14 published records
Business licenses and permits in Knox County, Tennessee
Knox County, Tennessee (county seat Knoxville) runs its own health department, which is unusual in Tennessee: the Knox County Health Department (KCHD) issues and inspects food service, mobile food unit and public swimming pool permits, at the fees set by state rule and statute, and its Groundwater Division permits septic systems. The Knox County Clerk issues the $15 county business license under the Tennessee Business Tax Act; the Clerk's page states that 'Most businesses within Knox County must obtain a business license' and that businesses inside the City of Knoxville 'must also register with the City of Knoxville Department of Finance'. The Clerk also issues beer permits for the unincorporated area (approved by the County Commission sitting as the beer board), the background and zoning certificate needed before a state Retail Food Store Wine License outside city limits, and going-out-of-business sale licenses. Knox County Code Administration issues building and sign permits under the codes adopted by Ordinance O-18-10-101 for buildings 'within Knox County', and the Department of Air Quality Management permits auto body refinishing shops. The incorporated municipalities named on the county's own pages are the City of Knoxville and the Town of Farragut; the county Fire Prevention Bureau's complaint form is 'Only to be used for commercial businesses in Knox County, outside the city limits of Knoxville or the Town of Farragut'. Per the County Clerk's page, a business inside Knoxville also needs the City of Knoxville's own business license; the City's requirements are listed on its separate page. The population figure of 506,748 is the U.S. Census Bureau's 2024 estimate.
What are you opening in Knox 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 Knox County
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| County Business Tax License (Standard or Minimal Activity)only if it applies to you | Knox County Clerk (Business Tax Division and Commission Library) | $15 county license (county-only; inside the City of Knoxville the separate city business license is also required) | minimal activity license: renewed each year with the $15 fee by the expiration date on the license; standard license: the Clerk mails the updated license once the Department of Revenue reports the annual business tax paid | 2026-10-08 |
| Commercial Building Permit and Plans Review | Knox County Code Administration and Inspection Department | Building permit by valuation: up to $2,000 = $50; $2,001–$50,000 = $50 + $5 per additional $1,000 or fraction; $50,001–$100,000 = $290 + $4 per additional $1,000; $100,001–$500,000 = $490 + $3 per additional $1,000; $500,001–$1,000,000 = $1,690 + $2 per additional $1,000; over $1,000,000 = $2,690 + $1.50 per additional $1,000. Plans review: $50 (valuation up to $75,000), $100 (up to $500,000), $250 (up to $1,000,000), $500 (over $1,000,000). Commercial demolition $100; commercial gas permit $100; re-inspection $50. A $25 technology access fee is added to each permit type except temporary certificates of occupancy, re-inspections, cancellations, zoning verification letters, BZA, BCA and renewals. | per permit | 2026-10-08 |
| Sign Permitonly if it applies to you | Knox County Code Administration and Inspection Department | Sign valuation up to $2,000 = $50; above $2,000 = $50 + $5 for each additional $1,000; plus the $25 technology access fee | per permit | 2026-10-08 |
| Temporary Certificate of Occupancyonly if it applies to you | Knox County Code Administration and Inspection Department | $50 per temporary certificate of occupancy (the technology access fee does not apply) | temporary; per certificate | 2026-10-08 |
| Temporary Use Permitonly if it applies to you | Knox County Code Administration and Inspection Department | $75 per temporary use permit, plus the $25 technology access fee | per permit | 2026-10-08 |
| Zoning Verification Letteronly if it applies to you | Knox County Code Administration and Inspection Department | $60 per letter (the technology access fee does not apply) | one-time, per letter | 2026-10-08 |
| Subsurface Sewage Disposal System (Septic) Installation Permitonly if it applies to you | Knox County Health Department, Groundwater Division | $200 per SSDS installation permit / drain-field layout | per permit | 2026-10-08 |
Fees shown as a range or formula are set that way by the issuing agency — we do not average them into a single number.
What do these permits involve in Knox County?
County Business Tax License (Standard or Minimal Activity)
As published on the Knox County Clerk's Business Tax License page, 'Most businesses within Knox County must obtain a business license', the license should be obtained before engaging in business, and a mailed application goes with 'the fee of $15.00' to the Knox County Clerk's Office, Business Tax Division, P.O. Box 1566, Knoxville, TN 37901. The $15 is the statutory fee under T.C.A. § 67-4-723(a)(1), paid to the county clerk for taxpayers located in the county. The Tennessee Department of Revenue's registration page sets the minimal activity class at gross receipts over $3,000 and under $100,000 and the standard class at $100,000 or more, and says a business may not operate until its required license is obtained and posted. Per the Clerk's page, a minimal activity license is renewed each year with the $15 fee on or before its expiration date, and for a standard license the Clerk mails the updated license once the Department of Revenue reports the annual business tax paid. The $15 is the county license only: the Clerk's page states that businesses inside the City of Knoxville 'must also register with the City of Knoxville Department of Finance'. Apply online, in person at any Clerk location or by mail; questions to 865-215-2392.
Commercial Building Permit and Plans Review
As published in the Knox County Code Administration and Inspection Department Schedule of Fees (Effective July 1, 2023), the county fee schedule linked under Documents & Downloads on the Codes home page, the nonrefundable building permit fee is based on the project valuation supplied by the applicant, which must be at least the ICC Building Valuation Data, and runs from $50 for valuations up to $2,000 to $2,690 plus $1.50 per additional $1,000 above $1,000,000. The same schedule sets plans review at $50, $100, $250 or $500 by valuation, commercial demolition at $100, a commercial gas permit at $100 and re-inspections at $50, and adds a $25 technology access fee (Resolution 09-10-902, 2009) to most permit types. The Codes home page notes that from July 1, 2024 one- and two-family R-3 dwellings are valued at a 60% factor of the Building Valuation Data; the schedule it links remains titled 'Effective July 1, 2023'. Ordinance O-18-10-101, adopted 19 November 2018, adopts the 2018 International codes for buildings 'within Knox County', and Code ch. 10 sets fees 'as adopted by resolution'. Apply through the Knox Permit Portal; for help call 865-215-2325.
