Administrative overview · FIPS 47163
Sullivan 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
Sullivan County Department of Planning and Codes
For a project in or near Sullivan 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
423-323-6440 (Planning and Codes); 423-323-6440 also listed for permit questions; 423-279-2820 (County Highway driveway permits)
Call before mobilizing if the project has a boundary, occupancy, fire, septic, or utility question.
Permit counter
Sullivan County Department of Planning and Codes, 3425 Highway 126, Suite 101, Blountville, TN 37617
Operating hours
Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m., except designated holidays.
Review expectation
Allow approximately three days for requested inspections; the county does not publish a separate plan-review 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 Sullivan County
Who handles permitting for this jurisdiction?
Sullivan County Department of Planning and Codes 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 423-323-6440 (Planning and Codes); 423-323-6440 also listed for permit questions; 423-279-2820 (County Highway driveway permits).
How long might review take?
Allow approximately three days for requested inspections; the county does not publish a separate plan-review timeline.
How are inspections scheduled?
The applicant is responsible for calling for required inspections and for requesting the final inspection and Certificate of Occupancy. The official application says to allow a three-day turnaround for inspections, which are handled in the order received. New residential applications require a plot plan; nonresidential applications require a site plan, and new buildings require water/sewer or septic documentation and a floodplain elevation certificate when applicable.
Which codes and exemptions should I review?
Sullivan County states that the Board of County Commissioners adopted the 2018 International Residential Code and the 2018 Energy Code, effective April 1, 2018. County materials also identify the current zoning resolution, stormwater/flood-damage rules, and property-maintenance requirements as applicable. Permits are required for new homes, mobile homes, modular homes, additions, carports, garages, storage buildings, gazebos, pools, decks, roofs, and interior remodeling. Cosmetic repairs such as painting and carpet are exempt. Detached residential accessory structures under 120 square feet are exempt from permitting but must be in the rear yard at least 8 feet from side and rear property lines. Confirm any additional narrow exemptions with Planning and Codes.