Meigs County has no county building department for houses: a new one- or two-family home, townhouse or addition over 30 sq ft, whether in the county or in Decatur, needs a state residential building permit, bought in the State’s CORE system or from Wade’s Ace Hardware in Decatur. The state fee starts at $350 for $5,001 to $100,000 of construction, plus $100 for plumbing and HVAC inspection. The county’s Planning & Zoning office (423-334-2565) issues a separate compliance permit, $200 for a house.
Who administers building permits in Meigs County?
Two offices share the work. The State Fire Marshal’s Office runs the residential building program in both unincorporated Meigs County and the Town of Decatur, the county’s only incorporated town: it sells the permit and sends a state deputy inspector to the site. The county itself enforces its land-use rules through Planning & Zoning.
| Office | Details |
|---|---|
| Meigs County Planning & Zoning (Compliance Coordinator) | 345 N. Main Street, Decatur, TN 37322; open Monday and Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.; 423-334-2565; planningandzoning@meigscountytn.org |
| State residential and electrical issuing agent | Wade’s Ace Hardware, 353 Abel Avenue, Decatur; 423-334-5756; Monday to Friday 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Saturday 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. |
| Town of Decatur | 116 North Main Street, Decatur; 423-334-5716 |
| Meigs County Courthouse | 17214 TN-58, Decatur; 423-334-5850 |
Short on time to read all of this?
Get a free quote →The Compliance Coordinator interprets and enforces the county’s Zoning Resolution, Subdivision Regulations, Mobile Home Regulations and Floodplain Regulations, issues compliance permits and investigates zoning complaints. The state permit is a building permit only: it is not a zoning approval, a floodplain determination, a grading approval, a septic permit or an electrical permit.
Meigs County permit fees
A house pays two sets of fees: the State Fire Marshal’s residential permit and the county compliance permit.
| Cost of construction | Fee |
|---|---|
| Up to $5,000 | $100 |
| $5,001 – $100,000 | $350 |
| $100,001 – $150,000 | $400 |
| $151,001 – $200,000 | $450 |
| $200,001 – $250,000 | $500 |
| $250,001 – $300,000 | $550 |
| Plumbing and HVAC inspection, new construction | +$100 |
| Slab not poured with its footing | +$100 |
The State values a home at no less than $60.57 per heated square foot. A 2,200 sq ft house therefore counts as at least $133,254, which falls in the $400 band, so with the plumbing and HVAC inspection the state charge is $500.
Not sure this scope needs a permit?
Get a free quote →| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| Single-family house or duplex | $200 |
| Multifamily, or mobile home/RV park | $300 |
| Commercial or industrial | $300 |
| Mobile home or RV park, after approval | $100 plus $2.50 per space or lot |
| Rezoning application | $150 |
| Use on review (Board of Zoning Appeals) | $150 |
| In-home business letter | $50 |
| Mine or quarry | $250 |
| New cell tower / new service on an existing tower | $600 / $300 |
The county’s December 2025 fee justification describes these as the charges for a Codes Compliance permit, paid by the person building rather than the county.
Electrical and septic in Meigs County
- Electrical: the county directs electrical permits to Wade’s Ace Hardware in Decatur, which sells state electrical permits; they can also be bought online in CORE. No Meigs jurisdiction runs its own electrical inspections, so a state deputy electrical inspector checks the work.
- Plumbing and HVAC: no separate local trade permit; on new construction the state adds a $100 plumbing and HVAC inspection to the residential permit.
- Septic: TDEC’s Chattanooga Environmental Field Office handles Meigs County septic permits (423-634-5745), and applications can be made online. Its staff no longer keep office hours in the county.
- Manufactured and modular homes: placing one needs no state residential permit, but a site-built deck, porch, stoop or addition beside it needs a Manufactured/Modular Site Work Permit.
Rather talk it over?
Call 1-855-478-4290 →Steps for a new house in Meigs County
Take the plans to Planning & Zoning on a Monday or Thursday and get the county compliance permit. Mobile home parks, multifamily sites and cell towers need Planning Commission review of plats first.
Apply to TDEC online or through the Chattanooga field office if the lot is not on sewer.
Register in CORE and buy the permit online, or buy it at Wade’s Ace Hardware. Start work within 180 days; the permit runs for two years at most.
Buy the state electrical permit before wiring starts.
Request each state inspection in CORE as the work reaches that stage.
Rather not deal with the Meigs County building department?
Get a free quote →State inspections in Meigs County
Only the permit holder may request an inspection, either in CORE or by emailing SFMO.permits-licensing@tn.gov with the full permit number and the date the work will be ready. The state deputy inspector checks the foundation before concrete is placed, the framing with rough-in plumbing, mechanical and electrical, and the finished house before occupancy; a slab poured separately from its footing adds a fourth visit. Inspections are due within three working days of the request, and footing inspections within one. The first re-inspection is free and each one after that costs $100. If a homeowner hires a contractor partway through, or the contractor changes, a new permit is needed.
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 Meigs County government resources
- Tennessee state residential permit instructions
- Tennessee residential jurisdictions and inspectors
- Meigs County government
- Meigs County Planning & Zoning
- Meigs County Planning Commission fee schedule (PDF)
- Meigs County electrical permit page
- Meigs County septic permit page
- State residential building permit fees
- State residential permit issuing agents
Want this handled start to finish?
Get a free quote →Meigs County permit FAQs
Do I need a building permit to build a house in Meigs County, TN?
Yes. Meigs County and Decatur are both in the State Residential Building Program, so a new home or an addition over 30 sq ft needs a state residential building permit, plus the county compliance permit.
Where can I buy a building permit in Meigs County?
Online in the State’s CORE system, or in person at Wade’s Ace Hardware, 353 Abel Avenue, Decatur (423-334-5756).
How much does a house permit cost?
The state fee for a home costing $100,001 to $150,000 is $400, plus $100 for the plumbing and HVAC inspection. The county compliance permit for a single-family house is $200.
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →Do I need a permit for a mobile home?
Not a state residential permit to place it, but the county applies its Mobile Home Regulations through Planning & Zoning, and a site-built deck or porch needs a state site work permit.
When is the Planning & Zoning office open?
Mondays and Thursdays, 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., at 345 N. Main Street, Decatur.
Who issues septic permits?
TDEC’s Chattanooga Environmental Field Office, 423-634-5745.
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More Tennessee permitting guides
This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Meigs County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.