Grundy County, Tennessee Building Permit Guide

Grundy County has no building permit office: its government directory lists no codes, zoning or building department, and the State Fire Marshal records the county as having opted out of the state residential building program. Altamont, Beersheba Springs, Coalmont, Gruetli-Laager, Palmer and Tracy City have opted out too. Monteagle is the exception, with its own building permit application at Town Hall (931-924-2265). State electrical permits and TDEC septic permits apply throughout the county.

Who issues permits in Grundy County?

For land outside the towns, the county itself issues no building permit. County government questions go to the Grundy County Mayor’s office, 68 Cumberland Street, Suite 133, Altamont (931-692-3718). Under the State Fire Marshal’s table of August 21, 2026, the picture by town is:

• Monteagle (also partly in Franklin and Marion counties): exempt from the state program because it enforces its own rules. The town publishes an Application for Building Permit and an Owner/Builder Agreement on its Forms page, has a zoning ordinance adopted in May 2023 and a deputy building inspector, and is open Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at 16 Dixie Lee Avenue (931-924-2265). The application asks for the contract value, which the building inspector checks, plans with a land survey showing the building and property lines, whether the lot is in the 100-year floodplain, and septic approval from the health department if the lot is not on town sewer.
• Altamont, Beersheba Springs, Coalmont, Palmer and Tracy City: each has passed a resolution opting out of the state residential program, so no state residential permit is required for homes. None of them publishes a building permit process in the sources reviewed; ask the town hall (Altamont City Hall is at 1433 Main Street, Tracy City Hall at 50 Main Street).
• Gruetli-Laager: also opted out according to the jurisdiction table, yet the State’s Apply for a Residential Permit page still names the town among those where a state residential permit is required. Before starting a house there, ask the State Fire Marshal’s Office (615-741-7170) which list governs.
• Unincorporated county: opted out as well. No county or state residential permit is required for a house.

In the opted-out areas, an owner or contractor who wants a building-code inspection, for example because a lender requires a Certificate of Occupancy, can buy a state building permit and have the State Fire Marshal’s Office inspect the new home or addition (questions: 615-741-7170).

Permits that still apply in Grundy County

• Electrical: no Grundy County jurisdiction appears on the state’s list of local electrical programs, so every wiring job in the county, Monteagle included, needs a state electrical permit from CORE and a state deputy inspector’s sign-off.
• Septic: TDEC’s Chattanooga Environmental Field Office covers Grundy County; its main line is 423-634-5745.
• E-911 address: for a new structure, get the address from Grundy County 911 at 931-235-2816.

Grundy County permit costs

With no county permit, there is no county fee. A voluntary state residential permit in the opted-out areas is priced on construction cost:

Monteagle does not post its permit fees online; ask Town Hall. State electrical permit fees are paid in CORE.

Inspections in Grundy County

Outside Monteagle, homes are inspected for building codes only when the owner opts into a state permit; the state inspector then checks the foundation, framing and rough-in, and final, and releases a Certificate of Occupancy if the house meets state standards. State electrical inspections are required for all wiring. In Monteagle, permitted work is inspected by the town.

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 Grundy County government resources

• Tennessee state residential permit instructions
• Tennessee residential jurisdictions and inspectors
• Grundy County officials directory
• Grundy County Tennessee government
• Grundy County emergency services and E-911 addressing
• Town of Monteagle forms, including the building permit application
• State inspections in opt-out jurisdictions
• Tennessee electrical permits (CORE)
• TDEC Chattanooga Environmental Field Office

Grundy County permit FAQs

Do I need a building permit in Grundy County, TN?

Not outside Monteagle. The county and six towns have opted out of the state residential program, and the county has no building permit office.

Who issues building permits in Monteagle?

The Town of Monteagle, through its building permit application at Town Hall, 16 Dixie Lee Avenue (931-924-2265).

Do I need an electrical permit?

Yes, a state electrical permit, anywhere in Grundy County.

How can I get a certificate of occupancy for a new house?

Buy a state building permit and ask the State Fire Marshal’s Office to inspect; it releases a Certificate of Occupancy if the house meets state standards.

How do I get a 911 address?

Call Grundy County 911 at 931-235-2816.

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