Administrative overview · FIPS 01081
Lee County permit authority
The first compliance decision is jurisdictional: identify the office with statutory authority over your parcel, then use its filing and inspection sequence to keep the project moving.
Jurisdictional status
County
This county profile is the primary starting point for unincorporated-area permitting.
Responsible agency
Lee County Building Inspections Department
For a project in or near Lee County, this office is the identified point of contact for permit intake, statutory code enforcement, plan review coordination, and inspection release conditions. Confirm the parcel’s boundary and project type before relying on the county lane.
Direct contact
(334) 737-7014
Call before mobilizing if the project has a boundary, occupancy, fire, septic, or utility question.
Permit counter
Lee County Building Inspections, 100 Orr Avenue, Opelika, AL 36803; mailing address P.O. Box 362, Opelika, AL 36803
Operating hours
Monday-Friday, 7:00 AM-3:30 PM CST; inspectors’ direct office hours are listed as 7:00-8:00 AM and 2:30-3:30 PM.
Review expectation
N/A — the verified county materials specify inspection lead time but do not give a general plan-review or permit-issuance timeline.
Compliance workbench
Choose the next project decision.
Apply online
Open the verified digital gateway, application form, and review timeline.
Open guide →Fees & penalties
Understand fee schedules, enforcement exposure, and stop-work liabilities.
Open guide →Codes & exemptions
Read the code framework, minor-work exemptions, and inspection lane.
Open guide →Agency website
Visit the primary public source for current notices and contact changes.
Open guide →Source trail
Official sources for this profile
Use these direct agency or licensing links to confirm current instructions before you file, pay, or schedule work. External pages control if their information differs from this directory.
Project questions
Frequently asked questions for Lee County
Who handles permitting for this jurisdiction?
Lee County Building Inspections Department is the identified county-level authority for this profile. Confirm that the property is in its service area before filing.
How should I begin an application?
Begin with the online permit gateway listed in the application guide. If the portal does not recognize the address or project type, contact (334) 737-7014.
How long might review take?
N/A — the verified county materials specify inspection lead time but do not give a general plan-review or permit-issuance timeline.
How are inspections scheduled?
Call Lee County Building Inspections at (334) 737-7014 or email buildinginspection@leeco.us. Requests require 24-hour advance notice; requests made before 2:00 PM on normal business days are scheduled for the next day. Required stages include footing/foundation, slab and under-slab utilities, framing, trade rough-ins, insulation/pre-drywall, permanent power when applicable, and final inspection before a Certificate of Occupancy.
Which codes and exemptions should I review?
N/A for a specific 2026 edition. Official Lee County documents refer to the Lee County Building and Administrative Codes and Alabama energy codes, and the commercial application includes IECC/ASHRAE compliance fields, but the exact currently adopted code editions were not stated in the verified 2026 materials. The verified county documents do not publish a complete minor/cosmetic exemption list. Separate permits are required for building, mechanical, electrical and plumbing work when applicable; septic approval, flood-hazard review, erosion-control measures and county-road access approvals may also be required depending on the project.