Carter County, Tennessee Building Permit Guide

In unincorporated Carter County, building permits come from the county’s Planning & Zoning office in Elizabethton (423-542-1834), which writes them Monday to Friday between 8:00 and 11:00 a.m. after zoning, septic, 911 address and driveway approvals are in hand. Elizabethton and the Carter County part of Johnson City permit their own work, and work started without a permit pays a doubled fee.

What needs a Carter County permit?

The county’s permit requirements sheet covers any new residential or commercial building, addition, accessory building or swimming pool, and any ground disturbance. Before construction or excavation starts, the owner or agent must confirm the project meets the zoning rules; Planning & Zoning then issues, as the job requires:

Who issues building permits in Carter County?

Planning & Zoning, led by Director Chris Schuettler, handles county zoning, subdivision and Critical Area rules, commercial and industrial site plans, residential building permit review and FEMA floodplain review. The office is at 300 N. Main St., Elizabethton (the requirements sheet gives the mailing address Courthouse Box 14, 801 E. Elk Avenue). It is open 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on weekdays, but permits are written only from 8:00 to 11:00 a.m. Building inspections: 423-518-4103 or building@cartercountytn.gov.

The State Fire Marshal’s residential table (August 21, 2026) lists Carter County, Elizabethton and Johnson City as exempt, meaning each enforces its own residential code. Who to apply to:

Electrical, septic and stormwater approvals

• Electrical, unincorporated county: state electrical permits apply, and Carter County Planning & Zoning is one of the state’s electrical permit issuing agents (423-542-1834, phone requests accepted). Permits can also be bought online in the state’s CORE system.
• Electrical in Elizabethton and Johnson City: both cities are outside the state electrical program inside their limits. Elizabethton requires separate city electrical, plumbing, gas and mechanical permits, homeowners doing their own trade work included, and allows gas work only by a certified, licensed gas installer.
• Septic and wells: TDEC’s Johnson City Environmental Field Office, 2305 Silverdale Drive (423-854-5400), issues septic system permits. The county needs the septic permit, or proof of an existing system, before it writes a building permit.
• Stormwater: the county runs a Phase II MS4 program. Grading or other land disturbance may need a county stormwater permit, and sites disturbing an acre or more, or part of a larger plan of that size, may also need TDEC Construction General Permit coverage. Contractors may need Tennessee erosion and sediment control training (Stormwater Coordinator 423-518-4106).

Carter County permit fees

The county does not post a building permit fee schedule on its Planning & Zoning page; ask the office for the amount when you apply. Its requirements sheet does set one penalty: if any work begins before every required permit is obtained, the permit fee is doubled. Elizabethton charges building permits on total project construction cost, trade permits on the type and amount of work, nothing for plan review, and also doubles the fee for work started early.

What to bring to Planning & Zoning

• Property tax card from the Assessor’s office in the courthouse
• 911 address from Carter County 911, 529 South Sycamore Street (423-543-0911)
• TDEC septic construction permit, or proof of an existing septic system
• Driveway Connection Agreement from the Carter County Highway Department, 1246 Stateline Rd. (423-543-2331)
• Square footage, number of stories and foundation type
• A Tennessee contractor’s licence when the permit is not issued to the homeowner

How to get a Carter County building permit

Inspections

County building inspections are handled by the Building Inspections staff at 423-518-4103 (building@cartercountytn.gov). Electrical work on county permits is inspected by the state. In Elizabethton, inspections are booked online after the permit issues, ideally 24 hours ahead, and new homes and commercial buildings receive a Certificate of Occupancy after the final inspection; plan review there normally takes 2 to 5 days.

Tennessee statewide rules

Tennessee licenses contractors through the Board for Licensing Contractors for jobs of $25,000 or more; a Home Improvement licence applies below that only in the nine counties that opted in. Tennessee rules

Carter County permit search and official resources

• Tennessee State Fire Marshal’s Office
• Tennessee Residential Jurisdictions & Inspectors
• Carter County government
• Carter County Planning & Zoning
• Carter County permit application requirements (PDF)
• Carter County Stormwater MS-4 program
• Tennessee electrical permit issuing agents
• Elizabethton building permit FAQs
• TDEC Johnson City Environmental Field Office

Carter County permit FAQs

Who issues building permits in Carter County, TN?

Carter County Planning & Zoning issues them for the unincorporated county. Elizabethton and Johnson City issue their own inside their city limits.

When can I pick up a county building permit?

Permits are written Monday to Friday from 8:00 to 11:00 a.m., although the office stays open until 4:30 p.m.

Do I need a septic permit before the building permit?

Yes. The county asks for the TDEC septic construction permit, or proof of an existing system, along with the 911 address and driveway connection agreement.

Do I need a permit for a shed or pool?

Yes. The county building permit covers any accessory building, and its requirements sheet lists swimming pools among the projects that need zoning sign-off and permits.

What happens if I start work without a permit?

The county doubles the permit fee, and so does Elizabethton inside the city.

Where do I get an electrical permit?

Outside the two cities, from the State of Tennessee, through Carter County Planning & Zoning as issuing agent or online in CORE. Inside Elizabethton or Johnson City, from the city.

Simplify Carter County permitting with Alliance Permitting

Alliance Permitting is a permit documentation and submission company in Tennessee. We prepare your paperwork, file it correctly and coordinate with the permitting authority through issuance. We are not a contractor and we do not perform licensed plan review or inspections; that work stays with your licensed team and the jurisdiction.

This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Carter County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.