Do I need a permit to remodel in Auburn or Opelika?

• Room additions, garages, sunrooms and second stories
• Removing or moving walls, especially load-bearing walls
• New or relocated plumbing (moving a sink, toilet or shower drain)
• New electrical circuits, panels or rewiring
• HVAC installation or changes
• Decks, and in Auburn also roofing, siding and window replacement
• Converting a garage or attic into living space

When in doubt, ask. The cities publish their rules, and a good contractor will tell you on the walkthrough.

• Interior and exterior painting
• Flooring, carpet and trim
• Cabinet painting or refacing
• Like-for-like fixture and faucet swaps, minor repairs
• Countertop replacement with no plumbing changes

Auburn Inspection Services (171 N. Ross St., 334-501-3170) handles residential permits and inspections. Applications go through the Auburn permit portal or by email to plans@auburnal.gov, and the City publishes a Residential Remodel/Alteration permit application. Only minor repairs are exempt; additions, alterations and new plumbing, electrical or mechanical work need permits.

Opelika's Building Inspection Division (Public Works, 710 Fox Trail, 334-705-5420) requires plans and a building permit for construction, plus separate electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits. Residential plan review typically takes 3–4 business days, the permit card must be posted on site, and inspections use a red-tag/green-tag system. Opelika uses the 2021 International Building Code.

Outside city limits, Lee County's Building Inspection department handles permits. Smiths Station and other incorporated towns may have their own process, so confirm which office covers your address before work starts.

Exterior changes in Opelika's Northside, Downtown and Geneva Street historic districts, and in Auburn's North College Historic District, need a Certificate of Appropriateness in addition to any building permit. Separately, most subdivisions have HOA architectural review for exterior colors, additions and fences. An HOA approval is not a permit, and a permit is not an HOA approval: you usually need both.

• Insurance may deny claims tied to unpermitted work.
• Buyers' inspectors and appraisers flag it at sale time, and you may have to open walls to prove it was done right.
• Inspections protect you: they catch wiring, plumbing and structural mistakes before they're buried.
• A contractor who suggests skipping the permit on work that needs one is telling you something about how they work.