Construction permits required in Fort Payne include general building permits and permits for the repair, installation, and/or addition of any gas, mechanical-gas, plumbing, or electrical fixtures. All work must be in compliance with standard codes and the laws and ordinances of the State of Alabama and the City of Fort Payne and cannot begin until a permit is issued. All work is also required to be inspected while in progress.

Projects that don’t require a permit are those that don’t involve a licensed trade or change the footprint of the property, and are mostly cosmetic upgrades that include:

If you are in doubt as to whether your project requires a permit, call 256-845-5180 and ask to speak with a building department representative.

With regards to zoning permits, the Planning Commission will consider the petition, hear any discussion, review the facts in the context of existing zoning and ordinances, and, if it so deems, make a favorable recommendation for rezoning to the City Council. In that event, a public hearing before the City Council must be advertised for two consecutive weeks at least 15 days prior to the hearing. The City Council will then hear public comment and make its decision to rezone or not. If a rezoning ordinance is adopted, it must be advertised one time before the new zoning takes effect.