Sign Permit
As published in the Knox County Code Administration and Inspection Department Schedule of Fees (Effective July 1, 2023), linked from the Codes home page, a sign permit costs $50 for a sign valued up to $2,000 and $50 plus $5 for each additional $1,000 above that. The schedule adds its $25 technology access fee (Resolution 09-10-902) to every permit type other than the listed exceptions, which do not include sign permits. A business putting up or replacing an exterior sign applies to Knox County Code Administration through the Knox Permit Portal; inside the City of Knoxville the city's own sign permit is a separate requirement on the Knoxville page. Contact Codes Administration at 865-215-2325, 400 Main Street, Suite 547.
Temporary Certificate of Occupancy
As published in the Knox County Code Administration and Inspection Department Schedule of Fees (Effective July 1, 2023), linked from the Codes home page, a temporary certificate of occupancy costs $50. The schedule lists temporary certificates of occupancy among the items excluded from its $25 technology access fee. A business that needs to occupy a new or remodelled space before every item of the permitted work is finished asks Knox County Code Administration for a temporary certificate under its building permit. Contact Codes Administration at 865-215-2325 or through the Knox Permit Portal.
Temporary Use Permit
As published in the Knox County Code Administration and Inspection Department Schedule of Fees (Effective July 1, 2023), linked from the Codes home page, a temporary use permit costs $75. Temporary use permits are not among the items the schedule excludes from its $25 technology access fee, so the fee is added. The permit is issued by Knox County Code Administration. Contact Codes Administration at 865-215-2325 to confirm whether a particular temporary activity needs one.
Zoning Verification Letter
As published in the Knox County Code Administration and Inspection Department Schedule of Fees (Effective July 1, 2023), linked from the Codes home page, a zoning verification letter costs $60, and the schedule lists zoning verification letters among the items excluded from its $25 technology access fee. A business, lender or buyer requests the letter from Knox County Code Administration to confirm the zoning of a site before leasing, buying or financing it. Contact Codes Administration at 865-215-2325, 400 Main Street, Suite 547, Knoxville.
Subsurface Sewage Disposal System (Septic) Installation Permit
This applies only to a business site that is not served by public sanitary sewer. As published on the Knox County Health Department's Groundwater Services page, 'If you are planning to install a new septic system/drain field/subsurface sewage disposal system (SSDS) or repair an existing SSDS, our department will need to issue the required permit.' The page lists an SSDS Installation Permit/Drain field Layout at $200.00, a Lot Evaluation (needed with a high intensity soil map, for example to obtain a building permit) at $40.00, and Certification of an existing SSDS (for example for a building permit or an addition) at $100.00; a Repair Permit is listed at no cost and is required before any work on a failing system. Soil maps must be prepared by a licensed soil consultant. Contact the Groundwater Division at 865-215-5200 (ext. 1) or groundwater@knoxcounty.org.
Sources
Every figure in the table above was read from one of these government pages on the date shown.
- Tennessee Code § 67-4-723 — business tax license feeState of Tennessee (Tennessee Code Annotated, via FindLaw) · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-08
- County Clerk — Business Tax LicenseKnox County Clerk · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-08
- Tennessee Department of Revenue — business tax registration and licensingTennessee Department of Revenue · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-03
- Knox County Code Administration and Inspection Department Schedule of Fees (Effective July 1, 2023)Knox County Code Administration · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-08
- Codes Administration — home page (Documents & Downloads; fee notices)Knox County Code Administration · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-08
- Ordinance O-18-10-101 adopting the building codes (Knox County Adopted Ordinance)Knox County Commission · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-08
- Knox County Code, Chapter 10 — Buildings and Building RegulationsKnox County, Tennessee (Municode) · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-08
- Groundwater Services (septic permits and fees)Knox County Health Department, Groundwater Division · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-08
Who issues business permits in Knox County?
Permitting in Knox County is split across 5 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.
Knox County issuing agencies
- Knox County Code Administration and Inspection DepartmentBuilding, sign, demolition and gas permits, plans review and inspections under the codes adopted by Ordinance O-18-10-101 for buildings 'within Knox County' · Temporary certificates of occupancy, temporary use permits and zoning verification letters5 permits
- Knox County Clerk (Business Tax Division and Commission Library)County business tax license (standard and minimal activity) under the Tennessee Business Tax Act · Beer permits for the unincorporated area, approved by the County Commission sitting as the beer board, and the annual beer privilege tax · Certificate of Background Investigation and Zoning Compliance for the state Retail Food Store Wine License · Liquidation and going-out-of-business sale licenses4 permits
- Knox County Health Department, Environmental HealthFood service establishment, mobile food unit, temporary food and child care food service permits and inspections, at the fees set by Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 1200-23-01-.09 · Public swimming pool permits and inspections, at the fee set by T.C.A. § 68-14-313 · Health plan review for food establishments and public pools3 permits
- Knox County Department of Air Quality ManagementAir contaminant source permits, including Permit-by-Rule coverage for auto body refinishing operations that complete no more than 50 jobs a week1 permit
- Knox County Health Department, Groundwater DivisionSubsurface sewage disposal system (septic) installation and repair permits, lot evaluations and certifications of existing systems1 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.