Permits Required Before Rebuilding

If your home was damaged by Tropical Storm Helene, contact your community's local building and permitting departments before starting demolition and repairs.

Rebuilding After a Storm

For demolishing and rebuilding, every part of a home or building - for example roofs, walls, siding, plumbing, septic, and heating/air conditioning systems - may require a permit. Find out what your community requires before you begin.

Permits protect owners, residents, communities and buildings by making sure repairs and/or construction meet current building codes, standards, floodplain ordinances and construction techniques. Permits also provide a permanent record of compliance with elevation and/or retrofitting requirements, which is valuable information when selling the structure or buying flood insurance coverage. Not all counties have building permits, but if counties participate in the National Flood Insurance Program, they will have floodplain ordinances that must be met.

Rebuilding in a Special Flood Hazard Area

First, find out if you're in a floodplain check with your local floodplain administrator or use the map tool at Flood Maps | FEMA.gov. If your home or business is located in a Special Flood Hazard Area, you are required to get a floodplain development permit. Building permits are based on current local codes, floodplain management ordinances, and the Tennessee Building Codes that are enforced locally, not by FEMA.

Contact your community's building department to find information on permitting and locally approved and licensed contractors. They can provide suggestions on consumer protection against dishonest contractors, as well as how to protect your home or business from future disaster-related damage.

Be Aware

If you do not get the proper permits, you will be subject to stop-work orders, fines or penalties. Some communities will waive permit fees but the requirement to have a permit itself cannot be waived.

FEMA does not recommend or endorse contractors, and you should be wary of contractors who claim they are authorized by FEMA. Verify Your Contractor's License.