Permits

Online Permits

Obtaining Building Permits

To register and obtain building permits online, please visit the CityView Portal .

Permit Reports

Below are all of the permits that have been issued by the City of Decatur’s Building Department.

Construction Permits & Fees

Permits

A plot plan (survey) stamped/sealed by an Alabama registered land surveyor must be submitted before the issuance of a permit. This survey is used to verify:

1. Zoning regulations pertaining to use, setbacks from adjacent lot lines, and sufficient off-street parking are provided.
2. Compliance with the City of Decatur’s floodplain management ordinance is documented by having the lowest floor of any proposed construction lying in a special flood hazard area elevated 1 foot above the Base Flood elevation shown on the August 16th, 2018 Flood Insurance Rate Map.
3. The surveyed lot is of record and filed with the Planning Department parcel map, and has been issued an address.

For new residential construction:  One complete digital plan set including floor, footing, framing and elevation plan with building height are required to be submitted for review and approval. Residential plan reviews are performed to verify compliance with the currently adopted IRC One- and Two-family Dwelling Code. A copy will be returned to the permit applicant marked up in red notation indicating special construction items such as load paths for bearing walls, thickened foundation areas supporting load paths, braced wall lines, stair geometry, emergency egress windows, and other details needing special attention in order to pass inspections.  Residential plan reviews do not cover every compliance requirement found in the Code, but do guide the permit holder on some of the more important structural aspects and life safety features that field inspectors frequently find out of compliance.

New commercial and industrial construction projects require extensive and comprehensive design documents to be prepared by registered design professionals, such as registered architects and engineers. For more information on registered design professionals, please visit the Alabama Board for Registration of Architects, the Alabama Board of Registration for Interior Design, and the Alabama Board of Licensure for Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors.

Plan reviews are performed to verify compliance with the currently adopted International Building Code .

Plan review turn-around time is dependent on volume of reviews currently under review and thoroughness of submittal documents.

See contractor licensing section of this website for more information concerning licensed contractors and issuance of permits.

Reference: Municode for Decatur, Alabama

Permit Fees

Construction permit fees are calculated differently for new residential projects and new commercial/industrial projects. Please reference these three sections of the Code of Decatur for the current fee structure for construction of residential one- and two-family dwellings: Chapter 7-57.1  and Chapter 7-57.2 .

Commercial permit fees are determined using the total contract value of the work to be performed, inclusive of all work related to site prep, design fees, overhead, etc., and applying that value to the appropriate range in the following table. A $10 permit issuance fee is added, as well as any plan review fees applicable (see table).

Sub-trade permits related to a master permit are determined by the contract value of the work and utilizing the Electrical, Mechanical, Plumbing & Fuel Gas table entry category. Electrical, Mechanical, Plumbing and Fuel Gas projects not part of a master permit shall have the respective fee determined as though it is a commercial/industrial project, and shall have the appropriate plan review fee applied. In all cases, each permit issued is subject to the $10 issuance fee.

Reference: Municode for Decatur, Alabama

Demolition Permits

Persons planning to demolish a structure  must obtain a permit after securing evidence from Decatur Utilities that all utility services have been removed and the sewer has been plugged. The demolition permit fee is based on the valuation of the job. Demolition permit applications are available in the Building Department.

Reference: Municode for Decatur, Alabama