East RidgeTennessee

Building and Codes

Planning a project?

Check permit requirements, apply online and find zoning rules for your property.

(423) 867-7711
City Hall, 1517 Tombras Avenue
Monday–Friday, 8 a.m.–4:30 p.m.

East Ridge Building and Codes staff
Your Building and Codes team

Find your next step

What are you working on?

Before you begin

Choose your project or read the complete permit guidance below. For a property-specific question, call Building and Codes.

Open permit applications
All permit requirements

Work that needs a permit

  • New construction of a building or structure
  • Alterations, repairs, or additions to an existing building or structure
  • Exterior remodels, alterations, or repairs
  • Moving or relocating an existing building
  • Demolition, interior or a complete building
  • Fences over 7 feet high, or fences built of concrete or masonry
  • Retaining walls. A retaining wall four feet or higher needs an engineer's stamped drawing
  • Decks
  • Swimming pools, including above-ground units two feet deep or more

Work that does not need a permit

  • Cosmetic work on an existing building such as paint, wallpaper, and carpeting
  • An exterior storage building under 120 square feet

Electrical, mechanical, and plumbing permits have to be pulled by a contractor licensed in the State of Tennessee. If the right permits are not pulled, the department issues a stop work order.

Apply Online

Permit applications, inspection requests, and code enforcement complaints are submitted online.

Apply for a permit

Permits handled online

  • Building
  • Demolition
  • Electrical
  • Fire prevention
  • Gas
  • Mechanical
  • Plat submittal
  • Plumbing
  • Rezone application
  • Short-term vacation rental
  • Sign
  • Street cut
  • Tree cutting
  • Use on review
  • Variance request
  • Yard sale
  • Zoning appeals
  • Zoning verification

Zoning

Find your zoning rules

The City has 18 zoning districts. Find your district below to read its rules and download the original ordinance.

Agricultural
Residential
Commercial
Office and Institutional
Industrial
Overlay

Inspections

The City requires building, electrical, plumbing, mechanical, gas, street cut, storm water, sign, house moving, and demolition permits. Each one carries inspections that continue until the work is done, ending in a final inspection. The Chief Building Official answers questions from residents and business owners about residential and commercial work.

Other standards

Code Enforcement

Reports and complaints arrive daily. Each one is investigated, evaluated, and prioritized so that critical issues are handled immediately and less severe ones in turn.

The Code Enforcement team works under the Chief Building Official and includes one full-time Residential Inspector and two full-time Code Enforcement Officers. They enforce the City's municipal codes and the adopted International Property Maintenance Code.

What happens after a report

  1. A report or complaint is filed with the department.
  2. An officer performs an initial drive-by site inspection and may photograph the violation.
  3. If the property is in violation, a citation goes to the owner or tenant.
  4. The owner or tenant contacts the officer who issued it and a compliance date is set for cleanup.
  5. If the violation is not corrected by that date, the owner or tenant is summoned before the City's Administrative Hearing Officer on the date listed in the citation.

Staff

Michael Howell

Chief Building Official

Melissa Mahoney

Administrative Assistant

Torrey Holder

Residential Building Inspector

Michael Pettyjohn

Code Enforcement Officer

Jeremy Hicks

Code Enforcement Officer