8 published records
Business licenses and permits in Blount County, Tennessee
Blount County, Tennessee (county seat Maryville) gathers its building, zoning and septic work in one office: Blount County Development Services, 303 McGhee Street, Maryville, which enforces the 2018 International Code Council codes through plan review and inspections, issues permits and occupancy certificates, handles zoning applications for the unincorporated county, and houses the county Department of Environmental Health, which permits subsurface sewage disposal systems under the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation rules. All of its fees come from the county's Development Service Fee Schedule, effective January 1, 2020. The Blount County Clerk issues the $15 county business license under the Tennessee Business Tax Act and, as secretary to the County Beer Board, handles beer permits for the unincorporated areas of the county. The Beer Ordinance of 2014 (§ 3) limits the Beer Board to the territory outside the limits of any incorporated city or town, and the Zoning Resolution (§ 1.5) applies 'throughout the entire area of the county outside of any municipal limits'. The incorporated municipalities in the county are Maryville, Alcoa, Friendsville, Rockford, Louisville and Townsend. Per the County Technical Assistance Service, business licenses are issued by the county clerk and by the appropriate city official for businesses located within a city, so a business inside one of these municipalities also deals with that city, and each city runs its own licensing, building, zoning and beer permit regime, which stacks on the county requirements. Food service, public swimming pool and body art permits are Tennessee Department of Health permits handled through the Blount County Health Department, a state permit layer recorded at the Tennessee level. The population figure of 142,211 is the U.S. Census Bureau's Vintage 2024 estimate.
What are you opening in Blount County?
- RestaurantsFull-service restaurants carry the densest permit load of any small business: food, fire, occupancy, waste, and usually alcohol.See the full permit list
- Coffee shopsCafés are permitted as food service establishments even where no cooking happens, and the plan review step catches most operators by surprise.See the full permit list
- Retail storesRetail is the lightest common permit load, but the sales tax permit and the certificate of occupancy are non-negotiable in every jurisdiction.See the full permit list
- Salons and barbersPersonal care is licensed at state board level as well as locally, so the shop license and the practitioner licenses are separate obligations.See the full permit list
- Food trucksMobile food is the one category with no certificate of occupancy — but it gains a commissary agreement, and the unit itself is inspected rather than the premises.See the full permit list
- Fitness studiosPrepaid memberships trigger state registration and often a surety bond, which catches operators who budgeted only for the fit-out.See the full permit list
- Childcare centresThe heaviest permit load of any small business: state agency licensing, per-person background checks, and a stricter fire standard than ordinary commercial use.See the full permit list
- Contractors and tradesLicensed at state board level rather than locally, and the only common category with no premises permits at all — the bond is usually the long pole.See the full permit list
- Auto repair shopsOrdinary commercial permitting plus an environmental layer: waste oil, solvents and stormwater are each registered separately.See the full permit list
- Veterinary clinicsA state facility permit, controlled substances registration at both state and federal level, and a medical waste manifest — none of which a general business license covers.See the full permit list
Permits that apply to every type of business in Blount County
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Change of Occupancy / Conditional Certificate of Occupancyonly if it applies to you | Blount County Development Services | Change of occupancy: $50 plus all related permit fees; conditional certificate of occupancy: $100 | per project | 2026-10-27 |
| Sign Permitonly if it applies to you | Blount County Development Services | $100 per sign permit, per the fee schedule effective January 1, 2020 | per permit | 2026-10-27 |
| County Business License (Standard or Minimal Activity)only if it applies to you | Blount County Clerk | $15 registration fee per new business, paid to the County Clerk (county license only; a business inside a city also obtains that city's license) | annual; the license is renewed each year upon payment of the business tax, for no additional fee (per CTAS) | 2026-10-27 |
| Building Permit and Plans Review | Blount County Development Services | Building permit by valuation, each tier plus review fee: $2,000 or less = $50; $2,001–$50,000 = $50 for the first $2,000 + $5.00 per additional thousand or fraction ($50 to $290); $50,001–$100,000 = $290 + $5.00 per additional thousand ($290 to $540); $100,001–$500,000 = $540 + $3.50 per additional thousand ($540 to $1,940); $500,001–$1,000,000 = $1,940 + $2.25 per additional thousand ($1,940 to $3,065); $1,000,001 and up = $3,065 + $1.50 per additional thousand. Plans review: valuation less than $250,000 = $100; $250,001–$500,000 = $125; $500,001–$1,000,000 = $250; over $1,000,000 = $500. Swimming pool: $100 for the first $5,000 of valuation + $1.50 per additional thousand. | per project | 2026-10-27 |
| Zoning Applications: Special Exception, Variance, Rezoning, Site Plan and Zoning Lettersonly if it applies to you | Blount County Development Services | Board of Zoning Appeals special exception $250 or variance $250; rezoning into a nonresidential district $1,000; Planning Commission site plan review $100 plus all applicable permit and review fees; zoning letter $20; home occupation letter $20 | one-time, per application | 2026-10-27 |
| Subsurface Sewage Disposal (Septic) System Permit and Site Evaluationonly if it applies to you | Blount County Department of Environmental Health | Septic system permit $400; site evaluation $100 | per system | 2026-10-27 |
Fees shown as a range or formula are set that way by the issuing agency — we do not average them into a single number.
