Johnson County does not require building permits or building inspections outside Mountain City, and it has no zoning department. New buildings and additions in the county still need a septic permit from TDEC and an electrical inspection, and new construction near a flood zone needs a FEMA flood permit from the Property Assessor’s Office (423-727-7692). Inside Mountain City, the town requires a building permit, starting at $100.
Who handles permits in Johnson County?
The county government at the Courthouse, 222 West Main Street, Mountain City (423-727-9696), says plainly that it does not currently require a building permit, does not inspect buildings and does not require a notice of completion for new structures. Its only requirements for new structures and additions are a septic permit and an electrical permit. The State Fire Marshal’s Office (SFMO) lists the county as having opted out of its residential building program.
- Mountain City (the county’s only incorporated town): building permits are required inside the town limits; City Hall, 210 S. Church St., 423-727-8005, Monday to Friday 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The SFMO lists the town as exempt from its program.
- Unincorporated county (including Butler and the other communities): no county building permit; FEMA flood permits through the Property Assessor; land subdivision through the Johnson County Planning Commission (423-727-9696).
Short on time to read all of this?
Get a free quote →Septic, electrical and flood permits
- Septic: permits come from TDEC’s Johnson City Environmental Field Office, 2305 Silverdale Drive, Johnson City (423-854-5400). Its automated line for applying for a new septic permit is 423-854-5124, and records of existing septic layouts are at 423-854-5392.
- Electrical: the Assessor’s letter says the required electrical inspection is through Mountain Electric, and the county newcomer guide lists Mountain City Electric at 423-727-1800. No Johnson County jurisdiction is on the state’s list of places outside the State Electrical Program, so the permit itself is a State of Tennessee electrical permit, sold in CORE; the state names no issuing agent in the county.
- Flood: before new construction, apply for a FEMA flood permit at the Property Assessor’s Office, 210 College Street, Mountain City.
Permit fees
The county charges no building permit fee because it issues none. Mountain City bases its building permit fee on the total project cost, labour and materials included, and collects it before the permit is issued:
| Project value | Mountain City fee |
|---|---|
| $1 to $2,500 | $100 base fee |
| $2,501 or more | $100 base fee plus 1% of the total cost |
Not sure this scope needs a permit?
Get a free quote →A $200,000 house in Mountain City therefore pays $100 + $2,000 = $2,100. In the county, an owner who wants state inspections of a new home pays the SFMO fee instead, set by construction cost counted at no less than $60.57 per heated square foot ($350 from $5,001 to $100,000, $400 from $100,001 to $150,000, plus $100 for the plumbing and HVAC inspection).
Inspections in Johnson County and Mountain City
Mountain City: permits are applied for on paper at City Hall or online through CommunityCore, run by the town’s inspection company, SAFEbuilt. Once a permit is issued, SAFEbuilt schedules a Remote Video Inspection, and permit holders book inspections by logging into their CommunityCore account. Zoning and land-use questions go to City Hall rather than the building inspector.
What Mountain City permits: new homes and buildings and accessory structures, carports, sheds and decks over 200 sq ft, plus any deck attached to a home that serves an exit door. Since Hurricane Helene the town has required permits for homes with structural damage (roof, wall studs, or water above the meter box), but not for sheetrock, siding or other repairs that do not involve plumbing, electrical or structural work.
Rather talk it over?
Call 1-855-478-4290 →County homes: with no county inspections, an owner or contractor can buy a state residential permit so that the SFMO inspects a new home or addition and issues a Certificate of Occupancy, which some lenders require.
Subdividing land in Johnson County
The Johnson County Planning Commission adopted regulations on access to water for any subdivision of land, effective March 2, 2026; Mountain City posts the regulation on its Building & Development Services page and refers county building, zoning and permit questions to the Planning Commission at 423-727-9696. Mountain City publishes its zoning ordinance and an interactive zoning map.
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
Rather not deal with the Johnson County building department?
Get a free quote →Official Johnson County government resources
- Tennessee state residential permit instructions
- Tennessee residential jurisdictions and inspectors
- Johnson County government information
- Johnson County newcomer information
- Johnson County Assessor letter on building permits (PDF)
- Johnson County offices (FEMA flood permits)
- Town of Mountain City Building & Development Services
- SFMO inspections in opt-out jurisdictions
- State electrical permits (CORE)
- TDEC Johnson City Environmental Field Office
Want this handled start to finish?
Get a free quote →Johnson County permit FAQs
Do I need a building permit in Johnson County, Tennessee?
Not outside Mountain City. The county requires no building permit or building inspection; septic and electrical permits, and a FEMA flood permit near flood zones, are still required.
Do I need a permit in Mountain City?
Yes, for homes, buildings, and accessory structures, carports, sheds and decks over 200 sq ft, and for any attached deck serving an exit door.
How much is a building permit in Mountain City?
$100 for work valued up to $2,500; above that, $100 plus 1% of the total project cost.
Where do I get a septic permit?
From TDEC’s Johnson City Environmental Field Office; its automated line for new septic permits is 423-854-5124.
Where do I apply for a flood permit?
At the Johnson County Property Assessor’s Office, 210 College Street, Mountain City (423-727-7692).
Does Johnson County have zoning?
No. The county says it has no zoning department; Mountain City has its own zoning ordinance.
Inspections are where schedules slip.
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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.
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More Tennessee permitting guides
This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Johnson County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.