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Hamilton County

Hamilton County Building Inspection Department

In short

Hamilton County Building Inspection Department issues 3 permits we publish for Hamilton County, last verified 2026-10-08. Each carries the fee as the agency publishes it, with a link to the schedule it was read from.

What this agency issues

Permits required, with issuing agency, fee, renewal term and the date each record was last verified against its source
Electrical, Plumbing and Mechanical Permitsonly if it applies to youHamilton County Building Inspection DepartmentPermit fee from the trade schedule on each form, plus a $5 administration fee, a $35 permit issuance fee and a $5 records management fee ($45 added to every permit). Examples: electrical $10 minimum permit fee, permanent service $20 plus $4 per 100 amps; plumbing $5 per fixture and $10 per line of new, repaired or altered piping; mechanical $20 for the first $1,000 of installation value plus $5 for each additional $1,000, or $10 plus $5 per $1,000 for repairs, alterations and additions.per permit, for the work described2026-10-08
County Beer Permit (unincorporated Hamilton County)only if it applies to youHamilton County Building Inspection Department$100 annual beer privilege tax, due each January 1 to the Hamilton County Clerk and prorated for a new permit; the non-refundable application fee under T.C.A. § 57-5-104(a) is separate, and the Beer Board's office states the amount payablecontinues until the business ends, changes ownership, relocates or changes its name; the privilege tax is annual2026-10-08
County Electrical, Plumbing, Mechanical and Gas Licensesonly if it applies to youHamilton County Building Inspection Department$10–$105 per license type, plus a $5 records management fee for each license type (Resolution 325-35)term not stated on the county's application form; contact Building Inspection2026-10-08

Fees shown as a range or formula are set that way by the issuing agency — we do not average them into a single number.

About each permit

Electrical, Plumbing and Mechanical Permits

As published on the Building Inspection Department's current electrical, plumbing and mechanical application and permit forms (linked from the county's Building Permits page), every trade permit carries the permit fee from the form's schedule plus an Admin. Fee of $5.00, a Permit Issuance Fee of $35.00 and a Records Management Fee of $5.00. The electrical form sets a $10.00 minimum permit fee, $35 for a complete temporary service up to 100 amps, $20 plus $4 per 100 amps for a permanent service, and $40 for an interior-wired sign of 25 sq ft or less; the plumbing form charges $5.00 per fixture and $10.00 per line for water, distribution, drainage, vent and building sewer piping; the mechanical form charges $20.00 for the first $1,000 of installation value plus $5.00 per additional $1,000. The department's home page states that it enforces the county's codes 'for the unincorporated areas of Hamilton County and also those parts of the County lying within the corporate limits of municipalities which have not adopted and are not enforcing municipal building codes'; its Districts page shows Ridgeside and Walden using county Building Inspection for all construction permits. Licensed contractors may pay online; call 423-209-7860.

County Beer Permit (unincorporated Hamilton County)

A business selling beer in unincorporated Hamilton County applies to the Hamilton County Beer Board, whose files are kept by the Building Inspection Department; a business inside a city applies to that city. As published on the county's current Application for Beer Permit, linked from the Building Permits forms page, a non-refundable application fee must accompany the application (the fee is set by T.C.A. § 57-5-104(a); Building Inspection, which keeps the Beer Board's files, states the amount payable at 423-209-7860), and 'An annual privilege tax of $100.00 is imposed on a business selling, distributing, storing or manufacturing beer', due each January 1 and payable to the Hamilton County Clerk, prorated for a new permit and paid when the permit is issued. The form states: 'HAMILTON COUNTY HAS ADOPTED A RULE FORBIDDING THE SALE, STORAGE OR MANUFACTURE OF BEER WITHIN 200 FEET (FOR PACKAGE) AND 500 FEET (FOR ON-PREMISE) OF A CHURCH, SCHOOL, OR OTHER PLACE OF PUBLIC GATHERING.' The applicant chooses on-premises, off-premises or both, supplies a picture ID, provides proof of sales tax registration within 10 days of approval, and surrenders the permit within 15 days of closing, a change of ownership, relocation or a change of name.

County Electrical, Plumbing, Mechanical and Gas Licenses

As published on the Building Inspection Department's current Application for License, linked from the county's Building Permits forms page, Hamilton County certifies and issues its own licenses in the electrical, plumbing, mechanical and gas fields. Contractor-level licenses cost $105 each: Class I Electrical Contractor (unrestricted), Class II Electrical Contractor (restricted), Class V Electrical Contractor (special), Class I Master Plumber, Class I State Plumbers License, Class I HVAC-Mechanical Contractor, Class II Mechanical, Master Gas Contractor, and the Class LLE and LLP state-license classes. Class I State Electrical Contractor and Class III Electrical Contractor (signs only) cost $55. Journeyman licenses cost $15 (electrical, plumbing and gas), $25 (mechanical) or $10 (electrical journeyman by state license). The form adds a $5.00 records management fee for each license type under Resolution 325-35, makes cheques payable to the Hamilton County Trustee, and says no refund on license or renewal fees shall be given. Contact Building Inspection, 4005 Cromwell Road, 423-209-7860.

Contact

Jurisdiction
Hamilton County
Phone
423-209-7860

Contact details are taken from the agency’s own site or its published fee schedule. Where we have not verified a phone number we leave it blank rather than guess.

Sources

Every fee and term above was read from one of these government pages on the date shown.

  1. Application for Beer Permit — County of HamiltonHamilton County Beer Board · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-08
  2. Application for License — County Electrical, Plumbing, Mechanical and GasHamilton County Building Inspection Department · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-08
  3. Building Inspection — Municipalities & District InformationHamilton County Building Inspection Department · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-08
  4. Building Inspection — Permit Applications and About the DepartmentHamilton County Building Inspection Department · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-08
  5. Building Permits — application formsHamilton County Building Inspection Department · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-08
  6. Electrical Application and Permit FormHamilton County Building Inspection Department · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-08
  7. Mechanical Permit Application and Permit FormHamilton County Building Inspection Department · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-08
  8. Plumbing Application and Permit FormHamilton County Building Inspection Department · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-08

Other offices serving Hamilton County

The full permit list for this jurisdiction

Industry permit lists that include this agency

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