisdiction, follows that municipality’s requirements.
Ring 256-357-2311 about flood-prone land, dividing a parcel or cutting timber. The office works Monday to Thursday, 6 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Mark the location; the Highway Department sizes the pipe and checks sight distance, then you buy the pipe and tell the department when it is on site.
Contact the Health Department’s environmental health office on 334-863-8981.
Tell the Revenue Commissioner’s Appraisal Office on 256-357-4343, ext. 402.
Rather not deal with the Randolph County building department?
Get a free quote →Inspections in Randolph County
The county carries out no building inspections. For a flood hazard permit, the Engineer’s office reviews the site, records the base flood elevation and the structure’s elevation, and requires a final Elevation Certificate when construction is finished.
In Wadley, the Enforcement Officer may enter a permitted site to inspect it and must make the final inspection within 3 regular business days of being told the building is ready; a building may not be occupied until the Certificate of Occupancy is issued.
Randolph County-specific points
Driveway pipes: metal or concrete only, installed in runs of 20 to 40 feet and no longer. The policy allows no more than 2 tri-axle loads of backfill, with less than a small dump truck load of crushed stone. Where the drive ties into the pavement edge, the owner must grade the slope so water runs to the ditch, not into the road.
Wadley: repairs that do not change the character of a structure and cost no more than $1,000, painting and wallpapering are exempt from the zoning permit. Clearing trees and undergrowth from a site does not need one either.
Woodland mobile homes: Ordinance No. 2026-08-10-1 requires a home of at least 800 sq ft that is less than 5 years old when first placed, on a lot of not less than 1 acre.
Roanoke: the City adopted a new zoning ordinance, dated February 5, 2024, and posts it with its zoning map. Under it a building permit can lapse if the work is not finished within 12 months of issue, and a permit that has been expired for more than 180 days is renewed only in extenuating circumstances.
Commission meetings: second and fourth Mondays of each month at 3 p.m., in the Courthouse Annex in Wedowee.
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 Randolph County resources
- Randolph County Zoning & Permitting Regulations memorandum
- Randolph County Commission
- Randolph County Highway Department and County Engineer
- Application for Permit to Develop in a Special Flood Hazard Area
- Randolph County Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance
- Randolph County Driveway Pipe Policy (February 24, 2025)
- City of Roanoke City Hall
- City of Roanoke Zoning Ordinance
- Town of Woodland
- Randolph County Health Department
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →Randolph County building permit FAQs
Do I need a building permit in Randolph County, Alabama?
Not from the county. The Commission states that it has not adopted any building codes or permit requirements. Land inside a town, or in a flood-prone area, is different.
Is there zoning in Randolph County?
No zoning restrictions apply to unincorporated land outside municipal limits and police jurisdictions. Roanoke and Wadley have their own zoning ordinances.
Who do I call about building in a flood zone?
The County Engineer, who is the Floodplain Administrator, at 108 Woodland Ave. West in Wedowee, 256-357-2311. A Permit to Develop in a Special Flood Hazard Area is required.
Where do I get a septic permit in Randolph County?
From the Randolph County Health Department in Roanoke. Its environmental health number is 334-863-8981.
Who issues building permits in Roanoke, Alabama?
The City of Roanoke. Applications for building permits are obtained at City Hall, 809 Main Street, 334-863-4129.
Does Wadley require a permit?
Yes. Wadley’s zoning ordinance requires a Zoning Permit from the Enforcement Officer before construction, renovation or development, apart from small repairs up to $1,000, painting and wallpapering.
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This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Randolph County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.