Knox County Codes Administration and Enforcement, in the City County Building at 400 Main Street, is the building authority for unincorporated Knox County, running a 24-hour online Knox Permit Portal that lets a fully online application skip the office visit entirely.
This Knox County building permit guide covers what requires a permit, the certified address sheet you need before you apply, the homeowner affidavit that governs self-permitting, the third-party inspection route, the 60 percent valuation factor on residential fees, and the septic certification that gates a permit outside the sewer network.
Scope: unincorporated Knox County. The City of Knoxville and the Town of Farragut permit their own work on their own code editions.
Many Knoxville addresses are actually county. Knox County Codes Administration permits the unincorporated area; the City of Knoxville and the Town of Farragut run their own departments on newer code editions. A parcel with a Knoxville mailing address is often served by the county, so confirm from the parcel before you assume which office and which code apply.
What requires a permit in Knox County?
Knox County Codes Administration and Enforcement, based in the City County Building at 400 Main Street in Knoxville, is the building authority for unincorporated Knox County. The City of Knoxville and the Town of Farragut each run their own permitting, so a parcel inside either goes to that government rather than to the county. The county describes plan review, periodic inspections and active zoning enforcement as the core of its work.
Knox County runs a genuinely digital process. The Knox Permit Portal is a 24-hour system: you create an account, complete the required information and submit, and if the permit is filled out and submitted online you do not need to visit the office at all. Keep your login — you will need it for inspection lookups and future permits. Tennessee does not have one permitting model, it has three, and which one applies decides who your building official actually is. A jurisdiction that has adopted codes meeting the state minimum and enforces them is an exempt jurisdiction: it runs its own plan review, permits and inspections, and the state stays out except for state buildings, schools and a handful of licensed occupancies. A jurisdiction that has not is non-exempt, and the State Fire Marshal's Office is the building official there, working through contracted deputy building inspectors who cover several counties each. And a jurisdiction that has passed a two-thirds resolution under T.C.A. § 68-120-101(b)(1)(B) is an opt-out or non-code jurisdiction, where one- and two-family dwellings sit outside the statewide standards altogether.
The county enforces the 2018 International Building Code and 2018 International Residential Code with its own published amendments, adopted by ordinance. Knox publishes its adopted ordinance, its amendments and a “significant changes” summary separately, which is the set to check before you design rather than assuming the state floor. Commercial plans must be stamped by a Tennessee-licensed architect or engineer.
No political subdivision of Tennessee may adopt or enforce standards of fire prevention, fire protection or building construction that are less stringent than the state minimum. Local amendments can add to the code; they cannot subtract from it.
Permit required
- New residential and commercial construction, and additions
- Structural alterations, repairs, and changes of occupancy
- Accessory buildings and, in Knox, any shed with electrical
- Swimming pools and their required barriers
- Reroofing, decks, and exterior structural work
- Manufactured and pre-manufactured home placement
- Trade work — with electrical usually a state permit
- Relocation of existing structures onto a parcel
Typically exempt
- Painting, flooring, and cosmetic finishes
- Routine maintenance not altering structure or a regulated system
- Work inside the City of Knoxville or the Town of Farragut
- Small storage buildings without electrical, per the amendments
Knox County building department: who handles permitting
Codes Administration operates three linked online tools rather than one. The Knox Permit Portal is where you set up an account and apply; the Permit Inspection Lookup shows scheduled inspections and results by date, contractor, address or permit number; and the Knox Permit Payment Portal takes payment, with a 2.50 percent convenience fee on card transactions collected by a third-party processor that the county does not share in.
Knox publishes a third-party inspection policy, which is worth knowing about on a schedule-critical job: it lets qualifying inspections be performed outside the county's own inspection queue under the county's published rules. It is not a way around the code, but it can be a way around a backlog. The county also publishes a homeowner affidavit, a worker's-comp exemption affidavit and a swimming-pool responsibility form as standard attachments.
