If you are considering opening a business within the city limits of Athens, please reach out to our office, the Athens Building Department, and/or the One Stop Shop Customer Relations Manager as your very first step. We will be more than happy to sit down with you and discuss any questions you may have about opening a business in Athens.

There are so many different things to consider when opening a business. Let us help you by giving you the information you need to make the best decisions for your business. Often times there are many things a building might need to meet code standards that you may not realize. Different business types and buildings require different code standards and applications. Some require much more extensive work and money and some not near as much. We want all businesses in Athens to succeed. If you have a desire to own or open a business here in Athens, please come to us first. If you start work on your business or building first, there could be penalties, fines, or you may find out there is much more required for your business type than you realized. Keeping your overhead cost down is paramount when opening a business. Please reach out to us, so we can help you prevent any costly mistakes or having to pay for required features late in the process.  

You can find our office hours and contact information on the right side of this page.
The Building Department office hours are M-F from 7:30am - 4pm daily   Phone: 256-233-8715
The One Stop Shop office hours are M-F 8am - 4:30pm daily  Phone: 256-262-1525