Digital permit application gateway
Start with the issuing authority’s own submission lane. A complete application package, accurate valuation, and accessible inspection path are the fastest route through statutory plan review.
Recommended first click
Use the official digital gateway to submit plans, monitor review comments, pay required charges, and request inspections when the permit is issued. If the link is unavailable, use the agency website or phone number on the administrative profile to confirm the current lane.
Typical review lane
Next-day inspection service is available for requests made before 3:00 p.m. the prior day; the county does not publish a general plan-review timeline.
Treat this as a planning signal, not a guaranteed approval date. Completeness, corrections, resubmittals, and agency workload control the actual clock.
Verify the parcel is inside this agency’s service area and note whether a city, state, fire marshal, septic authority, or utility district also has approval authority.
Prepare legible plans, site information, project valuation, ownership authorization, contractor information, and any energy, floodplain, zoning, or utility documentation the issuing office requires.
Keep the permit number, approved plan set, correction comments, fee receipts, and inspection results together. Those records establish the compliance trail for the next trade.
Application documents
Before submission, call 423-753-1753 (Zoning & Planning); 423-753-2062 (Chief Building Official Scott Chapman); 423-753-1852 (Planning Director Angie Charles); 423-753-1714 (Highway driveway permits) if the project involves a change of occupancy, structural alteration, accessory structure, demolition, or work near a regulated environmental feature.
Source trail
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
Washington County Zoning, Planning & Building Codes Office is the identified county-level authority for this profile. Confirm that the property is in its service area before filing.
Begin with the online permit gateway listed in the application guide. If the portal does not recognize the address or project type, contact 423-753-1753 (Zoning & Planning); 423-753-2062 (Chief Building Official Scott Chapman); 423-753-1852 (Planning Director Angie Charles); 423-753-1714 (Highway driveway permits).
Next-day inspection service is available for requests made before 3:00 p.m. the prior day; the county does not publish a general plan-review timeline.
Submit the application and required septic and driveway documentation; typical new residential construction does not require plans according to the county FAQ. All inspections must be scheduled by 3:00 p.m. the prior day by calling 423-753-1753; the county addendum says next-day site service is available when requested before 3:00 p.m. The applicant must call for required inspections and final approval, and permits become invalid if work does not start or inspections are not requested for 180 days.
Washington County adopted the 2018 International Residential Code for residential dwellings. The county zoning office also administers stormwater, floodplain, zoning, planning, and other building-code requirements; its public page does not identify a separate current commercial code edition. Permits are required for constructing buildings or structures, pools, decks, additions, renovations, manufactured housing, and grading. The county’s published materials do not list a broad cosmetic-repair exemption. Accessory structures and decks under 200 square feet use a residential zoning-compliance permit and fee rather than the full building-permit fee schedule; confirm whether a particular minor repair is exempt before work begins. Fencing is not regulated by Zoning & Building Codes according to the county FAQ.
What makes an application complete
Before you click submit, make sure the drawings agree with the site plan, project description, valuation, ownership authorization, and contractor information. If the work changes structure, occupancy, drainage, fire protection, energy performance, or utility demand, describe that scope plainly. Ambiguous narratives create correction cycles and delay the field schedule.
Save the confirmation number, payment receipt, uploaded plan set, and every correction comment. Those records are the backbone of a defensible compliance file when multiple trades or agencies share responsibility.
Submission quality check
Site: address, parcel, access, setbacks, and existing conditions are consistent.
Scope: structural, mechanical, plumbing, electrical, fire, and energy work is identified.
Closeout: inspection contacts and the final approval path are understood before work begins.