One operational change to note on residential fees: since 1 July 2024, one- and two-family VB dwellings are valued using a 60 percent factor of the current ICC Building Valuation Data report. And since 1 August 2024 the county will not scan plans larger than 11 by 14 at the counter — anything bigger must be submitted as a PDF, which in practice pushes larger projects onto the online portal.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Authority | Knox County Codes Administration and Enforcement |
| Covers | Unincorporated Knox County only |
| Runs their own | City of Knoxville and Town of Farragut |
| Office | City County Building, Suite 547, 400 Main Street, Knoxville, TN 37902 |
| Phone | 865-215-2325 · Monday to Friday, 8:00am to 4:30pm |
| Portal | Knox Permit Portal — 24-hour online application |
| Codes enforced | 2018 IBC and 2018 IRC with county amendments |
| Residential valuation | 60 percent of ICC Building Valuation Data since 1 July 2024 |
| Third-party inspections | Permitted under the county's published policy |
Three portals, one login. Apply in the Knox Permit Portal, check results in the Permit Inspection Lookup, and pay in the Knox Permit Payment Portal — a 2.50 percent card convenience fee applies and the county does not receive any part of it. If the application is completed and submitted online, you do not need to visit the City County Building at all.
Confirm from the parcel whether the site is in unincorporated Knox County, the City of Knoxville or the Town of Farragut before applying — all three share the same address space and many Knoxville addresses are actually served by the county. There is also a Knox County in several other states, so check you are looking at Tennessee.
Knox County permits: record types and what each covers
Knox County runs residential and commercial records through the Knox Permit Portal, with the electrical trade usually a separate state permit. These are the records you are likely to file:
Residential permit types
| Permit type | What triggers it | Review path | Fee basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| New construction | New dwellings, additions, and accessory structures above the local size threshold | Plan review against the adopted residential code, plus zoning; the state floor is the 2018 IRC with Appendix Q | Valuation-based |
| Addition | Added interior space, including additions of thirty square feet or more | Structural and energy review; the thirty square foot interior trigger is smaller than most applicants expect | Valuation-based |
| Renovation / alteration | Structural changes, layout changes, or added plumbing, mechanical, or electrical | Plan review scaled to scope; renovations of existing one- and two-family dwellings sit outside the state minimum standards | Valuation-based |
| Reroof | Roof covering replacement, recover, and structural deck repair | Deck and dry-in inspection; plan review rarely required | Valuation or squares |
| Solar photovoltaic | Rooftop or ground-mount arrays, with or without battery storage | Structural review of the attachment locally, with the electrical scope usually permitted and inspected by the state | Flat or system-size based |
| Battery energy storage | Wall or floor-mounted storage added to a dwelling | Electrical review plus fire separation and location check | Flat or per-permit minimum |
| Electrical | Service changes, panel upgrades, new circuits, EV chargers, and rewiring | In most of Tennessee a state record bought through CORE and inspected by a contracted Deputy Electrical Inspector, not a local one | Per-permit or per-device |
| Plumbing | New piping, repipes, fixtures, gas piping, and water heater replacement | Trade review; performed by a licensed plumber or a Limited Licensed Plumber below the contractor threshold | Per-permit minimum or per-fixture |
| Mechanical / HVAC | Changeouts, new ductwork, and refrigeration | Trade review; the contractor licence attaches once the trade portion reaches the statutory threshold | Per-permit minimum or per-unit |
| Deck and porch | New decks, screened porches, and structural rebuilds | Structural review of footings, ledger attachment, and guards | Valuation or flat |
| Swimming pool | In-ground and above-ground pools | Barrier, bonding, and electrical review; the bonding scope generally follows the state electrical record | Valuation or flat |
| Manufactured home set-up | Placing or re-siting a manufactured home | Zoning, floodplain, and anchoring review; manufactured homes sit outside the state minimum building standards but not outside local zoning | Flat or per-unit |
| Demolition | Full or partial demolition of a dwelling or accessory structure | Utility disconnect confirmation and site restoration check | Flat |
