Building & Inspections

Considerations

• Will the project be located in the city limits or the police jurisdiction?
• Will the project be located in the historic district and or the fire zone?
• Will one or more the following need to review and approve?
  • Planning - All permits require planning’s approval
  • Fire Rescue Service - All new construction, alterations, additions and change of occupancy
  • Office of the City Engineer - If the project is in the city limits and dirt is being moved, all new construction, additions, driveways and parking lots. Additionally, site stabilization plans/BMP plans are required for all development within the drainage basin of Lake Tuscaloosa, Harris Lake, and Lake Nicol. When a Land Development Permit (LDP) is required, a siltation and storm drainage bond is required.
  • Health Department - Projects not on city sewer, restaurants and anywhere that serves or prepares food, daycares and schools
  • State Building Commission:
    • All state buildings and construction erected or acquired by or in the behalf of the state  of any of its agencies or instrumentalities
    • All public schools or related structures erected or acquired
    • All private schools and structures erected or acquired for the congregation of twenty-five or more persons for the purpose of instruction
    • Any hotel, public inn or lodging house of 15 or more bedrooms in which transient guest are lodged for pay
    • Any motion picture theater with paid admission, all buildings built with public money
      * Elevators are reviewed by Dept. of Labor, Elevator and Boiler Inspection Division.
  • Historic Preservation Commission - All projects that are located in the locally designated historic districts
  • Wastewater:
    • Any establishment in the city limits or on city sewer that serves food
    • Demolition of any structure
• Will the project require that a tapping fee be paid?
  If the project is not in the city limits, but will be connected to the city sewer, call 205-248-5900 to find out if a tapping fee will be required and if so how much the fee will be.

Need to know

• A city general contractor’s license number is required on all applications unless the contractor qualifies for an exception. 
• Any project valued at $50,000 or more will require a state general contractor’s license unless the contractor qualifies for an exception.
  Note: Any swimming pool valued at $5,000 or more will require a state general contractor’s license.
• Sub-contractors will have to meet the same license requirements as the general contractor in addition to any specialty license such as electrical, plumbing, gas, mechanical etc.
• Plans that have been sealed by the appropriate discipline as required by Alabama law that is registered in Alabama are required if the project is in any of the following categories. (Plan review averages seven to fourteen days):
  • Over 2500 square feet
  • Assembly
  • Educational
  • Institutional
  • Hazardous
  • Structures three stories or more in height
  • Pre-engineered buildings and their foundations
• Plans may be submitted electronically (PDF files only, no ZIPs) to planreview@tuscaloosa.com.
  
  Small plans may be submitted directly via email, however, larger plans will be delivered through your company DropBox and sending a link to the plan files at planreview@tuscaloosa.com. You will be notified when we receive and download your plans. The plans will be distributed to those in charge of reviewing the various disciplines included in the project. As the review proceeds you will be notified of discrepancies and/or approvals via email. Note: Permit applications are required to be submitted with your plans, including the name of the project, project address, owner name and estimated construction cost. Projects can not be put into our system without this information.
  
  Other methods to submit plans for review include:
  
  1. Bring a thumb drive (preferred) containing PDFs of the plans. These can be dropped off at the Permit Administrators desk or through the 1st lane of the water payment drive-through.
  
  2. 3 sets of paper plans can be dropped off or mailed as we currently receive plans.
  
  Please note that you will still be required to submit plans to the Office of the City Engineer (OCE) for your Land Development Permits (LDPs) and the Alabama Department of Public Health for their review if required. For questions about this process, call 205-248-5110.