Chattanooga, TN Environmental Rules: Erosion Control (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit
- required for all grading
- Fee
- $250/acre or part thereof
- Simple residential
- $250 minimum fee
- 1+ acre
- also needs state NPDES permit
- Issued by
- Land Development Office
Summary
Any grading, excavating, or filling in Chattanooga needs a City land disturbing permit before work starts, kept on-site for inspection, with fees starting at $250 per acre.
No Land Disturbing Activity or associated activity in this Article, whether temporary or permanent, shall be conducted within the City of Chattanooga until a land disturbing permit has been issued by the City. Such permit shall be available for inspection by the City on the job site at all times during which land disturbing activities are in progress. Such permit shall be required in addition to any building permit or other permit required upon the site.
Each application for the issuance of a land disturbing permit under this article shall be accompanied by a nonrefundable permit fee subject to the following fee schedule:
Permit Fee Simple residential $250 min. (up to 1 acre disturbed area) Complex $250 per acre or part thereof Revision after second review (each) $1,000 Post-issued revision (each) $1,000 Variance or Infeasibility Request $1,375 Bonds/Letter of credit (each) $675 Driveway Tile/Culvert Sized by City (each) $500 As-Built Survey/Certification Review (each) $675 Grading only $250 per acre or part thereof Timber Removal Permit $250 per acre or part thereof Tree Ordinance (each) $500
(Ord. No. 12900, § 1, 2-3-15; Ord. No. 13251, § 1, 11-28-17; Ord. No. 13334, § 30, 7-3-18; Ord. No. 13473, § 30, 6-25-19; Ord. No. 13558, § 30, 6-23-20; Ord. No. 13710, § 30, 9-28-21; Ord. No. 13840, § 30, 6-14-22Ord. No. 14118, § 29, 6-18-24; Ord. No. 14239, § 29, 6-10-25)
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 40 Update 1).
Full Breakdown
Chattanooga requires a Land Disturbing Permit for grading, filling, or any other land disturbance anywhere in the city, on top of any building permit, per Sec. 31-322; the permit must stay on the job site for the length of the work. The Land Development Office charges $250 minimum for simple residential jobs up to an acre, $250 per acre or part of an acre for complex or grading-only permits, plus separate fees for plan revisions, bonds, and City-sized driveway culverts. Disturbing one acre or more also triggers Tennessee's General NPDES Construction Stormwater Permit, with a copy of the Notice of Intent sent to the City.
Violations & Fines
Grading without a permit violates Sec. 31-322; the City's general penalty under Sec. 1-8 runs up to $500 per day, with each day of unpermitted work counted as a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit just to grade a lot before building in Chattanooga?
What does a Chattanooga grading permit cost?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Chattanooga
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