| Manufactured home placement | Setting a manufactured home on a parcel | State performs the structural set-up inspection; the county handles site work such as decks | Valuation-based |
| Swimming pool | Installing an in-ground or large above-ground pool | Filed with the swimming-pool responsibility form; barrier requirements apply | Valuation-based |
Commercial permit types
| Permit type | What triggers it | Review path | Fee basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| New commercial construction | Ground-up commercial, industrial, and institutional buildings | Concurrent review against the adopted building code, fire, and zoning; the state floor is the 2021 IBC with Tennessee amendments | Valuation-based |
| Tenant improvement / upfit | Interior fit-out of an existing tenant space | Building, trade, and life-safety review; accessibility attaches on change of use | Valuation-based |
| Change of occupancy | Converting a building or space to a different use group | Occupancy classification, egress, and accessibility review | Valuation or flat |
| Commercial electrical | Service, distribution, and branch circuit work | State record in most jurisdictions unless the municipality is one of the roughly thirty-five authorised to inspect its own electrical | Per-permit or valuation |
| Commercial plumbing | Process piping, fixtures, backflow, and grease waste | Trade review; backflow and grease interceptor sign-off where applicable | Per-fixture or valuation |
| Commercial mechanical | Rooftop units, kitchen exhaust and hood systems, and refrigeration | Trade review; hood and suppression systems draw fire review alongside mechanical | Per-unit or valuation |
| Commercial reroof | Roof covering replacement on a commercial structure | Deck, dry-in, and attachment inspection | Valuation or squares |
| Signage | Wall, ground, and illuminated signs | Zoning review for size and placement, plus electrical where illuminated | Flat or per-sign |
| Land disturbance | Clearing, grading, and stormwater-triggering site work | Erosion and sediment control review, separate from the building permit | Acreage-based |
| Commercial demolition | Full or partial demolition of a commercial structure | Utility disconnect, asbestos notification, and site restoration | Flat or valuation |
| State Fire Marshal plans review | Occupancies requiring State Fire Marshal approval, including schools and certain licensed facilities | Filed with the state through the plans submittal portal, in addition to and not instead of the local record | State fee schedule |
| Commercial building permit | New or altered commercial space | Plans must be stamped by a Tennessee-licensed architect or engineer | Valuation-based |
| Change of occupancy | Occupying commercial space for a new use | Occupancy and life-safety review against the 2018 codes | Flat |
Residential
- Single-discipline review in most cases
- The electrical record is usually a separate state permit, not a line on the building permit
- Contractor licence attaches at the statutory threshold; a Home Improvement licence may apply below it in nine counties only
- Septic properties need TDEC approval before ground is broken
Commercial — multi-discipline
- Concurrent review across building, trades, fire, and zoning
- Signed and sealed plans across every affected discipline
- The licensee's monetary limit caps the job value, separately from the permit
- Accessibility and life-safety review attach to any change of occupancy
Records you will actually see in Knox County
| Record | What it covers |
|---|---|
| New residential building | New construction, pre-manufactured placement, or relocation |
| Residential addition | Expanding an existing dwelling |
| Commercial building permit | Architect- or engineer-stamped commercial work |
| Accessory structure | Detached buildings, and any shed with electrical |
| Swimming pool | With the swimming-pool responsibility form |
| Manufactured home | Placement with structural set-up inspection |
| Demolition permit | Full or partial demolition |
| Trade permits | Plumbing, mechanical, and gas locally; electrical via the state |
Solar permits in Knox County
Solar is reviewed on two tracks at once in Tennessee, and in most of the state those two tracks belong to two different governments. The structural side — attachment detail, rail spacing, and whether the existing framing carries the added dead load — is a local building review. The electrical side — conductors, overcurrent protection, rapid shutdown, labelling, and the service or supply-side connection — usually runs on a state electrical record instead, against the National Electrical Code edition the state programme enforces.
