Inside Soddy-Daisy, City Hall at 9835 Dayton Pike issues building, plumbing, electrical, gas, HVAC and excavation permits, sold in person or by phone at 423-332-5323 to contractors licensed with the State, Hamilton County or Chattanooga. City inspectors inspect every trade, and a permit is needed for most work worth more than $1,000.
What work requires a Soddy-Daisy permit?
Permit needed
- New construction, additions and alterations
- Interior or exterior remodels and repairs worth more than $1,000
- Moving, relocating or demolishing a building
- Decks
- In-ground and above-ground pools deeper than 2 ft
- Retaining walls over 4 ft high (engineer-stamped drawing required)
- Business signs (drawing with height and square footage)
- Accessory buildings not covered by the main building’s permit
- Plumbing, electrical, gas, HVAC and excavation work
No permit
- Paint, wallpaper and carpet in an existing home
- Non-structural alterations worth $1,000 or less
- Agricultural uses and farm accessory buildings in an agricultural zone
The zoning ordinance also requires a building permit from the City Building Inspector before a building’s or land’s use is changed. The City suggests calling City Hall about any planned alteration to confirm that it does not need a permit.
Who issues building permits in Soddy-Daisy?
City Hall oversees all building and construction inside the city limits, and the City’s building inspectors review plans and inspect every trade. The State Fire Marshal’s Office lists Soddy-Daisy as exempt from the state residential program, and the City is also inside the Hamilton County area that runs its own electrical inspections instead of the state program, so electrical permits and inspections are local too.
Short on time to read all of this?
Get a free quote →| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Office | City of Soddy-Daisy, City Hall |
| Address | 9835 Dayton Pike, Soddy-Daisy, TN 37379 |
| Phone | 423-332-5323, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. |
| Plans | By email to the City’s building inspectors (addresses on the Building & Permits page) |
Land outside the city limits is permitted by the Hamilton County Building Inspection Department, 4005 Cromwell Road, Chattanooga. Sewer, septic and stormwater approvals inside the city also come from Hamilton County agencies, as set out below.
How Soddy-Daisy permits are sold
Building, plumbing, electrical, gas, HVAC and excavation permits are bought at City Hall or over the phone. A phone purchase only works if you can print the permit, sign it and email it back. Each permit must be bought by a licensed contractor: the City accepts licences issued by the State of Tennessee, Hamilton County or the City of Chattanooga.
A property owner can take out a limited building permit to work on their own property, but may apply for only one single-family house in any 24 months, and the plumbing, electrical and mechanical permits for a house, outbuilding or garage still have to be bought by licensed contractors.
Soddy-Daisy permit fees
The City does not publish a building or trade permit fee schedule on its website or in the municipal code; the amount is given when you buy the permit at City Hall or by phone (423-332-5323). Fees for county approvals that come first, such as septic, sewer taps and land disturbance permits, are set by the Hamilton County agencies that issue them.
Not sure this scope needs a permit?
Get a free quote →Electrical, plumbing, mechanical and gas permits
All trade permits come from City Hall, and City inspectors inspect them: plumbing, mechanical and gas to the 2018 International Codes and electrical to the 2017 National Electrical Code. Contractors must hold a State of Tennessee, Hamilton County or City of Chattanooga licence to buy a permit, and on a homeowner’s own house the plumbing, electrical and mechanical permits are still bought by licensed contractors.
Sewer line installation and sewer tap permits come from the Hamilton County Water and Wastewater Treatment Authority (WWTA), 423-209-7842.
Plans and approvals to line up first
- Building plans are emailed to the City’s building inspectors.
- Septic: any project on a septic system (a new house, an addition or an extra bedroom) must be approved by Hamilton County Groundwater Protection (423-209-7876) before plans go to Soddy-Daisy.
- Access control and site plans: commercial and industrial buildings and apartment complexes of 3 or more units need a Planning Commission-approved access control plan before a building permit; plats and site plans are reviewed by the City’s Planning and Zoning office.
- Larger sites: site plans and plats over 1 acre go to Hamilton County Water Quality (423-209-7851) before the Soddy-Daisy Planning Commission sees them.
