Building Department
Crossroads of North Alabama

Building Department

In Priceville, we believe that building your home or business should be as simple a process as possible. Below are the links to the City of Priceville Building Permit, Gas Permit, Sewer Permit and Business License applications. If you have any questions or need an inspection call the Municipal Building at (256) 355-5476, ext. 0 during normal business hours.

Building Inspector Paul “Chip” Spicer
Priceville Municipal Building (256) 355-5476, ext. 0.

Building Permit Application Schedule
Applications for the Priceville City Limits and Police Jurisdiction may be obtained at the Municipal Building Monday through Friday, 9 A.M. to 4 P.M.

Fill in both sides of the application. For the city limits, show property boundary lines, distance from the structures in the front, rear and side yards, and show all structures currently on the property on the back of the application. In all permits for an addition, show the current structure and the dimensions of the addition.

A site plan shall be prepared by a licensed surveyor or registered professional engineer for all one- and two-family dwellings in R-2 and R-3 Residential Districts, except for dwellings in the A-1, A-1-R or R-1 Districts. All commercial and public-use structures must have a professionally prepared site plan submitted to the Priceville Planning Commission prior to a building/zoning permit being issued.

The Building Inspector and Zoning Officer must approve all applications and blueprints before work begins. No zoning permit, building permit or certificate of occupancy shall be issued without his or her written approval.

Zoning Regulations apply to the Priceville City Limits, but are not applicable to the Police Jurisdiction.

Residential permit fees are $7 per $1,000 market value of construction on all such improvements made within the corporate limits of the City of Priceville. Commercial permit fees are $10 per $1,000 market value of construction on all such improvements made within the corporate limits of the City of Priceville. No cost shall be required for any construction or improvements not exceeding $1,000 in value although an approved permit is required to determine if inspections are applicable. Construction within the Police Jurisdiction is one-half of the above rate.

Southern Building Code Regulation requires a blueprint review on new homes and businesses. A $12.50 inspection fee is also applicable.

Permits not obtained before work begins shall be double the required permit fees. (Southern Building Code Regulation)

Sewer and Natural Gas Permits must be applied for and purchased separately, but at the same time of the original permit.  Click here to go to our Priceville Sewer Facilities Guidelines .

Any persons failing to comply with the above regulations shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon conviction, shall be fined $100 for each day the violation continues. (City Ordinance #1975-6 and #1988-3)

All contractors and subcontractors must purchase a Privilege License before doing work in the City of Priceville or in the Police Jurisdiction. Work will stop immediately if a license is not purchased. A Certificate of Occupancy will not be issued until all subs have a current license.

Gas Installation Requirements
Gas piping shall be installed per the 1994 Standard Gas Code, including 1996 revisions.

Subsection 105.6 entitled “Required Inspections-Gas” shall be amended to read as follows: One inspection will be required. A rough piping inspection shall be made after all new piping authorized by the permit has been installed, and before any such piping has been covered or concealed or any fixtures or gas appliances have been connected. This inspection shall include a pressure test.

Subsection 311.2 entitled “Method of Testing” shall be amended to read as follows: Gas piping shall withstand a pressure of at least 15 psi for a period of not less than 15 minutes without showing any drop in pressure. The test pressure shall never be less than twice the maximum pressure to which the piping will be subjected in operation.

Copper tubing will be allowed per the Standard Gas Code, but the Inspection Official will have the authority to determine if outside and above ground tubing is adequately protected from damage, such as lawn mowers, people, traffic, etc. The tubing is required to be adequately sleeved with sunlight resistant schedule 40 PVC or metallic pipe.

Consumer piping shall be brought to within eighteen (18) inches of the meter location.
After the above specifications are met and approved the Building Inspector must notify Wheeler Basin Natural Gas of such approval before any meters are unlocked.

Permit fees adopted by Ordinance 1997-04:
150,000 BTU or less BTU – $10
150,001 BTU to 250,000 BTU – $15
250,001 BTU to 500,000 BTU – $20
500,001 BTU to 1,000,000 BTU – $25
1,000,001 BTU to 1,500,00 BTU – $50
1,500,001 BTU and over – $75
For repair work/alterations/additions – $10
Gas piping only – $10
Where re-inspection is required charges are $50.