A residential solar installation in unincorporated Knox County is a building permit for the structural attachment through the Knox Permit Portal, plus an electrical permit that is generally a state record rather than a county one — Knox County is not among the Tennessee municipalities authorised to run their own electrical inspections. That means a Knox County solar job typically splits across two authorities: the county for the attachment, the state for the electrical scope. Confirm the interconnection and the state electrical route before scheduling, and plan the two inspections on their separate tracks.
That split is the most common cause of a stalled Tennessee solar job. An installer who files the building record locally and assumes the electrical inspection comes with it will sit waiting for an inspector who was never booked. Confirm at the outset whether your jurisdiction is one of the roughly thirty-five municipalities authorised to run its own electrical inspections, or whether the electrical permit has to be bought from the state.
Interconnection runs on a third clock. Tennessee is served by the Tennessee Valley Authority through local power companies — municipal electric systems and rural electric cooperatives — and each sets its own application, meter and witness-test sequence. Permission to operate is not something the building department controls, so plan for the tracks to finish at different times.
Roofing permits in Knox County
A roof covering replacement needs a permit in most Tennessee jurisdictions that enforce their own codes. The permit is usually quick, but it is not optional, and the inspection that matters happens before the covering goes on rather than after.
Tennessee has no statewide product-approval database, so there is no approval number to search for or cite on the application. The assembly has to comply with the adopted code and the manufacturer's listed installation instructions, and that pairing is what the inspector checks — which makes the manufacturer's instructions a document worth having on site.
Reroofing requires a permit in unincorporated Knox County and is filed through the Knox Permit Portal. Since 1 July 2024 residential one- and two-family dwellings are valued at 60 percent of the ICC Building Valuation Data figure, which lowers the assessed value a reroof is charged against relative to a full-valuation basis. On a tear-off that exposes the deck, the inspection will look at the sheathing and structure, not only the new covering.
Sequencing is where reroofs go wrong. The deck and dry-in condition has to be visible when the inspector arrives, so covering it first means opening it back up. Where a previous layer has been torn off, expect attention to deck fastening and to any sheathing replaced along the eaves. Note also that a roofing subcontractor is licensed on the value of the roofing portion alone once that portion reaches the statutory threshold.
Knox County permit cost
Knox County publishes a schedule of fees, with a version effective 1 July 2023 and the residential valuation change effective 1 July 2024. Residential one- and two-family VB dwellings are now calculated at 60 percent of the current ICC Building Valuation Data figure, which is a meaningful change from a full-valuation basis and lowers the assessed value most residential permits are charged against.
Fees are payable through the Knox Permit Payment Portal, where card payments carry a 2.50 percent convenience fee taken by the processor. Commercial projects, which require architect- or engineer-stamped plans, are charged against their own valuation. Confirm current amounts against the published schedule under the county's Documents and Downloads before budgeting.
| Fee component | How it works |
|---|---|
| Schedule | Published fee schedule, current version dated 1 July 2023 |
| Residential valuation | 60 percent of ICC Building Valuation Data since 1 July 2024 |
| Card fee | 2.50 percent convenience fee on card payments, kept by the processor |
| Commercial | Charged against valuation; architect- or engineer-stamped plans required |
| Plan size | Plans over 11 by 14 must be submitted as PDF since 1 August 2024 |
| Electrical | Usually a separate state permit, not a county line item |
| Septic properties | Health Department drainfield layout or certification required |
| Confirm | Against the published schedule under Documents and Downloads |
Want a precise number for a specific Knox County project? Send us the scope and we will price the permit path before you file.
