Tennessee Radon Authority
Updated October 17, 2026
Illustration of soil gas moving beneath a foothills home into the foundation and through a vent stack
Claiborne County radon

Claiborne County, TN radon High potential. No construction mandate.

Claiborne County sits in EPA Radon Zone 1, yet no local jurisdiction identified in this review requires radon-resistant new construction. For buyers and owners, a test is the missing layer.

Research checked October 16, 2026Claiborne County, Tennessee

Radon in Claiborne County, Tennessee: quick answers

EPA zone: Zone 1Region: East TennesseeState test data: State test figures couldn't be confirmed, so they aren't shown

Is radon a problem in Claiborne County, Tennessee?

Yes, it can be. Claiborne County is in EPA Zone 1, the highest radon-potential category, where the predicted average indoor screening level is above 4 pCi/L. Levels vary from house to house, so a test is the only way to know your home's level.

Do new homes in Claiborne County, TN have to be built radon-resistant?

No. None of the reviewed jurisdictions (the unincorporated county, Harrogate, Tazewell, New Tazewell) requires the radon appendix. Local code details

How do I test my home for radon in Claiborne County?

Order a free short-term kit from the Tennessee Radon Program online or by calling 1-800-232-1139. Place it on the lowest lived-in floor, about 3 feet off the floor, for 3 to 5 days, then mail it back right away. How to test your home

What radon level means I should fix my home?

EPA recommends fixing your home if radon is 4 pCi/L or higher, and considering a fix between 2 and 4 pCi/L. Confirm a high short-term result with a second test first. What your result means

Who can test or fix radon in Claiborne County?

Tennessee doesn't license radon professionals, so look for NRPP or NRSB certification. Search both national directories by ZIP code; certified professionals often serve Claiborne County from nearby cities. How to choose a radon professional

The county’s radon gap is structural.

Unincorporated Claiborne County is not under the State Fire Marshal’s residential permit program. Harrogate and Tazewell use the 2018 IRC; New Tazewell’s published code uses the 2006 IRC. None of the published local records reviewed adopts the IRC radon appendix.1234

Zone 1EPA’s highest-potential radon designation.5
0Certified measurement professionals listed as based in the county on October 16, 2026.78
4Local jurisdictions reviewed; none had a confirmed radon-construction mandate.
01 / BUILDING CODES

Radon-resistant construction is optional countywide.

The code path changes at city lines, but the result does not: no reviewed jurisdiction requires the radon appendix.

Jurisdiction
IRC edition
Radon appendix
What the record shows
Unincorporated countyNone confirmedNot applicableClaiborne County is absent from the SFMO list of places requiring state residential permits. County permits exist, but no residential code edition was stated.19
Harrogate2018 IRC*No appendix listedThe published Title 12 labels the code as the 2018 IRC and lists no IRC appendices. *Its cited ordinance history predates the 2018 edition, so the adopting authority and effective date need confirmation.2
Tazewell2018 IRCAppendix Q onlyOrdinance #332 (July 2020) adopts Appendix Q for tiny houses, not Appendix F for radon control.3
New Tazewell2006 IRC*Appendix G onlyThe published municipal code adds Appendix G for swimming pools, not Appendix F. *The code’s currentness was not independently confirmed.410
What “optional” means: a builder may still install a passive radon system, but the code records reviewed do not require one. Ask what was installed, inspect it and test after occupancy.
02 / RISK & DATA

The designation is clear. The county statistics are not.

EPA places Claiborne County in Zone 1, defined as the highest-potential category. The Tennessee dashboard could not supply a dependable county-level average in this review.

EPA radon zone
1

Predicted average indoor screening level above 4 pCi/L.5

Why no county average appears here

The Tennessee Radon Testing dashboard tooltip labeled “County: Claiborne” twice displayed a blank average, a median of 0.3 and a maximum of 10.6 pCi/L. Those values are withheld because the same session produced an impossible neighboring-county average greater than its maximum and repeated mis-hovers.

The dashboard’s lower charts aggregate by health region, not county, and selecting Claiborne did not change them. “Sparse or unreadable data” is not evidence of low radon.6

How do I find a certified radon professional in Claiborne County?

Tennessee doesn't license radon testers or mitigators, so national certification is the best way to check qualifications. The Tennessee Radon Program points residents to two directories: search them by ZIP code and widen the radius if nothing is listed nearby.

Search NRPPSearch NRSB

We don't recommend or rank companies. Before you hire, check the certification number in the directory yourself and ask for a follow-up test after any system is installed. Questions to ask a radon professional.

03 / BUYER GUIDE

Make testing part of the transaction—not an afterthought.

Tennessee’s seller disclosure asks about known radon, but it does not require a seller to test. Buyers should create their own evidence.11

Add a radon contingency

Put testing into the inspection window so the result can inform negotiation, mitigation or a decision to walk away.

Test new construction too

Do not treat a new certificate or city permit as proof of radon protection. None of the reviewed jurisdictions mandates the radon appendix.

Ask for system details

If a passive vent is present, identify the collection point, pipe route and roof termination. A system still needs a post-occupancy test.

Use the state kit option

TDEC offers Tennessee residents a free test-kit request route. Follow the kit instructions closely, then retest after any mitigation.12

04 / FAQ

Claiborne County radon questions

Is Claiborne County in a high radon zone?

Yes. Claiborne County is EPA Radon Zone 1, the highest-potential category. A zone predicts potential; only a test measures a particular home.

Does local code require a radon system in a new home?

No confirmed local mandate was found. Unincorporated Claiborne County is outside state residential enforcement, while the published city code records do not adopt the IRC radon appendix.

Are sellers required to test before a sale?

No. Tennessee’s disclosure form asks about known environmental hazards including radon, but sellers are not required to generate a radon result. The form advises buyers to consider a radon inspection contingency.

What were Claiborne County’s dashboard readings?

The tooltip showed a blank average, 0.3 median and 10.6 maximum twice, but those values are not published here as verified statistics because the session also produced mis-hovers and an impossible neighboring-county result.

05 / SOURCES

Primary records and directories

Research was checked on October 16, 2026. “Verified live” denotes material read in a live browser during the research pass; other sources were available through indexed or fetched pages.

  1. Tennessee SFMO — where a state residential permit is required (verified live)
  2. Harrogate municipal code, Title 12
  3. Tazewell municipal code, Title 12
  4. New Tazewell municipal code, Title 12
  5. EPA Map of Radon Zones
  6. Tennessee Radon Testing dashboard (verified live)
  7. NRPP professional directory (verified live)
  8. NRSB professional directory (verified live)
  9. Claiborne County building permits
  10. New Tazewell Building & Codes Department
  11. TAR Residential Property Condition Disclosure RF 201
  12. TDEC free radon test-kit request