East Ridge, Tennessee Building Permit Guide

East Ridge’s Building Codes Department at 1517 Tombras Avenue (423-867-7711) reviews plans, issues building and trade permits, and inspects all construction inside the city, electrical work included. Applications, payments and inspection requests go through the City’s OpenGov portal, residential plan review normally takes 5 to 7 working days, and the plan review fee is 30% of the building permit fee.

What work requires a permit in East Ridge?

Separate City permits cover electrical, plumbing, mechanical and gas work, street cuts, stormwater, signs, house moving and demolition. Work done without the proper permit draws a stop work order.

Who issues building permits in East Ridge?

The City of East Ridge Building Codes Department handles plan review, permits and inspections for residential and commercial work, plus property maintenance enforcement. Michael Howell is the Chief Building Official, and the team includes a residential building inspector and two code enforcement officers. The office is at 1517 Tombras Avenue, East Ridge, TN 37412, open Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; the published phone is City Hall, 423-867-7711.

East Ridge runs its own permit office, and like the rest of Hamilton County it sits outside the State of Tennessee electrical program, so the City also issues and inspects electrical permits inside its limits.

East Ridge permits in OpenGov

The Building Codes Department takes applications, inspection requests and code complaints in OpenGov. Permit types in the portal include building, demolition, electrical, plumbing, mechanical, gas, fire prevention, sign, street cut, tree cutting and short-term vacation rental, as well as plat submittals, rezoning, use on review, variances, zoning appeals and zoning verification.

To use it, create an account, choose the department and permit, answer the questions and upload the attachments (drafts can be saved), then track the review timeline from My Account. When a fee is due, OpenGov emails a payment link; cash and check payments are made at City Hall. The same account is used to message the reviewer, schedule inspections and print the permit and inspection reports.

Trade permits for electrical, mechanical and plumbing work must be pulled by a contractor licensed in Tennessee. The building permit itself is signed for by whoever is doing the work or their designee. An owner building their own home may file one permit application for a single residence in any 2-year period.

East Ridge permit fees

Plan review is charged when the plans are submitted, at 30% of the building permit fee; the building permit fee itself is paid when the permit is picked up. The City refers applicants to its fee schedule for the building permit amount, but that schedule is not posted on the Building & Codes page. OpenGov shows the fees due on each application and emails a payment link, and payments can also be made in person at City Hall.

Electrical, plumbing, mechanical and gas permits

• Electrical: a City permit through OpenGov. The State Fire Marshal lists all of Hamilton County, East Ridge included, as exempt from the state electrical program, and the City adopted the 2023 National Electrical Code on September 25, 2025. (An older City inspection sheet still says electrical inspections are run by the State; that is no longer the case.)
• Plumbing: at least five inspections: water line before burial, sewer line before burial, slab rough-in, rough-in before walls are closed, and final set-out.
• Mechanical: at least three inspections: rough-in, insulation and final.
• Gas: a separate OpenGov permit.
• Fire: sprinkler and fire alarm drawings go to both the City and the State Fire Marshal’s Office, and a house more than 150 feet from the road frontage, or whose driveway does not connect to the open right-of-way, is reviewed by the Fire Marshal before the building permit issues.

Plans and plan review

Review times: residential plans normally take 5 to 7 working days and commercial plans 10 to 14 working days. The City aims to issue a commercial Construction Activity Permit within 10 working days of log-in, not counting State Fire Marshal review or TDEC stormwater (NPDES) permits. If a review is suspended for missing information, plans not collected within 10 working days are discarded.

How to apply in East Ridge

East Ridge building inspections

Inspections are scheduled in OpenGov, and reports can be printed from the portal. A building permit has at least four inspections: foundation or footing, rough-in framing, insulation and final; plumbing and mechanical permits have their own sets, listed above. For homes in the 100-year flood zone, a second elevation certificate based on the finished construction and installed mechanical equipment is needed before the Certificate of Occupancy, and the City may require a third during construction.

Local East Ridge details

Code editions: the 2018 International Building, Residential, Fire, Energy Conservation, Plumbing, Mechanical, Fuel Gas, Existing Building, Property Maintenance and Swimming Pool & Spa Codes, adopted in February 2019 and in force since June 1, 2019, with the 2023 National Electrical Code from September 25, 2025 and ICC A117.1-2017 for accessibility.

Flood maps: the City posts FEMA’s preliminary map panels and a summary of map actions for the Hamilton County Flood Insurance Rate Map update.

Zoning and design: zoning district rules, a Landscape Ordinance Manual and Architectural Design Standards apply, and variances, use-on-review and zoning appeals are filed in OpenGov. Street cuts follow the City’s Street Cut Packet.

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

Official East Ridge permit resources

• Tennessee residential jurisdiction list
• East Ridge Building & Codes Department
• East Ridge OpenGov permit portal
• OpenGov storefront user guide
• East Ridge adopted codes (PDF)
• Required building inspections (PDF)
• Residential plans review procedures (PDF)
• Commercial plans review procedures (PDF)

East Ridge building permit FAQs

Who issues building permits in East Ridge?

The City of East Ridge Building Codes Department, 1517 Tombras Avenue, for all property inside the city.

Do I need a permit for a fence, deck or shed in East Ridge?

Decks always need one. Fences need one over 7 feet tall or when built of concrete or masonry, and storage buildings need one at 120 sq ft or more.

How long does plan review take?

Normally 5 to 7 working days for residential plans and 10 to 14 working days for commercial plans.

How much is plan review in East Ridge?

30% of the building permit fee, paid when the plans are submitted.

Who issues electrical permits in East Ridge?

The City, through OpenGov. East Ridge is outside the state electrical program, and the permit must be pulled by a Tennessee-licensed electrical contractor.

Does a pool need a permit?

Yes, including above-ground pools 2 feet deep or more.

Simplify East Ridge 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 East Ridge permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.