Knox County trade permits
Plumbing, mechanical and gas are county trade permits; electrical is usually a state permit in Knox County. Four specifics decide whether your application moves:
Electrical is usually the state's, not the county's
Knox County is not among the roughly thirty-five Tennessee municipalities authorised to run their own electrical inspections, so the electrical record is generally a state permit bought through CORE and inspected by a contracted Deputy Electrical Inspector. Confirm rather than assuming it comes with the building permit.
The homeowner affidavit governs self-permitting
An owner intending to pull their own permit completes the Knox County Homeowner's Affidavit for Building Permits. It is the document that establishes the owner-builder position, and it is filed with the application rather than produced later.
Third-party inspections can beat a backlog
Knox publishes a third-party inspection policy that allows qualifying inspections outside the county queue under its rules. On a schedule-critical job this is worth setting up in advance rather than discovering after a delay.
Commercial plans need a Tennessee stamp
Commercial plans must be stamped by a State of Tennessee licensed architect or engineer. Unstamped commercial submittals stall at review rather than being processed.
Knox County permit application: how to apply step by step
Here is how to get a building permit in Knox County, from confirming the requirement through to close-out. Each step below corresponds to a real decision point where projects commonly stall.
The City of Knoxville and the Town of Farragut permit their own work, and many Knoxville-addressed parcels are actually county. Settle jurisdiction before you start, because a county application on a city parcel goes nowhere.
Obtain a Certified Address sheet from Knoxville-Knox Planning through addressing@knoxplanning.org. On a septic property, bring a drainfield layout or septic certification from the Knox County Health Department.
Create an account in the 24-hour Knox Permit Portal and keep your login. If the permit is completed and submitted online, no office visit is needed. Plans over 11 by 14 must be submitted as PDF.
Plans (architect- or engineer-stamped for commercial), the homeowner affidavit if self-permitting, a worker's-comp exemption affidavit where applicable, and the swimming-pool responsibility form for a pool.
Submit through the portal, clear plan review against the 2018 codes and county amendments, and pay through the Knox Permit Payment Portal. Card payments carry a 2.50 percent convenience fee. Residential fees use the 60 percent valuation factor.
Book inspections through the portal, or set up third-party inspections under the county policy on a schedule-critical job. Use the Permit Inspection Lookup to track results, and run through to the certificate of occupancy.
Inspections in Knox County
Inspections are scheduled against the issued permit, and the Permit Inspection Lookup shows scheduled dates, times and results searchable by date, contractor, address or permit number. Typical checkpoints run footing and foundation, trade rough-ins, framing, insulation and final, with the permit and approved plans on site.
The third-party inspection policy is Knox County's distinctive feature here. Where the county's own inspection queue would delay a schedule-critical project, qualifying inspections can be performed by an approved third party under the county's published policy. It does not lower the standard, and the county still governs the process — but it can decouple your timeline from the county's inspection backlog.
On manufactured and pre-manufactured homes, the county follows the state amendment allowing the State of Tennessee to perform the necessary structural inspection of the home installation, with the county handling the site work such as decks. That split — state on the unit, county on the site — is easy to get wrong, so confirm which inspector covers which part before you schedule.
The Permit Inspection Lookup and the county's construction reports are the fastest way to confirm inspection history on a property before you take it on. Match what was inspected and permitted against what is standing before a change of occupancy, because the gap becomes your problem at final.
Knox County permit search and official resources
Knox County Codes Administration publishes its portal, adopted ordinance, amendments, fee schedule and standard forms online, with the state licensing and electrical resources that sit alongside them.
- Knox County Codes Administration and Enforcement
- Knox Permit Portal
- Permit information and requirements
- Construction handouts (2018 code)
- Knox County code, Chapter 10 (buildings)
- TN Board for Licensing Contractors
- State electrical permits (CORE)
- State Fire Marshal codes enforcement
Frequently asked questions
Who issues building permits in Knox County, TN?
Knox County Codes Administration and Enforcement, in the City County Building at 400 Main Street, Suite 547, for unincorporated Knox County. The City of Knoxville and the Town of Farragut each run their own permitting. The department line is 865-215-2325.
