Moderate predicted potential. A zone does not determine the reading in an individual home.
Newport’s posted adoption includes no radon appendix; the unincorporated county is opted out.
No NRPP- or NRSB-listed measurement professional was based in Cocke County when checked.
01 / Risk & evidence
The map says moderate. The county data says “not verified.”
EPA places Cocke County in Zone 2, associated with predicted average indoor levels of 2–4 pCi/L. That is a planning classification, not a measurement for Newport, Cosby or any single address.78
Tennessee Radon Testing dashboard · 2022–2023
No defensible Cocke County reading could be extracted.
Multiple attempts never produced a tooltip whose accessibility text identified “County: Cocke.” Under a county-first verification rule, average, median, maximum and county test count stay unpublished.10
—County average not verified
—County median not verified
—County maximum not verified
4,511 is not a Cocke County test count
Selecting East Region showed 4,511 pre-mitigation tests across the health region. The dashboard’s pre/post charts aggregate by region, even after choosing a county; that number cannot be republished as a Cocke County total.10
02 / Building codes
Two jurisdictions. Neither supplies a radon mandate.
The important split is who enforces residential code. Newport operates its own program. Unincorporated Cocke County is outside the State Fire Marshal’s mandatory residential inspection program.
City enforcement
City of Newport
Local code program · MTAS status “EXEMPT”
2012 IRC
Ord. #2017-03 · April 2017
The posted Title 12 lists no adopted appendices, so the 2012 IRC radon appendix is not adopted. Radon-resistant new construction is not mandatory in the posted code.15
County jurisdiction
Unincorporated Cocke County
Also reflected for Parrottsville
OPT OUT
Current resolution not found online
The State Fire Marshal does not require residential permits or inspect new one- and two-family homes here. No mandatory radon-resistant construction rule was found.43
State baseline
Where Tennessee’s state program applies
Not the controlling program for opted-out Cocke County
2018 IRC + Q
Rule effective July 16, 2020
The statewide rule adopts Appendix Q only and excludes optional provisions. Appendix F, Radon Control Methods, is not adopted statewide.2
What “opt out” means
The county legislative body exempted one- and two-family dwellings in unincorporated areas from statewide residential standards. Since 2017, an owner may voluntarily request an SFMO inspection and certificate of occupancy. Electrical permits remain statewide.6
03 / Local rules
No special Cocke County radon regime was found
The research found no county- or Newport-specific radon rule for public buildings, schools, rentals or real-estate transactions. State norms remain the operative reference.
Schools
Tennessee law encourages local education agencies to run inspection and evaluation programs that may include radon testing. It does not require testing. A 2017–18 bill proposing annual school tests did not pass.1314
Public buildings
No Cocke County or Newport rule comparable to Metro Nashville’s public-building radon regulation was found. That is a “not found” result, not proof that no internal practice exists.
Real estate
Tennessee has no radon-specific test mandate. Sellers disclose known material defects; the Tennessee Realtors disclosure form advises buyers to include radon among inspection contingencies.15
How do I find a certified radon professional in Cocke 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.
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.
04 / Homebuyer guide
Testing is the only property-level proof.
The weak spot is clearest in unincorporated growth areas: no mandatory residential inspection, no required passive radon system and no verified county measurement to lean on.
Write it into the offer
Add a radon test contingency even when the seller has nothing to disclose. “Not known” is not a measurement.15
Ask who inspected the build
In unincorporated Cocke County, state residential inspection is not automatic. Request permits, plans and any voluntary inspection record.34
Do not confuse new with radon-ready
Neither Newport’s posted adoption nor the statewide baseline used elsewhere requires the radon appendix.12
Verify current credentials
For a time-sensitive transaction, check the NRPP or NRSB directory immediately before hiring; listings and expiration dates can change.
Start with Tennessee’s free test-kit program
TDEC offers free radon test kits to Tennessee homeowners. For a real-estate deadline, consider a certified measurement professional.
05 / Quick answers
Cocke County radon FAQ
Concise answers where the records are clear, with uncertainty left intact where they are not.
Is Cocke County in a radon risk area?
Yes. EPA classifies Cocke County as Zone 2, the moderate-potential category. That county-scale classification cannot predict the reading in a particular home.
Does Newport require radon-resistant new construction?
No requirement was verified. Newport’s posted code adopts the 2012 IRC through Ordinance #2017-03, but it lists no appendix adoption. Confirm the current code edition with the city before relying on the 2017 record.
Does unincorporated Cocke County inspect new houses?
Cocke County is listed as opted out of Tennessee’s residential inspection program. State residential inspections are not mandatory there, although an owner may voluntarily request an SFMO inspection.
What county test results does Tennessee publish?
No Cocke County-specific average, median, maximum or test count was verified from the 2022–2023 dashboard. The dashboard’s 4,511 pre-mitigation count belongs to the larger East Region, not the county.
How many certified testers are based in Cocke County?
Zero NRPP- or NRSB-listed measurement professionals were based in the county when checked October 16, 2026. The nearest NRPP listings were in Dandridge and Talbott.
Does Tennessee require a radon test when a home is sold?
No radon-specific testing mandate was found. Sellers disclose known material defects, and buyers can include radon testing in the inspection contingency.