- Design professional: the municipal code does not require an architect or engineer for one- and two-family homes or for listed occupancies under 5,000 sq ft, though the City may still ask for one; retaining walls over 4 ft always need an engineer’s stamp.
Rather talk it over?
Call 1-855-478-4290 →How to get a permit in Soddy-Daisy
Check the parcel on the Hamilton County GIS map, which also shows zoning and FEMA flood zones.
Septic review by Groundwater Protection, a sewer tap from WWTA, and a land disturbance permit for 1 acre or more.
Send the building plans to the City’s building inspectors for review.
The licensed contractor buys each permit at City Hall or by phone, then prints, signs and emails it back.
Phone City Hall at each stage; the inspector leaves a pass or fail tag on site.
Complete the final building, plumbing, electrical, mechanical and gas inspections when the job is done.
Soddy-Daisy inspections
Schedule inspections by calling City Hall at 423-332-5323; anyone in the office can take the request. Each inspection is recorded on a tag left at the job site showing whether it passed or failed. A permit becomes invalid if no inspection is made within 180 days of issue, or within 180 days of the previous one.
| Trade | Inspections |
|---|---|
| Building | Footings (dug, before concrete), basement slab (before the pour), rough-in framing, insulation, final |
| Plumbing | In-slab (before gravel or concrete), rough-in, final |
| Electrical | Temporary pole where used, rough-in wiring, temporary permanent power on new homes once all rough-ins pass, final |
| Mechanical | Rough-in, final |
| Gas piping and venting | Rough-in, final |
Rather not deal with the building department?
Get a free quote →Local Soddy-Daisy details
Stormwater: Hamilton County Water Quality issues a land disturbance permit for any new activity touching 1 acre or more (including smaller lots inside a larger development plan) and a runoff management permit for new facilities disturbing 1 acre or more or residential developments of 10 or more lots.
Zoning: the City’s zoning ordinance, adopted in 2000 and updated to January 2026, sets uses, setbacks, lot sizes and parking, and its Planning Commission approves plats and site plans. Driveway access points are limited to 30 ft wide at the property line; the Planning Commission may approve wider ones for high-traffic developments.
Codes in force: 2018 International Building, Residential, Plumbing, Mechanical, Fuel Gas, Fire, Swimming Pool & Spa and Energy Conservation Codes, the 2017 National Electrical Code, the 2017 ANSI accessibility standard and NFPA 101 (2018).
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
Want this handled start to finish?
Get a free quote →Official Soddy-Daisy permit resources
- Tennessee residential jurisdiction list
- Soddy-Daisy Zoning Ordinance (revised January 2026)
- Hamilton County Building Inspection (municipal offices list)
- Soddy-Daisy Building & Permits
- Soddy-Daisy Planning and Zoning
- Soddy-Daisy Municipal Code Title 12 (building codes)
- State electrical program exempt jurisdictions
Soddy-Daisy building permit FAQs
Who issues building permits in Soddy-Daisy?
The City of Soddy-Daisy at City Hall, 9835 Dayton Pike (423-332-5323). It issues building, plumbing, electrical, gas, HVAC and excavation permits for property inside the city.
Do I need a permit for a deck or pool in Soddy-Daisy?
Yes for any deck, and for in-ground or above-ground pools deeper than 2 ft. Retaining walls over 4 ft also need a permit and an engineer-stamped drawing.
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →Can a homeowner get a building permit?
Yes, a limited permit for work on your own property, with no more than one single-family house every 24 months. Plumbing, electrical and mechanical permits must still be bought by licensed contractors.
Who inspects electrical work in Soddy-Daisy?
The City’s own inspectors, to the 2017 National Electrical Code. The state lists all of Hamilton County, including Soddy-Daisy, as outside its electrical inspection program.
How do I schedule an inspection?
Call City Hall at 423-332-5323 during office hours, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
What if my lot uses a septic system?
Get Hamilton County Groundwater Protection’s approval (423-209-7876) before you submit plans to the City or buy a building permit.
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More Tennessee permitting guides
This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Soddy-Daisy permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.