How do I apply for a Knox County building permit?
Through the Knox Permit Portal, a 24-hour online system. Create an account, complete the required information and submit. If the permit is filled out and submitted online, you do not need to visit the office. Keep your login for inspection lookups and future permits.
What do I need before I can apply in Knox County?
A Certified Address sheet from Knoxville-Knox Planning, requested through addressing@knoxplanning.org or by phone. On a septic property you also need a drainfield layout or septic certification from the Knox County Health Department. Both are prerequisites, not closing items.
Which building code does Knox County enforce?
The 2018 International Building Code and 2018 International Residential Code, with county amendments adopted by ordinance. Knox publishes its adopted ordinance, amendments and a significant-changes summary separately, which is the set to check before you design.
How are Knox County residential permit fees calculated?
Since 1 July 2024, one- and two-family VB dwellings are valued at 60 percent of the current ICC Building Valuation Data figure. Fees are paid through the Knox Permit Payment Portal, where card payments carry a 2.50 percent convenience fee kept by the processor.
Can I pull my own permit as the owner in Knox County?
Yes, with the Knox County Homeowner's Affidavit for Building Permits, which establishes the owner-builder position and is filed with the application. The owner-builder route is for work on your own property for your own use, not for resale, lease or rent.
Does Knox County issue electrical permits?
Generally no. Knox County is not among the roughly thirty-five Tennessee municipalities authorised to run their own electrical inspections, so the electrical record is usually a state permit bought through CORE and inspected by a contracted Deputy Electrical Inspector. Confirm before assuming it comes with the building permit.
What is Knox County's third-party inspection policy?
Knox County publishes a policy allowing qualifying inspections to be performed by an approved third party outside the county's own inspection queue, under the county's rules. It does not lower the code standard, but on a schedule-critical job it can decouple your timeline from the county's backlog.
Do commercial plans need to be stamped in Knox County?
Yes. Commercial plans must be stamped by a State of Tennessee licensed architect or engineer. Unstamped commercial submittals stall at review. Note also that plans larger than 11 by 14 must be submitted as PDF since 1 August 2024.
Do I need a Home Improvement licence in Knox County?
Knox is one of nine Tennessee counties where the Home Improvement licence applies, for residential improvement work from three thousand dollars up to just under the twenty-five thousand dollar contractor threshold. Above that a full state contractor licence is required.
Who inspects a manufactured home in Knox County?
The county follows the state amendment allowing the State of Tennessee to perform the structural inspection of the manufactured home installation, with the county handling site work such as decks. Confirm which inspector covers which part before scheduling.
How do I check inspection history on a Knox County property?
Use the Permit Inspection Lookup, which shows scheduled inspections and results by date, contractor, address or permit number, alongside the county's construction reports. Match the record against what is standing before a change of occupancy.
Simplify Knox County permitting with Alliance Permitting
Knox County's 24-hour portal rewards applicants who arrive with the certified address sheet, septic paperwork and the right affidavits already in hand. The third-party inspection route, the 60 percent valuation factor and the county-versus-state electrical split each reward knowing the rule before you file rather than after.
Trusted by leading builders, developers, and national contractors — 21 years of filing in the jurisdictions we write about.
Contractors and builders choose Alliance for Knox County because the work is done by people who have stood at the counter:
- Right authority — unincorporated county, City of Knoxville or Town of Farragut, resolved from the parcel.
- Complete at first submission — certified address sheet, septic certification and the correct affidavits assembled before the portal application.
- Right inspection track — county queue or third-party policy chosen deliberately on schedule-critical jobs.
- Current fees — residential estimates built on the 60 percent valuation factor, not a full-valuation figure.
Alliance Permitting is a permit documentation and expediting service in Tennessee. We are not a law firm and do not provide legal advice, and we are not the permitting authority.
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More Tennessee permitting guides
This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Knox County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.