Issuance of permits and certificates of occupancy.
Huntsville Code of Ordinances § 7-61
in effectSec. 7-61. - Issuance of permits and certificates of occupancy.
(a) Any owner, authorized agent or contractor who desires to construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move, demolish or change the occupancy of a building or structure, or to erect, install, enlarge, alter, repair, remove, convert or replace any electrical, gas, mechanical or plumbing system, the installation of which is regulated by the technical codes, or to cause any such work to be done, shall first make application to the building official and obtain the required permit for the work, except permits shall not be required for the following work:
(1) Any portable heating appliance;
(2) Any portable ventilation equipment;
(3) Any portable cooling unit;
(4) Any steam, hot or chilled water piping within any heating or cooling equipment regulated by this chapter;
(5) Replacement of any part which does not alter its approval or make it unsafe;
(6) Any portable evaporative cooler; or
(7) Any self-contained refrigeration system containing ten pounds (4.54 kg) or less of refrigerant and actuated by motors of one horsepower (746 W) or less;
(8) Floor covering;
(9) Painting and wallpapering;
(10) Fencing;
(11) Retaining walls retaining less than four feet of earth;
(12) Swimming pools with less than 18 inches of water.
No person, firm or corporation shall erect, construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move, remove, convert or demolish any building or structure, or cause such work to be done when the reasonable cost of the material and labor for such work is in excess of $250.00 or if structural work is involved in any amount, without first obtaining a permit for such building or structure from the building official.
(b) No building permit shall be issued where sanitary sewer service is not available to the building being constructed, erected, remodeled or repaired without the written approval of the county health officer.
(c) No certificate of occupancy shall be issued until all required inspections (and septic tank if required), are approved and recorded.
(d) No building permit shall be issued to any person for the construction, erection, remodeling or repair of any building within the city except the bona fide owner of the land on which the building is to be constructed, erected, remodeled or repaired, or to a duly licensed contractor. The director of the inspection department may require such proof as may be necessary to ensure that such building, upon completion, shall be used for the use of the owner.
(e) Any permit issued shall become invalid unless the work authorized by it shall have been commenced within six months after its issuance, or if the work authorized by such permit is suspended or abandoned for a period of six months after the time the work is commenced; provided, that for cause, one or more extensions of time, for periods not exceeding 90 days each, may be allowed, in writing, by the director of the inspection department. When mandated by an official housing notice from the Huntsville Community Development Department, work must be started and completed by the time the department's "official notice" sets forth.
(f) If any person commences work in or on a building or structure before obtaining the necessary permits from the inspection department, the permit fee may be doubled.
(Ord. No. 98-629, § A(7-9), 9-10-1998; Ord. No. 05-80, § A, 3-10-2005)
Source: City of Huntsville, Alabama, publisher code (Municode) + enacted ordinances (City Council/Legistar)URL: https://library.municode.com/al/huntsville/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=COOR_CH7BUBURE_ARTIIADEN_DIV2PECEOCIN_S7-61ISPECEOCFetched: 11/6/2026