Dothan, AL Building Safety: Building Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- City Code § 14-3(a)
- Administering official
- Building official, Planning & Development
- Activities requiring permits
- Listed in § 14-5
- No-permit penalty
- Up to double fee or $500, § 14-14(a)
- Occupancy without CO
- Unlawful, misdemeanor, § 14-3(b)/14-14(b)
Summary
In the City of Dothan it is unlawful to construct, erect, demolish, alter, repair, or move any structure, or to do land-disturbance, plumbing, electrical, heating, or air-conditioning work, without first notifying the building official, who decides whether a permit is required.
It shall be unlawful to construct, erect, or otherwise place any structure, demolish, alter, repair or move any structure or part thereof, or perform any land disturbance plumbing, electrical, heating or air conditioning work in the city without first notifying the building official, who will determine whether a permit for such activity is required in accordance with this chapter.
Full Breakdown
City Code § 14-3(a) makes it unlawful to construct, erect, or otherwise place any structure, demolish, alter, repair or move any structure or part of one, or perform land disturbance, plumbing, electrical, heating, or air conditioning work in the city without first notifying the building official, who then determines whether a permit is required. Section 14-2 places the building official, under the director of the planning and development department, in charge of administering and enforcing the chapter, with authority to suspend inspections, refuse a certificate of occupancy, or issue a stop-work order at a site if a violation is found.
Section 14-3(b) requires a certificate of occupancy before a completed building or structure can be used or occupied, issued only after inspection confirms the work complies with the chapter, and a conditional certificate can be issued under § 14-3(c) for non-life-safety items still pending completion. Section 14-5 lists the specific activities that trigger a permit requirement, including new construction, accessory structures, plumbing and electrical trades, curb cuts, fences, land disturbance, manufactured housing placement, roofing, signs, and swimming pools, with fees set by the valuation-based schedule in §§ 14-6 through 14-10.
Churches receive a fee exemption on the first $15,000 of value under § 14-11, and the city manager can waive fees for governmental-interest or disaster-recovery projects under § 14-13.
Violations & Fines
Working without a required permit is penalized under § 14-14(a): the lesser of $500.00 or double the permit fee for the first two offenses in a 12-month period, and the greater of double the fee or $500.00 for a third or subsequent offense in any later 12-month period, added to the actual permit cost. Occupying a building without a required certificate of occupancy, or any other violation of the chapter, is a misdemeanor under § 14-14(b), with each day of continued violation a separate offense punished per § 1-4.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Sources & Official References
Other rules in Dothan
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