The 12 counties, and whether each one inspects
Alabama lets each county decide whether to adopt a building code for its unincorporated areas. Each stamp below is what that county's own official site said on the date shown. A stamp that says "confirm with the county" means exactly that: the county lists no building department, and nobody here has upgraded that into a promise.
Source: Code of Alabama section 34-14A-12, as published by the Home Builders Licensure Board, read 2026-09-05.
| County | County seat | Permit status | Who to call |
|---|---|---|---|
| Madison County | Huntsville | County permit required, per the county’s inspection pages, 2026-09-05 | Madison County Building Inspection Department |
| Limestone County | Athens | Permit status not confirmed. Ask the county before you build | Limestone County Engineering Department |
| Morgan County | Decatur | No building department listed on the county site, 2026-09-05. Confirm with the county | Morgan County Engineer’s Office, 256-773-5297 |
| Lawrence County | Moulton | Permit status not confirmed. Ask the county before you build | Lawrence County Engineer, 256-974-2478 |
| Marshall County | Guntersville | Permit status not confirmed. Ask the county before you build | Marshall County License Inspection, 256-571-7801 |
| Jackson County | Scottsboro | No county building permit outside city limits, verified at the county 2026-09-05 | Jackson County Commission, 256-574-9280 |
| DeKalb County | Fort Payne | No building department listed on the county site, 2026-09-05. Confirm with the county | DeKalb County Engineering, 256-845-8584 |
| Cullman County | Cullman | No building department listed on the county site, 2026-09-05. Confirm with the county | Cullman County Road Department, 256-796-2266 |
| Blount County | Oneonta | No building department listed on the county site, 2026-09-05. Confirm with the county | Blount County Commission, 205-973-0285 |
| Etowah County | Gadsden | No building department listed on the county site, 2026-09-05. Confirm with the county | Etowah County Engineering Department, 256-549-1444 |
| Cherokee County | Centre | No county building permit outside city limits, verified at the county 2026-09-05 | Cherokee County Probate Office (contractor licensing), 256-927-3363 |
| St. Clair County | Ashville and Pell City | No building department listed on the county site, 2026-09-05. Confirm with the county | St. Clair County Engineer |
Inside city limits the city's own building department applies, whatever the county does. Huntsville, Madison, Athens, Decatur, Hartselle, Guntersville, Albertville, Boaz, Arab, Scottsboro, Fort Payne, Cullman, Oneonta, Gadsden, Centre, Pell City, Moody and Springville all run their own.
Building in one of these counties?
Your request goes to a licensed local barndominium builder serving North Alabama, not a national lead list. Free. No obligation. No fee to you at any point.
Last reviewed 2026-09-06.