What do these permits involve in Blount County?
Change of Occupancy / Conditional Certificate of Occupancy
As published in the county's Development Service Fee Schedule ('Blount County Devt. Services Fees, effective 1/1/20'), linked under 'General' on the Development Services Forms & Applications page, a change of occupancy costs $50 'Plus all related permit fees' and a conditional certificate of occupancy costs $100. The Development Services page states that the department 'issues occupancy certificates' along with accepting applications for construction permits, collecting fees and scheduling inspections. A business moving into an existing building for a different use, or needing to occupy a space before all permitted work is complete, deals with Development Services for the occupancy step. Contact Development Services at 865-681-9301, 303 McGhee Street, Maryville.
Sign Permit
As published in the county's Development Service Fee Schedule ('Blount County Devt. Services Fees, effective 1/1/20'), linked under 'General' on the Development Services Forms & Applications page, a sign permit costs $100. A business putting up a new or replacement sign on a site in the unincorporated county applies to Blount County Development Services, which accepts permit applications, collects fees and issues permits. A business inside one of the county's municipalities deals with that city for its sign. Contact Development Services at 865-681-9301, 303 McGhee Street, Maryville, TN 37801.
County Business License (Standard or Minimal Activity)
The Tennessee Department of Revenue's Registration and Licensing page states that 'A separate $15 business license registration fee must be paid to the county and/or municipal clerk for each new business.' The same page sets the classes: an in-state location with gross receipts of more than $3,000 but less than $100,000 'must obtain a minimal activity license', a standard business license is needed at $100,000 or more, and 'You are not allowed to operate until your required license is obtained and posted in your business' location.' The County Technical Assistance Service (CTAS) states that the county clerk issues business licenses and collects the $15 fee under T.C.A. § 67-4-723, and that the license is renewed each year upon payment of the business tax for no additional fee. The county's Business License page says the application is completed on the Blount County Clerk's Online Services site, that standard license holders also file and pay business tax to the Department of Revenue each year, and that renewals may be obtained through the county clerk or printed from the business's TNTAP account. Per the county page, mobile businesses such as food trucks report their gross receipts back to their permanent location and hold a business license there. The County Clerk Responsibilities page states that 'Business licenses are issued by the County Clerk'. The $15 is the county license only; a business inside a city also obtains that city's license.
Building Permit and Plans Review
As published in the county's Development Service Fee Schedule, headed 'Blount County Devt. Services Fees, effective 1/1/20' and linked under 'General' on the Development Services Forms & Applications page, the non-refundable building permit fee is based on the project valuation supplied by the applicant, which the building official may replace with a figure from the ICC Building Valuation Data. The fee runs from $50 for a valuation of $2,000 or less to $3,065 plus $1.50 per additional thousand above $1,000,000, and every tier adds a plans review fee of $100, $125, $250 or $500 by valuation. The same schedule prices a swimming pool, relevant to a fitness studio with a pool, at $100 for the first $5,000 of valuation plus $1.50 per additional thousand. Zoning Resolution § 10.1.A requires a building permit for any construction of a principal or accessory building, including additions. The Development Services page states that the department enforces the 2018 edition of the International Code Council codes through plan review and inspections, and that card payments carry a non-refundable 3.25% convenience fee charged by the card company. Contact Development Services at 865-681-9301, 303 McGhee Street, Maryville.
