Jefferson County, Alabama

Development Services Building Division

 

Jefferson County Alabama Development Services Department - Building Division
All Codes, Forms, and Fees on this site are subject to change. 
Please contact the Department at (205) 325-5321 to verify current official fee calculations or to verify the most up-to-date information.

On July 9, 2020, the Jefferson County Commission adopted amendments to the previously adopted codes to correct scriveners errors identified in the 2019 adoption, updating of fees to be consistent with online permitting, clarification of permit expiration, and formatting to ensure all four trade ordinances are consistent in content. Click here to see the adopted amendments.

Building Permits

Jefferson County Development Services Department is responsible for issuing building permits. With our new permitting system, applicants are required to provide the names of the trade contractors that will be working on the project. These contractors now will be working under the umbrella of the Construction Permit and no longer need to apply for separate permits.

Effective Friday August 26, 2022: Erosion Control Requirements are now part of the following Building Combo permits listed below.  (You will no longer need to apply for an Erosion Control Permit separately.)

  • Commercial New Building Permit
  • Residential New Building Permit
  • Commercial Addition Permit
  • Residential Addition Permit
Separate permits are still required for:
  • Low Voltage (Telephones, fire and security systems, closed-circuit and cable television, etc.)
  • Moving a Structure
  • Miscellaneous Construction
  • Demolition

Building Permits Checklists

Apply online through our ePermitJC portal. Click Here for other Helpful Documents related to this change

Building Plans Examination

Commercial and residential construction plans are reviewed to ensure that the design meets all applicable codes. Plan review greatly reduces the number of construction mistakes that occur during the construction process. Many dollars can be saved if problems are caught at the review stage and not during the actual construction.

Building Inspections

  • The Jefferson County Development Services Department inspects all construction or work for which a permit is required at various intervals.
  • Development Services Department does not inspect existing properties for code violations.
  • Development Services uses an automated inspection request system known as interactive voice response (IVR) and SelectTXT, providing extra channels for contractors and homeowners with their Inspection management. Click to see the instructional brochure.
  • Requirements For Temp/Perm Power On Residential Permit (Effective March 01, 2023) A list of requirements was comprised by the Electrical Inspectors of Jefferson County in an effort to help the growing public to receive temp/perm power on residential properties that are properly permitted and inspected. We hope that this significant change reflects our willingness to aid our customer base in moving their projects along and minimize the dangers associated with past practices. In order to be considered for temp/perm power on residential only, we will require the following to be completed.  Read more.

    Fees:

  • Incomplete or failed inspections: $55.00 each
  • After Hours inspections fee up to 4 hours: $300.00, each additional hour: $75.00

  • See the Fee Schedule