Building permits and zoning in Huntsville

Last checked Oct. 17, 2026. Facts on this page come from the City of Huntsville’s building license and permits, permit costs, ePlans Review, inspection, zoning, rezoning and Planning Commission pages.

Building in Huntsville runs through two City Hall offices at 305 Fountain Circle: the Planning Department, which handles zoning, rezoning and subdivisions, and the Inspection Department, which issues building permits and sends inspectors. Projects that need a plan review are filed online through ePlans Review, and zoning approval is the first step for most permits.

Who to call

• Inspection Department (building permits, inspections): 256-427-5331, 305 Fountain Circle; 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays. Inspectors take calls 7:30 to 8:15 a.m. and 3:30 to 4:30 p.m.
• Planning and Zoning (zoning checks, rezoning, variances, pre-application meetings): 256-427-5100, City Hall, fourth floor; 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays
• GIS maps: 256-427-5166
• Business licenses: the city’s business license page

Step by step

1. Check zoning. Zoning Administration reviews most building applications before anything else. Even a residential job with no plan review may need its sign-off; call 256-427-5100 to find out.
2. Commercial projects: the city recommends a pre-application meeting with Planning or Zoning, also at 256-427-5100.
3. Get a business license if you are a contractor working in the city, and list your subcontractors on the city’s Schedule C form.
4. Submit plans through ePlans Review. Every file must be a PDF, no larger than 50 megabytes. Once a residential permit is approved, it must be picked up in person.
5. Check the flood map. Building permits and most trade permits need a Flood Development Permit first. Projects in a FEMA special flood hazard area must be filed in person. Look up your lot on the city’s GIS maps.
6. Schedule inspections through the city’s online inspection and permitting system.

What a homeowner needs

For a new one- or two-family home or an addition in an approved subdivision, the city asks for:

• A site plan drawn to scale, showing the house on the lot with measurements and easements
• Plans with elevations, foundation and floor plans
• A completed building permit application
• A Board of Zoning Adjustment approval letter, if the project needed a variance

Lots in the 100-year flood fringe, the slope development district or a historic district may need more. A permit can be bought by a homebuilder licensed in Huntsville, or by the owner if the owner will live in the house for at least a year after the permits are closed; owners must show a recorded deed. The city says acting as your own contractor is not recommended.

Minor repairs that need no plan review can get a walk-in permit with the city’s building permit application. Most electrical, plumbing, mechanical and gas permits, and some roofing and siding permits, are bought online by the licensed trade contractor.

What a permit costs

The city’s permit cost formula:

A $40,000 remodel, for example, works out to a $220 building permit under that formula. Trade work is permitted separately by the contractor doing it.

Zoning, rezoning and variances

• Rezoning needs approval from both the Planning Commission and the City Council. Call Planning first to confirm the property is eligible, then file the rezoning application with original signatures, a recorded deed and a legal description. Filing deadlines are on the city’s 2026 rezoning and PUD calendar.
• Variances and special exceptions go to the Board of Zoning Adjustment, appointed by the mayor, which meets at 6 p.m. on the third Tuesday of each month in the Engineering Conference Room, 320 Fountain Circle. Its next meeting is Tuesday, Oct. 20.
• The full rulebook is the city’s zoning ordinance.
• Short-term rentals need their own city permit.

Planning Commission meetings

The Huntsville Planning Commission advises the mayor and City Council on growth and development. It meets at 5 p.m. on the fourth Tuesday of each month in the second-floor chamber at City Hall, which puts the next meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 27, unless the city says otherwise. Its Zoning and Subdivision committees meet monthly; agendas are posted at least 24 hours ahead on the Planning Commission page and in the agenda archive.

What this means for you

• Call Zoning at 256-427-5100 before you buy materials; most permits start there.
• Check the flood map first: a Flood Development Permit comes before the building permit.
• Watch the Planning Commission agenda for rezonings near you.

More guides: property taxes, home prices and who to call at City Hall.

Frequently asked questions

How do I get a building permit in Huntsville?

Projects that need a plan review are submitted online through the city’s ePlans Review portal as PDF files. Zoning approval usually comes first. Call the Inspection Department at 256-427-5331 or Zoning at 256-427-5100.

How much is a building permit in Huntsville?

For a new single-family home, the city multiplies heated square feet by $15 and unheated square feet by $7.50, adds them and multiplies by 0.0055. Other permits are the total contract price times 0.0055.

Can a homeowner pull a building permit in Huntsville?

Yes, if the owner will live in the house for at least one year after the permits are closed. The owner must show a copy of the recorded deed. The city says acting as your own contractor is not recommended.

When does the Huntsville Planning Commission meet?

At 5 p.m. on the fourth Tuesday of each month in the second-floor chamber at City Hall, 305 Fountain Circle. Agendas are posted at least 24 hours ahead.

How do I get a zoning variance in Huntsville?

Apply through the Zoning office. Variances and special exceptions go to the Board of Zoning Adjustment, which meets at 6 p.m. on the third Tuesday of each month at 320 Fountain Circle.