Zoning Applications: Special Exception, Variance, Rezoning, Site Plan and Zoning Letters
As published in the ZONING section of the county's Development Service Fee Schedule ('Blount County Devt. Services Fees, effective 1/1/20'), linked under 'General' on the Development Services Forms & Applications page, a Board of Zoning Appeals special exception costs $250 and a variance $250, rezoning into a nonresidential district costs $1,000, Planning Commission site plan review costs $100 'Plus all applicable permit and review fees', and a zoning letter and a home occupation letter cost $20 each. Section 1.5 of the Zoning Resolution of Blount County states that the resolution 'shall be effective throughout the entire area of the county outside of any municipal limits', so these apply to sites in the unincorporated county; inside a city the city's own zoning applies. The resolution was adopted June 15, 2000; the compilation linked on the county's Local Ordinances page is 'Updated through 08/18/2023' and states that it is 'not an official resolution version', with adopted resolutions in the Board of Commissioners minutes held by the County Clerk. A home-based salon, child care or contractor business uses the home occupation letter.
Subsurface Sewage Disposal (Septic) System Permit and Site Evaluation
This applies only to a business site that is not served by public sewer. As published in the ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH section of the county's Development Service Fee Schedule ('Blount County Devt. Services Fees, effective 1/1/20'), linked under 'General' on the Development Services Forms & Applications page, a septic system permit costs $400 and a site evaluation costs $100; the same schedule lists a septic modification permit at $400 and a septic repair permit at no charge. The Environmental Health page states that the Blount County Department of Environmental Health 'operates under the rules and regulations that govern subsurface sewage disposal systems, set forth by the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, a Division of Groundwater Protection'. The department is part of Blount County Development Services; contact it at 865-681-9301, 303 McGhee Street, Maryville, TN 37801.
Sources
Every figure in the table above was read from one of these government pages on the date shown.
- Blount County Devt. Services Fees, effective 1/1/20 (Development Service Fee Schedule 2020)Blount County Planning and Development Services · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-27
- Forms & Applications (links the 'Development Service Fee Schedule 2020' under 'General')Blount County Development Services · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-27
- Development ServicesBlount County Development Services · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-27
- Tennessee Department of Revenue — business tax registration and licensingTennessee Department of Revenue · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-03
- Business LicenseBlount County, Tennessee · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-27
- County Clerk ResponsibilitiesBlount County Clerk · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-27
- Business TaxUniversity of Tennessee County Technical Assistance Service (CTAS) · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-27
- Privilege TaxesUniversity of Tennessee County Technical Assistance Service (CTAS) · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-27
- Zoning Resolution of Blount County, Tennessee (compilation, Last Amended by resolution August 17, 2023)Blount County Board of Commissioners · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-27
- Local OrdinancesBlount County, Tennessee · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-27
- Environmental HealthBlount County Department of Environmental Health · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-27
Who issues business permits in Blount County?
Permitting in Blount County is split across 4 agencies we hold records for, with tax registration handled at state level. No single office issues everything, which is why an opening usually means filing in several places rather than one.
Blount County issuing agencies
- Blount County Development ServicesBuilding, plumbing, gas/mechanical and sign permits, plans review, inspections and occupancy certificates under the 2018 International Code Council codes · Zoning: Board of Zoning Appeals applications, rezoning, Planning Commission site plan review, and zoning and home occupation letters for the unincorporated county5 permits
- Blount County Beer BoardOn-premises and off-premises beer permits in the unincorporated areas of Blount County, under the Blount County Beer Ordinance of 20141 permit
- Blount County ClerkCounty business license (standard and minimal activity) under the Tennessee Business Tax Act · Secretary to the Blount County Beer Board; collects the annual beer privilege tax for permits in the unincorporated county1 permit
- Blount County Department of Environmental HealthSubsurface sewage disposal (septic) system permits and site evaluations under the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation rules1 permit
Other Tennessee jurisdictions we cover
Commercial Compliance Hub publishes information, not legal advice. Requirements change — confirm anything you rely on with the issuing agency before you file.