Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Town of Dandridge, Tennessee

Town of Dandridge’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Structures inside Dandridge town that require inspections

  • Fee doubled if work starts before the permit is obtained (§ 12-104(2))
  • Plan review fee of one-half the permit fee when plans are required to be reviewed (§ 12-103)

  “a building permit is required on all structures that require inspections.”

• Building code adoptedAdopted

  Construction inside Dandridge town: IBC for buildings other than one- and two-family dwellings; IRC for detached one- and two-family dwellings and townhouses

  • 2012 editions per MTAS-hosted code (prepared June 2019); later amendments may not be reflected
  • IBC appendices B, C, E, F, I and J included; local amendments in § 12-102

  IBC edition: 2012 · IRC edition: 2012

  “the international building code,2 2012 edition with appendices b, c, e, f, i, and j as prepared and adopted by the international code council, is hereby adopted and incorporated”

• Local zoningPresent

  Land inside the Town of Dandridge limits (Jefferson County, TN)

  • The zoning ordinance itself (Ord. 03/04-05 and amendments) is published as a separate document of record with the town recorder; its text was not opened.

  “land use within the town of dandridge shall be governed by ordinance titled "zoning ordinance, dandridge, tennessee," and any amendments thereto.”

• Mandatory utility hookupSewer (with conditions)

  Buildings used for human occupancy inside Dandridge town where a public sewer is available

  • Applies only if the public sewer is within 100 feet of the property line
  • Connection due within 90 days after official notice
  • Separate 180-day rule: owners who fail to connect within 180 days of the sewer line operating are charged the normal sewer charge monthly

  distance to public sewer: <= 100 feet · connection deadline after notice: 90 days

  “within ninety (90) days after date of official notice to do so, provided that said public sewer is within one hundred (100) feet (30.5 meters) of the property line.”

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  Building permits inside Dandridge town

  • Fee schedule is by total valuation; minimum $15.00 for $1,000 or less
  • Plan review fee is one-half of the permit fee
  • Fees doubled if work begins before the permit
  • Based on the MTAS-hosted code prepared June 2019; later fee changes may exist

  fee, $1,000 to $50,000 valuation: $15.00 for first $1,000 plus $5.00 per additional thousand

  “$1,000 to $50,000 $15.00 for the first $1,000.00 plus $5.00 for each additional thousand or fraction thereof, to and including $50,000.00.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Town of Dandridge or Jefferson County directly.

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builders inside Dandridge town
• Inspections — Inspections of construction inside Dandridge town
• Certificate of occupancy — Occupancy of new buildings inside Dandridge town
• Zoning districts — Zoning districts inside Dandridge town
• Minimum dwelling size — Main residential district inside Dandridge town

Each answer was extracted from an official source and independently re-checked against that source by a second reviewer. That is an evidence check, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with the authority before you buy or build.